A Maldives beach wedding in December for Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor!

The Saifeena marriage seems to be becoming the most overrated news in the Bollywood grapevine lately. However, laying the speculation to rest, Saif Ali Khan has finally confirmed that he will be tying the knot with Kareena Kapoor in December in Maldives.

And this time the news has come directly from the horse-mouth, Saif Ali Khan, who is basking in the joy of “Cocktail” success has confirmed his wedding venue and time. Khan told an Indian tabloid, “And the wedding is in Maldives...100 people...December not October!”

Khan and Kapoor have been dating for five years now but it was only around the beginning of 2012 that they officially declared that they would be tying the knot this year.

Khan’s mother, Actor Sharmila Tagore had earlier said the wedding date could be 16th October and the location would be the Pataudi Palace in Pataudi village. However, Khan surprised everyone when he denied having marked the date on his calendar.

Kapoor, who had been very open about her personal life also refused to mention a date saying it was Khan who would take the decision on the wedding date.

Amidst so much dilly-dallying by Sharmila Tagore, Khan, Kapoor and Soha Ali Khan, we aren't quite sure if this is the last we are hearing on this.

A Little History Of Malives

First archaeological study of the remains of early cultures on the Maldives began with the work of H.C.P. Bell, a British commissioner of the Ceylon Civil Service. Bell was shipwrecked on the islands in 1879, and returned several times to investigate ancient Buddhist ruins. He studied the ancient mounds, called havitta or ustubu (these names are derived from chaitiya or stupa) Although Bell asserted that the ancient Maldivians followed Theravada Buddhism, many local Buddhist archaeological remains now in the Malé Museum display in fact Mahayana and Vajrayana iconography.

In the early 11th century the Minicoy and Thiladhunmathi also possibaly other northern Atolls was conquered by the medieval Chola Tamil emperor Raja Raja Chola I, becoming a part of the Chola empire.

According to a legend from the Maldivian Folklore, in the early 12th century AD a medieval prince named Koimala nobleman of the Lion Race from Ceylon, sailed to Rasgetheemu island (literally King's Town) in North Maalhosmadulu Atoll and from there to Malé and established a kingdom there. By then, the Aadeetta (Sun) Dynasty had for sometime ceased to rule in Malé, possibly due to invasions by the Cholas of Southern India in the Tenth Century. The indigenous people in Malé Atoll, the Giraavaru invited Koimala to Malé and permitted him to be proclaimed king. Koimala Kalou (Lord Koimala) reigned as King Maanaabarana, was a king of the Homa (Lunar) Dynasty, which some historians call House of Theemuge. Since Koimala's reign, the Maldive throne was also known as the Singaasana (Lion Throne). Before then, and in some situations since, it was also known as the Saridhaaleys (Ivory Throne). Some Historians accredit Koimala of freeing the Maldives from Tamil Chola rule.

Several foreign travellers, mainly Arabs, had written about a kingdom over the Maldives ruled by a queen. This kingdom pre-dated Koimala's reign. al-Idrisi referring to the writings of earlier writers mentions the name of one of the queens. Her name was Damahaar. She was a member of the Aadeetta (Sun) dynasty. The Homa (Lunar) dynasty sovereigns inter-married with the Aaditta (Sun) Dynasty. This was why the formal titles of Maldive kings until 1968 contained references to "kula sudha ira" which meant "descended from the Moon and the Sun". No official records exist of the Aadeetta dynasty's reign. 

The conversion to Islam is mentioned in the ancient edicts written in copper plates from the end of the 12th century AD. There is also a locally well-known legend about a foreign saint (a Persian from the city of Tabriz or a Moroccan Berber according to the versions) who subdued a demon known as Rannamaari. Dhovemi Kalaminja who succeeded Koimala converted to Islam in the year AD 1153. Over the centuries, the islands have been visited and their development influenced by sailors and traders from countries on the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Choose a complimentary upgrade or breakfast with Conrad Hotels & Resorts

The Conrad Luxury of Being Yourself offer gives you the freedom of choice. A complimentary upgrade or breakfast for two, the choice is yours. Available at every one of the over 20 Conrad Hotels & Resorts worldwide, there's never been a better time to enjoy the luxury of choice.

Hilton HHonors Gold and Diamond status members will additionally receive 5,000 Bonus Points for each stay. Not a Hilton HHonors member? Join

Conrad Maldives

Source
http://conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/maldives/conrad-maldives-rangali-island-MLEHICI/offers/100035408.htm

Fun For Little Swimmers And Adult Water Babies On A PADI Skin Diver Course At Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort

For active families with little adventurers in tow, Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort in the Maldives has just launched a new PADI Skin Diver Course, available for adults and children as young as eight. While snorkelling is limited to peering down from the surface, this short course enables avid water babies to venture deeper, making frequent surface dives to interact up close and personal with aquatic life.

Located in South Malé Atoll, Olhuveli is a beautiful island retreat with stunning beaches, abundant sandbanks and its own house reef. While on the skin diving course, guests will be provided with information on the equipment, dive science, the environment and safety – and then the fun starts. The best part is learning to use the mask, fins and snorkel so not a moment of action below the surface is missed.

The resort’s house reef, easily accessed from the jetty, provides a safe, current-free environment from which to discover the underwater world. Residing just metres beneath the warm, clear sea, it is inviting and unthreatening – even for little mermaids and mermasters. Basking in sunlight, bright corals line the sandy seabed, offering the perfect habitat for restless damsel fish, bat fish, baby sharks and even turtles. Children will delight in chasing shoals of tiny silver fish from the shallows to the deep, while sea creatures of all types and varieties can be discovered, such as sea cucumbers and endangered giant clams.

The PADI Skin Diver course takes just over two hours, and is available from US$30 to US$60 per person, (including equipment and excluding taxes and service charges). On completion of the course, guests receive a PADI Skin Diver certification card, so they are ready for their next adventure.

Back on dry land, at night guests can watch manta rays, which seasonally come to the jetty to feed on plankton that is attracted by the floodlights. This is a wonderful spectacle for families to encounter after a day of watery adventures.

In addition to a five-star PADI dive centre, Olhuveli offers a fantastic watersports centre with fun tubes, banana boat rides, stand-up paddle-boarding, wake-boarding and the first licensed kite-surfing school in the Maldives. Additional facilities include a selection of restaurants and bars, two large pools, a Sun Spa and a free, daily kids’ programme.

New for 2013 and for the ultimate family celebration or romantic dining experience, the resort has just launched a ‘sand horizon’ destination dining experience, whereby seats are dug into the sand to dine on the beach, creating a beautiful ambiance.

Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort
South Malé Atoll
Republic of Maldives
Tel: (+960) 664 2788
Fax: (+960) 664 5942
E-mail: info@olhuveli.com.mv

Celebrate 12.12.12 With Special Winter Offers At Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort, Maldives

If the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics weren’t enough to mark 2012 as an historical year for special occasions, there is another date in this year’s diary to watch out for; 12.12.12. Triple-digit dates occur only 12 times every hundred years and 12.12.12 will be the last this century, making it an extra-special day for a celebration! Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort is therefore offering very exclusive deals from 1 to 18 December, including up to 12 per cent off excursions, spa treatments and wedding celebrations, 14 nights for the price of 12, and even a 12-course tasting menu!

Located in South Malé Atoll, Olhuveli offers a vista of stunning beaches, abundant sandbanks and cloudless blue skies, providing the perfect backdrop for an extra special occasion, whether it’s the holiday of a lifetime, a big birthday, marriage proposal or even a wedding celebration.

Why not begin an extra special day with a rejuvenating spa treatment and emerge with a new lease of life? Olhuveli’s Sun Spa uses ancient Indian Ayurvedic techniques and is nestled within a garden of lush vegetation and flowers to create a haven of tranquillity. Each treatment pavilion has twin massage beds and a private garden with outdoor rain shower and flower bath. A 10 per cent discount is available on a choice of seven Ayurveda specialties or the couples’ Honeymoon in Heaven spa package. Reduced prices start from US$59 for an Indian head, neck and shoulder massage.

Then, for a truly memorable experience to cherish forever, a 12 per cent discount on excursions are also available from exploring the ocean’s spectacular underwater world on a snorkelling safari, to spotting dolphins on a dolphin safari with sunset cruise. Reduced prices start from US$40 per person.

No celebratory day is complete without fine dining. Olhuveli’s Four Spices Restaurant is offering an à la carte 12-course tasting menu. This hand-picked set menu will carefully pair selected wines with fine Asian food, tempting guests with Japanese, Indian, Thai and Maldivian flavours, all in a beautiful over-water restaurant. The exquisite wine and dine degustation experience is truly the ultimate way to celebrate with friends, family or that one special person.

Finally, for couples searching for the ultimate way to preserve their love, romance and passion for a lifetime Olhuveli offers 12 per cent off their Renewal of Vows ceremony. Reduced prices for the wedding celebration start from US$1,549 to include a His and Her Aromatherapy Massage, a ceremony on Olhuveli’s award-winning, picturesque beach under a decorated parasol, champagne, wedding cake, bridal bouquet, a romantic sail at sunset on a traditional Dhoni boat, an intimate candle-lit beach dinner with personal butler service, a special honeymoon turndown service and in-villa breakfast the next morning, as well as other extras.

