Another old school form factor can be found on Holiday Island where you can find probably the most unexpected and incongruous amenity of any island.
Best of the Maldives: Maldives Watch – Cheval Blanc
Daylight savings time starts today. And you will have to save up for hours to afford the latest item in the Cheval Blanc gift shop (or if you are totally loaded, maybe you will just buy a new watch instead of all the kafuffle of adjusting your current one an hour. At $32,500 for its latest Classic Fusion Cheval Blanc Randheli Special Edition, that $9 per second.
Really, this post is more of an update to my previous Best of the Maldives piece for Cheval Blanc’s watch offering. I could have just made a note in the comments, but I love the concept so much of capturing the distinctive aesthetics of this corner of paradise that I thought that I would publish a full post.
- “Designed to embody a trip to the resort, the Classic Fusion Cheval Blanc Randheli Special Edition watch features the same varying shades of blue that are waiting to be discovered in the surrounding ocean. Parisian artist Vincent Beaurin, designer of the signature works of art at the Cheval Blanc Maison in the Maldives was commissioned to help create the unique dial using sand. ‘Just like the blue waters surrounding Cheval Blanc Randheli, the captivating blue tones of the two new timepieces dedicated to the Maison create an appealing aura on the wrist, offering wearers a new experience with time,’ said Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot. The Classic Fusion Cheval Blanc Randheli Special Edition is available in 45mm and 38mm versions with brushed metal cases and blue crocodile straps. The smaller version also features a halo of crystalline stones on the bezel. Both watches can only be purchased at the Cheval Blanc Randheli Concept Store, situated within the resort’s dedicated Hublot area.”
That said, Chopard hasn’t rested on its design. In fact, it even has a Happy Fish Sport design with Anemone Fish for one-fifth the price.
Guide to Hammocks in the Maldives
Hammocks come in a variety of styles and settings with the tropical paradise of the Maldives showcasing them all. Here is a Maldives Complete catalogue so you can find the hammock that’s right for your midday snooze swaying in the ocean breezes (partly inspired by Sakis post “The Art of Doing Nothing” which features a more artistic collection including #5 below)
- Classic Hammock – Conrad Rangali Maldives [ABOVE]
- Padded / Free Standing – Coco Bodu Hithi
- Traditional Maldivian Hammock Seat – Bandos
- Woven – Baros
- Cloth – W Retreat
- Single – Cocoa Island (thanks Paola)
- Canopy Beach Hammock
- Beach Stand – Six Senses Laamu
- Over Water Hammock – Anantara Dhigu
- Shaded Over Water Hammock – Taj Exotica
- Floating Hammock – Constance Halaveli
- Water Villa Deck Hammock – Velassaru
- Pool-Side Hammock – The Residence
- Trampoline Style Hammock – Angsana Velavaru
- Fish Net Hammock – One & Only Reethi Rah
- Pool Canopy Hammock – NIYAMA
Best of the Maldives: Triple Hammock Rocker – W Maldives
A three-way rocker! Not a kinky guitarist with two groupies, but a trio of hammocks so there is plenty to go around with for couples and child. Or for people who are very particular about their orientation to the direction of the breeze of the ocean view at W Maldives.
Best of the Maldives: Beach Volleyball and Beach Badminton Tandem – Dhigufaru
I’ve seen some impressive beach badminton and beach volleyball set ups in the Maldives, but Dhigufaru is the first I’ve seen with equally top flight facilities (eg. fixed ribbon line markets, night lights, padded fixed poles, etc.).
Best of the Maldives: Beach Rugby Pitch – Cinnamon Hakura Huraa
Six Nations might have concluded this weekend, but you can carry on your place kicks in paradise at Cinnamon Hakuraa Hura. They not only have one of the only rugby pitches, complete with regulation goal posts and boundary line, but it is also set on the beach beside Hakuraa Hura’s expansive lagoon. The Sri Lankan run resort has a number of Sri Lankan staff you play regularly if you are looking to join in a seaside scrum.
Best of the Maldives: Rugged Workout – Finolhu
It’s not just celebrities who face gruelling challenges, whether for reality TV or just their own Instagram feed (check out Sophie Turner battling her own thorny game below). If you want to steel up your fitness for any challenge life throws at you, Finolhu offers not only a complete training course facility, but also their own star trainer to help you out:
- “Finolhu has partnered with the renowned UFC GYM, the elite fitness concept from global phenomenon Ultimate Fighting Championship®. A UFC GYM Master Trainer will be based on island at Finolhu’s The Cove Club from October 1, offering a blend of traditional workout facilities and mixed martial arts to enhance the fitness levels of guests with a variety of personal training and group classes.”
Do you even jungle gym tho #CocoPrive @cocopriveprivateisland
Best of the Maldives: Celebrity Reality TV – Vadoo
A really big show with really big names requires more than a really big villa. In fact, it might require an entire resort like Tropika Island Of Treasure Maldives has done with Vadoo. Not the first reality TV show in the Maldives (actually this is the third prompting me to add the “Reality TV” tag), but maybe the biggest now featuring celebrities battling it out in paradise. Many of the episodes are being posted on YouTube so if you just want to follow the frolicking fun wherever you are (even if you don’t recognise the South African stars), you can tune in.
Best of the Maldives: Biggest Water Villa – Gili Lankanfushi
Gili Lankanfushi Private Reserve St. Regis Vommuli John Jacob Astor Estate
Sometimes the “Best” (and “Biggest”) of the Maldives can become an ever escalating arms race of hyperbolic luxury. One of the more curious bragging rights tussle is over the “Largest Water Villa in the Maldives”
For years, the reigning champion was Gili Lankanfushi’s Private Residence. I had it listed as 1400 sqm. Then, a couple of years ago came along St. Regis Vommuli’s John Jacob Astor Estate listed as 1540 sqm, putting the voluminous into the Vommuli. A YouTube video tour “Largest overwater villa in the Maldives” heralded it as the new crown holder in the outsize overwater villa league table. But then, I read this listicle piece by Lina Travel, “Largest Overwater Villas in the Maldives” which put Gili back on top listing the Private Residence at a larger 1700 sqm. I contacted the resort and they explained, “We had an extension of the Private Reserve in 2015, making the total area 1700 sqm.”
Best of the Maldives: Elevation – Soneva Fushi
For the high-flying Maldives clientele, you don’t get much more elevated (especially in this part of the world famous for being so low lying) than Soneva Fushi resort. Coincidentally, Soneva’s acronym “SFR” (Soneva Fushi resort) echoes the original icon of high living in castaway paradise – Swiss Family Robinson. Here is a list of the lofty luxury you can find there…
- Treehouse – Let’s start with the fundamentals of elevated living – the Treehouse. As in “Villa Suite with Treehouse”. Especially suited as an annex for children.
- Kids Club – If your childhood Disney fantasies overcome you and you decide to take the treehouse for yourself, at least the kids get the multi-story labyrinth of whimsy that is the “Den” kids club with plenty of climbing places including their own outdoor play treehouse.
- Dining – But the whole family can enjoy a soaring supper at the “Fresh in the Garden” (or over the garden) restaurant deck.
- Walkway – Of course, to get there you need the obligatory Indian Jones rope bridge. One the first, longest and highest.
- Spa – The second story treatment rooms and chill out area adds a vista to your vinyasa.
- Toilet – Loo with a view. ‘Nuff said.
- Palm Tree Climbing – If you don’t have the climbing dexterity of some of the Maldivians.
- Villas – Taller villas than anywhere in the Maldives with sweeping wrap-around decks for 360 degree views.
- Mattresses – The thickest mattresses in the Maldives so even when you lie down, you get lifted up.
- Ceilings – And when you do lie down, your gaze extends quite high to some soaring ceilings that exemplify the SFR chic aesthetic.
- Observatory – If none of that is high enough for you, Soneva was the pioneer of lifting their guest up to the star above with the first astronomical observatory in the Maldives. Naturally, the telescope itself is nestled in the treetops accessed by a canopy crossing walkway.
There is one exception which is Soneva’s sunken pool seating which is the lowest seating in the Maldives being literally below ground level (without being underground).