Part of the adventure in an exotic destination like the Maldives is sampling some of the unfamiliar fare. Not just different recipes, but also different, often home grown, ingredients. Our visit to Soneva Jani featured many less familiar (but not unknown) fruits on their breakfast buffet (like dragon fruit, jackfruit, fresh figs), but it was the first time we came upon a mangosteen (see photo). It is a bit like a lychee and very tasty on some yogurt.
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In this increasingly digital world, books are becoming rarer and rarer. Guide books are replaced by travel sites, identification guides are replaced by apps. Kuramathi’s own publication “Plants of the Maldives” exemplifies so many aspects of what makes a hard copy an especially enjoyable. It’s not just a source of information, but a superbly well-designed publication packed with gorgeously artistic drawing. The book format makes perusing the leaves about leaves leisurely and satisfying:
It is an aesthetically satisfying memento of this paradise where the land life often seems to get second billing to the legendary aquatic life around it, but the tropical lushness of its flora is just as much a part of this dreamlike destination (and perhaps long overdue, I have now added the tag of “Plants” to the blog).
Mother Language Day today. If you want to delve into Dhivehi for a taste of local culture, it’s often fun to do it with a partner to both learn with as well as to practice with. SAii Lagoon’s Le Be Well spa offers a “Dhivehi for Couples” experience”:
You might wonder what would be the use of a relatively obscure language aside from impressing Maldivian staff on your resort visits? One possibility is to have your own personal code back home to converse in. We always remember meeting good friends for dinner years ago who we knew would try to pay for the meal and we wanted to pay. During the meal, they had a chat in Chinese which they said was just a family matter, but it turns out it was them scheming how to get the bill. Another example of such a shared secret language is the “Divine” language in the film “The Fifth Element”. Writer/Director Luc Besson invented the 400-word language for the character Leeloo (played by Milla Jovovich) to speak. Only Beeson and Jovovich learned the language and practiced it regularly to help it become natural for Jovovich. They ended up getting married after the film’s release so maybe a private shared language does have romantic effect.
Could Dhivehi be your language of love?
If your Valentine proposal on the deserted island was a success, then the next step is to plan the big day. No need for expensive wedding planners with their own concepts as you can create the wedding of your dreams at Amilla Maldives with their DIY wedding offering:
My sister Sharyl is an interior designer who has pioneered the DIY concept in her field. Instead of coming in and necessarily spelling out the entire design (which some people do prefer), she provides the option to be their “design coach” and guide clients through the design process themselves. I especially liked this concept as we redid our house years ago and got frustrated by designers dictating their ideas and us clients having less hands on to molding this expression of ourselves.
Make your own special day truly your own.
The biggest heart in the Maldives would be an island shaped like one. I have been on the hunt for such a mystical land mass ever since #15 of my 7th Haven’t Seen Yet series. I did another Valentines post on the “Most Heart Shaped” islands “in the Maldives”, but only one was real and that one wasn’t really that heart-shaped. But now OBLU Select Lobigili features not just such a romantic plot of sand, but it also has the archetypal palm tree.
If you want to put the “forever yours” into your Valentine, then OBLU by Atmosphere at Helengeli features a romantic heart wish tree. I ♥ Maldives.
Happy Valentines! Instead of showering your beloved with gifts and tokens of love, why not let her bathe in decadent luxury to soak in all your adoration. And instead of sipping champagne, Velaa is providing a special immersive Valentines experience were you can *be* the glass of champagne:
Rates for the package start at $200,000 for the first night and $12,000 per additional night.
Happy Vellantines!
One of the first pieces of information I gathered for the resort database was maps of all the resorts. Back then, few resorts had websites and I had to scan paper copies I had collected. I’ve always had a special fondness for maps and have highlighted some of the more creative renditions. When I added a Room Type database, similarly, Floor Plans were a key piece of information. OZEN Maadhoo has applied some striking technical wizardry to its versions of these plan with complete 3D virtual models of their villas. That real gives you feel for where you are going to be staying.
With its cultural culinary connections to the Indian subcontinent, it has never been difficult to find plenty of great vegetarian food, but veganism is growing in popularity and the removal of dairy ingredients (milk, eggs) considerably narrows one food options further. At least for a period, vegans (and “vegan curious”) at W Maldives can sample cow/chicken-friendly fare
Sort of “Finally Seen” from way back to my 3rd “Haven’t Seen Yet” post where I highlighted the American delicacy of “Lobster Mac and Cheese”. This popular dish combines one of the most classic luxury ingredients, lobster, with one of the most basic homespun dishes, mac and cheese. I still haven’t found it in the Maldives, but I did enjoy the next best thing at Amilla Maldives – Crab Mac & Cheese. Same concept, but with a different luxury crustacean. And just as delicious as many lobster mac & cheeses I have enjoyed.