Best of the Maldives: Sand Bars – Constance Moofushi

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Constance Moofushi - sand bar

The classic allure of the Maldives is the minimalist iconic image of a plot of sand with a solitary palm tree. And sometimes, even the palm tree is missing. Then, you are left with one of the Maldives famous sand banks. A smudge of white coral sand peeking out of the sea. If the resort gives you that feeling of remoteness sitting on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean at the resort, then an excursion to one of these postage stamp parcels amps the sensation even more.

Many resorts have a sand bank nearby. Some even have a couple. But Constance Moofushi is the first resort I have come across with 3 or more in its immediate vicinity. When we swung by there during our tour, we spotted three different ones scattered around the resort.

The resort reports:

“The sand banks around Moofushi depend a little on the tides, if its high tide to low tide. Hence they will disappear or appear according to the tides which change on a daily basis, we do have strip 3 times a week to a Sand bank, which is categorised as an easy snorkel trip and where effectively the guest many snorkel over the white sand in very clear waters, fish are abundant. “

Moofushi offers a variety of sand bank experiences with which to enjoy their sand bank variety…

  • Sandbank breakfast – $209 per couple
  • ·Sandbank BBQ lunch – $409 per couple.
  • Sandbank dinner – $570 per couple.
  • Sandbank day trip – $1200 per couple (umbrella, table, chairs and sun beds, refreshments, a BBQ lunch with champagne, private snorkelling guide. This trip would leave around 9.30 am and return at approximately 3.30 pm)
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Best of the Maldives: In Pool Loungers – Shangri-La Villingili

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Shangri-La Villingili - in pool loungers

A break from the Olympics today. And I mean a real break…sort of the opposite of the Olympics. National Lazy Day today. Like the Tweet below (which does take laziness to gold medal standard).

A great training camp for laziness is Shangri-La Villingili with their villa in-pool loungers. Like the Maldives islands themselves, the loungers are situated at that perfect elevation just above the level of the water. Just low enough to be cooled by the pool water perhaps dangling one feet in, but high enough so that you don’t have to be submerged.

Take your laziness to the next level.

Nationla Lazy Day Olympic tweet

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Best of the Maldives: Kids Golf – Velaa

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Velaa - kids golf

Not only do the Olympics introduce you to some sports you might not have seen regularly on TV, but the Games themselves are introducing new sports keeping up with the athletic trends around the world. One of the new sports is Golf. Well, not totally new. It was a part of the Ganes back in 1904, but dropped ever since. Assuming it will stick around a bit longer this time, you have the chance to get junior or lil miss ready for Paris/Rome/Budpest/LA 2024 at Velaa’s elite links. Maybe a lil’ course for the lil’uns, but make no mistake…these are no toys. Velaa kits even the little ones out with top of the line Callaway equipment (see above).

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Best of the Maldives: Astro-Turf Badminton Court– Velaa

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Velaa - astro-turf badminton court

The Olympics give the lower profile sports their moment in the global, primetime spotlight. Sports like badminton, typically relegated to the sports center or back yard set up. But Velaa resort provides a pro-quality badminton outdoor venue. Most outdoor courts are on hard sand or asphalt. Their court has top of the line astro-turf which provides great foot grip, a softer surface which is easier on the joints, and a cooler surface in the tropical sun. But to get the ‘grass’ just the right height, the court is sprinkled with soft sand imported from Europe. And the court is properly measured and lined for singles or doubles matches. Olympic-standard badminton for fun-in-the-sun volleying.

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Best of the Maldives: Fruity Gazpacho – Shangri-La Villingili

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Shangri-La Villingili - fruity gazpacho

Watermelon Day! (honest)

One of our favourite fruits in the Maldives. The stuff you get in England is just so flavourless compared to what they serve at the resorts. It is one of those items that we probably eat close to every day during our visits (along with pina coladas). We have it in nicely cut chunks, we have it as a juice. But Shangri-La Villingili was the first time we had it as a soup (presented above by Food and Beverage Director Mohammed Asiz). Great combo – one of our favourite fruits with one of our favourite dishes, gazpacho.

Thi “Javvu Summer Gazpacho” is made with Roma tomato, watermelon, pickled jalapenos and green grapes. They also feature a delectable “Chilled Honey Melon Gazpacho” at their Fashala restaurant (organic honey melon, garden mint granite, parma ham, garlic with very subtle almost silky texture).

 

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Best of the Maldives: Local Island Bridge – Canareef

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Canareef - local island bridge

How do you make a single island into two (not like they need more numbers with 1,900 in the country)? With a canal.

To make it a segregated resort island (since “resort islands” can do things like serve alcohol which “inhabited islands” are prohibited from doing), the original Herathera resort dug a channel to separate the inhabited side of its incredibly long island from the uninhabited side which was being developed in a resort.

Now connected by a handy footbridge (see above), a large portion of the Canareef staff reside on the inhabited staff and walk to work each day. It also provides a the most handy visit to a “local island” as you can simply walk over to visit instead of devoting a whole excursion trip which most resorts offer (the bridge has a security guard to make sure only authorised staff and guest come onto the resort island).

Siamese twin island joined at the bridge.

Canareef - canal

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Best of the Maldives: Singles – Club Med Kani

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Club Med Kani - staff

In my top ten FAQs is ‘what best resort for singles?’ These visitors are not looking for some sort of groovy ‘hook up’ resort. Rather, they simply just don’t want to feel all self-conscious being a singleton in the land of dewy-eyed honeymooners and other romantic holidayers. More catering for this segment was listed in one of my first “Haven’t Seen Yet” pieces. This segment is significant and growing. People get married later, relationships last fewer years, and older people lose their partners through passing. These guests just would like to (a) not be jonny-no-mates, and (b) not pay big premiums for being alone.

As it happens, while touring Club Med Finolhu Villas, we stopped a probably the best resort I have come across is Club Med Kani. Despite their special offerings for families and honeymooners, they also cater to singles specifically. They just cater to everyone! Here are some of the things they have put in place…

  • Diversity – There is so much diversity in Kani’s clientele, no one would feel out of place. There are couples on honeymoon. There are families. There are groups of friends. There are groups of families. And yes, there are singles.
  • Staff – Club Med is renowned for its hyper-friendly ethos and ambience. The staff all bubble over with amiability. The resort has a practice where all staff eat with the guests (only if the guests would like the company of course) which of course would suit a single person superbly. And as it happens, many of the staff a single themselves.
  • Atmosphere – The Club Med Kani atmosphere is simply very friendly, social and inclusive as I described in my Best of the Maldives post “Making Friends”.
  • Numbers – With nearly 500 rooms, Kani is one of the biggest resorts in the Maldives. That means there are so many people that even a small percentage of any group becomes a reasonable number. Yes, relatively few singles visit the Maldives. But at Kani you mathematically have a better chance of meeting more of them.
  • Catering – The resort actually caters to single guests. It offers a reasonable single supplement rate on its villas. When there is enough singles in residence, it organises special activities just for them such as cocktail parties and special singles-only snorkelling outings.

Literally, come ‘one’ and all…

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