Outrigger Konotta Maldives Welcomes Valetine’s Day With Love

Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort has generated special Valentine’s Day offers for guests, to inspire some romance. The romantics who visit can choose from special Valentines candlelit dinners on the beach to relaxing couple’s spa massages, and vow renewal ceremonies.

If you and your better half enjoy the clichéd version of romance, where the setting for love involves a sandy beach, candle light and to dine under the open sky, the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort can prepare a candlelit sunset barbecue for two on the beach.

Culinary delights, carefully picked to inspire romance start on arrival with a class of sparkling wine, and gradually proceeding on to the highlights, which include lemon marinated grilled shrimp, tuna steak, calamari, reef fish in banana leaf, beef sirloin, lamb skewers, and a cold salad buffet. To finish off the romance on the beach before retiring to the luxurious rooms, a selection of mini desserts and surprise sweet treats from the pastry chef will be served.

To set the mood, the scene will be harmonized by the rhythmic drum music of Boduberu, a traditional type of Maldivian music. The special dinner takes place on Valentine’s Day, 14th of February for US$159 net per couple. Furthermore, the resort has on offer, one special private beach table BBQ with a private chef and waiter, featuring Champagne, canapés, local lobster, beef fillet, desserts and chocolates at US$366 net per guest.

Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort consists of 29 Beach Pool Villas, 21 Ocean Pool Villas, two Lagoon Pool Villas and the masterful three-bedroom Grand Konotta Villa. The Resort offers absolute seclusion and a sense of privacy for guests who seek intimate luxury. The Outrigger has the largest average villa sizes in the Maldives.

The private island of Konotta is located 211 miles to the south of Malé and is accessible via a 55-minute flight from Malé to Kaadedhdhoo Airport followed by a scenic journey that is only 30 minutes long on a luxurious private speedboat.

New gateway in Maldives a gamechanger for southern atolls

Gan, in the south of the Maldives, recently opened up to international airlines, a development that could translate to an estimated three hours in time saving for travel to resorts in the south.

The introduction of this gateway eliminates the need to connect with a scheduled commercial flight from Male, 545km away, to get to the domestic airports in the south.

On December 1, SriLankan Airlines started flying from Colombo to the upgraded Gan airport, which was previously only served by domestic carriers Maldivian and Flyme.

SriLanka’s 110-minute flight departs Colombo at 06.55 four times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) using a 150-seat Airbus 320.

“Since we consider the Maldives our extended home market, we will explore every avenue to make sure that Gan receives the attention and visibility that it deserves,” said Saminda Perera, general manager – marketing, SriLankan Airlines.

Resorts in the southern atolls are expected to benefit from this, with John Allanson, general manager of Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort, saying that Gan is “virtually on the doorstep” of the resort and others in Seenu, Gnaviyani, Gaafu Dhaalu and Gaafu Alifu.

Outrigger was quick to respond to the development, adding an on-demand 30-minute Trans Maldivian Airlines seaplane service from Gan, Seenu said.

Hoteliers in the southern atolls now hope that more international airlines, especially those with big feeder hubs in the Middle East, will also introduce flights to Gan.

Check Out Soneva Jani, An Exclusive Resort In Maldives That Lets You WaterSlide To The Ocean

If you're planning an ultimate beach getaway, why not do it in style? There's a new luxury beach resort in the Maldives, and with all the hearsay and awesome features, we're sure it's going to be an ultimate travel destination.

Soneva Jani Resort, a subsidiary of Soneva Properties, already had a soft opening to the public last October 2016, but final development stages won't be finished until February this year. It's a luxury resort located on the virgin Island of Medhufaru in the northern Atoll of Noonu, and it is surrounded by a 4km long beach coastline, with lush vegetation and clear, turquoise waters.
Soneva Properties is renowned for their excellence in integrating "Eco-Luxury Hospitality" in all their resorts, and Soneva Jani will be no exception. Sustainable and eco-friendly, Soneva Jani is a sure-fire hit for nature-conscious travelers.

The island lagoon of Soneva Jani will comprise of only 57 villas. There would be 24 water villas and 23 beach villas. All the villas will enjoy all the amenities of the resort, and each would get their own personal butler as the same in all Soneva Properties, called Mr./Mrs. Friday.
The water villas are only reachable by boat, and the largest villa could accommodate a family of ten. According to dreamingofmaldives, "Each Water Villa will feature an amazing water slide and its private Pool, large lounge areas with open views on the blue, ample wooden decks, kids' sleeping area, a living area with sunken seats, top floor with seating and a dining sala and several other amazing living spaces."

What guests couldn't get enough of is the waterslide, which lets you slide your way to the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean. As if a private pool isn't enough!
The amenities for the beach villas are more or less the same, and all guests can enjoy the resort's exclusive amenities. Soneva Jani Resort has a cinema, a beach restaurant, a spa, and a water and sports center.

Already making headlines in the hospitality industry, it's not surprising if Soneva Jani will make it as one of the must-visit luxury resorts in the world. Forget the noise and stress of the city, and relax and slide all your troubles away, only at Soneva Jani.

Dusit Thani Wins Favourite ‘Hotel Or Resort For Families’ Award

Dusit Thani Maldives on Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll - the Maldives’ first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve - was recently awarded ‘Favourite Hotel or Resort for Families’ in the Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Readers’ Choice Awards 2016.

Operated by luxury travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler, which prints regional editions in Europe, USA, Asia and the Middle East. The annual Readers’ Choice Awards was established in 1987 and today, it is one of the most esteemed programmes recognized in hospitality excellence. More than 300,000 international readers cast their votes online this year, resulting in a list of the world’s finest travel experiences.

Dedicated to readers in the Middle East, the Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Readers’ Choice Awards featured 21 categories this year. Voting opened earlier in the year and winners were officially announced at a gala dinner held on 14th November 2016 at the Park Hyatt Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Dusit Thani Maldives comprises 94 villas and residences, along with three restaurants, two bars, and Dusit’s signature Devarana Spa. The resort is ocated just 35 minutes by seaplane from the capital city, Malé, followed by a 10-minute speedboat ride from Dharavandhoo Domestic Airport in Baa Atoll. The resort is surrounded by a vibrant house reef, soft sandy beaches and a turquoise lagoon. A well-equipped Kids’ Club is an appealing factor to the resort’s guests who travel with children.

“We are extremely proud to win this prestigious award which recognizes the quality of the resort’s luxury accommodation and distinctive services,” said Mr Lim Boon Kwee, Chief Operating Officer of Dusit International, the Bangkok-based, global hospitality company which owns and operates Dusit Thani Maldives. “From our gracious, Thai-inspired hospitality, to our well-appointed rooms and esteemed dining experiences, we do everything we can to create memorable guest experiences. And we are delighted to know we are getting it right.”

The Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Readers’ Choice Award caps a successful year for the resort. Along with other accolades received such as; Gold Magellan Award, Luxury Resort Category – 2016 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, Luxury Modern Resort of the Year 2016 – Luxury Travel Guide Global Awards 2016 and Asia’s Top Leisure Hotel – Now Travel Asia Awards 2016.

Where to go for a five-star family holiday in 2017

Our sommelier suggests accompaniments for the entree and main course. "The Hawaiian red clay goes perfectly with the tuna, while the black lava matches the snapper," he says. Far from the fruits of the vine, these delicacies are earthy: a multitude of minerals composed of sodium chloride.

You guessed it – he's a salt sommelier.

Welcome to five-star family travel, one of the hottest trends for 2017. And the latest hot spot is the Maldives, an Endangered/Changing Destination, according to the Virtuoso Luxe Report Australia. "We are starting to see movement outside of the mainstream travel agenda with people taking the current global turbulence as a prompt to look all the way down their bucket list," Virtuoso Asia Pacific managing director, Michael Londregan, says.

We're at Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, in some of the most spacious accommodation in the archipelago, a half-hour speedboat ride from Male airport.

The Two Bedroom Family Villa is – in our eldest's eloquent words – "frickin' huge". (That'll be $1 to the swear jar, thank you…) The outdoor bathrooms have rain showers and deep terrazzo baths; the front yard is decorated with beanbags, a daybed and hammock; and adult and child-sized banana lounges front the turquoise lagoon. Best of all, the rooms are dotted with kids' games, books, and skim boards.

You can snorkel off the beach to see manta rays, reef sharks, and tropical fish. But we book a family picnic on nearby Gulifushi Island, with a white linen tablecloth set-up on the sand. The sea's too choppy for snorkelling, so we suffer through the salads, sandwiches and cold cuts, washed down the fine wine and a frothy brew. (Well, someone's gotta do it!) Jase and Grace play on the over-water swings, while Taj and I doze in an egg-shaped hammock: this is sublime.

So is the subsequent massage in an over-water villa, as I watch the skittish triggerfish. And the private yoga classes conducted by Birj, who learned the practice from his grandfather in India. Our sunburned daughter is a string of raspberry liquorice as she eases into a backbend. Finally he lifts us up by the pelvis, so we relax like jellyfish.

Jellyfish are one of the few creatures we don't spot, seated on a deck over the Indian Ocean at Sea. Fire. Salt. restaurant. While couples dine on Beluga caviar and $5200 bottles of French wine, the children scoff $7 soups and $10 pizza. The staff here, and at the high-end Italian restaurant Terrazzo (seriously, the handmade ravioli dissolves in your mouth) speak to Taj and Grace as valued customers rather than unwanted appendages, which is often the case at five-star resorts.

After riding bikes, playing petanque, and making like dolphins on a Seabob, we check out the kids' club, a shaded compound containing a rock climbing wall, tree house, and cubby full of craft.

Despite the deluge of luxury, Grace prefers simple pleasures: soccer on the sand and splashing in the sea.

The night before we leave, a staffer delivers a handmade card, activity book, and jewelled bracelet spelling GRACE, courtesy of the kids' club. "That's so special, Mummy," she says. "I wasn't sure about the fancy salt, but this is what makes it really five star."

PARADISE IN THE MALDIVES

Poking precariously above the water, Mirihi Island appears on the horizon like a beached turtle. The pilot of the tiny seaplane that is taking me to the Maldivian resort, recently voted the seventh best hotel in the world, is sitting within arm’s reach. He is not wearing any shoes.

After a splash landing, a posse of islanders greets me on the pontoon. They also are barefoot. Before I have checked in, a staff member politely asks me to remove my sneakers and leave them lying in the sand to be picked up and taken, together with my bags, to my water villa, a straw-roofed hut suspended on stilts above the water 20 feet from shore.

I quickly learn why footwear is not just unnecessary but actually a hindrance on Mirihi. Sand is everywhere. It spills from the beaches that skirt the island, leaving a 2-inch-deep layer of white on the floors of the reception area, restaurant and bar. One waiter tells me he hasn’t worn shoes in more than four months, not since the last time he left the island to visit family in Malé, the capital city of the Maldives. “I hated it,” he says. “Shoes are like foot prisons.”

'Barefoot Luxury'

Going barefoot is part of the character that Swiss-born co-owner Amy Stierli has spent the past 15 years trying to create on the island. “Barefoot luxury” is how she describes it over a welcome drink (a coconut with a straw stuck in it). She calls Mirihi “a desert island but with a five-star service.” There is a definite Robinson Crusoe-feel to the place, albeit carefully choreographed: no bathtubs, no swimming pools, no TV sets in the rooms. Their absence means that, absurdly, Mirihi Island is classified as only a four-star resort.

With 157 staffers serving the needs of just 76 guests when the resort is fully booked, Mirihi’s motto is to deliver an experience “as unique as you are.” This cliché feels especially apposite when you consider the homogeneity of the guests. They are almost exclusively couples, ranging from the semi-young to the semi-old: Younger people might not be able to afford a resort like this, while the very old might find all the sand difficult to navigate. Everything is tailored for two: two loungers on the deck, two sinks in the bathroom, two bathrobes in the cupboard. Even the bats have made this a romantic destination, piercing the evening quiet with their mating screeches.

The island’s motto becomes less convincing still when you consider that it is one of more than 100 luxury resorts in the Maldives, spread throughout the roughly 1,200 similarly archetypal tropical island paradises. Yet somehow Mirihi does manage to feel unique. It has its own currency—the hotel gives shells to repeat visitors to spend on the island—and even its own time zone. Stierli has set the island’s clocks one hour ahead of the rest of the country, which allows guests returning from afternoon activities time to catch the sunset. Day excursions to neighboring islands, diving with whale sharks and dolphin spotting offer guests the opportunity to escape the island, which, at just 1,300 feet long by 165 feet wide, can begin to feel claustrophobic, especially because there are no independent shops, bars or cafés on its land mass. One restless afternoon I found myself doing laps of the island, first by foot (seven and a half minutes), then by canoe (18 minutes) and finally swimming (33 minutes, if you discount the time spent marveling at the fish and turtles wallowing around the surrounding coral reef).

