Kandima not only has a distinctive horizontal surface, it also boasts one of the most striking vertical surfaces in the Maldives (in fact, you can also see one of the walls behind the table in yesterday’s post). Such hanging gardens are as wonder-ful now as they were in times of Babylon. Last spring, we visited Singapore who’s signature attraction are such gardens draped over giant palm tree shaped frames and illuminated at night with colourful lights set to music. That’s taking natural materials and green design to an entirely new level (well, at least the second floor). Thanks Paola.
Best of the Maldives: Topological Table – Kanuhura / Kandima
Today’s “Best Of” is sort of a “half” have-seen. Like the one in the 12th edition of “Haven’t Seen Yet” (#2) with the ocean inspired table at both Kandima and Kanuhura resorts. I call it “half seen” because while the style is precisely what I thought ideal for a Maldives resort, my fantasy is one constructed based on the actual topology of the island (and its underwater house reef).
Best of the Maldives: India – Taj Exotica
When it comes to subcontinent vibe, Taj Exotica is the most authentic slice of India in the Indian Ocean. In fact, it by far the most popular resort for the Bollywood starlet with 5 out of 25 of yesterday’s list visiting Taj Exotica (no other resort has more than two). The character is not surprising as the Taj chain itself is based in India. The whole property is infused with Indian touches and flavours. For example, The Presidential overwater suite (photo above) features “Ghanta” bells considered to be an auspicious sound. Other India distinctions, I have already highlighted in previous Best of the Maldives pieces…
- Indian Wine
- Ayurveda treatments
- Yoga
- Butter Chicken
Taj Exotica isn’t alone with some India flavoured distinctions so with this post, I’ve added the “India” tag for all those Indo-culture fans out there.
Bolly High
Maldives aren’t the only Laccadive country celebrating its National Day this week. Today’s is India’s own Republic Day. The icons of the subcontinent that are swinging through the Maldives with increasing regularity are the stars of Bollywood (check out “Why Maldives Was The Ultimate Holiday Destination For Bollywood”). The fashionista database includes these Indian film stars, but curiously the biggest Bollywood star to visit the Maldives is from…Sri Lanka (Jaqueline Fernandez with 16.4m Instagram followers).
Here are the top 25 stars to visit the Maldives ranked by Instagram followers. Instagram is sort of a popularity ranking. At the bottom of the post, I’ve included a table that also includes their Wikipedia word count which is usually more reflective of how much they have done)…
- Disha Patani (India) – W Maldives [ABOVE]
- Alia Bhaat (India) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru
- Yami Gautam (India) – Taj Exotica
- Deepika Padukone (India) – Taj Exotica
- Sonam Kapoor (India) – Jumeirah Vittaveli
- Hina Khan (India) – Taj Exotica
- Sonakshi Sinha (India) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru
- Bipasha Basu (India) – Four Seasons Kuda Huraa
- Anita H Reddy (India) – Meedhupparu
- Fatima Sana Shaikh (India)
- Nia Sharma (India) – Meedhupparu
- Shriya Saran (India)
- Katrina Kaif (India) – Shangri-La Vilingili
- Sushimita Sen (India) – Taj Exotica
- Juhi Chawla (India) – Six Senses Laamu
- Shenaz Treasury (India) – Shangri-La Vilingili
- Gizele Thakral (India) – Sun Island
- Mandira Bedi (India) – Hideaway Beach
- Sarah-Jane Dias (India) – Four Seasons Kuda Huraa
- Lisa Haydon (India)
- Poonam Pandey (India) – Sheraton Full Moon
- Shilpa Shetty (India) – Taj Exotica
- Samita Bangargi (India) – Lily Beach
- Ragini Dwivedi (India) – Sheraton Full Moon
- Malaika Arora Khan (India) – Jumeirah Vittaveli
Actress |
Resort |
Wiki Words |
Instagram Followers |
|
1 |
Disha Patani |
W Maldives |
||
2 |
Aliaa Bhaat |
Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru |
||
3 |
Yami Gautam |
Taj Exotica |
||
4 |
Deepika Padukone |
Taj Exotica |
||
5 |
Sonam Kapoor |
Jumeirah Vittaveli |
||
6 |
Hina Khan |
Taj Exotica |
||
7 |
Sonakshi Sinha |
Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru |
||
8 |
Bipasha Basu |
Four Seasons Kuda Huraa |
||
9 |
Anita H Reddy |
Meedhupparu |
||
10 |
Fatima Sana Shaikh |
|||
11 |
Nia Sharma |
Meedhupparu |
||
12 |
Shriya Saran |
|||
13 |
Katrina Kaif |
Shangri-La Vilingili |
||
14 |
Sushimita Sen |
Taj Exotica |
||
15 |
Juhi Chawla |
Six Senses Laamu |
||
16 |
Shenaz Treasury |
Shangri-La Vilingili |
||
17 |
Gizele Thakral |
Sun Island |
||
18 |
Mandira Bedi |
Hideaway Beach |
||
19 |
Sarah-Jane Dias |
Four Seasons Kuda Huraa |
||
20 |
Lisa Haydon |
|||
21 |
Poonam Pandey |
Sheraton Full Moon |
||
22 |
Shilpa Shetty |
Taj Exotica |
||
23 |
Samita Bangargi |
Lily Beach |
||
24 |
Ragini Dwivedi |
Sheraton Full Moon |
||
25 |
Malaika Arora Khan |
Jumeirah Vittaveli |
Swinging Maldivian Style
