• Untouched sandbanks surround Soneva Fushi. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    Untouched sandbanks surround Soneva Fushi. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • The Robinson Crusoe Villa: a two-storey hideaways with its own private pool. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    The Robinson Crusoe Villa: a two-storey hideaways with its own private pool. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • The resort bills itself as the original desert island hideaway in the Maldives. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    The resort bills itself as the original desert island hideaway in the Maldives. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • The perfect place for hanging around in paradise. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    The perfect place for hanging around in paradise. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • Private dining under the stars. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    Private dining under the stars. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • The water slide plunges straight into the Indian Ocean. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    The water slide plunges straight into the Indian Ocean. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • Guests can take in a movie under the stars at Cinema Paradiso. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    Guests can take in a movie under the stars at Cinema Paradiso. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • Soneva Fushi is a barefoot luxury resort on Kunfunadhoo Island in the Maldives’ Baa Atoll. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    Soneva Fushi is a barefoot luxury resort on Kunfunadhoo Island in the Maldives’ Baa Atoll. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • It's all about the barefoot chic at Soneva Fushi. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    It's all about the barefoot chic at Soneva Fushi. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • Villas come with outdoor rainshowers. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    Villas come with outdoor rainshowers. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
  • Turner and Jonas are enjoying a little slice of paradise in the middle of the Indian Ocean at Soneva Fushi. Courtesy Soneva Fushi
    Turner and Jonas are enjoying a little slice of paradise in the middle of the Indian Ocean at Soneva Fushi. Courtesy Soneva Fushi

Travel

News

Best job in the world? Luxury Maldives resort Soneva Fushi hiring a 'barefoot bookseller'

Applications are open for those wanting to escape to an island paradise and be surrounded by novels for 12 months

Sophie Prideaux
Sophie Prideaux

July 27, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

If you’ve ever considered quitting your job and disappearing to a desert island for a year, now could be the perfect time.

Luxury Maldives resort Soneva Fushi, famed for its overwater villas with slides directly into the ocean, is advertising for “possibly the best job in the world".

The hunt is on for a “barefoot bookseller” to run its island shop for 12 months.

“While most of us find holidays are the only opportunity we get to read for pleasure, finding the perfect book to enhance your destination and open your mind can be a challenge,” the job advert states.

“Previous barefoot booksellers have provided guests with unforgettable literary experiences from writer’s workshops to personal reading consultations. We are interested to see what new ideas you can bring to the role.

“The ideal candidate will be a team player with a passion for books and the ability to engage with guests of all ages. They will have excellent written and verbal English skills; a lively tone of voice to write an entertaining blog capturing the exhilarating life of a desert island bookseller and the skills to host workshops and other guest experiences. They must have the ability to fit in with the distinctive Soneva culture.”

The placement will start in October and require the successful candidate to hold workshops and pop-up events, such as creative writing courses for guests.

The initiative was first launched in 2018 in collaboration with Ultimate Library. The new candidate will take over from Georgie Polhill, an experienced bookseller who previously worked in the editorial department of a London publishers before flying to the Maldives.

Among her highlights of her time on Soneva Fushi was interviewing actor Stanley Tucci ahead of a screening of one of his films at the resort’s outdoor cinema.

Writing about the experience in a blogpost, Polhill said: "The best thing about working as Soneva Fushi’s barefoot bookseller is the unpredictability; you never know what adventures a new week will bring.”

Soneva Fushi is a popular resort for celebrities, with a number of A-list stars visiting, including John Legend and Chrissy Teigen and actor Ed Westwick. It is also the resort where Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas spent their honeymoon.

Interested candidates can learn more and apply via the Barefoot Bookseller website.

While you're here
if you go

The flights

Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.

The hotel

Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.

The tour

Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Updated: July 27, 2022, 8:31 AM
MaldivesLiterature