Forget the phone snapped Insta pix, for a spectacular shot of the Maldives check out this one from the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission – “Copernicus captures image of the Republic of Maldives”. The ultimate drone shot.
Unique-Adorn
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“Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn. Then be a unicorn.” And if you can’t be a unicorn, ride a unicorn. Especially, a magic rainbow unicorn.
Happy Thanksgiving! Time for the annual traditions of bloated birds and the Times Square procession of blow-up figures. The Maldives fashionistas display as wide a variety of balloon creatures as any Macy’s parade, but second only to the iconic pink flamingo is the ubiquitous Unicorn float. For those in lockdown, offers is own virtual pneumatic cavalcade:
- Hana Chick (Czech) – Royal Island [ABOVE]
- Camilla Sylvie (Netherlands) – Kihaaa
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- Oksana Domoratskaya (Singapore) – Kuredhivaru
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- Sherstyuk (Ukraine) – Vadoo
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- Michella Choi (United Kingdom) – Amilla Fushi
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- Oksana Domoratskaya (Singapore) – One & Only Reethi Rah
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- Roxanne Tong (Hong Kong) – Millaidhoo
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- Cindy Jane (Germany) – Olhuveli
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- Natalie Phan (Australia) – Hurawalhi
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- Karis Scarlette (United Kingdom) – Shangri–La Vilingili
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- Mini Nooaae (Thailand) – Meeru
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- Miss Huinii (South Korea) – Vommuli
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- Elizabeth Lim (Russia) – Veligandu
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- Mila Gricenko (Russia) – NIYAMA
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- Camilla Vendrame Tognetti (USA) – NIYAMA
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- Chantal Torres (Mexico) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru
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- Lynna Lin (Malaysia) – Angsana Velavaru
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- Ming Moonoi (Thailand) – W Maldives
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- Miss Monkey (China) – W Maldives
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- Zihyu Jhao (Taiwan) – Halaveli
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Best of the Maldives: Scooter – LUX South Ari Atoll
For the largest islands, one has two options: (a) motorised buggy, or (b) pedal bike. LUX South Ari Atoll offers motorised bikes. Electric so you are not going to get gangs of rumbling bikers tearing down your villa path. For hire at £50/day
Best of the Maldives: Balloon Crib – Joali
Joali’s kids club has the most whimsically decorated beds for little ones as each crib is designed to resemble a hot air balloon. Up, up and away to the land of nod.
Best of the Maldives: Room Decorating Instagram – Kuramathi
Kuramathi’s Waheed Saamid pentathlete of a room decorator. He not only pioneered a medium I’ve not seen in my decades of visits, he’s mastered all of its fundamental disciplines:
- Petals
- Wording (both cut and formed)
- Towel sculpture
- Bubble Bath
- Path/Floor messages (pioneer)
I caught up with him and he shared a bit about his background:
- “I have started room decorations as I began my career as a villa Attendant. Since then I have learned and improving my skills. I’m a self taught decorative. During this journey of a villa Attendant, I have met many creative colleagues in room decorating. I get ideas from my friends and through the internet. Mostly I love doing different types of leaf decorations. Room decoration is an important element of Housekeeping service, to demonstrate my skills and give our guests a little gesture of that we care them.”
His Instagram feed is the most diverse collection of works and I highly recommend following him for your own daily dose of decorating.
Best of the Maldives: Path Greetings – Kuramathi
All of the world has its eye on the “path to the White House” this week, but Waheed Saamid, room decorator extraordinaire is focused on the path to your villa. I thought that I had seen all the variations on custom room decorating – towels, flowers, bed, coral pieces, bath. When I came across his Instagram feed, I saw sterling examples of all of those. But I was also struck by his innovating thinking outside the box of the villa itself with his walkway decoration made of artistically sprinkled sand.
Best of the Maldives: Wood Ends – Soneva Fushi
Soneva Fushi has pioneered the design style of Swiss Family Robinson chic in the Maldives, but perhaps the acme of this arboreal aesthetic is its Villa 37. While the rough trunks are standard elements throughout Soneva, Villa 37 take the timber to a new dimension with a tapestry of cross sections forming the ceiling and various highlights.