Mirihi looks like a cartoon of a desert island: Each picture I take seems worthy of a postcard, largely thanks to the small armies of workers who meticulously rake and comb the sand across the entire island from predawn to dusk. The manicured sand is as soft and sanitized as talcum powder. Even the sun seems preset for my comfort, the bright wide sky as clear as the water. There are also no mosquitoes to worry about, nor mice or dangerous creatures. Though I don’t see any, Stierli tells me there is the odd rat, though clever rebranding means the staffers refer to them as palm squirrels.

Threat of Climate Change

This island paradise image, which helped Mirihi Island Resort earn the rank of seventh best hotel in the world in TripAdvisor’s 2016 Travelers’ Choice Awards, fits a broader notion that all this may well be too good to be true. It is a paradoxical paradise, one that conceals global problems that will almost certainly lead to its demise—if not within years, then in mere decades from now.

The most obvious and talked about problem is climate change, which environmental forecasters predict could make the lowest-lying country in the world disappear below the ocean it now peeks above. (At just under 8 feet, the highest point in the Maldives is 2 inches lower than the highest jump recorded by a human.)

In contrast to climate change activists in some other parts of the Maldives, Mirihi locals can occasionally seem apathetic about the risks. “You don’t really notice it on a year-to-year basis, but you can see in the last 20 years that climate change has affected the Maldives,” Stierli tells me. “Some experts say it will disappear in 20 years, some say 100. I don’t know—it’s something I try not to think too much about.”

If you look closely, you can already see its effects. Sand sucked up from the ocean floor by specially adapted ships tops up Mirihi’s beaches, while a wall on the island’s eastern side prevents more land from slipping into the sea.

To add to these woes, the Maldives also topped a recent list of the world’s 10 most unstable countries, owing to political upheaval and a rise in radical extremism. Estimates suggest the Maldives has the highest number of foreign fighters per capita to have joined the ranks of the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), leading some to declare that climate change is the least of the Maldives’s worries. One attack on a resort from a returning jihadi fighter would be a disaster for tourism, which accounts for 80 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

It is a testament to Stierli’s utopian vision that one’s capacity for comprehending such profound concerns is so severely compromised while on the island. On this pristine Eden, you are Adam or Crusoe, barefoot upon unblemished sands as they slowly sink to join the turtles beneath.

AMILLA FUSHI, THE MALDIVES

The Maldives was once a haven for honeymooners, but “there’s been a significant shift from loved-up couples to the high-end family market”, says Michael Flynn, chair and founder of The Small Maldives Island, which owns Amilla Fushi, a resort on Baa Atoll, 30 minutes by seaplane from Male’s Ibrahim Nasir airport.

Amilla Fushi features large villas as well as more mainstream resort-style accommodation, including overwater configurations with lagoon access and deck pools. “But families want to stay under one roof ... and have a high-end holiday villa experience,” Flynn says.

Amilla Fushi touts itself as “a home away from home”, but with its resident marine biologist, design magazine-worthy interiors and high ratio of staff to guests, this isn’t like any home we’ve experienced.

Baa Atoll is a World Biosphere Reserve, meaning it’s a protected marine haven rich in soft and hard coral, reef fish, manta rays, turtles and other underwater life.

And so to bed: There are six four-bedroom Villa Residences, including garden-level and upper-storey guest suites, beach courtyard, dining deck and staff quarters. The Amilla Villa Estate boasts six bedrooms, while the Great Beach Villa is the largest, with eight bedrooms.

Vibe: All villas are sleek, cool and contemporary and, given the location, each has a beachy, relaxed ambience. There are neutral colours, polished teakwood floors and glass walls that open to sand and sea. Attention to detail and family-friendly facilities such as a kids’ club are an attractive drawcard for the growing market of (mostly Australian) holiday-makers.

Dining: Each villa has a kitchen and katheeb (butler) on hand to prepare meals in-house but there are plenty of resort dining options along sandy paths, including Baazaar overlooking the infinity pool, which encompasses relaxed eateries such as Joe’s Pizza, Fresh, Fish & Chips, Grill and Wok. A recently opened Japanese restaurant, Feeling Koi, sits on stilts high above the lagoon. The Wine Shop and Cellar Door houses a deli and more than 250 labels from across the world.

Highlights: If turtles and dolphins swimming by the house reef aren’t enough, there’s world-class diving on Amilla’s doorstep, run by Dive Butler International, and Hanifaru Bay, a manta ray and whale shark hot spot, is a 10-minute speedboat ride away.

Tip: International music lounge franchise 1 OAK will open at Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives, the nearby sister island “party” resort to Amilla Fushi, this year.

Idyllic Indian Ocean Retreats

Rumour has is that when Jean Michel Gathy was commissioned to shape the architecture of One&Only Reethi Rah, he said he wanted each guest to “feel like a king”. I’m happy to say that he failed... spectacularly... because from the moment we set foot on the island we felt like a god and goddess. In other words we were in Heaven. A cynic might dismiss this as hollow hyperbole, but I would challenge anyone to visit One & Only Reethi Rah and not feel as though they had transcended to a higher plain.

Even from the moment we touched down, I was aware that something very special was about to happen, not least because we were greeted by a band of merry men who promptly swooped in and ushered us on to a luxury private yacht with seasoned precision. Feeling like Jay Z and Beyoncé, we kicked back and pressed the start button on our Honeymoon. If first impressions were anything to go by, our marriage was off to a perfect start!

If you are brave enough to give yourself the title ‘One and Only’, it’s safe to say that you had better know your stuff, because customer expectations are bound to be pretty gargantuan. In a country where Island resorts are its primary income, there is going be a lot of competition to be the best. And by heck do One&Only Reethi Rah put up a darn good fistfight.

We arrived to warm and welcoming faces before meandering down the tiny, sandy “roads” towards our beach villa in a golf buggy - cars have no business in island life. Along the way, our personal concierge, Gizem, told us that staff outnumber guests by a ratio of more than 3 to 1, although you would never know, as the level of privacy made us feel like we were on a deserted paradise. When they were visible, staff pirouetted around us with balletic precision noting our requests and making them happen without ever breaking a sweat in the 30+ degree heat.

The Spa

Intricate carvings in wood and exquisite decor adorn the reception of the One & Only SPA. It is a haven of serenity and set amongst a beautiful expanse of manicured trees and grass leading to the ocean. You can practically feel your shoulders un-hunch and your mind letting go. There are chill out huts, a chi room, overwater treatment rooms, massive his and hers steam and sauna rooms with floor to ceiling windows overlooking a courtyard. It’s hard not to relax in a place where treatment rooms go by the names Devotion, Romance, Wisdom, Healing and Vitality....

So what is it about One&Only Reethi Rah that makes it an experience that stands out even for those who have been fortunate enough to enjoy luxury travel in the past? Well, I suppose it is the result of an overall vision to create paradise and then sheer determination to never lose it.

The Treatment

Once in a Blue Moon - A two hour experience for couples, starts by being guided to the romantic, private and secluded treatment area specially set up on the beach. Once there a hand ritual with sea salt and rose petals begins.

Side by Side - A 90 minute aromatherapy body massage will be performed and followed by a tea ceremony. Finally, back to your villa where you will enjoy a signature bath, a glass of champagne and a plate of exotic fruits. True Romance!

Other Treatments

One&Only Essence of Reethi Rah (180 minutes)
One&Only in Harmony (120 minutes)
Ultimate Lifting, Firming & Toning Facial feat. NuFACE® (90 minutes)
Hoona Herbal Massage (90 minutes)

To Stay

Of the 10 villa types on offer, we were assigned a beach villa with a pool. Let me get one thing straight, no matter where you end up laying your head, rest assured, it will be a den of luxury. Behind our large, wooden front gate, there was a distinct and blissful feeling of isolation. A secluded patch of beach to call our own, with two palm trees harbouring a hammock. This was more than a destination, it was a picture-perfect postcard.

Our digs for the next few days were a thatched cottage villa complete with high ceilings and a beautiful Balinese-style decor. We were spoiled with an unpacking service, a pillow and essential oils menu, a bathroom with two massive sinks complete with his and hers soaps and wooden shutters everywhere (which stayed open during our stay, as I didn’t want to miss one ounce of that view). Plus a second shower outdoors should you want to recreate a shampoo advert for fun (you know I did).

To Eat

There are four main restaurants to tickle your taste buds. The main Reethi restaurant is beautifully constructed of high ceilings and carved wooden pillars and doors, serving contemporary Asian and Mediterranean fusion food. This is also where breakfast is served. Warning: come hungry. We are big breakfast buffet connoisseurs, and by golly this is one to behold.

Another favourite for dinner is Tapasake that serves exquisite modern Japanese dishes with oodles of fish from the ocean that you are staring at from your dinner table. Fandita - which means magical in the Maldivian language Dhivehi - is aptly named, with its Arabian Nights-inspired restaurant and bar with beautiful sunset views.

And the Chef’s Garden also hosts a restaurant, which is a candlelit patch of the vegetable garden, designed with romance in mind.

Activities

You’d be forgiven for never leaving your villa, but it would be a foolish tactic. The 24-hour golf buggy service will happily whisk you to any one of the fantastic amenities of which there are many.

For the sporty guests there is state of the art gym, with knowledgeable gym instructors who put me through my paces in an outdoor circuit Jessica Ennis would be proud of. There is a yoga pavilion where you can partake in aerial yoga - not for those afraid of heights, a full size football pitch, a badminton court and tennis courts. There is also an art gallery, a Taylor Taylor hair salon, a mani-pedi salon, barber shop and a KIDS ONLY club - exclusive to the mini-me’s. The beach club is alive all day with tunes pumping from the DJ’s box.

A favourite pass time for us was to grab an afternoon ice cream straight from the club’s ice cream bar, before swimming off the sugar rush out on the hotels massive water trampoline. Big Kids Only Need Apply.

They take their sea excursions seriously at the Marine Concierge Centre where trips such as luxury yacht big game fishing, turtle adventures, sunrise handling fishing, reef snorkelling, sunset and dolphin cruises, and shark safaris can be arranged on a whim.

Don’t Miss

The buffet complete with a cold room in the centre. Enter at your peril, the food is exquisite.

Splash - The water sports centre offering fun and shenanigans in the Indian Ocean on banana boats, canoes, paddle board, water-skiing and windsurfing.

The Maldives’ only PADI National Geographic dive centre is also here at Reethi, and if you believe the local sharks are vegetarian, visit the country’s best shark site close by. There is also an opportunity to plant coral with updates after you leave, making you wish you could live there and watch it grow.

Dusit Thani Maldives wins Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Award

Dusit Thani Maldives on Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll, the Maldives’ first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, was recently named ‘Favourite Hotel or Resort for Families’ in the Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Readers’ Choice Awards 2016.

Operated by luxury travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler, which prints regional editions in Europe, USA, Asia and the Middle East, the annual Readers’ Choice Awards was established in 1987 and today is one of the most respected programmes recognising hospitality excellence. This year, more than 300,000 votes were cast online by international readers, resulting in a list of the world’s finest travel experiences.

Dedicated to readers in the Middle East, the Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Readers’ Choice Awards featured 21 categories this year. Voting opened earlier in the year and winners were officially announced at a gala dinner held on 14 November 2016 at the Park Hyatt Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Located just 35 minutes by seaplane from the capital city, Malé, and 10 minutes by speedboat from Dharavandhoo Domestic Airport in Baa Atoll, Dusit Thani Maldives comprises 94 villas and residences, along with three restaurants, two bars, and Dusit’s signature Devarana Spa. The resort is surrounded by a rich house reef, white sandy beaches and a turquoise lagoon. A well-equipped Kids’ Club adds to the resort’s family friendly appeal.

“We are extremely proud to win this prestigious award which recognises the quality of the resort’s luxury accommodation and distinctive services,” said Mr Lim Boon Kwee, Chief Operating Officer of Dusit International, the Bangkok-based, global hospitality company which owns and operates Dusit Thani Maldives. “From our gracious, Thai-inspired hospitality, to our well-appointed rooms and esteemed dining experiences, we do everything we can to create memorable guest experiences. And we are delighted to know we are getting it right.”

The Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Readers’ Choice Award caps a successful year for the resort, which, amongst other accolades, also received the following:
• Gold Magellan Award, Luxury Resort Category – 2016 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards.
• Luxury Modern Resort of the Year 2016 – Luxury Travel Guide Global Awards 2016.
• Asia’s Top Leisure Hotel – Now Travel Asia Awards 2016.

5 Things Newlyweds Shouldn't Miss Out When In Maldives

Maldives is probably one of the most popular honeymoon destinations out there. But there are just a lot of things to do in Maldives that sometimes you can't decide what to do first. For those couples planning for their honeymoons, here are 5 things newlyweds shouldn't miss out when in Maldives.

Underwater Adventures

According to Travel Triangle, there's nothing more enjoyable than to swim with whale sharks and manta rays with your loved one. There's also a lot of stunning coral reefs and beautiful marine life in Maldives so it's something that should be on your list.

Island Hopping

Maldives has about 1192 coral islands so why not go island hopping during your stay. Each island is unique on its own with so many attractions to offer so try to stay at different resorts in each island. According to Overwater Bungalows, there are lots of island resorts like the Cocoa Island resort, Baros Resort, Mirihi Island Resort and Veligandu Resort.

Spending The Night At The Glowing Beach

If you want a magical experience with your loved one, the glowing beach of Vaadhoo Island is a must see. You could just spend the whole night staring at the glowing tides of the sea. The island is just next to the airport so it should be on your itinerary.

Country Cruisin

There are different kinds of accommodations when you're in Maldives and one good option is to try a cruise with your partner. The ship will take you to destinations that are also worth seeing while you enjoy your stay in a classy cruise on the sea.

Try The Dhoni Cruise

If you prefer a more traditional kind of cruise, then the Dhoni Cruise is a must try. It's a boat made out of coconut palm wood and it will take you to places where you can taste delicious seafood and enjoy bird watching with your partner.

These 5 things newlyweds shouldn't miss when in Maldives should be on your itinerary if you're already booked for a stay in this beautiful country. It's definitely an unforgettable experience that you will enjoy with your partner.

Maldives is ‘Best Remote Beach Destination’

The 'Best Remote Beach Destination' award at the 29th Annual Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards Middle East went to the Maldives. More than 300,000 travellers took part in this year’s Reader’s Choice Awards Survey, which led to the short listing of the nominees. A great honour any destination to be featured among the shortlists, and Maldives was pitted alongside Seychelles and Zanzibar.

From January to September last year, there was a 23.9 per cent increase in visitor arrival from the Middle East to Maldives, as compared to 33,675 numbers of visitors in same period in 2015. The Maldives has been seeing an increasing number of Middle Eastern travellers over the years; and it is a popular destination for travellers from the region as it gives them the perfect combination of luxury, privacy, adventure activities for an unbeatable holiday experience.

Apart from winning the Best Remote Beach Destination Award, Dusit Thani Maldives won the award for the Favourite Hotel or Resort for Families. The resort’s BaanSanook Kids Club is a runaway favourite among kids.

Maldives continues to see more developments, and prestigious brands descending on the exotic islands. The latest in the line of prestigious properties is the Four Seasons First Private Island Escape at Voavah, Baa Atoll.

It is the world’s first exclusive-use hideaway in a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve, a secluded five-acre (two hectare) haven transcends the private island experience: 'entirely yours' from the moment of booking, seven bedrooms, a Beach House, dive school and 62-foot (18.9 metre) yacht extend the oceanic spoils of the Maldives’ only Unesco Biosphere Reserve for to up to 22 guests at a time.

What’s more, guests decide the schedule, staff and services, redefining Voavah with every visit as somewhere to retreat, explore, connect, celebrate, and dream with one’s eyes open. A 62 foot (18.9 metre) private yacht – Voavah Summer – invites exploration of a dazzling and undisturbed UNESCO domain. Experiences focus on the Unesco territory, guided by a team that has already spent a decade protecting it: diving with whale sharks, snorkelling with manta rays, swimming with neighbourhood turtles, fishing for dinner, visiting local islands, surfing unknown breaks and cruising into breath-taking Baa Atoll sunsets.

Experience ‘intelligent’ luxury at Soneva Jani, Maldives

Sonu and Eva Shivdasani, the creators of Soneva, made the modern Maldives and now they’re doing it again, making intelligent luxury even sharper, writes John Arlidge.

New. It’s what we want and what all manner of purveyors of snazzy, shiny things want to sell us. Sadly, it rarely lives up to its billing. How many times have you been promised a fresh experience, only to find it’s a half-hearted re-bake of something same-old, same-old? But occasionally just occasionally something genuinely refreshing does come along.

Before most people had heard of intelligent luxury, Sonu Shivdasani and his wife, Eva, who grew up variously in India, England and Sweden, combined their names and talents to create it. Soneva resorts are not flashy. The dress code is ‘No shoes’ (they kidnap your footwear). They are green. Rooms and villas are made from sustainable wood, including local coconut trees. Motor vehicles are banned in favour of bicycles and electric buggies. Boats run on electric motors where possible. Even the fire engines are electric.

Sonevas serve largely organic food, grown locally, sustainably caught fish. Standout dishes include savoury mango gazpacho, tandoori feta cheese salad, yoghurt and basil sorbet with fresh passion fruit. Thursdays are meat-free. (No exceptions, burger addicts.) The resorts make their own drinking water, instead of importing expensive bottled stuff.

Activities and experiences offer simplicity, quality and ‘wellness’ nature walks, dolphin cruises, diving, including freediving, fishing and picnics on deserted islands, plus more kinds of massage than you ever knew existed. Service is personal and hop-to-it, with a twist. Each guest has their own ‘Mr Friday’ or ‘Ms Friday’ butler-cum-concierge.

Soneva started in the Maldives at a time when tourism there was three star at best. Thanks to the success of the first Soneva (Soneva Fushi, in the Baa atoll), it is now mainly five star. LVMH (under the Cheval Blanc brand), St Regis and Four Seasons have all opened recently. It’s time for Soneva to respond and update the barefoot chic it pioneered. And that’s what Sonu and Eva are doing.

About twenty minutes by seaplane from Soneva Fushi and 40 minutes from Malé, the Maldives’ capital, is Soneva Jani, in the Noonu atoll. Jani means wisdom in Sanskrit, and this place is smarter than the average resort. It comprises one island, 150 acres (or half as big again as Soneva Fushi), plus four other, smaller, deserted islands, all set in a lagoon 3.5 miles by one mile. Thirty-odd villas, a more modern take on those at Soneva Fushi, are rising on the island. Meandering off one end are 24 of those villas on stilts over water that are obligatory on all advertisements for the Maldives.

Look closely at those promo shots and you’ll notice that the villas are tiny and, to save money, cheek by jowl. Not at Soneva Jani. One of the water villas has four bedrooms and a 20-metre swimming pool. Many have water slides that run from the upper floors straight into the lagoon. They are all at least 20 metres apart.

The interiors are modern rustic, with sandblasted pine from sustainable forests in New Zealand, offset with plenty of glass. The bathrooms are inside and outdoors. You can swim under a screen straight into the bathroom for a shower after a dip.


