November | 2015 | Maldives Complete Blog

8 Out-Standing Dining Rooms

November 19, 2015 8:12 am \ Leave a Comment \ by bruce

One of my favourite dining themes is over the water (if not IN the water). The Maldives offers diver menu of in-ocean dining. Now, I’m not talking about mere “over water” dining. Just about every self-respective 5-star resort has one of those. I’m talking about surrounded-by-water dining. In fact, NIYAMA’s “Subsix” (see above) goes so far as to be both in the ocean and “IN” the ocean with its underwater dining room.

For an outstanding meal out standing in the middle of the ocean, here’s the full list…

1. NIYAMA – Subsix

2. TAJ EXOTICA – Ocean Pavilion

3. BAREFOOT – Black Pearl

4. JUMEIRAH DHEVANAFUSHI – Johara

5. BAROS – Piano Bar

6. ANGSANA VELAVARU – Azzurro

7. KANDOLHU – Sunset Pavilion

8. GILI LANKANFUSHI – Wedding Pavilion

Posted in: Lists \ Tagged: Angsana Velavaru, Barefoot, Baros, dining, Gili Lankanfushi, Jumeirah Dhevanafushi, Kandolhu, Niyama, over water, resort lists, Taj Exotica

Best of the Maldives: Theme Menus – Dusit Thani

November 18, 2015 11:45 am \ 1 Comment \ by bruce

Any writer appreciates a good theme. And I’ve been a bit more focused on “themes” recently with the new WordPress blog platform (both for Maldives Complete and one of my other blogs, “Dynamic Work”). The “themes” specify the look and feel of the layout with a dazzling array of choices from technical experts who concoct an expansive buffet to pick from.

Dusit Thani has also assembled a collection of dinners with some of the most luxuriously delectable “themes” – Asparagas, Foie Gras, Lobster, Truffle. One of Lori’s and my most memorable meals was a lobster themed menu at The House of Elliot in Ghent, Belgium. It’s a great way to combine variety with consistency. I have to say that I would have been even more delighted to see “Lobster Ice Cream” as Dusit’s lobster dessert instead though.

The menus also have the option for specifically suggested wines to accompany each which is a typical option for menus degustations. But the twist I love by Dusit turns the “accompaniment” notion on its head. They have a “Champagne” menu where you have a different champagne with each course and the dish is specially selected to go with the champagne! That’s getting priorities right.

Asparagus

Asparagus, courgette and tarragon terrine with seared scallop
Poached asparagus and slow cooked egg with bernaise sauce
Slow roasted beef eye fillet with a warm salad of asparagus, celeriac and parsnip
Toasted Brioche with aged goats cheese and asparagus espooma
White asparagus and raspberry, rhubarb with chocolate soil

Foie Gras

Foie gras with sauterne jelly and sour dough
Game and foie gras terrine with pickled vegetables
Tartlet of seared foie gras and chocolate soil with truffle vinaigrette
Slow cooked fillet of beef with foie gras
Foie gras ice cream with poached prunes and short bread crumbs

Lobster

Lobster bisque flavoured with cognac and truffle cream
Cold lobster jelly with lobster and citrus salad beer tuile
Warm lobster tart with creamed leeks and fennel and dill salad
Lobster parfait with poached lobster tail with baby carrots braised fennel

Truffle

White bean and truffle cappuccino
Ballotine of quail stuffed with truffle mousse with salsify and truffle dressing
Spaghetti linguine tossed with fresh truffle, parmesan and olive oil
Slow cooked fillet of beef with foie gras pithivier jus borderlaise
Truffle cream brulee with raspberry sorbet

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: dining, Dusit Thani, lobster

Best of the Maldives: Lobster Burger – Taj Exotica

November 17, 2015 9:42 am \ Leave a Comment \ by bruce

Something that you won’t find on any all-inclusive package, in fact you won’t find hardly any where else that I know of in the Maldives, is a Lobster Burger.

