W Maldives is the Perfect Place to be this Eid Al Adha

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W Maldives has announced that it will be offering its GCC guests a special holiday package targeted for the upcoming Adha Al Eid holidays.

W Maldives, one the best resorts in the Maldives will be presenting their guests from the Gulf Countries amenities such as Stay 4/Pay 3 price cuts and savings on spa treatments, water sports activities, private dining on one of the island’s seven coral terraces, complimentary incentives in the rooms and daily shisha with Arabic snacks for two on the beach.

Guests will also have the option to choose from the resort’s 78 escapes and suites located both ashore and over water, with all featuring an infinity plunging pool. These escapes include 28 Wonderful Beach Oasis’s, 25 Spectacular Ocean Oasis’s, 21 Fabulous Lagoon Oasis’s, 3 WOW Ocean Escape’s and 1 Extreme WOW Ocean Haven.


For dining, guests can indulge in the islands mixture of 6 bars and restaurants. The W Maldives KITCHEN, the all-day dining bistro, and FIRE, where guests choose from 4 different barbecues, provide menus for everyone’s palate. Other dining options include the resorts pool bar, WET and the private desert island Gaathafushi or FISH of W Maldives.

With its own resident DJ’s, W Maldives can also boast the only underwater nightclub in Maldives the 15 BELOW. Awards winning spa AWAY is also at the guest’s disposal during their stay where more than a 100 treatments are available.

Visitors can experience one of the best dive spots in the Maldives with DOWN UNDER, W Maldives’s very own PAID certified team of dive masters.

To have the perfect holiday this Eid Al Adha, W Maldives may be just the place to be and whatever their guests desire will be provided whenever by the dedicated team going along with the W philosophy of ‘Whatever/Whenever’. Making the resort, the perfect natural sanctuary.

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Outrigger helps regenerate coral in the Maldives

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Outrigger has embarked on a major coral regeneration project in the Maldives.


Guests at the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort recently joined resident marine biologist and staff for the initiative, which included presentations in both English and Chinese.

The coral restoration project was originally launched in December 2015, but the resort says that the “El Nino effect” raised water temperatures and killed off the new coral.

Under the latest project, guests helped marine biologist Caterina Fattori reconnect living coral fragments that had been displaced by waves to coconut ropes. They were then attached on laces and to metal frames at depths of seven metres and 13 metres under the surface.

The coral restoration project was initiated by Best Dives Konotta and forms part of the ‘Outrigger OZONE’ – the company’s global marine conservation programme.

Make WAVES at world’s most UNIQUE all-inclusive resorts

Loading Maldives Offers.... THE new all-inclusive hotel in Barbados has opened, with no end of twists to the usual setup.


Safaris, night markets and rum punch: welcome to beautiful, laid back Barbados.

As the island celebrates 50 years of independence, now’s the time to visit.

A country so beautiful an laid-back, it has the moniker ‘jewel of the Caribbean,’ the island paradise is celebrating independence after being ruled by England until 1966.

However, Bajan culture celebrates all things British — from colonial architecture to afternoon tea.

And if you need a place to stay, look no further than the newly opened Waves Hotel & Spa.

Unlike its five sister properties and indeed anywhere else in Barbados, Waves is an all-inclusive property that offers guests a comprehensive mind and body retreat on the platinum west coast of the island.

The style, culinary experience, setting, activities and spa treatments have all been designed to create an empowering, inspiring and ultimately relaxing holiday.

And they even encourage guests to explore their creative side with a special Bajan colouring book.

Created by local island artist Catherine Cummins, who is famed for her drawings and stunning textile creations, ‘Shades of Waves’ is an intricately designed colouring book that features truly Bajan motifs.

Specifically developed to help de-stress and focus the mind, ‘Shades of Waves’ is set to inspire guests of all ages to pick up a colouring pencil and drift into a tranquil state.

Guests are encouraged to colour at least one page a day to help them acclimatise to a more relaxed way of life at the hotel.

And they re also encouraged to take part in one of the many luxurious activities available at the resort, including up to four complimentary spa treatments during their stay.


In addition to the new colouring book and inclusive spa treatments, Waves Hotel & Spa will feature a range of special relaxation sessions that have been designed to release tension, boost vitality and help guests enjoy the present.

These include stand-up paddle boarding, al fresco Kickboxing and outdoor yoga in the yoga pavilion, Pilates in the Zen garden and complimentary golf for all guests at the nearby South Coast Golf Club.







It’s time you tried diving in the Maldives

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I’m floating through the water when a boulder-sized rock beneath me begins to move.

Startled, I struggle to turn my body around in the water. As the rock continues to rise, I notice two pairs of coffee-coloured fins protruding on either side. The wizened grimace of the turtle confronts me, decides I’m not worth bothering with, and begins propelling itself towards the open ocean. Diving brings some hairy moments, but it’s safe to say that this isn’t one of them.



I’d never thought of turtles as elegant before. But watching this graceful creature gently flap its fins reminds me of a bird at soaring great height. I follow the turtle as it zig-zags up and down, first toward the seabed and then up toward the light. All I can hear is the steady, muffled exhalations of my respirator mouthpiece. My turtle swims on, totally unperturbed by my spellbound presence. He’s got better things to do. 

The Maldives might be synonymous with smitten honeymooners, but I’m here to discover the archipelago’s world-class diving spots. Celebrated for its clear, pristine water and diverse marine life, the Maldives boasts near-perfect conditions for divers. Coral reefs teeming with exotically decorated fish ring many of the islands, so you’re never far from the magnificent show of the underwater world.

