Baros

From the beginning Baros Maldives was destined to be special. When the resort opened on 5 December 1973 it was only the third holiday resort island in the Maldives. Now there are over 100. At that time the country’s population was about 123,000 (it’s now over 350,000) and fishing was the mainstay of the economy; there were no banks, international communication was by wireless Morse code and there were no paved streets. It took more than three hours by dhoni (a local sailing boat with no canopy) to reach Baros, then uninhabited and known historically as Kodhdhipparu-Baros.

Baros was chosen to be a special resort because it was small, unspoilt and idyllically located in the centre of the atoll, with its own reef encircling a pristine lagoon and untouched sandy shores. To conserve the island’s intrinsic beauty, the Maldivian family who leased it from the government and still operate it today, resolved to keep Baros pure.

Accommodation at first consisted of 56 beds in round cabanas with conical-shaped palm thatched roofs and rough coral walls. There was no air-conditioning. By 1983 the resort had expanded to 100 beds but even then only some of the rooms were air-conditioned. Ten years later 12 wooden, thatched octagonal cottages built on columns over the lagoon were added.

From the beginning, according to a 1983 guidebook, the resort was renowned for “its luxuriant tropical foliage and enchanting reefs.” The natural beauty of the island was preserved during the transformation in 2005 to the top class resort Baros Maldives is today.

Because of the inherent hospitality of Maldivians, from its opening the resort gained a reputation for its friendly informality and caring, personalised service. Over four decades this has been enhanced with attention to detail, leading to Baros Maldives becoming the hallmark of top quality Maldivian holiday hospitality, acclaimed as the Best Maldives Resort for a Honeymoon and one of the most romantic resorts in Maldives.