How my New England raised palette loves a good lobster culinary concoction. Apparently so does global celebrity Shilpa Shetty. Who engaged in a bit of lifestyle food blogging of her own during her visit to Taj Exotica…

“We tried the biggest lobster burger available in Maldives and licked it clean,”

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: dining, lobster, Shilpa Shetty, Taj Exotica

Best of the Maldives: People’s Choice All-Inclusive – Kurumba

November 16, 2015 8:40 am \ Leave a Comment \ by bruce

I told you so. 3 years ago, I awarded Kurumba the “Best of the Maldives for 5 Star Value”. This week, the rest of the world agrees awarding the resort the Trip Advisor Traveller’s Choice Award for Best All-Inclusive. Not just in the Maldives. IN THE WORLD.

The “All-Inclusive” category is all about value-conscious travelling. Many travellers push their budget to the absolute limit in order to afford a bucket-list trip-of-a-lifetime to the Maldives. They don’t want to check-out and get hit with a bunch of unanticipated extra-charges. They want to relax and relaxation means peace of mind that they can do whatever the heck they want and not worry about it.

With the rise of the Maldives’ worldwide profile in recent years, room rates have gone up and up. Many people are opting for a few of the budget options that are out there that still provide the enchanting Maldives experience, but do offer quite simple accommodation, food, décor and amenities. The charm of Kurumba is that it maintains true 5-star exquisite luxury standards in all parts of its operation…and still remains reasonably priced. No wonder so many people have returned from their stays there and raved out it in their TripAdvisor reviews.

[Kurumba staff celebrating their recognition]

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: all inclusive, commercial, Kurumba, Trip Advisor

Top 20 Lifestyle Bloggers in the Maldives

November 15, 2015 10:58 am \ 1 Comment \ by bruce

	Name	Country	Resort	Total Points	Instagram Followers	Twitter Followers	Facebook Followers	YouTube Views
1	Zoe Sugg	United Kingdom		19	5,800,000	3,770,000	2,400,000
2	Bianca Heinicke	Germany	Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru	18	2,300,000	1,050,000	1,275,000
3	Malini Agarwal	India	Club Med Kani	18	96,000	598,000	621,696	683
4	Natalie Tran	Australia	LUX Maldives	16	66,600	235,000		339,000
5	Chriselle Lim	USA	Six Senses Laamu	15	525,000	45,100	426,000	92,556
6	La Carmina	Japan	Gili Lankanfushi	14	50,500	33,000	31,201	5,981
7	Alison Teal	USA	Dusit Thani	13	48,200	24,200	68,441
8	Nicole Warne	Australia	Amilla Fushi	12	1,300,000	29,700	320,000
9	Gala Gonzales	Spain	Sun Siyam Irufushi	11	465,000	80,000	215
10	Jessica Stein	Australia	W Retreat	10	1,800,000	35,700	7,958
11	Jasmin Howell	Australia	Six Senses Laamu	10	192,000	10,300	11,523
12	Rosie Londoner	United Kingdom	Huvafenfushi	10	160,000	41,900	134,279
13	Elif Tanverdi	Turkey	NIYAMA	10	128,000	68,100	10,800
14	Juliet Angus	USA	FS Landaa Giraavaru	10	48,700	12,300	109,368
15	Alexandra Pereira	Spain	Constance Halaveli	9	900,000	67,600
16	Sabrina Tubic	Bosnia Herzegovina	Paradise Island	9	81,300	231	16,137	1,671
17	An Nguy	Vietnam		8	339,000		2,200,000
18	Maureen Schauder	Germany	Anantara Kihavah Villas	8	79,400	127	109,497
19	Josie Fear	United Kingdom	Thudufushi	8	21,300	15,500	675
20	Alina Lisina	Latvia	Dusit Thani	8	21,000	25,200	4,358	13

Ten years ago I started blogging. Not about the Maldives, but about topics more related to my work at Microsoft at the time. But it was that blogging which led me down the path to both this big part of Maldives Complete. I launched Maldives Complete complete with its very own blog. So I could share my own stories and special perspectives from years of researching and visiting this paradise destination.

To some, blogging rose to prominence and now has been superseded by other digital sharing platforms. But just like TV didn’t kill radio, and the Internet didn’t eliminate TV, all new formats – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube – might have crowded the pure “Blogosphere” (eg. WordPress, Blogger), but really they have just expanded it with new media and tools.