There’s simple fun. The mini kitchens have popcorn makers. There’s natural fun. Glass panels cut in the decks allow you to peer down at the rays and the odd reef (i.e. safe) shark swimming underneath. There’s hi-tech fun. Press a button on the bedside table and the roof above the master bed opens, Bond villain lair-style, so you can stargaze as you fall asleep. (Rain sensors close the roof automatically if the heavens open during the night.)

The most powerful telescope in the Maldives in the new observatory offers pin-sharp stargazing. Images are broadcast on to screens that form bar and restaurant table tops, so you can dine on the stars, under the stars. After dinner, you can watch a private screening of your favourite film at the overwater cinema.

Halfway along the string of water villas is the biggest building ever built over water in the Maldives. The Gathering is three storeys high and has restaurants, bars, a wine cellar, library, gym and spa and den, plus Soneva’s signature ‘rooms’ for cheese and cold cuts, chocolate and ice cream, where you can help yourself any time. ‘There will be a real buzz here but you will still be able to come barefoot,’ Shivdasani told me when I visited in October.

Like Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani will have its own time zone to make the days as long and sunny as possible, without having to get up at 6am. Sun-up is always at about 7am and sundown at 7pm. The vibe will still be ‘it’s OK to do nothing at all’. One of the ‘activities’ listed is ‘lying on the beach’.

Maybe it’s these touches. Maybe it’s the warmth and sense of mischief of general manager Olivia Richli, who was tempted away from running the Aman in Venice. Maybe it’s simply the blissful absence of golf. Whatever the reason, the de-stress is instant and complete. You want proof? Look at the gym. If Soneva Fushi is anything to go by, the gym at Soneva Jani will be deserted. You’ll be hard-pressed to see mobile phones, either. Most people stop using theirs a day or so after arriving.

Soneva is now not only over the water, it is on the water. Soneva in Aqua is a new Maldives-based 65-foot yacht, which is half Asian-inspired sail-powered junk and half hi-tech motor yacht. There are two large bedrooms and kids’ rooms so that the whole family can set sail. The bath has a glass bottom for au naturel fish fancying. The crew comprise the captain, a Mr or Ms Friday, an engineer, a divemaster and a spa-therapist-cum-housekeeper, so you can dive and have a massage on deck, all before breakfast.

Expanding so heavily in the Maldives is risky, thanks to the island nation’s fraying democracy, short leases for property ownership, and rising sea levels. But Shivdasani reckons the super-rich will continue to prize the area above its rivals, notably the Caribbean, thanks to its superior location and far better service and food. Current performance certainly supports him. Sonevans are even more dependent on their fix than Aman junkies. More than half of visitors to Soneva Fushi are repeat customers. The top 100 clients spend between $80,000 and $1 million a year.


Even if you’re not super-rich, I’d go anyway. I’d recommend a few days in a water villa at Soneva Jani, a few days on Soneva in Aqua, and a few days back on the mother ship in a beach villa on Soneva Fushi. If you’re not relaxed after that, seek medical advice.

Finding Bliss In The Maldives

Soft white-sand beaches; endless blue skies; a warm turquoise ocean - and a bar, stocked with cocktails. What more could you ask for?

As the sun begins to set and the sky mellows from a cobalt blue to shades of pastel pinks and purples, I walk out towards the Indian Ocean for one last dip. The evening breeze has set in, but it’s still comfortably warm. The silky white sand threads through my toes. Around me, there is silence - and I realise this is the most peaceful I’ve felt in a very long time. I take a deep breath and dive under the crystal clear water.

We are in the Maldives - on a tiny island called Thelu Veliga. Our retreat for the next five days is Drift - a laid-back luxury resort nestled among the palms. Located in the South Ari atoll - a marine protected area - we are surrounded by miles of turquoise lagoons and beautiful natural reef - and I’m very aware there is a lot of underwater exploring to be enjoyed here. But for now, I reach over and pick up my fresh passion fruit Mojito. ‘Doing something can wait,’ I think to myself.

Paradise in the middle of the ocean

Made up of 26 natural atolls, and 1190 islands and sandbanks, the Maldives covers an incredible 55,923 square miles of the Indian Ocean - of which just 185 square miles is land. Surprisingly, 187 islands are still uninhabited here, while 106 have been transformed into luxury resorts for sun-seekers, divers, honeymooners and everyone in between.

At just under three acres, Thelu Veliga may be a small island but my partner Brad and I are in our own little haven; from our stunning water villa with a balcony that opens up onto the ocean, to a cosy restaurant and beach bar. With just 30 beach and water villas, the resort never feels busy, more remote and exclusive.

The friendly staff can’t help but greet you with a warm, beaming smile each day. On our first morning, the delightful head Chef Charminda, takes note of my (not-very-easy-to-manage) dietary requirements and somehow produces a feast for every meal.

Meeting Manta rays

After two days of absolute relaxation, we decide it’s time for an underwater adventure. Luckily for us, the South Ari atoll is the perfect place for this, because during the months of June to November, this plankton-rich area becomes a feeding ground for Manta rays. So together with the team from the in-house dive resort, Extra Divers, we head out to sea in search of these beautiful creatures.

It’s not long before we’re ready to jump out of the boat and into the water at the local feeding platform aptly named ‘Manta Point’. After a safety briefing, we pull on our masks and head straight down into the water, re-gathering at 15 metres. And then we see them: the regal Manta rays with their impressive three-metre wingspans, gently gliding around us. They come within a few metres and we watch in absolute awe. We spend nearly an hour observing as six individuals elegantly swim and feed. To be so close to them is wonderful.

The Maldives is made up of three per cent of the world’s coral reefs - and is home to over 200 species of fish, Whale sharks, turtles, Moray eels - and even Scalloped Hammerhead sharks.

Unfortunately this year, the region has suffered record-breaking high temperatures and as a result the reef has been heavily affected by coral bleaching - a sad and inevitable result of climate change. Over 60 per cent of the coral colonies assessed earlier this year had been bleached, according to the Maldives Marine Research Center (MRC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - but experts hope the majority of the reef will recover. Only time will tell.

The extra mile

We end our stay at Drift Retreat with a delicious beach buffet - and are seriously impressed when Chef Charminda and his team offer to prepare our meal in front of us. We choose which ingredients should go into our salads and pasta dishes and watch, as they toss veggies and condiments together to form the perfect blend. A delicious Maldivian curry follows, before our thoughtful Chef concludes his masterpiece by bringing out a surprise chocolate birthday cake for Brad.

