Mirihi Island Resort

Mirihi Island Resort is the Maldivian resort that aims to be ‘as unique as you are’, we are delighted to say that this is a goal that is effortlessly achieved by one of the Maldives’ smallest island resorts. It can be said that ‘good things come in small packages’ and this is certainly true of Mirihi, located on a tiny private island in South Ari Atoll. Mirihi is the name of a pretty, yellow petaled local flower, also known as the ‘beach daisy’, a fitting name for this small luxury resort surrounded by pristine beach and clear blue waters that are teeming with marine life. The atmosphere in the resort is one of tranquility. Personalised service, a laid back setting where there are no TVs in guest rooms and no shoes worn around the resort all combines to give a feeling of restfulness and a chance to reconnect with nature. Nature is literally at your fingertips, the house reef is teeming; nurse sharks sleep, black tip reef sharks cruise and giant shoals of fish swim in the lagoon making an extraordinary backdrop to Muraka, the overwater restaurant at Mirihi.

Guests stay in one of the 38 simple yet luxurious villas, many of which are overwater, and we are happy to say that included ours. As much as the beach villas offer more outside space and direct ocean access from the beach, there is something ‘truly Maldivian’ about staying in an overwater villa. So when we weren’t sleeping, we spent all of our time on the deck, contemplating our next foray into the underwater world. All of the villas at Mirihi are without TV which was absolutely fine by us, but we did enjoy the Bose speaker system that allowed us to connect via Bluetooth and enjoy our favourites tunes. The large bathroom had direct access to the deck also, which made it very easy to rinse the salt water off after snorkelling.

The Vegan Food

Dhonveli (the Maldivian word for sand) is at the heart of the resort and it’s where guests can head for breakfast, lunch or dinner. With its white sand floors and far reaching ocean vistas, the restaurant exudes calmness and peacefulness. The breakfast buffet had the usual inclusions, but also featured oat milk, homemade coconut yoghurt, sovital bread, bael fruit tea and interesting cereals such as puffed amaranth and flattened rice. We enjoyed Maldivian roshi with rice and a veggie curry topped with moringa leaves, rice noodle soup topped with a variety of condiments and vegan sushi to get things started. Breakfast then got exciting when chef offered to make vegan waffles, vegan gyoza, vegan pancakes and a ‘taste of Sri Lanka’ for breakfast during our stay. The waffles were made with coconut milk and we added mango, chia seeds, goji berries, coconut and maple syrup to make the perfect waffle combo. They were very good indeed, light and fluffy and oh so tasty, we will be eating them again before we leave, there’s no doubt about that. Our Sri Lankan breakfast was exactly what we had hoped for, hoppers served with seeni sambal and curry, also kiribath (milk rice) served with fiery chutney. These are breakfast staples in Sri Lanka and absolute favourites of ours, so getting to enjoy them in the Maldives was a real treat.

Dining was a veritable vegan feast at Mirihi Island Resort with clearly labelled vegan options on the menus, and extensive options from the daily buffet. We were also in for a big surprise during our stay, as chef and his team prepared a number of other vegan dishes that they are planning to add to the new menus in the near future. The plant based food just kept coming, and as professional greedy vegans we just kept on eating. We feasted our way through jack fruit tacos, a stunning sushi platter and Vietnamese spring rolls, before continuing our ‘battle’ with soba noodles, tofu with banana flower, a creamy vegetable curry and the most delicious baked eggplant, stuffed with lentils and served with poppadoms, rice and lime pickle. Just when we thought lunch couldn’t get any better, we were served an avocado mousse from the main menu, and a rosemary crème brûlée that was simply divine.

Muraka, the intimate à la carte restaurant at Mirihi will not disappoint vegan guests. We were spoiled with a specially created vegan menu which included dishes that had been inspired by cuisines around the region. Muraka’s sunset facing, overwater dining location epitomises everything that is special about the Maldives. Our meal included ‘Laksa Soup’ which was an unexpected shift from this traditional Malaysian dish, but incredibly delicious all the same. Thick and flavourful, spicy and rich, the soup was finished with delicate zucchini noodles which worked perfectly. In between all of the eating we were taught about the importance of the coconut to Maldivians, and enjoyed a freshly picked coconut straight from the tree before our cooking class. Cooking classes, like everything else in Mirihi Island Resort, have the personalised touch. We spent an afternoon in the kitchen and learn how to make a bespoke set of dishes. From Maldivian classics like ‘Pumpkin and Coconut Salad’ to Thai classics like ‘Tom Yum’ soup, the chef skill fully guided us through the use of each of the ingredients to ensure a delicious balance of flavours and the creation of restaurant worthy dishes. Like all good cooking classes, we also got to eat what we had helped to make and especially enjoyed being transported to Thailand with a spicy sour ‘Tom Yum’ soup and a rich ‘Pad Krapow’ made with mushrooms and Thai basil leaves. Another experience at Mirihi not to be missed.

The Vegan Essentials

In addition to the fruit platter in our villa upon arrival we were also happy to discover that our welcome amenities included vegan chocolates. The water in glass bottles had been desalinated on the island, and the shower gel, shampoo and conditioner were in planet friendly and refillable ceramic dispensers. These are just some of the ways that Mirihi try to ‘tred lightly’, others being bamboo and wooden razors and toothbrushes, complete with chewable toothpaste and a tin of shaving gel. Sadly we live in a world where single use plastic is still a huge problem, so it’s great to find resorts that are making positive changes to reduce their use of plastic wherever possible.

The Vegan Food Quest Verdict

Mirihi may be small, but is perfectly formed and a dreamy destination. It might not have flat screen tv’s and futuristic villas, but this tiny island is simply unique and the staff team are excellent. For what must be one of the smallest resort islands in the Maldives, it’s certainly got a huge soul and that personal touch that is hard to find at a larger resort. What about the vegan food we hear you ask? Well, rest assured that once chef and his team know that you’re vegan, not only will you not go without, you will be treated to dish after dish of delicious plant based food, with a few surprises thrown in for good measure.

We were guests of Mirihi Island Resort but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views.

Mirihi Island Resort
Alif Dhaal Atoll
Maldives

Telephone: +960 668 0500
Email: reservation@mirihi.com
Cost From: £780 / $1000 (July 2024)