When I first started blogging about the Maldives, there really weren’t that many others. A few resorts and experts (eg. Seven Holidays, Dreaming of Maldives) have dabbled in it. And while there are still relatively few dedicated to the destination, as I mentioned in last week’s WTM post, the recent rise of the international “lifestyle blogger” nearly always includes the Maldives on their bucket lists.

When I was researching fashion and lifestyle icons visiting the Maldives a couple of months ago, I was struck by how many of these selfie-paparazzi were “Bloggers” of one sort or another. Many of these bloggers essentially serve up lifestyle porn (travel/food/fashion) with the overarching theme “I sucks to be me <wink>.”

While sex appeal sells and all of these bloggers are quite photogenic, the top of the leader board are not the Victoria Secret pageant queens. Instead, they are personalities who have carved out their niche with more substance than stylish photoshoots. They all have folksy, trendy monikers like La Carmina, Miss Everywhere, Miss Malini, Gary Pepper Girl, Alison Adventure, Tuula Vintage, Cizen Bayan, Lovely Pepa.

Of the 336 personalities identified (and logged in my database), 100+ are bloggers (the others are models, actresses, singers, athletes and other celebrities). I developed a ranking system based on things like followers on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, as well as things like entry details in Wikipedia and IMDB. I’m featuring the Top 20 today (if I were to rank Maldives Complete, I would score 3 points putting me in joint 45th place, but then I focus on a very niche subject area).

6 of top 10 are high profile enough to have their own Wikipedia articles (nobody below top 9 though make it into Wikipedia). There are only 3 Vloggers in the top 20 (not surprising as Vlogs take an order of magnitiude more production resources and skills). Six Senses Laamu and Dusit Thani score deuces with 2 entries each, but otherwise a good sampling across resorts. And on the geographic side, United Kingdom, Germany and Australia all score hatricks with 3 entries.

Reading blogs is great, writing one is even better.” – Seth Godin

1. Zoe Sugg (United Kingdom) – Ranveli

2. Bianca Heinicke (Germany) – Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru

3. Malini Agarwal (India) – Club Med Kani

4. Natalie Tran (Australia) – LUX Maldives

5. Chriselle Lim (USA) – Six Senses Laamu

6. La Carmina (Japan) – Gili Lankanfushi

7. Alison Teal (USA) – Dusit Thani

8. Nicole Warne (Australia) – Amilla Fushi

9. Gala Gonzales (Spain) – Sun Siyam Irufushi

10. Jessica Stein (Australia) – W Retreat

11. Jasmin Howell (Australia) – Six Senses Laamu

12. Rosie Londoner (United Kingdom) – One & Only Reethi Rah

13. Elif Tanverdi (Turkey) – NIYAMA

14. Juliet Angus (USA) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru

15. Alexandra Pereira (Spain) – Constance Halaveli

16. Sabrina Tubic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – Paradise Island

17. An Nguy (Vietnam)

18. Maureen Schauder (Germany) – Anantara Kihavah Villas

19. Josie Fear (United Kingdom) – Thudufushi

20. Alina Lisina (Latvia) – Dusit Thani

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: beauty

Best of the Maldives: Ping Pong Protection – Zitalhi Kudafunafaru

November 14, 2015 10:01 am \ Leave a Comment \ by bruce

A more practical consideration to table tennis pavilions is chasing the darn ball. Especially in the hard surface areas where it’s extra bounciness means it just keeps bouncing and bouncing as you go chasing it. When we set up a ping-pong table in our garage we rigged up and bunch of flat boxes to provide a back-stop to either side of the table to reduce such frenetic chases (and occasional lost balls). Zitahli Kudafunafaru has provided a more sophisticated solutions with netting on either side of its top quality table. It let’s the light and air through, but keeps ping-pong balls under control.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: racquet, zitahl, Zitahli Kudafunafaru

Best of the Maldives: Table Tennis Pavilion – Soneva Fushi

November 13, 2015 8:26 am \ 3 Comments \ by bruce

The smaller “table” version of tennis is almost always set in covered areas and pavilions at the Maldives resorts. Usually in entertainment buildings. But Soneva Fushi has given the full first class treatment to its “ping pong” pavilion – natural construction, thatches roof, Maldivian-style lounger chairs for spectators. All set on natural soft sand which might slow your panther-like reactions, but keep the game more comfortable and more “outdoors” as you toes sink into the warm sand.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: beach, racquet, Soneva Fushi

Best of the Maldives: Covered Tennis Court – Velaa

November 12, 2015 8:52 am \ 2 Comments \ by bruce

I’m always a bit surprised at how popular the sport of tennis is in the Maldives. Some visitors struggle to conceive of any pulse-elevating activity in this languorous paradise. The water sports and pool games I can understand since the water cools you off and they don’t take that much exertion.

One answer to the tropical heat is to move the activity into an air conditioned buildings like most of the fitness centres. But then you are sort of segregated from the natural fresh air and environs you came to immerse yourself in. Plus, a full sized indoor tennis court would be a lot of AC.

It’s an issue for people like my father who as it happens turn 80 years old today. And he is still playing competitive tennis. Still dissecting his swing for that serving perfection. For him, the brilliant sun is more than just energy sapping and dehydrating, but it is also a medical concern as he has had a few skin cancers removed so he needs to watch his exposure to the sun.

Velaa resort has the perfect solution. Their full sized covered court provides the best of both worlds inside and out. The roof shields from the sun (and the occasional rain) while the open sides maintain an outside feel. They have also installed patented “Big Ass Fans”, gigantic ceiling fans which gently move the air around the help keep it fresh. Finally, they have set up a training wall for those who just want to practice some hitting on their own.

With all this tennis enthusiasm and innovations, I’ve added a new new “Tennis” tag to the blog.

Happy 80^th Birthday Dad.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: raquet, sport, tennis, Velaa

Best of the Maldives: Welcome Wreath – Jumeirah Vittaveli / Dhevanafushi

November 11, 2015 7:45 am \ Leave a Comment \ by bruce

Origami Day today. If you are impressed with what the Japanese can do by folding paper, then you should see what the Maldivians do folding palm leaves.

One of the iconic welcome gifts in the travel world is the Hawaiian aloha lei. More than just a greeting, it is an immediate generous gift of hospitality. In keeping with its ‘everything Maldivian’, guests arriving at Jumeriah – both its Vittaveli and Dhevanafushi properties are greeted with an artistic folded palm leaf pendant (hung on a palm leaf chord).

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: greeting, Jumeirah Dhevanafushi, Jumeirah Vittaveli

Best of the Maldives: Cultural Group – Centara Ras Fushi

November 10, 2015 5:16 pm \ Leave a Comment \ by bruce

On Centara Ras Fushi’s island of Giraavaru, the local traditions date back to before the arrivals of the Maldivians themselves. Unlike nearly all resort islands which are developed from uninhabited islands, Ras Fushi’s island had been inhabited for centuries (in general, the bigger islands have more space and resources for habitation, while the smaller dots of land are more attractive to the isolation and tropical isle fantasy seeking tourists). Its ancient inhabitants, the Giraavaru people, maintained a distinct dialect and traditions (see table at bottom).

Their name may have presaged a challenge that all the Maldive islands would one day face with rising sea levels…

“Giraavaru island was much bigger, housing magnificent buildings and temples in those days, as the surrounding lagoon still testifies. Changing weather patterns gradually eroded the bulk of the island, which was once the capital of a proud and civilized people…Giraa means ‘eroding’ in the Maldivian language. It was thought that the island was called ‘Giraavaru’ because it was gradually being eroded away into the sea. It is quite possible that the name proceeded the word. Indeed the word ‘giraa’ may have been coined as a result of the natural calamity that was claiming an important island.”

In the end, it was not the erosion by the sea but by civilization that led to Giraavaru’s end as a distinct entity. Their proximity to the metropolis of Male meant that the population emigrated leaving only a small number of families to few to sustain the island.

Centara Ras Fushi has published an overview of their history here.

	Giraavaru	Maldives
Settlement	Original settlers of Maldives	Came later in 11^th century
Divorce	Forbidden	Liberally permitted under Islam
Hair	Tied in a bun on left-side	Ties in a bun on right side
Jewellery	Worn	Not worn
Government	Headed by women	Headed by men
Language	Same addressing to all	Different addressing to superiors

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: Centara Ras Fushi, culture

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Monthly Archives: November 2015