We enjoy our last mojitos at the bar with the waves lapping around us, and then head back to our water villa for one more night in paradise.

The Top Five Best Resorts In Maldives

Maldives or most popularly known as the Maldives Island is becoming known and famous today. The island offers its tourists with deep blue seas, great coral reefs, and even white sandy beach resorts. Maldives has been known as a must-visit paradise in the Indian Ocean. It is basically the right destination if you are looking for a place to relax, unwind and spend long days of honeymoon with your loved one.

In this place, you can also enjoy several water sports activities. Thus, anyone can choose to relax and have fun as it is a serene haven for all visitors and tourists. Check out the five best resorts to visit when in Maldives.

1. Bluetribe Moofushi

 The Richest shared that this is one of the best resorts to visit in Maldives which focuses more on its water sports activities. You will surely enjoy windsurfing, diving, snorkeling, riding on pedal boats and many other activities in Moofushi. You can also choose to experience its Maldivian cruise as it tours you around the entire island. This is definitely a place for you to have a memorable vacation.

2.  Sun Island Resort and Spa

Situated at the South Ari Toll, this has been famous due to its tropical flowers, beautiful and green lagoons that will surely take your breath away. This is one of the resorts in Maldives which will offer you luxurious villas to stay.

3.  Alimatha Island

 This is somewhere located in the eastern part of Maldives. It is a world-class destination for tourists as its beaches can offer you high-class facilities. Aquarium-like snorkeling is the water sport that is being offered in this place.

4. Dusit Thani

 Places To See In Your Lifetime mentioned that this is one of the best resorts in Maldives which offer a Thai-inspired philosophy and ambiance. They also have luxurious private villas, tennis sports for games and even SPA centers for relaxations and boutiques.

5. One&Only Reethi Rah

 Among the enchanting places in Maldives, this is the best 5-star resort that you can stay. It has gorgeous infinity pools, lagoons, and amazing villas that are situated near the pool.

Four Seasons unveils private island in the Maldives

Set in a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, the new Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah, Baa Atoll, is spread across two hectares and features seven bedrooms, a two-storey beach house, dive school and a 62-foot (19-metre) yacht that can take up to 22 guests on cruises around the archipelago.

The beach house is the main social hub of the resort, featuring an open-air living room, dining room, kitchen, pool deck, gym, library and loft lounge, while the seven bedrooms are arranged on the beach or over the lagoon.

Other facilities include the grandly titled “Ocean of Consciousness Spa”, which offers treatments based on the “five pathways of truth”, along with yoga, meditation and pranayama classes.

The new resort is located just 20 minutes by boat from Four Seasons Resort Landaa Giraavaru, which in turn is a seaplane transfer away from the Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa.

HURAWALHI ISLAND RESORT, MALDIVES SET FOR DECEMBER OPENING

Just a 40-minute seaplane flight from Male, here are a distinctive collection of superbly designed, exclusive and supremely spacious villas strung across the glittering lagoon – perfectly positioned, so that all guests can enjoy either sunrise or sunset panoramas. And with dining options that include on the beach, over the water, and even under the water, the philosophy here is that nothing is impossible.

Offering 90 Villas including 60 Ocean Villas and 30 Beach Villas, the residences are stylishly and beautifully conceived featuring soothing décor, sumptuous linens on king size beds, bleached wooden floors, and private terraces with panoramic views.

With a strong environmental focus, Hurawalhi Island Resort gives back to the Maldives as much as it gets. Using solar panels, its own water bottling plant, energy saving solutions, hot water recovery and an in-house marine biologist, Hurawalhi Island Resort’s eco credentials are the finest in the Maldives. In addition, Hurawalhi Island Resort is collaborating with WiseOceans, the marine conservation and education specialists.

The scene-stealer is the undersea restaurant, named ‘5.8 Undersea’, which is surrounded by out of this world marine views. The minimalist-designed restaurant keeps the focus outside; and keeps the focus on exclusivity and privacy – every table is set for just two.

Dazzling white sands, cyan-blue seas, spectacular undersea life, and incredible sunsets – the opening of the extraordinary Hurawalhi Island Resort ensures that this destination will remain unmissable in the years to come.

Five Best Resorts In Maldives That Will Leave Every Tourists Astonished

Maldives is known for its wonderful beaches, sands and resorts. It has been visited by many people around the world and even by Hollywood celebrities. It is also known as one of the best places for couples to have their honeymoons.
The blue waters and white sand of Maldives truly brings about the wonder of nature. Even in pictures, the views in Maldives are truly breath taking. The resorts there are also built very wonderfully to have that "living by the beach" experience once in Maldives. According to Place to see in your lifetime and Touropia, here are some of the best resorts in Maldives.

1. Cocoa Island Resorts- it is one of the most popular resorts in Maldives. The available rooms of this resort is similar and inspired by boats the fishermen in Maldives use which is called the dhoni boats. The rooms are built above the lagoons, which gives the renters a view of the ocean once they step outside the door.

2. W Retreat and Spa- tourists who love modern-like resorts should come here in W Retreat and Spa. Enjoy a relaxing vacation with the resorts offered activities such as two-cabin yacht cruises and an underground nightclub to bring out the youth in you. The modern design of the resort makes it more luxurious and attractive.

3. Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa- Enjoy the astonishing view of the Indian Ocean along with a swimming pool, a library, water sports, spa facilities, and wonderful lounges in the Four Seasons Resort. There are also bungalows for guests to relax in. Some of these bungalows even have glass floors to be able to look at the sea below. There is also another resort in Maldives named the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru.

4. Kuramathi Island Resort- this resort offers not just its beautiful white sand beaches but also outdoor Jacuzzis and infinity pools and entertainment. It offers extraordinary water activities and programs for its guests. Guests also choose to stay at the garden, water villas or the beautiful beach with turquoise waters.

5. Naladhu Resort- This resort offers gorgeous designs for a limited number of people. Yes, they only have 19 villas available for their guests. These villas are built uniquely with sliding doors, ceiling glass, large bedroom and living room areas. It also has bathrooms with an infinity edge terrazzo bathtub and an outdoor area.

A picturesque bonanza

Hanker after an adventurous yet serene break from your hectic urban life? Consider no further than the fascinating islands of The Maldives to have your fill of powdery beaches, water sport activities, seafood and privacy in the various resorts dotting the islands. Tropical climate with an abundance of greenery and cool, blue water all around ensures tourists throughout the year – Westerners come for sun bathing and adventure activities in summer while others visit the island in the months of festivities like Eid, Diwali and New Year.

