Secret Paradise launches independent & affordable, adventure travel in the Maldives

Secret Paradise PVT Ltd, a Maldives based travel company, has this month launched Affordable Adventure Travel Packages. They have taken the opportunity that now exists in the Maldives to allow tourists to stay in local island guesthouses and have created a more affordable Maldives travel option.

Secret Paradise packages combine local island life with watersport activities, excursions and relaxation. Travelling by public ferry between local islands in North and South Male Atoll, travellers will be able to share breakfast and dinner with a local family; participate in traditional Maldivian singing and dancing; join in with a lesson at the local school and learn how a boat is built at the local boat yard. Other activities more commonly associated with the Maldives include discovering the abundance of marine life through snorkeling or SCUBA diving; windsurfing; surfing; sunset dolphin cruises; beach BBQs and fishing. Secret Paradise have also taken into account the restriction of the consumption of alcohol and the wearing of bikinis on local islands and ensure guests benefit from excursions to picnic islands and resorts where the laws do not apply.

Packages range from 3 days to 15 days and start from as little as US$220 per person. For travellers who perhaps still wish to experience resort life in the Maldives or are planning a trip to Sri Lanka, the 3 & 4 day packages offer an excellent way to combine both styles of holiday, particularly as all packages start and finish at Male International Airport and should a package not entirely suit the team at Secret Paradise are able to customize.

So if you feel like it is time to sit in the shade of a palm tree, slip off your shoes and adventure Maldivian style contact the Secret Paradise team at sales@secretparadise.mv or check out the website www.secretparadise.mv

About Secret Paradise PVT Ltd.

The company formed this year is owned by Male businessman, Mr Mohamed Ziyad and developed and managed by Ruth Franklin, a former General Manager for the UK  retailer BHS. Following 27 years’ service with the retailer, owned by Sir Philip Green, which included management of the BHS flagship store in Oxford Street London, Miss Franklin packed her suitcase, gathered her SCUBA dive gear and headed for a new challenge in the Maldives, a destination she was no stranger to having  visited the archipelago on 30 occasions during the past 10 years.

Based in Hulhumale, just 15 minutes by speed boat from Male, the capital of the Maldives, Secret Paradise offers ‘dream holidays at dream prices’. Secret Paradise ‘are committed to providing affordable Maldivian holiday options. They believe the idyllic white beaches, turquoise lagoons, clear warm waters and coral reefs abundant with marine flora and fauna should be available to everyone. They offer independent travel, local guest houses, safari boats and resorts that are affordable, comfortable and give a warm welcome allowing guests to experience the best from the paradise the team call home.

http://www.secretparadise.mv/index.php

Top 10 Luxury Maldives Resorts for Honeymoon Holiday

From the most quixotic destinations to spend your honeymoon at, we are imparting to you the perfect serenity and tranquility along with nature’s pearl like islands. The white sand heavens are all about ravishing and the warm feeling of enjoying beauty in the arms of your loved one.

Begin your special vacation with the sight of navy blue seas and endless sunshine creating sparkles in the water. Bold clouds that mould up with the breeze, and smiling faces that will welcome you to your resort of choice. From rose petal decorated beds to traditional candle lit baths, you will enjoy the very intimate luxury in your own private space, where all you would want to do is melt love with your partner and forget about the rest of the world.

Picture enjoying the very best massage treatments at a private beach, while laying right next to your lover, your muscles being treated and your stress disappearing away into thin air, while hearing the nature’s music of smooth waves and feeling the cool breeze on your skin. Enjoy the special couple’s spa for the honeymooners available at these very secluded hideaways.

Spend your day in bed and savor the private butler service, order fine cuisine right to your suite and let your taste buds relish the gourmet food of your choice. These Luxury Maldives Resorts are certain to awaken the romantic person inside you while you enjoy the luxury of the villas and awing interiors with your significant other.

If you’re looking for the fun, take reward of being at the sunny side of life for your honeymoon, do dip in the crystal clear blue waters and witness the fabulous marine life. Don’t miss the perfect conditions to go fishing and get the catches of your life. Try aquatics and choose from a vast range of watersports, or just take a dip in the lagoon from your own water villa while enjoying a cocktail with your newly married lover.

What could be more amorous than watching the sunset fade from orange and blue to shades of pink and purple, followed by the sky lit with shining stars as it gets dark. Cruise around the calm waters at night and wish upon a shooting star, or sunbathe in the day at the sundeck of a yacht and unwind. Whether your honeymoon is all about romance, exploration, or even activities, best of our honeymoon destinations will have precisely what you’re hunting for.

Numbered below are the top 10  Luxury Maldives Resorts from the ALPHA MALDIVES collection, these peculiar resorts are custom picked by travel mortals who are experient in luxury holiday for honeymooners, selections are made on several facts concerning the privacy as main fact to ensure all the honeymooners the amatory vacation.

