From the other extreme of rustic simplicity, W Retreat is featuring a number of vibrant graffiti pieces painted by the Maldivian artist Sobah from @TOXI_CREW. He was also learning from Alec Monopoly who came to W Maldives to paint the walls of the “W The Store”. He was joined by Japanese graffiti artist Shiro to give the 15BELOW underground club a facelift (see bottom). W is always pioneering bringing a current, modern vibe to this ancient paradise for a distinctive mash up of new and natural.
From wrapping the wrist to wrapping with palm, Embudu’s palm arbor is the ultimate in going green and natural for your wedding. I’ve added a “Palm Folding” board to the Maldives Complete Pinterest.
Friday the 13th! Day of bad luck. According to List 25, keys and amulets have been good luck charms for centuries. At the soon to open resort Kandima, you room key is also an amulet…with a bit of its own magic charm (according to Clarke’s Third Law at least)…
We keep all our stuff in your room when we good for a walk, swim, etc. But you have to take your room key. Our swimsuits don’t have pockets so keeping up with the key is always a bit of an aggro. A stylish and fun bracelet is a great solution. Or is can wrap around anything like a beach bag or snorkel bag handle. Or you can just keep them on your “handily” (yes, I intended that) on your wrist as you swim or snorkel as they are water resistant.
Kandima also provides slap bracelet USB stick with resort information and material. For those who didn’t enjoy the slap bracelets of the eighties, see mini-video below for a demonstration below.
Not quite the Edwardian “bird’s eye perspective” realism that I still haven’t seen, but Gili Lankanfushi’s is my favourite of all the resort maps. It has that pirate-chic treasure map vibe to it.
Gili’s map also veers a bit more toward the primitive art styling. It reminds me a bit of the historic “Maokun” map which plotted the eastern trade route from China to the Red Sea. The excerpt below is tilted so that the north (India) is to the left, and the east (towards China) to the right. Smack in the middle, the sort of mitten-shaped mass before the map gets mostly white further right, is Sri Lanka. Obviously, the expanse of the Indian Ocean is collapsed completely! The little dots in the middle of the map represent the Maldives with the big “circle” being Male.
The Maldives continues to remain the world capital of “Honeymoons” even in the digital age. “Honeymoon” is the most frequently Googled keyword in association with the word “Maldives” in the phrase “What is the cost of [x] in [y]?” Other top products from around Asia are shown above and the link on the graphic takes you to the Business Insider article which covered the whole world.
Instead of remembering the flowers there on your special, how about flowers to be a memento of your day. In sort sort of “Locks of Love” riff, Anantara Veli, provides commemorative plaques hung in their orchid nursey…
“Every Thursday evening on Veli there is a honeymooner’s cocktail party for Veli guests, at which they receive a heart engraved with their name and date of stay…or in some cases, ceremonial wedding date. This is then hung on the wall of the orchid garden. Most guests leave the hearts there, some guests take them away when they leave.”
At Veli, there is always flowers by your wedding date.
Gili Lankanfushi’s wedding pavilion is its very own ‘best of the Maldives’ collection all rolled into one stunning Maldives medley – an over water traditionally styled villa with glass floors looking down to aquamarine lagoons to celebrate one’s nuptials in paradise.
If you prefer to bring the water into the villa instead of the villa onto the water, Huvafenfushi’s CUBE villa’s entryway is flanked by extended reflecting pools leading to a dining pavilion with the beach in the distance. Nothing like making a first impression.
Bonus room! Not just an extra bed, but a completely distinctive experience sleeping on the water. Not just in a water villa perched over the water, but in a Maldivian-styled dhoni yacht. Not just hearing the ocean gently sloshing below you, but feeling the ocean languidly rock you to sleep.
If you are lucky, some resorts will occasionally offer a free upgrade for a night or more from their beach villas to their water bungalows. But Safari Island, if you stay 7 nights you get a free dhoni tour like a sunset cruise or fishing. If you stay 14 nights, then you get a free night on the dhoni.
Festival of Sleep is possibly the true and appropriate end of the holiday festivities. Established to “some shut-eye and relaxation after the holidays”, possibly the chronological and spiritual antithesis to “Black Friday” which kicks off the mayhem of the season.
The resort, in fact villa, that could open the door to its own sleep gala is Soneva Fushi’s Private Residence with 9 bedrooms (though one is described as staff quarters)…
Rental prices will range from $11,300 – $30,000/night depending on the season.
Wishing everyone a restful recovery from the holiday season!