Best of the Maldives: Activity Schedule – Sun Siyam Irufushi

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Sun Siyam Irufushi - shuffle table

One of the myths I hoped to bust with the “Best of the Maldives” series is that “there is nothing to do in the Maldives.” Well, 1,000 “Best of the Maldives” pieces posted or drafted and I can assure you that there is something for every possible interest and taste. One resort that exemplifies the smorgasbord of offerings is Sun Siyam Irufushi. They publish an Activity Schedule that runs nonstop 7:30 am through 1:00 am. Every hour, every day. It’s great to have lots of equipment and activities on offer, but it is especially inviting when a special slot has been organised when others might be able to join in. I particularly liked the fact that they organised like tournaments and competitions. So if you like table tennis or pool, but get a bit tired of just hitting the ball around with your youngsters, you have to opportunity to be matched up with someone else on the island who also plays a bit more seriously for a more engaging match.

Below is one day’s agenda of activity taken at random from their weekly schedule…

  • 06:30 – 09:30 Sunrise Snorkeling Safari
  • 11:00 – 12:00 Round Ping Pong Competition
  • 12:00 – 19:00 Brewery Day
  • 15:00 – 16:00 Darts Challenge
  • 15:00 – 18:00 Holhudhoo Island Experience
  • 15:00 – 16:00 Body Building
  • 16:00 – 18:00 The Cooking Class
  • 16:45 – 17:15 Introductory Yoga Class
  • 17:00 – 18:00 Family Happy Hour
  • 17:00 – 19:00 Happy Hour
  • 17:30 – 18:30 Beach Volleyball
  • 17:30 – 19:30 Lucky Dolphin Sunset Cruise
  • 18:30 – 22:00 Shanghi Night Buffer
  • 21:00 – 01:00 Mojito Night with DJ
Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , ,

Best of the Maldives: Golf – Velaa

\ 1 Comment \ by

Velaa - gold sand trap

There’s “Best of the Maldives”…and then there is “Best of the World”. Velaa’s golf academy is not just a Maldivian high point, it is world class paragon of pars. One could make the case that it is one of the best short courses in the world. It is certainly one of the most exclusive.

I know that I have featured Velaa’s golf academy already. I did so on the basis of the press reports which made clear that the resort had introduced something special. But only when I visited it was I able to appreciate how extraordinary this feature of the resort is.

So expect to see a good number more pieces on various special aspects of this one piece of the island that all stand out among the resorts in the Maldives, such as…

  • Kids Golf
  • Golf Store
  • Hazards
  • Golf Pro
  • Golf Technology
  • Inflatable Hole

The course itself consists of 8 tees and 6 holes which can be combined into a 48 possible “holes” ranging from 55 to 194 yards. No worry of bumping into other golfers or being rushed or held up since when you play, the entire course is devoted to you. Sometimes when we play locally and for some reason our course is particularly deserted, we like to fantasize that we are playing our own private course. At Velaa, you actually can make that fantasy come true.

The grass on the fairways could very well be the most expensive in the world. It is made of a special variety – Pure Dynasty Sea Shore Paspalum – suited for the sand and heat that has to be planted a seedling at a time. When the resort was being developed, it took an army of workers over a month to hand plant each blade of turf.

Just the week before my visit, I had been up at the British Open at St. Andrews (coincidentally, so had the Velaa Golf Pro Frank Murray). As a result, I’m reminded that holes that overlap and share each other’s space is nothing new for links golf. In fact, Velaa sort of reminds you of St. Andews – unparalleled quality, smell of salty ocean nearby, and a pervasive carpet of short grass across fairways and greens (the weather similarities between the Maldives and Scotland are another story, however).

Furthermore, one of the lessons of the Open is the criticality of the short game. Not just the adage of “drive for show, putt for dough”, but also underscoring the importance of the approach shot. Essentially, none of the Open competitors varied much in the tee shots. In fact, very few hit their drives anywhere near as far as they could have (is that an oxymoron?). On a Par 4 (which all but a couple of the hole were), everyone drove a near identical 200 yards give or take, clean and placed precisely where they wanted it. Then, they made their birdies on either amazing approach shots landing within 10 feet of the pin, or amazing putts they sunk over 10 feet. Everything else was approach and 2-putt for par. All the birdies depended on the short game.