Positioned smugly in the clear, turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, the atolls (a cluster of islands) of The Maldives – about 20 in all scattered over North and South of its capital city of Male, happens to be an independent island country. In most cases, each small island is owned privately in which beautiful 5-star resorts are constructed as tourism is its only revenue. A popular holiday destination with glittering ocean, white sandy beaches, the resorts are sheltered with dense plantations and provide all the amenities for city dwellers. Male is the only one-point entry to the Maldives and the islands are accessible from Male by speed boats or seaplanes.

With a total population of just around 4 lakhs, this South-Asian island country to the south-west of Sri Lanka and India, is a major tourist attraction. It is the lowest country in the world since even its highest point above sea level is less than 8ft with average elevation being 5ft. which allows you to wade in the ocean and that explains why Maldives is a preferred holiday destination.

Bang in the middle of the ocean, each sandy landmass of the island country rests on the shelf of coral reefs and out of the innumerable coral islands, only around 200 are inhabited since some of them got submerged with rising water and in some places new islands are formed but are not inhabitable. Furanafushi island in North Male’s Kaafu Atoll is one of the nearest to the capital city and it can be reached within 20 minutes by speedboat. Like most other, this island too is privately owned but all islands come under The Maldivian governance. Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa owns Furanafushi, Kurumba in Vihamanaafushi and W Resort & Spa in Fesdu islands or any other resort, all offer a variety of facilities and activities to tourists for a memorable stay.

 Earlier Maldives was a kingdom and the kings promoted Buddhism but since 12 century AD, Islam was adopted as the only religion (they follow the Sunni sect) so much so that it is mandatory for those who wish to acquire Maldivian citizenship to convert to Islam. The official language is Divehi which is a mix of Sanskrit and Arabic. Natives here are simple folk whose main profession involves jobs in resorts/hotels, driving speedboats/cruises/seaplanes or guides and water sports managers. The rest are into local agro industry too.

Adventure activities:

Maldives is famous for its water sports activities by virtue of its low-lying and various other water-friendly features.

If you happen to stay in one of the Ocean or Pool Villas of the resort, your dream to walk around or swim in the shallow ocean bed can be realized. Else, access to the beach allows you to snorkel or swim; for those who like a little more speed and adventure, try water skiing, wake boarding, jet skiing, in the pristine ocean. If exploring the reefs is up your sleeve then Seabob is the technically advanced powerful toy and the coolest way to indulge in your aqua fantasy. Thrill seekers can go with wind-surfing, scuba-diving and catch sight of sting rays and sharks or soar like a bird to get an aerial view of the Indian Ocean peppered with greenery (islands) as you parasail with expert guidance.

For the less adventurous yet exploring minds – Sunset Dolphin Cruise offers an insight into dolphin behaviour, handline fishing on a Dhoni (a special boat) allows you to experience traditional method of fishing with bait and fishing lines as the Maldivian waters are rich in Tuna, Mahi mahi, Sail fish and Wahoo.

Food and Recreation:

Seafood specialties and live catch are cooked in Sea Salt with global cuisines for breakfast and dinner to suit every guests’ palate being served at Feast while Baan Thai and Asian Tea House take care of oriental food lovers’ choices. Almost every resort offers spa treatments with Maldivian herbal aromatic massages, facials, mudpacks and wraps to soothe exhausted nerves and Shine. The plunge pools in the Pool and Ocean Villas are a great draw since you can swim and enjoy in the seclusion of your private abode.

If you still want to get the city feel, a visit to Male takes care of your retail therapy and you can shop for souvenirs like lacquered artifacts, high quality coral jewelry – even black coral is found here and some pearls. You can visit the Grand Friday Mosque, Victory Square, National Museum, king’s family tomb and catch a glimpse of the President’s Palace.

The Maldives could be a tad expensive destination because practically everything and majorly food related items are brought in from Sri Lanka, India or Australia and a few other countries. Almost everything is imported here yet with their dependency on international resorts/retreat and tourists, it has a clannish and happy population. Poised on live coral reefs and sand bars, Maldivian islands are a picture-postcard paradise for honeymooners and avid leisure travelers for fun, frolic, food and of course great photo ops!

South African Butler Academy to hold Training Session in Maldives

The South African Butler Academy will conduct a 10-day “open” International Hotel & Resort Butler Training in the Maldives on the 12th of September 2016.

The renowned butler school based in Cape Town, South Africa have partnered with the exquisite Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa to hold the session.

The academy, had previously held training sessions for the Hilton Hotels and the Queen Mary 2 cruise liner. The Maldives tourism industry with so many professionals with potentials will be the South African Butler Academy’s next stop to share their knowledge and train the individuals attending in the art of hospitality.

The Butler Academy train their candidates in Hotel, Lodge, Corporate Butler Training and Hospitality Training courses, guaranteed to make them experts in the field. The candidates also get to learn invaluable different sets of skills such as Child Care and Au Pairing skills, Concierge service & Valeting Skills and even Pets and Animal Care.

Individuals at the training session will get the opportunity to upgrade their skills and learn from one of the leading Butler Schools in the World.

The South African Butler Academy holds such training sessions frequently throughout the world and their candidates are esteemed for providing an excellent seven-star service.

Maldives on a budget

The Maldives is one of the most prestigious holiday destinations in the world and a dream honeymoon hotspot.

With power-white beaches and unbelievably crystal-clear waters, it's easy to see why the island country draws thousands of tourists every year.

Many are put off by the hefty price tags of exclusive resorts and the famous over-water bungalows.

But if you're desperate to visit the beautiful archipelago, you'll be thrilled to hear you can get flights and accommodation for under a grand.

Budget travel company Holidaypirates.com has found a 10-night holiday to the Maldives for just £725.

The amazing deal includes return flights from London Heathrow to Male, boat transfers and 10 nights accommodation on the island of Maafushi.

The hotel is the well-reviewed Arena Lodge Maldives, which is rated 4/5 on Tripadvisor and has been awarded the "Certificate of Excellence".

Prices vary slightly depending when you go, but these costing are based on tourists travelling between December 4 and December 15.

The average temperature in the Maldives at this time of year is around 27C, with highs of 29.

This deal is insanely good, so if you fancy a pre-Christmas break in paradise you better get booking fast!

Price breakdown for 2 adults sharing:

Flights – £940 / 2 = £470 per person

Hotel – £426.90 / 2 = £213.45 per person

Shared speed boat transfers – £84 / 2 = £42 per person

Total cost of holiday £1450.90 / 2 = £725 per person