1. W Retreat Maldives Resort & Spa

2. Huvafen Fushi Resort & Spa

3. Island Hideaway at Dhonakulhi Resort & Spa

4. Baros Maldives Resort & Spa

5. Anantara Kihavah Resort

6. Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru Resort

7. Conrad Maldives Rangali Resort & Spa

8. Constance Halaveli Resort & Spa

9. Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa

10. Dusit Thani Maldives Resort & Spa

Author: Afza Hassan (ALPHA MALDIVES)

Aerial view of 35 Maldives Luxury Resorts

002 Aerial view of Anantara Dhigu

001 Aerial view of Adhaaran Club Rannaalhi

003 Aerial view of Anantara Kihavah

004 Aerial view of Angsana Ihuru

005 Aerial view of Angsana Velavaru

006 Aerial view of Bandos Island Resort

007 Aerial view of Baros Maldives

008 Aerial view of Coco Palm Bodu Hithi

010 Aerial view of Cocoa Island

011 Aerial view of Conrad Rangali

009 Aerial view of Coco Palm DhuniKolhu

012 Aerial view of Constance Halaveli

013 Aerial view of Dusit Thani Resort

014 Aerial view of Landaa Giravaru

015 Aerial view of Hilton Iru Fushi

016 Aerial view of Huvafen Fushi

018 Aerial view of Jumeirah Dhevanafushi

017 Aerial view of Island Hideaway

020 Aerial view of Kuramathi Island

021 Aerial view of Kurumba

023 Aerial view of LUX Maldives

022 Aerial view of Lily Beach Resort

024 Aerial view of Mirihi Island Resort

025 Aerial view of Naladhu Resort

026 Aerial view of One&Only Reethi Rah 

027 Aerial view of Paradise Island Resort

028 Aerial view of Shangri-La's Villingili

029 Aerial view of Sheraton Full Moon

030 Aerial view of Soneva Fushi

031 Aerial view of The Rania Experience

032 Aerial view of Velassaru

033 Aerial view of Viceroy

035 Aerial view of W Retreat

034 Aerial view of Vivanta Taj CoralReef 

019 Aerial view of Kanuhuraa Resort

Veli Spa Offers A New Destination Treatment - Spa Under The Stars

Kurumba Maldives Veli Spa has announced a new destination spa treatment for couples called Spa Under The Stars. Key elements of the Maldives have been used in developing this inspired treatment. A unique bathing ritual with a local Maldivian Sarong called a Feyli is used whilst watching the sun set over the Indian Ocean. This is followed by a unique cowrie shell massage using local hand pressed Coconut oil. The cowrie shell is historic in the Maldives as prior to tourism, the main export earners were fishing and the trade of cowrie shells.

The coconut oil is purchased from a local Island named Fuvahmulah, located in the Nyaviyani Atoll and is made by both local men and women. The women play the important role in cooking the oil, while the men collect the firewood and coconuts required. There are numerous ways practiced to make virgin oil, but the most vigilant is to extract a large scale from over-riped, dried coconut kernel (copra), the kernel is separated from the shell when the water inside has dried. To extract the oil, the copra is sundried or grated/grinded and boiled in water at a certain temperature to satin the formula. The formula is purely natural, no machines are used to make the oil and no trees are cut down.

The treatment is completed with the modern touches of champagne & chocolate dipped fruits served to compliment the journey while enjoying the stars on your own lazy bean bag on the beach.

Sales and Marketing Manager Leah Haguisan stated “this new treatment highlights the ongoing commitment by Kurumba to offer its guests an inspiring and a complete Maldivian experience. Our team is always looking at ways to seek historic Maldivian traditions and use within our experience. The concept of the resort provides our guests with a choice of enriching experiences that allow a renewed appreciation of life” 

About Kurumba Maldives 

Kurumba Maldives Resort is set on a tropical island in the North Male’ Atoll, conveniently situated a brief 10 minute speed boat ride from the airport. Dotted with coconut trees that are the island’s namesake, Kurumba was the first private island resort in the Maldives. Beautiful gardens, palm fringed white sandy beaches and a vibrant house reef are the hallmarks of this classic Maldivian resort.

The resort offers an array of eight styles of accommodation, ranging from comfortable Superior rooms to the spacious Royal Residence, spread amongst the island’s lush tropical gardens with easy access to the beach. With eight different restaurants to choose from Kurumba Maldives will charm you with its unparallel choice of dining experience and a wide range of recreation activities and entertainment. All while maintaining idyllic refuges and quiet spaces of relaxation to create the perfect balance for a holiday in paradise, perfect for honeymooners and family alike.

Six Senses Laamu awarded Best International Spa at The Sunday Times Travel Magazine Readers’ Awards 2012

Six Senses Laamu was honoured to receive the award of ‘Best International Spa’ at The Sunday Times Travel Magazine annual Readers’ Awards 2012.

The awards were presented by Editor Ed Grenby. Congratulating winners and runners up, he commented: “These are the gongs that matter most. It’s not an editor; it’s real consumers casting real votes on the basis of their real travel experiences over the last twelve months. With more than 100,000 readers, The Sunday Times Travel Magazine is able to call on arguably the best ‘expert panel’ in Britain to judge its awards.”

The Sunday Times Travel Magazine is Britain’s best-selling travel magazine. It’s Readers’ Awards are now firmly established as part of the travel industry’s annual calendar and attract thousands of votes from the magazine’s well travelled readership. Six Senses Laamu was awarded the accolade of Best International Spa, beating off stiff competition from prestigious spas in Thailand and Bali.

Six Senses Laamu is the brand new Six Senses offering in the Maldives, offering 97 Villas ranging from Beach Villas to Water Villas, which are perched on the lagoon, offer an aquarium dining deck and outdoor relaxing platform. Dining experiences include Japanese sushi and LEAF, the organic restaurant serving fresh produce grown in the organic garden. 

The holistic Six Senses Spa, deserving of its accolade, sits on the beach, offering five secluded treatment rooms plus four unique treatment nests located within the island’s vegetation, which offer the divine feeling of being truly close to nature. The resort offers some of the best watersports in the Maldives, plus the fabulous dive centre, snorkelling and dolphin cruises for a first hand experience of some of the most stunning marine life.

Source : http://www.sixsenses.com/press_release.php?id=86

Photo exhibition to be held to mark 40th anniversary of tourism in the Maldives

A photo exhibition is to be held to mark the 40th anniversary since Maldives started tourism. The exhibition is planned to portray the photos of a gentleman who has been photographing the Maldives to advertise country as a tourist destination for many years.

German photographer Michael Friedel, who has been taking photographs of Maldives since it first started tourism, said while talking to the media at Thai Wok restaurant today that an exhibition will be held in the National Art Gallery from the 6th until the 13th of this month. He said that it will portray 58 pictures portraying Maldives tourism from years 1973 up until 1977. 

Friedel said that he had worked to advertise the Maldives to the world, and taken photos of the islands of Maldives as well as diving photos.

He also said that many of his photographs have been used by international media organizations for advertising the Maldives. Reflecting on the country’s tourism today, Friedel said that the sector had developed at a very fast pace.

He said that the exhibition scheduled to start on the 6th will be open to the public. 

Friedel showed some of the photos from his large collection of Maldives tourism history to the media today. 

News from: http://sun.mv/english/8466

Michael Friedel Photo Exhibition at Maldives

MMPRC and Michael Friedel invites you to see oldest, most valuable & treasured photos of Maldives tourism photographed by Michael Friedel.

Exhibition Venue: National Art Gallery 

Dates: 6th – 13th January 2013 

Time: 10am to 6:00pm

Michael Friedel’s Photo Exhibition to be held from 6th to 13th January 2013 at the National Art Gallery. This is one of the activities that will be held to celebrate 40 years of Tourism in Maldives.

The photo exhibition will showcase pictures taken by Michael Friedel during the last 40 years. The pictures will tell the story of the development that has taken place in the Maldives Islands, people, airport and our tourism industry through the lens of Michael Friedel.

Please find below the dates and opening times of the Exhibition for the public.

6th January 2013 (Sunday): 1700 hrs – 2200 hrs

7th to 13th January 2013: 1000 hrs – 2200 hrs

Kindly, please note of the date and timings and inform the staff and the guests accordingly.

Please take a moment from your busy schedule to witness this important event.

BIOGRAPHY OF MICHAEL FRIEDEL
"Michael Friedel was born 1935 and has worked as a professional photographer and photo-journalist since 1954. After winning the Photokina prize in Cologne in 1954, his career quickly took off. His front-cover pictures of Sophia Loren in 1955 and Elvis Presley in 1966, were published in STERN magazine and DER SPIEGEL respectively. 

After gathering seven years experience as a staff photographer for STERN magazine in Hamburg, from 1962 to 1968, Michael returned to freelance work and contributed photos to STERN, GEO and other major international magazines. 

He has travelled to most countries around the world, producing feature stories with social, political, or scientific themes, and, in many cases, promoting tourism. 

Since his marriage in 1968 to Marion, a journalist and writer from Hamburg, the Friedel team has produced 18 different books, mostly for their own publishing company "MM Photodrucke", as well as for various large publishing houses. "MM" stands for "Marion and Michael". 

MM publishing focuses on major tourist destinations like the Maldives, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the Seychelles and Mauritius. The books are updated regularly and published in different languages. They are mostly sold in the destinations themselves, and have been reprinted many times. 

Michael's photos have been exhibited in over 20 cities and countries including Berlin, Cologne, Hong Kong, Perpignan, Mexico and the Maldives, and Michael has been honoured by the Presidents of Mexico and the Maldives. The Maldive government also issued a series of four postage stamps based on his photographs. 

Member of ASMP, USA; BFF, Freelens, DGPh, Germany"