Maldives National Day today. A public holiday to both relax and commemorate all things Maldivian. And few things do both better than the iconic Maldivian swing. Like a mini-hammock seat. Trust the Maldivians, in their tropical paradise, to innovate on the concept of a hammock. And trust the fashionistas to turn such a fun amenity into a Kodak moment…
- Sana Lantana and Aleona Lynx (Russia) – AaaVeee [ABOVE]
- Alina Oliinyk (Ukraine) – Maafushi
- Yana Leventseva (Thailand) – Royal
- Simona Kateivaitė (Lithuania) – Club Rannalhi
- Albina (Russia) – Meedhupparu
- Maria Milovskaya (Russia)
- Sarah-Jane Dias (India) – Four Seasons Kuda Huraa
- Honorata Skarbek (Poland)
- Lady Boss (Russia) – Kamadhoo
- Kate B. Kate (Poland) – Sun Island
- Pixie Bella (Australia) – LUX South Ari Atoll
- Karolina Wozniak (Poland) – AaaVeee
- Alessia Marcuzzi (Italy) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru
- Aleona Lynx (Russia) – AaaVeee
- Eryka Yar (USA) – AaaVeee
- Lydia (Poland) – Vilamendhoo
- Sylvia Matzkowiak (Germany) – LUX Maldives
- Diana Penty (India) – Four Seasons Kuda Huraa
- Son Ye-Jin (South Korea) – LUX Maldives
Best of the Maldives: Table Tennis Area – Rihiveli Beach
Pretty much every resort will offer a table tennis table. Some even have elaborate outdoor pavilions, but I haven’t seen any ping pong area as stadium-eque Rihiveli Beach’s beach bar. They have set the table in a sunken area with a couple of rows of raked seating around the sides. Perfect for that family holiday grand championship tourney.
Best of the Maldives: Tennis Club – Amilla Fushi
The Australian Open is in full swing this week kicking off the 2018 Grand Slam season. For a bit of Aussie tennis in the Maldives, the best courtside seats are Amilla Fushi. A number of resorts have invested on some pretty sophisticated tennis facilities, but Amilla Fushi has the biggest range of tennis amenities I have seen at their “LUX Tennis” club…
- ·Two floodlit tennis courts, nestled amid tropical trees – Amilla allows guests improve every aspect of their game through personalised tennis programmes and events. Amilla has partnered with LUX Tennis, which provides professional tennis coaches to luxury resorts and private clients worldwide for a tailored solution that manages all tennis activities.”
The “club” offers lessons and player partners with ATP Pros, exhibition matches by visiting ATP Tour players, kids instruction, ball machine (see photo below)and serve speed radar. Not to mention a range of rackets and tennis wear including shoes. A bit of above and beyond by the resort from down under.
Best of the Maldives: Whale Bar – St. Regis Vommuli
Someone who needs no straw in the Maldives is the legendary whale shark. It cruises the ocean with it’s up to 5 foot wide mouth completely open actively sucking in seawater which it runs across filter pads on its gills which sift out plankton, fish eggs, baby shrimp, etc.
At St. Regis Vommuli, you can get sucked into the mouth of the aquatic beast to quaff your own liquid nourishment at their award winning “Whale Bar”…
- “A tropical bar in the Maldives designed to make guests feel like they’re in the mouth of a giant whale emerged the big winner at international design awards held in London. The Whale Bar, St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, dreamed up by the Singapore and London-based design group WOW Architects l Warner Wong Design, beat out luxury hotels, residences, and restaurants around the world to be declared the most beautifully designed space at the SBID International Design Awards 2017. From the outside, the bar’s distinctive shape recalls the carcass of a giant whale shark. Inside, guests sip on cocktails against light-oak interiors, a soft neutral palette and Maldivian art.”
The whole concept reminded me of a tradition I read about when I first visited the Maldives for coming-of-age young men. Boys, often no more than 13 years old, would jump off a boat with a rope in hand, free dive into the water where a whale shark was swimming, SWIM INTO THE WHALE SHARKS MOUTH, and then OUT ITS GILLS, hence lassoing the fish. Young boys were the just small enough to pull off this crazy feat. I would certainly consider someone to have proven their “manhood” if they did such a thing. Not surprisingly, the government prohibited this practice years ago because too many young lads were drowning in the effort.
I would much rather toast my arrival at manhood at the Whale Bar, methinks.
(With this post, I’ve added the new topic tag of “Design”.)
Best of the Maldives: Eco Straws – Anantara
Happy New Year 2018! Time to set resolutions for the year ahead. Usually New Year’s Resolutions are about making ourselves better, but Anantara is leading the way with its resolution to make its properties better at making the world better…
- “From January 1, every [Anantara] hotel, restaurant and bar at the resorts throughout Asia will use alternatives to plastic for people to sip their drinks through. Biodegradable and recyclable alternatives will replace the 2.5 million plastic straws that had been used every year.”
What’s your eco-resolution to live a more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle?