While ziplining is recognized worldwide today as an adventurous form of recreation, the earliest ziplines were all about practicality. The first known ziplines were used in ancient China to cross rivers. Later, Australians used ziplines during wars for transportation and to deliver food, mail, and ammunition. In the 1970s, a wildlife biologist named Donald Perry began creating primitive canopy ziplines to study the jungles of Costa Rica. Perry was the first to patent zipline technology.
Now, zipline outfitters around the world compete to have the best course. This list includes standouts, whether they claim superlatives like fastest, longest, or steepest, or just take advantage of incredible scenery.
If you’ve ever gone ziplining, you know it’s hard to carry snacks with you. Anything you bring will likely be lost to you forever if it drops into the tree canopy below. But don’t cry over spilled trail mix. At Soneva Fushi, a luxury eco-resort in the Maldives, you can zipline straight to a fine dining restaurant.
Courtesy of Soneva
On February 1, Chef Alberto Faccani, who can usually be found at two-Michelin-starred Magnolia Ristorante in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, began a three-month residency at Soneva Fushi. Magnolia’s Chef de Partie, Sean Conti, is joining Faccani at the treetop restaurant. Guests will fly about 39 feet in the air on the roughly 600-foot zipline before landing at the Flying Sauces dining platform.
Flying Sauces chefs Sean Conti and Alberto Faccani. / Courtesy of Soneva
Flying Sauces originally opened at Soneva Fushi in late 2021. Flying Sauces has also hosted a few high-profile visiting chefs before Faccani. Chef Julien Roye of Singapore’s acclaimed three-Michelin-starred Odette restaurant worked at the zipline restaurant from February to April 2022. Chef Pascale Barbot of Paris’s two-Michelin-starred Astrance restaurant was there from October 2022 to January 2023.
Why dine high in the trees? “This new experience gives our guests a new perspective of our unique island eco-system, allowing them to reconnect with the sights and sounds of nature while enjoying fine dining hospitality at the same time,” said Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and co-founder of Soneva.
Courtesy of Soneva
Faccani is excited to be cooking in the Maldives. “The sea is a part of me, and feeling it close to me gives me the energy and strength I need,” he said. “Its breeze accompanies me, every day, all the way to the kitchen. This allows me to unleash my creativity through different forms, giving traditional recipes a new and contemporary twist.”
A six-course dinner at Flying Sauces costs $350, or $204 for guests on a full or half board plan at Soneva Fushi. Dishes include toasted wahoo with tosazu, celery, green apple, and nori seaweed and a meal of ravioli, cacio e pepe, red prawns, lime, and chives.
Flying Sauces at night. / Courtesy of Soneva
Despite the high price tag, there is no dress code at Flying Sauces. Soneva Fushi has a come-as-you-are policy, no shoes required. Though you might want some sneakers for the zip line ride.