What’s more, for travel between 1 to 18 December inclusive, guests staying 14 nights only pay for 12. Rates start from US$320 per night, based on two people sharing a deluxe beachfront room on a bed and breakfast basis*. Flights start from £532 per person with Qatar Airways.

In addition to boasting a wealth of watersports and the first registered kite-surfing school in the Maldives, facilities at Olhuveli include an infinity pool, gym, extensive spa, PADI dive centre, table tennis, volleyball court and a selection of restaurants and bars. Visit www.olhuvelimaldives.com.

"Island Getaway - 7th Night Free" Stay 7 Pay 6 offer from Viceroy Maldives

Celebrate the festive season and the new year in the Maldives. Receive each 7th night complimentary plus breakfast for two. Stay December 21 through April 30, 2013.

Villa Type

• Beach Villa
• Deluxe Beach Villa
• Water Villa
• Deluxe Water Villa
• Royal Villa

Terms and Conditions:

Cancellation less than 45 days prior to arrival will be charged for 50% of the full stay, 100% within 30 days. Reservations must be guaranteed with a valid credit card. Mandatory Christmas and New Years Eve Dinner applies to all. $8.00 bed tax per person, per day is applicable on the free nights.

For more information please contact: Viceroy Maldives: +960 654 5000

http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/en/maldives/reservations/special_offers/early

Viceroy Maldives Luxury Island Resorts

Viceroy Maldives is located in Lakshadweep Private Islands which is 192km away from airport, this Luxury Island features 61 villas and transfer to the island provided by Speedboat and approximately 50 minutes to reach the resort from Male International Airport.

Crown & Champa Resorts (CCR) has bought the Central Hotel in Malé.

Central Hotel located in the heart of Malé was opened in 1998 and offers 41 bedrooms, 3 restaurants and business facilities. The hotel will now be managed by Crown & Champa Resorts.

Crown & Champa Resorts is one of the leading resort operator in Maldives with eight resorts under their ownership or management.

Source: http://maldives.net.mv/7603/champa-crown-resorts-acquires-central-hotel/

A Lagoon Like No Other - Angsana Velavaru Maldives

Sun, sand, sea – what’s not to love about the Maldives? Take a speed boat out on a dolphin tour, play a cool game of aqua volleyball, and get intimate with schools of colourful fishes in a snorkelling safari. Whether you choose to pack your holiday with activities or simply relax on the luscious white beach, Angsana Velavaru has it all covered.

Book the A Lagoon Like No Other promotion with a minimum stay of 3 consecutive nights and enjoy the following inclusions:

30% off Best Available Rate
Daily breakfast for 2
Offer is open for bookings from 17 September until 20 December 2012.

Valid for stays from 20 September until 23 December 2012.

For reservations, please contact Angsana Velavaru at +960 676 7115, email reservations-velavaru@angsana.com or visit angsana.com for online bookings.

Dusit Thani Maldives launches special spa menu for kids

Devarana Spa at the Dusit Thani Maldives has recently launched a special spa programme called “Happiness for the little one” and it's all for kids between 6 and 14 years old to enjoy themselves during their stay on paradise island.

The extended a la carte menu for kids features five creative treatments offering a play time of glamour and natural healing. All treatments are carefully designed for children and teens to have fun while learning from the pampering experience incorporating energy balancing and pure relaxation.

Happy Feet (60mins): Relieve tired and weary feet from swimming and snorkeling with a peppermint foot soak, followed by a jolly foot massage using cheery green grass scented lotion.

Lavender Lullaby (60mins):This calming and balancing head treatment starts with warm lavender oil hair mask and ends wonderfully with a relaxing Ayurvedic head massage to promote sweet dreams at night.

Magical Massage (60mins): Kids mix their own "magic potion" from an exquisite selection of aromatic oils. Then our professionals use it for the ultimate relaxing massage from top to toe.

Pretty Sweet Hands (60mins):Kids indulge in the sweetest pampering starting with a chocolate & caramel hand wrap, followed by a hand massage using floral-scented lotion and a mini manicure. Pick your favorite glittering and island dream nail colours for the perfect beach chic style.

Spalicious Treat (90mins):The yummiest body treat for young souls. Spoil the body and mind with a total flavourful and unwinding journey that begins with a warm chocolate milk foot soak, followed by a soft lavender coconut cupcake rub, and ends delightfully with a mellow oil massage.

In addition for the whole family, the spa proffers a full range of premium East-meets-West treatments with prestige Thai hospitality. Our unique treatment pods are settled in the midst of our natural setting on the ground level as well as elevated among the island’s palm trees.  Look forward to a superb healing experience like nowhere else. Discover the serene sanctuary where pure relaxation awaits everyday at Devarana Spa at Dusit Thani Maldives.