Our resort, OBLU, occupies an island in the North Male Atoll, whose house reef is particularly impressive. Founded by Atmosphere, OBLU specialises in giving guests unparalleled access to the waters. OBLU’s idyllic, palm tree-lined island is less than an hour from Maldives airport by speedboat. Cruising through the ocean with the wind whipping through my hair, it doesn’t take me long to conclude that it’s the best airport transfer I’ve ever experienced.

With its own diving centre and in-house instructors, OBLU is a great place for beginners to get into diving. As a first-time diver I’m especially interested in the quality of the instructors at OBLU, and I’m impressed. Simone and Davide, both experienced, both French, both tanned the colour of cafe au lait, prove to be unflappable guides.

After landing on a particularly blistering afternoon, we’re greeted with some welcome cocktails in the airy, high-ceilinged reception lounge. From here you can gaze on as the boats bobbing in the blue of the bay make their way out to sea, to catch the day’s fish or take a group of guests snorkelling on one of the nearby islands.


After an eleven-hour journey and stop-over in Dubai, I’m glad to be shown to my villa. OBLU offer over one hundred villas across four categories, spread out across the island. As a ‘lagoon’ villa, mine features a private infinity pool and steps leading directly into the ocean. At night, you can sit on your decking watching the reef sharks searching for food, patterns of light illuminating the seabed like the glamorous floor of a ballroom.

A five-minute stroll beneath the shadows of the palm-leaves brings you to Spice, the island’s main restaurant. With sand under your feet and vast ocean views on three sides of the dining room, the best qualities of the Maldives are brought directly to the tabletop.

And it’s not just the scenery. Chefs from Sri Lanka, Mongolia and of course the Maldives itself whip up some mouthwatering dishes. A dedicated fish bar invites guests to choose which freshly caught fish they’d like, before it’s fried in front of their eyes. A curry station tempts me in with its promising heaps of amber and ochre-coloured spices, the aroma of cumin drawing me near and keeps me lingering until a spicy prawn curry is ready.

A self-service buffet style helps to maintain the informal vibe, and the choice is fantastic. For breakfast, diners can choose anything from eggs and bacon to Belgian waffles, with some fragrant fish curries for those after something more authentic. And after you’ve made your last trip to the buffet, you can wander next door to Helen’s Bar. Sitting in the shade, looking out at the ocean with a drink in your hand – it’s an attractive offer, and one which we end up accepting every day after lunch.

Of course, all this relaxation and comfort is nice enough, but it’s even better after a long day of watersports. As well as offering some fantastic diving, there’s also snorkelling and parasailing. The latter is the only one that’s weather-dependent, and as luck would have it a storm blows in and rattles the island on the one afternoon we’d set aside for parasailing.

“Don’t worry” says Dhiley, our Maldivian guide. “We’ll wait until it passes. It won’t last a long time, I can tell”

As with many things on the island, Dhiley is right, and within a couple of hours we’re tearing across the newly-calm ocean, preparing to take flight. One by one, we’re fastened to the ropes and hinges of the red parachute, ready to be hoisted into the sky. Seated on the tail of the boat, parachute beginning to billow threateningly behind me, I feel a tug on my back as my feet begin to drag across the boat. I’m lifted into the sky like a rag doll, drifting away like an untethered balloon.

Parasailing looks intense, but the one thing you take away from the experience is the peacefulness. Up there in the sky, the only sound you hear is the distant whine of the speedboat as you watch the sea foaming in its wake. Suddenly I find myself spontaneously singing I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles, favourite of West Ham fans and hopeless nostalgics. I blame altitude sickness.

Diving, however, demands far more concentration. Something inside of you rebels at the thought of stuffing your feet into oversized, unwieldy flippers and jumping into the sea with surprisingly heavy tank on your back. Even once you find yourself miraculously breathing underwater, your body struggles instinctively toward the surface,

“Relax” Davide the instructor soothes me. “If you’re breathing so fast, in out in out, you will not enjoy it. Scuba is all about breathing. If you get the breathing right, everything else will go perfectly”

A few deep breaths later, of the calm-down-everything’s-going-to-be-okay sort, and I’m settling into it. Look: a school of clownfish inspects a rock. Look: an eel peers menacingly through the coral. Look: a reef shark swims innocuously past. There’s so much to see. Every glance reveals something new.

After practising underwater signalling and how to use our masks properly, we descend deeper into the ocean. The light doesn’t penetrate as far, and the water feels colder and thicker somehow. Luminous, brain-shaped mounds of coral mask ungainly, otherworldly creatures. You get the sense that down here, little has changed in hundreds of years.

With a military-esque swish of his pointed fingers, Davide indicates that we should follow him. We drift along to the restful sounds of our ponderous breaths, each one tinged with relief that I’m not choking on saltwater. We drift past shoals of silvery trout, their movements in sync as though they were individual scales of one enormous fish.

Davide drifts towards a rock, and points to a dark patch beneath it. We peer within. Two long antennae rise from the blackness. A monstrous lobster slowly peers back at us.. Every breath sounds like a drawn-out gasp when you’re diving, but this is a breathtaking sight. Soon the antennae disappear again, as though they were never there at all. I turn and leave him in peace.

Swallowing to prevent the painful pressure from building in my ear, I swim through a torrent of multicoloured fish. My limbs brush against their bright fins as I swim past, the fish totally unafraid of these odd interlopers. A crab passes silently underfoot, its movements careful and tentative, as though it suspected the ground to crumble beneath from beneath it at any moment.

Although the OBLU island is small, day trips and excursions to neighbouring islets give you a sense of the spaciousness of the Indian Ocean: the whole island archipelago is spread over 35,000 square miles.  On the midweek morning of our sojourn to an uninhabited atoll, I’m excited to see a wooden ship, reminiscent of a Greek trireme, pull its pointy brow into OBLU’s harbour. Within minutes we’re skipping along the waves, as passengers gaze across the ocean and sun themselves on the boat’s top deck.

The island we visit could have been lifted straight from the imagination. Palm-lined corridors of shade open out to pristine beaches of white sand, disturbed only by the tentative pilgrimages of crabs and the lapping of the waves. Beneath the forest canopy which shelters the centre of the island, our Maldivian guides light a barbecue: the day’s catch is waiting to be grilled. Meanwhile Dhiley and I kick a football around. Dhiley’s a keen Man United fan who rarely misses a game, and his tricks put mine to shame. After a stray kick sends the ball bouncing away into the bushes, we’re summoned to a barbecue beneath the trees. Running about in the heat, even as ineffectually as I was, makes you hungry.

With the days spent beneath the glittering water and the nights spent lingering over island cuisine beside the ocean, a week goes by very quickly in the Maldives. Our final evening is spent at Just Grill, the island’s a-la-carte restaurant. With tables scattered between a sandy beach and a thatched roof outpost at the tip of a pier, every diner is treated to magnificent views.

At night, the candlelight illuminates the grilled silver skin of fresh fish and green bursts of salad. You could quite happily visit OBLU and dine every day in the inclusive Spice buffet, but the delicious seclusion of Just Grill is an unmissable experience. Over traditional island fare of dorado, shrimp and chicken, we say a final goodbye to the moonlit beach, and raise a toast to the islanders – and, of course, to the cast of creatures beneath the water who make the diving so special.

 Words: Chris Zacharia

Kandima Maldives appoints Executive Chef & Executive Pasty Chef

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Kandima Maldives will be the first lifestyle resort in the country and will offer guests the opportunity to experience the Maldives in a new way. Offering one of the largest selection of F&B outlets in the country, with an incredible choice of ten delicious restaurants and bars, all featuring unique and individual menus offering flavours of the world from Chinese and Japanese to authentic Maldivian and Mediterranean. So whether it be tropical or traditional, Kandima has something to suit everyone’s tastes. 

Chef Ken Gundu – Executive Chef:
Kandima Maldives has announced the appointment of their new executive chef, Ken Gundu. Originally from Botswana, he is the first executive chef from mainland Africa in the Maldives. 

Chef Ken has been in the industry for twenty-one years and comes to Kandima Maldives after nearly five years as Executive Sous Chef at the highly regarded Tribal restaurant at Per Aquum Niyama. During his career he has worked in some of the world’s leading hotels, including the One & Only South Africa, The Royal Livingstone Zimbabwe, the Relais & Chateau Belcampo Belize, and he also ran the Abercrombie & Kent bush lodges in Botswana.  

Chef Brahim Sayah - Executive Pastry Chef:
Kandima Maldives is delighted to announce the appointment of their new executive pastry chef, Brahim Sayah. Originally from Paris, where he trained and developed his passion for pastry.  For the last sixteen years Chef Brahim Sayah has been working around the world in some of the finest hotels and restaurants, including The Jumeirah Messilah Kuwait, The Qatar Luxury Group, Maldives Constance, Banyan Tree Bahrain, Diamond Hotel Manila and also at Harrods and Sketch in London.

John Allanson has been appointed General Manager at Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll

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Outrigger Enterprises Group has appointed John Allanson as the general manager of the award-winning Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort, an exclusive sanctuary of over-water bungalows and exquisite villas located within the crystal waters of Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll. He will commence his position immediately and will report to Paul Richardson, executive vice president and chief operating officer in Outrigger’s corporate office in Hawaii. Allanson, a UK national, brings to Outrigger 30 years’ experience in hotel and resort management in the Maldives, Vietnam and the UK. Before joining Outrigger, he was the general manager of the Six Senses Con Dao Resort and Spa, a five-star property on Con Dao Island, Vietnam.

Allanson also spent two years as resort manager in the Maldives at the Six Senses Laamu Resort and Spa, a property with 97 villas. For much of his career, Allanson has been a general manager, or in senior management positions including food and beverage, in various high-end UK country hotels, many of them with a spa facility. The new Outrigger general manager has a diploma in Management Studies and earned a scholarship to the General Managers’ Program at Cornell University. He is also a graduate of the International Management Association and a member of the Hotel and Catering International Management Association.

Baglioni Resort Maldives opening in 2017

Loading Maldives Offers.... In 2017, Italian hotel chain Baglioni Hotels launches their first Maldives resort, Baglioni Resort Maldives, located on the unspoiled private island of Maagu in the Dhaalu Atoll and only a 40-minute hop by seaplane from the capital, Malé.

The resort will provide 99 villas with a selection of jungle, beach or over-water options, including an 870 sqm-luxe Presidential Water Villa with three bedrooms and private pool with Jacuzzi.

With sand floors offering barefoot dining and vegetables grown in the hotel’s own Vegetable Garden, guests have a choice of three restaurants including Italian, international and Japanese options. Wind down in the Jungle Spa, a temple of Ayurvedic and Thai therapies surrounded by tropical foliage, for the ultimate sense of peace and harmony.

The resort’s specialist Dive Centre will provide the opportunity to dive and snorkel in some of the best dive sites in the world as well as a range of watersporting activities.  Also ideal for families, Baglioni Resort Maldives will offer a kids club from 3-12 years old.

The resort will also be designed to minimise the environmental impact, with sustainable materials and measures being taken for maximum sustainability and efficiency.

OZEN by Atmosphere at Maadhoo, Maldives

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Ozen by Atmosphere opened in the island of maadhoo, south male atoll on 15th July 2016. The tranquil island has been converted into a top class lifestyle luxury resort latest to be unveiled in the Maldives.

Just a short 45minute boat ride away from Ibrahim Nasir international airport, the main international airport of Maldives and the capital city of Male, the island is perfectly situated just close enough to civilization in case of need and far enough for its guests to experience the amazing views that the resort offers of sunsets and sunrises from the east and west and pristine underwater marine life and the large lagoon overseeing the horizon.

Considering the geography and location, few other resorts can boast of the quality of natural beauty that the OZEN by Atmosphere can provide to its guests not only in the Maldives but throughout the whole world even.

Villas and Suites

Accommodating 41 beach villas situated perfectly on the immaculate sandy beach spreads over the turquoise lagoon, with another 49 over-water villas offering a romantic and rare experience hard to find and truly unmatched.

Six different outlets providing different kinds of cuisine for guests at the resort including the most notable underwater restaurant M6M and chefs of high class prestige with experienced teams ensuring that you would get an unforgettable experience at its restaurants.

Activities

Extending an unlimited range of activities conducted on the island spanning from limitless snorkeling excursions for all guests to night fishing expeditions or journeys to nearby uninhabited islands or the exclusive submarine experience that the resort provides with its SUB-ZEN by atmosphere service.

Spotlight on M6m

The first underwater dining experience provided in the Male atoll is in available at OZEN by Atmosphere’s M6m or ‘Minus 6 Meters’, a name which suits the restaurant perfectly. The restaurant provides an exquisite fine dining experience with gourmet and modern seafood cuisine and astonishing views of underwater natural beauty just a glance away from the window.


“Today is a very special day as we welcome our first guests to OZEN by Atmosphere. It is gratifying to see all our hard work come to fruition and our vision coming to life. My team & I am fully excited & prepared to take care of our discerning guests during the coming weeks.

We look forward to welcoming many more to our home away from home during the coming months and create lasting memories!” – Mr. Venkata Giri, General Manager of OZEN

It is expected for the resort to be a huge success with ultra-luxurious services and attractive rates with its perfect location it is certainly a step for Atmosphere following up from Atmosphere Kanifushi.

Why choose OZEN by Atmosphere?

From the lavish services it provides and grand entrance to the market and its key aspects of location wise and its edge over competitive resorts nearby with its underwater dining restaurant and attractive prices, OZEN by Atmosphere has been dubbed the most promising resort of 2016 and its opening has been much waited for anticipated by experts. With a professional team leading the resort and its high quality and expensive designs of villas to give its guests the ultimate luxury experience it is ready to provide, the resort is so far living up to the hype given to it for months leading up to its opening but only time will tell.

Book Now : https://www.zeldivaluxury.com/

Luxurious Maldives resort visitors will be able to take the stars to bed with them

Loading Maldives Offers.... Resorts in the Maldives like Finolhu Villas and the Hurawalhi Island Resort and Spa aim to offer unforgettable luxury experiences, but the soon-to-open Soneva Jani resort will offer something that no others do. Retractable roofs in the bedrooms of its villas will let guests sleep under the stars.

Soneva was founded by Sonu and Eva Shivdasani in 1995 and aims to offer an environmentally responsible brand of luxury tourism. In addition to the upcoming Soneva Jani, it runs the Soneva Fushi and Soneva Kiri destinations, in the Maldives and Thailand respectively, and the Soneva in Aqua yachting experience.

Soneva Jani is located on the 150-ac (61-ha) island of Medhufaru, which is part of an uninhabited five-island archipelago in the Noonu Atoll. It is sheltered in a lagoon, with views out over the Indian Ocean.

Among the resort's features will be a variety of dining options, a spa, a diving center, an observatory, a children's den, an eco center, organic gardens and an outdoor cinema. Guests at the cinema will be given Bluetooth earphones to listen to the movies they are watching, so as not to disturb wildlife in the area.


To minimize any environmental impact elsewhere, its villas have been built only over the sandy floors of the lagoon, avoiding any damage to the surrounding reef. The resort's pools will use UV-filtered seawater, wastewater will be treated on-site, and water for drinking use, among other things, will also be produced on-site. Vegetables will be grown, waste recycled and a "significant" amount of electricity to power the resort generated using solar panels.

There will be 24 water villas and one island villa when the resort opens, with additional island villas expected to be added next year. Every water villa will have a private pool and will open out onto the lagoon, with some boasting slides from their top deck into the water.

The coup de grâce, though, will be the retractable roofs in the master bedrooms of the villas. Soneva explains to Gizmag that Sonu and Eva discovered that guests at their Soneva Gili (now Gili Lankanfushi) resort were taking pillows out onto their decks to to sleep under the stars. This prompted them to look into how they could offer the same experience to guests from the comfort of their villas.

As per Soneva's ethos, sustainable materials were used to construct the roofs where possible. It was also important that the roofs be designed to be robust and be equipped to deal with the Maldives' rainy season.

The roofs measure 4 x 4 m (13 x 13 ft) . They are made from red river gum timber and rest on milled steel parallel tracks, with rack and pinion coupled-synchronized gear motors. There are three buttons for opening, closing and stopping the movement of the roofs, and sensors built into them so that they close automatically when it rains and guests don't get wet while they sleep. The result allows guests to lie on their beds and look up at the stars in the sky.

A soft opening of Soneva Jani is planned for October, with the resort expect to be fully open from November.

Book Now : https://www.zeldivaluxury.com/

MALDIVES: SAVE £708pp on holidays to Vilamendhoo Resort

Loading Maldives Offers.... Vilamendhoo are offering FREE sea plane transfers and a FREE upgrade from half board to All Inclusive on all holidays in September...

We've packaged their Special Offer with flights from London and added some diving ... so, for instance, 7 nights in a Garden Villa, All Inclusive meal plan, 5 Dive Package, Sea Plane Transfers and return flights from London with Qatar Airways is just £1,542pp based on two sharing ... SAVING £708pp.

Based on two people sharing.
Minimum 6 nights on resort.

Other room types, departure airports and durations are available - ask our Sale
https://www.zeldivaluxury.com/

Malahani Kuda Bandos returns as Nostalgic picnic island

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Just a short 10-minute boat ride away from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, Malahani Kuda Bandos opened its doors to guests late last July. Rated as a four-star property the concept of the resort revolves around a sense of spaciousness and simplicity blending in all the natural elements the Maldives is acclaimed for.

Formerly a picnic island very popular with the local community the island has an unfathomable connection with the locals who have deep memories of the time spent on the island. Most people living in the surrounding region of the island have visited the island more than once, would understand the natural beauty and calmness that the island provides to its visitors.

Offering 82 rooms on two categories each with its own specialties, the sunrise beach bungalows featuring open air showers and direct access to beaches to the sandy pearl white beaches that the Maldives is famed for and spectacular views of the sunrise in addition to the Garden Rooms offering cozy options for those looking to experience the nat


The island also has restaurants providing from international cuisines to light meals. And if you ever crave another option you can always visit the neighboring island of Bandos Maldives Resort offering four more dining outlets.

With nearby magnificent dive spots, a multitude of watersports and excursions such as island hopping, sunset dolphin cruise, and big game fishing at their disposal, it is hard to believe that any guest visiting the island not getting a once in a lifetime experience and innumerable memories for them to revel in on going back to their everyday daily life.

The resorts management works with the philosophy of striving to create a sense of belonging to its travelers. And operates a vibrant crew ready to go the extra mile to make Kuda Bandos the ideal place for good vibes.


Malahani Kuda Bandos ensures that their guests would have the time of their life from the moment they step on to the island to until they leave it.

Special Deals in the Maldives this December

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Four of the best resorts in the Maldives managed by Villa Hotels are offering deals this December that you would not want to miss out on. These resorts are

Paradise Island Resort & Spa – Located in the North Male Atoll on the small island of Lankanfushi featuring luxury villas and suites overlooking the Indian Ocean with fabulous dining, nightlife in addition to a wide range of water sports and recreation activities, it is a mere 15- minute boat ride away from the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.


Sun Island Resort & Spa - Nestled on Nalaguraidhoo, set in the South Ari Atoll it is 62 miles from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, reachable in 30 minutes by domestic flight. It is one of the biggest names in the luxury resort category of the country.




Royal Island Resort & Spa - Set on the island commonly known as Horubadhoo in Baa atoll it is a 118 km Northwest of Malé. The resort features luxury villas and suites with magnificent views of the Indian Ocean, with two world-class restaurants and four vibrant bars and lounges. Just a 30-minute domestic flight away from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, Royal Island Resort & Spa is a dream destination among Maldives luxury resorts.




Holiday Island Resort & Spa – Situated at the tip of south Ari Atoll is Holiday Island Resort & Spa, it is also reachable in 30-minutes by domestic flight.


All four resorts are acclaimed as award winning resorts in the Maldives for the excellent service and unique experience they provide, with villa hotels being one of the biggest companies in its field of tourism and hotel management. All four hotels will be offering the 20% discount to its guests this December.

This offer has been extended for all room categories and is applicable for stays between 20th December 2016 and 9th January 2017.

5th Anniversary of the Maldives Travel Awards with the Highest Number of Nominations

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year’s total of 115 nominees, a massive 111% growth.
Maldives Travel Awards introduced in 2012 by MATATO, has announced that it has received a record number of nominees for this year’s awards. With a total of 243 nominations, this year will see the highest number of participants and nominees competing for the prestigious awards. Which compared to last 


The association’s original purpose for the creation of the awards was to celebrate and recognize the excellence in the Maldivian hospitality sector meanwhile linking relationships between local agents and the hoteliers, while offering a platform for networking and change the way hoteliers see local agents to a more positive manner.

The awards will be conferred based on a range of 35 categories, with the 2016 edition announcing the introduction of 5 new categories. They are the Leading Airport Lounge, Leading Human Resource Management, Leading F&B Outlet, Leading Marketing Program and Leading Guesthouse Categories. Participation from 18 guesthouses nominated for the ‘’Leading Guesthouses Category’’ will see competition heat up with the local participants and rivalries in the resort categories will be as fierce as always.

Photo: Soneva Fushi  won the award for the Leading Luxury Resort for the year 2015.
For the Maldives Travel Awards 2016, MATATO has found itself a new Event Manager in ‘’Think Associates’’ through a tender process carried out earlier this year. A leading event organizer in the Maldives Think Associates has been a part of many important events in the past.

MATATO and Think Associates have plenty of hype events and enthralling promotions organized for the coming month and even has plans to carry out promotional activities at the WTM 2016 (World Travel Market) in London.

The president of MATATO Mr. Abdulla Giyaas stated in an interview with PSM news that he believes the reason for the high number of nominations this year was the hard work carried out by the association to encourage more businesses to take part in the event. And in addition to bringing new designs to the trophy, the association has announced that a Travel Conference will be held the day before the Maldives Travel Awards official ceremony. He also added that the ceremony will be held over two days in November and promised to reveal more information at a press conference next week.

Enjoy Maldives nature at its most beautiful

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Once upon a time, in an archipelago surrounded by the clearest blue water, there were only honeymooners. The Maldives used to be a destination mainly for those in love, just married or celebrating anniversaries, but not anymore.

This year has seen a flurry of new hotels from local and international developers keen to attract a wider range of guests, from families to groups of friends and younger visitors.

Nowhere does this better than Finolhu, which opened in July. Think vintage-inspired beach shacks serving crab and buckets of prawns, retro touches and quirky Instagram-ready signs on the quiet Baa atoll, half an hour plane ride from Male.

From vintage-style Marshall amps in the rooms, to al-fresco treatment divans in the spa inspired by 1970s divas, and a Milk Bar serving up avocado on toast and healthy smoothies, this is a fun shakeup of what a Maldives resort should be.

At Amilla Fushi, they are playing to the Maldives’ amazing weather and gorgeous island scapes as a perfect place to focus on wellness. This year, they have created five private ‘wellness tree houses’ (collaborating with Bodyism), which encompass a bedroom, bathroom, and your own spa and infinity pool. You can go for a digital detox, arrange a yoga program, or just eat clean with your own healthy minibar and meals.

If you want to catch a few breaks, head to Gili Lankanfushi on the North Male atoll, which has set itself up as the place to learn to surf. The resort shares its reef with the famous Jails surf break, which attracts the best of the surf crowd each surf season (April to October).

There are more beginner-friendly breaks a 10-minute boat ride from the resort, and the hotel has teamed up with Tropicsurf to offer both group and private surf lessons all year round. The calm lagoon is perfect for newbies, while keen learners can head out to the Ninjas break.

Other resorts focus on giving something back to the environment and teaching guests about marine conservation. At Baros, the original (and still extremely luxurious) Maldives resort, visitors can spend time with the onsite marine biologists and see how the island is creating its own coral reef out of guest-sponsored ‘trays’ that attract octopus, batfish and surgeonfish.

Hurawalhi will open in November, and is also looking to attract the eco-interested guest. Some 60 percent of the island will be solar-powered, and it has its own water-bottling plant and food-recycling program already in place. It has partnered with Wise Oceans to support research into local manta ray populations.

Recognizing that the Maldives is an extremely fragile ecosystem, the hotel is wearing its green heart on its sleeve, something that more and more travellers expect to see, without losing any of the luxury touches you would expect in the Maldives.

Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa’s ‘Dhon Kulhi’

Loading Maldives Offers.... It would be fair to say that the Maldives’ summertime is far more gratifying and reliable than ours in the United Kingdom. Named after the Dhonakulhi Island in the north of the Maldives, this week’s featured cocktail recipe – ‘Dhon Kulhi’ – was created by mixologist Jayson Santos Del Rosario for the island’s luxurious Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa. What’s more, the bartender has also won the Grape Expectation Bartender’s Challenge for 2016, as well as having participated in the 25th APAC Bartender of the Year Cocktail Competition in Singapore. Featuring a rum base, combined with elderflower liqueur, passion fruit and ginger purée, this promisingly refreshing cocktail is great to recreate at home throughout the rest of summer, and ideal for (rare) warm summer evenings.

Ingredients

White rum, 40ml

Elderflower liqueur, 20ml

Passion fruit purée, 40ml

Ginger purée, 20ml

Lemon juice, 30ml

To Garnish

Ginger and chilli, a twist

Method

Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add some ice cubes and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a twist of ginger and chilli.

Outrigger in the Maldives celebrates 1st anniversary...

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To celebrate its 1st anniversary, the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort invited travel industry professionals to the resort for the weekend from July 30-August 1.


KONOTTA, Maldives – The Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort celebrated its 1st anniversary July 30-August 1 by inviting travel industry professionals to the resort for the weekend.
 
As part of the celebrations, travel agents spent time on a site inspection, dolphin spotting, relaxing in the Navasana Spa hydro pool, enjoying complimentary non-motorised water sports and dining.
 
Hotel guests then joined the travel industry guests for a management cocktail by the main pool followed by a Maldivian night with barbecue dinner on the beach and Bodu Beru dances and music.
 
Resort Manager Elza Artiaga shared a thank you message that was posted live on Facebook during the reception.
 
To celebrate its 1st anniversary, the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort has launched a special half board package that guarantees up to 40% discount as part of its limited-period celebrations. Special anniversary prices can be booked until 30 September 2016 and are valid for stays up to 30 April 2017.
 
The deluxe 53-key resort has the largest average villa sizes in the Maldives.
 
The Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort won “Luxury Contemporary Resort of the Year,” in the Luxury Travel Guide Global Awards 2015.

The World’s Most Luxurious Surf Contest

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Shane Dorian will return to the Maldives to defend his Four Seasons Championship title, at the most luxurious surf contest in the world. Photo: Courtesy of WSL
It’s known as “The world’s most luxurious surfing event.”
Next week (from Aug. 8-14), some of surfing’s most celebrated athletes will compete in the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy, a truly unique event, where surfers ride singlefins in the first round, twin fins in the second and thrusters in the third round with a $25,000 purse.

The surfers are also “handicapped” by age — Older surfers get more time in the water.

The event is based at the Four Seasons Maldives Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, a garden island  surrounded by a crystal lagoon.

Guests stay in sprawling thatched-roof “bungalows” — if that’s what you call a dwelling with a private glass-walled swimming pool, or a three-bedroom suite sitting on a dock in the cerulean Indian Ocean — and enjoy a world-class spa.

There also happens to be six world-class eateries to choose from including meals in private gazebos. From there, the Four Seasons Explorer, a 129-foot luxury, live aboard catamaran takes surfers and spectators out to the two peeling reef breaks, Sultans and Honky’s.

Or if you’re really looking for some adventure, you can just hop on their seaplane and check out the other reefs in the region from above, pick one, and be back to enjoy the Tiger Prawn Seasoned with Shichimi Togarashi Pepper, Tomato and Bell Pepper Grilled Seafood Platter for lunch.


It wasn’t that long ago that traveling competitive surfers slept in their board bags.

And the hook of this event is always the impressive list of the invited surfers. Past invitees have included Curren, Occy, Layne Beachley, Dave Rastovich, Sunny Garcia and Taylor Knox.

This year, the invitees are Pipeline specialists Jamie O’Brien, former Championship Tour competitor Travis Logie, longtime tour legend Taj Burrow, the inspiring Bethany Hamilton, and California’s purveyor of style, Rob Machado.


This year will also include Maldives local champion Hussain ‘Iboo’ Areef. Of course, 2015 champ, Hawaiian Shane Dorian will also be there to defend his title.
Just seven competitors. You don’t have to follow surfing too closely to know that this is a pretty star-studded field. In addition to the different fin set ups, the surfers are also ‘handicapped’ by age. Older surfers get more time in the water.

Machado rides singles and twinnies all the time. But folks have to be curious to see how J.O.B. and Bethany handle equipment from the past. Last year, Shane Dorian lit it up on a twin fin.

“Lisa and I can’t wait to return to the Maldives to enjoy the chilled out vibe of the Champions Trophy,” Dorian said of he and his wife, “It’s such a unique concept with fun waves and great company and definitely one of the highlights of our year.”

And if luxury surf packages are your style of travel, you can book a stay at the Four Seasons Maldives and score yourself.

Generally, summer and early fall are best for swell. Or if you really want to get some swanky swell, you can book the week of the Maldives Four Seasons Championship, get some VIP passes and ride the catamaran out to the action every day with Taj, Bethany, Shane and crew.



HURAWALHI MALDIVES SUSTAINABILITY IN TANDEM WITH LUXURY

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Five-star luxury and sustainability have been seamlessly integrated at Hurawalhi Island Resort – a combination worthy of making any environmentally-aware urban dweller green with envy.

In a fragile environment like the Maldives, eco-conscious operations should be the norm and this brand new island has gone the extra mile to put as much back into its surroundings as it takes out. With 60% of the island powered by solar energy, there is also a water bottling plant to substantially reduce the island’s plastic consumption, a food recycling programme and a collection of local greenhouses producing fresh produce for guests. Together these innovative elements ensure that protecting the natural environment is as high a priority as the comfort Hurawalhi provides.


The company behind Hurawalhi, Crown & Champa Resorts, wanted to make the destination as environmentally sustainable as possible. At every step of the development process reducing the project’s carbon footprint was a key consideration. In what they have achieved at Hurawalhi, Crown & Champa has proved it’s possible to care for the environment without sacrificing elegance, luxury and a highly personalised approach to service.


Once finished, the island will boast 4,243m² of solar panels – approximately the size of 26 volleyball courts! Crucially, this technology has been seamlessly integrated into the resort’s architecture by New York-based architect, Yuji Yamazaki, who has successfully turned power generation into a stylish design feature. The panels are state of the art in design and are a far cry from earlier units; the panels at Hurawalhi sport a futuristic-looking appearance which contributes to the contemporary ambience. Rather than clashing with the environment, they make a welcome addition to Hurawalhi’s chic appearance.


Another step Hurawalhi has taken in order to minimise its environmental footprint is to monitor the island’s food supply and production. Owen Ealden, the island’s Food and Beverage Director, is a strong advocate of healthy and sustainable living and summarises Hurawalhi’s theme of eco-consciousness in a single sentence, ‘We want to focus on three areas: healthy people, healthy planet and healthy local communities.’ Hurawalhi has its own water bottling plant, reducing the plastic consumption of the island by using only glass bottles supplied by nearby sister island Kuredu and all restaurants only offer organic and biodynamic produce, allowing guests to enjoy wholesome and good nutrition, which is not only healthy, but also beneficial to the environment. Food waste is processed into fertilizers to use in Hurawalhi’s greenhouse, a process powered entirely by solar energy. The resort also strives for maximum food transparency and thoughtfully sourced produce, favouring local suppliers whenever possible, which gives guests a chance to sample something new.


Hurawalhi has a desalination system which filters sea-water and turns it into clean water for drinking and cooking, as well as to supply the luxurious rainfall showers in the villas. Efficient waste management systems ensure water waste is recycled wherever possible.

All of these green initiatives demonstrate Hurawalhi’s high regard for the environment. Amongst its many other eco-projects, Hurawalhi, which is surrounded by some of the best dive sites and marine life encounters in the world, has teamed up with Wise Oceans to support marine conservation and the continued research of the local Manta ray population and is dedicated to maintaining the stunning local reefs.

A cruise ship from Mumbai to Maldives on this december

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This is going to be big! Indian travellers have all the right to be excited as starting December this year, Costa neoClassica will be operating cruises from Mumbai to Maldives.
Oh yes, you read that right. And guess what, the tickets for this cruise start at an affordable price of Rs 43,000.
No wait, there's more: the cruise will last for 7 nights and 8 days every single time and will take travellers on an unforgettable journey to the Maldives' capital Male. With a total of as many as 654 cabins and suites, the cruise will accommodate 1,700 passengers.
If sailing on the vast oceans is not enough to make you happy, let us give you a quick update on what this cruise has in store for a traveller. The ship will have a casino, a theatre, a library, a discotheque, a ballroom, numerous dining options, a bar, and a wellness centre that will include treatment rooms, sauna, a steam room, four Jacuzzis, two swimming pools and a gym.
The luxury cruise liner will sail from December 16, 2016 to March 18, 2017 and will cover the distance by travelling via Mangaluru and Kochi.

Kurumba Maldives Unveils Newly Renovated Main Pool Area

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Kurumba Maldives announced the enhancement of the resort’s newly refurbished main pool and children’s pool, delivering the ultimate guest experience. With views of the Indian Ocean and set amongst beautiful palms and tropical gardens, the newly redesigned pool boasts a spacious, vibrant design, incorporating light granite, striking turquoise glass mosaics and a brand new children’s infinity pool also with a fresh and modern design. The new colour scheme for both pools echoes the tone and feel of the recently upgraded Thila and Vihamanaa restaurants.

A highlight of the new features of the pool offers guests luxurious in-water sun loungers, perfect for relaxing and cooling off, while the stunning new feature jets offer beautiful water displays throughout the day and night.

In addition to this exciting new facility upgrade, Kurumba Maldives also presents a new outdoor lounge area for parents and children to relax in the shade, near to the children’s infinity pool. With added benefits for other guests, as the children’s pool and shaded lounge area have been moved away from the main pool and dining areas.

Judit Rosa, Sales and Marketing Manager of Kurumba Maldives stated: “Kurumba is always striving to continually improve our guest experience and resort product. The remodelling and refurbishment of the main pool space has made a remarkable impact for the entire resort, which we hope our guests will enjoy!”.

paradise found in dreamy Maldives

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I’d dreamt of landing some huge shark or at least a tasty red snapper to impress the folk back home. But I couldn’t even hook a tiddler.

So there was only one thing to do: grab another glass of champagne and munch on a few more canapés.

Still, why not? After all, we were in paradise. And I’d already fallen for the place – hook, line and sinker.

Paradise, it turns out, is remarkably easy to find. Just hop on a plane to Male, the capital of the Maldives.

Then hang on to your hat – I nearly lost my best Panama in the slipstream – during a 50-minute speedboat ride across the Indian Ocean to the island of Helengeli.

Within minutes of landing you’ll be sipping a refreshing fruit punch while checking into the OBLU by Atmosphere resort.


Just outside the door under the scorching sun lie beautiful beaches of silky, white sand, fringed by palm trees, surrounded by a calm turquoise sea.

You can while away your days snorkelling or diving, or parasailing over crystal clear water teeming with all sorts of colourful exotic creatures – including harmless sharks, spectacular manta rays and turtles.

Or if you don’t want to do anything at all, just chill out and laze by the swimming pool.

Everybody smiles and greets you with a cheery hello. The food is delicious and all the booze, including some exotic cocktails at Helen’s Bar, is included.

The Maldives – a little south of India and a mere 300 miles north of the equator – is a stunning archipelago of 26 coral atolls, made up of around 1,200 islands.

Helengeli is such a tiny one – just 800m by 500m – that you can stroll round it in 40 minutes.

And when OBLU opened its 116 tastefully-decorated rooms last November, Dutch general manager Rein van Zandvoort vowed to create “a vibrant, cool and happy tropical beach experience” with a “true Maldivian feel”.


Our semi-detached villa, built on stilts over the ocean, boasted a huge bathroom, half open to the sky, with his and hers wash basins, a bidet and a super rain shower. But best of all was the balcony with its private infinity plunge pool and steps into the sea.

One evening, as the sun began to set, we left a heron perched on the railings, greedily scanning the sea for his dinner. He surely dined well that night – but not in as much style as us.

Food in the self-service The Spice restaurant, with live cooking stations, is excellent and plentiful. But for a special treat, we ate at the gourmet Just Grill restaurant, sitting at a table on the moonlit sand with waves lapping nearby.

A mouth-watering banquet of prawns, lobster, juicy steak and salad was washed down with several glasses of wine, followed by a delicious chocolate mousse dessert.

By day, guests can explore the house reef, renowned for its unique channel dive sites, and snorkel in water so warm it’s like jumping into a tepid bath.

Fancy going a bit deeper, and the Atmosphere Aqua Club is PADI-certified, with a multi-lingual team of instructors and dive-masters ready to teach beginners.


We took a trip on a traditional Maldivian wooden boat known as a dhoni to nearby Kagi – one of 200 Robinson Crusoe-style deserted islands in the archipelago – where the crew rustled up a delicious meal of barbecued fish they’d caught during the voyage.

Resorts in the Maldives have long been a favourite destination for honeymooning couples and OBLU is no exception. Newlyweds find scented flower petals scattered over their bed when they arrive, with a welcome basket of fruit, a cake and bottle of sparkling wine waiting in the room.

A private romantic breakfast can be arranged on an ocean sandbank, followed by a tandem parasailing trip and relaxing couples massages in the Elena Spa.

Staff here tailor make individual relaxing, energising or de-stressing treatments after asking guests to fill out “lifestyle consultancy” forms.

The 50-minute Balinese massage I was given by Mariani on our final afternoon turned out to be so relaxing I’d almost dozed off by the time she had finished. Just the job after a hard day lazing in the sun – in fact the perfect end to a perfect holiday in paradise.