Hotel owner Ibrahim Thoyyib is in the unique position of owning the only hotel to have opened so far on the sparkling new island of Hulhumale'.

Hulhumale' is a reclaimed-land island which was built up from the reef in North Male' Atoll. It is connected to Male' International Airport by a causeway. It takes 15 minutes to get to by airport taxi from Hulhumale' or 20 minutes by ferry from Male'. As the island is still very new, to date there is just one hotel located on it.

Thoyyib's hotel, Fuana Inn, is in Beach Road, Hulhumale'. The brand new hotel offers affordable accommodation and friendly, welcoming staff. It is located on the beachfront; offering superb views of a long strip of white sand, a shallow turquoise water lagoon, and just beyond, a glimpse of the waves gently breaking on the reef.

Thoyyib is experienced in the hotel business, having run a hotel in Japan for 18 years before opening Fuana Inn. Thoyyib said: "I was in the hotel business in Okinawa, Japan, for the last 18 years. I've run Fuana Inn for more than three years, this is the fourth year. I'm happy with what I do, and now we have a connection to the airport it's easy to get to the airport. I'm interested in talking to new people and I love human contact.

"I choose Hulhumale' for my hotel because it is close to Male'. People who live in Male' need to get out from Male' occasionally - it's so busy in Male', people are living tiny houses."

The business has gone from strength to strength, despite the global recession.

Thoyyib said: "We have increased business. A good percentage of customers are transit customers who are visiting us for the beach, diving and snorkelling. We have nice beach in front of Fuana Inn."

The clear, shallow lagoon in front of Fuana Inn is an excellent spot for snorkelling or bathing. Other activities available on the island include tennis at the public tennis courts, or you could take a look at the beautiful golden dome of the mosque, while anyone feeling a bit more adventurous can grab some equipment from a local shop and take advantage of the free barbeque facilities on offer at the northern end of the island, where locals gather in the evening to grill fish and socialise. You could also take Thoyyib's recommendation and pop down to marvel at the enormous tuna being sorted for export.

Thoyyib added: "This is the only place in the Maldives where the people come from all over the Maldives, and this is the only island designed by architects."

Hulhumale' offers a much more relaxed pace of life than the busy capital of Male', with wide tree-lined streets that help give the island a sense of space. Hulhumale' was primarily designed to create more land mass for housing and development, and development is still underway. The island was inaugurated in 2004. Visiting Hulhumale is a fascinating opportunity to look into the future of the Maldives, as increasingly more residents move there from the crowded capital and other islands beyond.

Twin rooms for two at Fuana Inn cost USD $80 or $75 for one person. Day rooms are also available for transit passengers at $40. For more information visit fuana.net.