So if you want to perfect your short game on a course as gorgeous as the paradise that surrounds it, then Velaa is the resort for you.

Ace!

 

Velaa - golf course map

 

Velaa - Golf Digest

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Bed Decorating – Zitahli Kudafunafaru

\ 1 Comment \ by

Zitahli Kudafunafaru - bed decorating 1

Winner and new champion of the hotly contested bed decorating. Custom room greeting décor has become such an extreme art form in the Maldives, I started a Pinterest page a while back to showcase the best I came across.

Room décor falls into two basic categories…

  1. Bed Decoration – The original classic involving flower petals, sheet folding and palm fronds (mostly for spelling out greetings).
  2. Towel Art – Folding towels into various sculpture.

Zitahli Kudafunfaru has set the new bar with its “Happy Anniversary” extravaganza which elegantly combined both. Mind you it was a particularly special one (30th). The only downside is that is was so beautiful that we were tempted to sleep on the sofa so as not to disturb it. Gorgeous.

 

Zitahli Kudafunafaru - bed decorating 2

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Pancake Station – Coco Bodu Hithi

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station love

Often it is the little touches that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. I had to start off my Best of the Maldives posts on Coco Bodu Hithi with their creative pancake station. I already featured the special Maldivian flag pancake made for the 50th anniversary celebrations a fortnight ago. But that was just a sample of the creative concoctions the chef Endro (see photos below) makes.

He uses three types of pancake batter – (a) Red (strawberry), (b) Brown (chocolate), and (c) White (plain). He made the above “Love” heart for me to give Lori and a special “Maldiv” flapjack for me.

In fact, this post made me realise that I didn’t have a “Breakfast” category tag…yet.

 

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station 2

 

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station 3

 

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station 4

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Budget Water Villas – J Resort Alidhoo

\ Leave a Comment \ by

J Resort Alidhoo - water villa back

One of the most popular Bucket List items in the world is “Staying in a Maldives over water villa”. And the nearly as popular obstacle is “But I never will be able to afford it…”

For some, just seeing the iconic plot-of-sand-and-a-palm-tree destination is a financial stretch. But there are still modest resorts on lovely islands (eg. Bathala) that we definitely within many people’s reach (as long as they are willing to be happy with modest accommodation and simple, if not tired, décor). And with the advent of Guest Houses, even more budget options become feasible.

However, for some, the fantasy is more than the Bounty Bar island (one of my favourite terms picked up this trip from Hideaway Beach’s Kat Anthony). For some, the dream includes immersion in the over-worldly turquoise lagoons in a nearly as iconic water villa.

For this reasons, water villas always command a premium (over their more pedestrian Beach Villa counterparts). A quick calculation through the Room Type database shows that on average Water Villas are 25% more expensive per square metre than Beach Villas. Furthermore, the lower end islands tend not to have them so they tend to reside in the high rent corner of the market putting them that little further beyond reach.

But J Resort Alidhoo is offering their water villas at exceptionally affordable prices. The resort has been waiting for some investment in their infrastructure and cosmetics and so it knows it doesn’t have the flashiest product and most comprehensive services. But it is making up for it by being extra competitive on rates. In some deals, you can get a night in a water villa for $300…full board! You struggle to get modest, tiny hotel room in London, McDonalds Breakfast, Subway lunch and Harvester dinner for that price in the UK.

And the rooms are quite impressive. Yes, they could do with a fresher paint job for 5-star aesthetics, but they don’t look bad. The thatch roofs are in dire need of a refurb, but that looks worse that it is (the thatch is only decoration and just because some palm fronds have been blown off, doesn’t mean the roof is any less weather-proof). Still, if you do secure a J Resort Alidhoo, I would make sure you have travel insurance and be prepared for things go a bit awry (as anything could happen if they do secure investment and they might shut down for renovations). But if all goes well, it could very well be the bargain of a lifetime for the dream vacation of a lifetime.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Marine Biologist – Verena Wiesbauer

\ 1 Comment \ by

Verena Weisbauer

When I first started coming to the Maldives, a few marine biologists kicked around the atolls usually on their own initiative maybe working on some research project. Now, every self-respecting top-fight resort has its own staff “MB” to provide presentations to guests, offer expert tours of the marine life on outings and also to support the resort’s eco-friendly initiatives to keep the reef and island healthy and vibrant.

I’ve meet dozens at this point, but one really stands out – Verena Wiesbauer. We first met her when he gave one of the best presentations on Maldives marine life at Kurumba a number of years ago. . She works as part of the “Eco-Islanders Maldives” organisation that helps resorts with a number of environmentally friendly initiatives especially around reef preservation. She’s the only Maldives MB I know of who is a published author on the Maldives. I’ve already featured her book, “Trees and Flowers of a Tropical Paradise” in one of the “QI – Maldives edition” series posts. In fact, she is a veritable “Maldives QI Elf” being by far the most prominent contributor to the quirky facts of that Maldives Complete series of posts.

In fact, in general, she is the most active MB contributor to Maldives Complete. She is always promptly responsive to questions I have and regularly offers up fun and useful information. Of course, she came into her own when I launched the “Dive Site Complete” feature. I have received material and information from many MBs across the country, but Verena has provided more support and material than everyone else combined (including the comprehensive list of the MPAs).

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Above Water Protected Area – Four Seasons Kuda Huraa

\ 2 Comments \ by

Four Seasons Kudaa Huraa marine protected area

QI Question of the Day:  “In what type of landscape is the Huraa Marine Protected Area found?”
A:  The ocean?
QI:  <BUZZ>  No, the Huraa MPA is a mangrove swamp found o the Huraa island in the North Male atoll. 

Think all “Marine Protected Areas” (MPAs) are under water?

Well, one of the MPAs are actually only semi-aquatic. The “Huraa” MPA is actually a mangrove island…

“Huraa Mangrove Nature Reserve (HMNR) has been designated a Protected Area, in recognition of the fact that it is an important natural mangrove habitat which contains species of particular conservation significance to the Maldives and the rest of the world. A human community also live on Huraa Island who is itself affected by the existence of the Nature Reserve, and whose day-to-day life and activities in turn impact on the mangrove ecosystem.”

Four Seasons Kuda Huraa is its namesake neighbour and plays an active role in supporting is preservation.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Zebra Shark – Gangehi

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Gangehi - Zebra shark

Shark Week!

The Discovery Channel’s annual Selachii celebration of these always intriguing ocean characters. In the Maldives, every week is Shark Week especially for the ubiquitous reef sharks (black-tipped and white-tipped). But the waters also are home to some more exotic varieties. One of these is the Zebra Shark. Native to the Indian Ocean, but nonetheless quite uncommon on the Maldives reefs. The best place to spot on is Gangehi resort where several have been spotted (pun intended) with considerable frequency. They are quite similar to the Nurse Sharks with their long caudal fin at back and their lazy daytime habits on the seafloor, but they are distinguished by their many spots along their back.

In honour of Shark Week, I have added the new “Shark” category tag to Maldives Complete so you have your own Maldivian virtual shark extravaganza any time you like.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives, Ocean \ Tagged: , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Largest Infinity Pool – Dusit Thani

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Dusit Thani - infinity pool

Dusit Thani puts the “infinity’ into the infinity pool? 52 metres I length (over half a football pitch) and 32 metres wide, it is the longest infinity pool I’ve found in the Maldives. It also features a faux-beach (see photo below) which provides a graduated entry. Very appropriate to have its own “beach” since the pool is big enough to be its own mini-ocean.

Dusit Thani - infinity pool beach entrance

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , ,

Best of the Maldives: Pool / Jacuzzi Combo – Ayada

\ Leave a Comment \ by

Ayada - pool jacuzzi combo 2

Jacuzzi or pool? The soothing bubbles in the intimate confines of a Jacuzzi? Or the placid, tepid pool where you can stretch your legs a bit? The top villas offer one or the other option for your own personal plunging. Some more extravagant ones provide both though it’s quite rare. But Ayada’s Royal Ocean Suite has an integrated Jacuzzi/pool combo.

Still and sparkling in one.

Ayada - pool jacuzzi combo

Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , ,