Best of the Maldives: Tok Sen – Amilla Fushi / Anantara

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Anantara - Tok Sen therapy

สวัสดีปีใหม่

Happy Thai New Year! And what a year it has been for Thai visitors to the Maldives. Thailand is the fastest growing country of origin for Maldives visitors with a 233% growth (!) making it the 5th highest Asian source (while being only the 10th largest Asian nation). Amari, Anantara, Centara and Dusit Thani are all Thai based properties with multiple properties in the Maldives.

For a truly Thai treat, Anantara and Amilla Fushi both offer the distinctively Thai Tok Sen Thai therapy…

  • Tok Sen Ancient Thai Therapy, which originates from Buddhist Monks, creates healing vibrations through rhythmic pressure on Thai acu-points applied with a special wooden tapper to relax stiff bodies, providing pain relief and deep release for the body and mind.

Lori had some of this work on her feet years ago when we were visiting Prague. It about sent her to the ceiling. If there was a Mohs hardness scale for massage treatments, it would look something like this (going from softest to hardest)…

  1. Reiki
  2. Aromatherapy
  3. Relaxation
  4. Swedish
  5. Shiatsu
  6. Sports Massage
  7. Deep Tissue
  8. Hot Stone
  9. Tok Sen

So for those really tough knots from a particularly enthusiastic new years celebration, ask for some Tok Sen.

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Best of the Maldives: Fruit Pops – One & Only Reethi Rah

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One and Only Reethi Rah - Fruit pop

You can take away a custom box of sweet concoction at One & Only Reethi Rah starting with your favourite fruit on a stick and then smothered with your choice of decadent toppings from its new Sweet Paradise eaterie:

  • “Then satisfy that sweet craving with a visit to our newest venue, Sweet Paradise, where chefs are waiting to hear what flavour, which toppings, and how many scoops you’ll have today.”
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Best of the Maldives: Custom Bento – Park Hyatt Hadahaa

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Park Hyatt Hadahaa - custom bento

You can enjoy gourmet delicacy anywhere on the island at Park Hyatt Hadahaa with their custom bento box:

  • “Select from our special menu and design your own set lunch to be enjoyed under the glorious Maldivian sun while lounging by the main pool, on the main beach or at The Bar.”

Price: US$49 per person, Time: 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm.

  

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Best of the Maldives: Gourmet Popsicles – Gili Lankanfushi

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Gili Lankanfushi - popsicle

Gili Lankanfushi is concocting its own magical wands of tasty wizardry with its custom recipe Pool Pops.

  • “This is a popsicle from Fini Foni – our popsicle and ice cream bar at the pool side. Popsicles are chargeable, but during the afternoons we do offer it as a poolside Gili Refreshment. We do have different Gili Refreshment at the poolside available for guests throughout the day.”

The menu includes the following lollygagging lollies…

  • Non-alcoholic
    • Paleta Passion (photo above)
    • Gili Spa
    • Power Bar
    • Sun & Sea
    • Bodu Beru
  • Alcoholic
    • Pina Colada
    • Sangria Al Espagina
    • Fini Bubbly
    • Ghiaccioli Mojito
  • Weekly Special
    • Fini Green

Their icy assortment makes a double “Finally Seen”:

  1. Frozen Juice Pops (#6 from post #5)
  2. Poptails (#7 from post #5)

I’ve even added the new Tag “Frozen” hoping more will come out of the freezers.

Gili Lankanfushi - popsicles

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Best of the Maldives: Magical Easter Egg Hunt – One & Only Reethi Rah

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For this year’s Easter treats, One & Only Reethi Rah went beyond eggs an bunnies with a complete Harry Potter themed celebration. The “Hogwarts Open Day”

  • “It’s Easter Sunday and time for the traditional Reethi Rah Easter Egg Hunt with a magical twist! … This Easter the island is transformed into a Harry Potter Magical World!”

I hope the Easter bunny left lots Chocoballs, Pepper Imps, Jelly Slugs, Peppermint Toads, Exploding Bonbons, and Ice Mice in your Easter basket (though, you might want to skip the “Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans” as they come in every flavour including spinach, liver, tripe, sprout, curry, grass, and even vomit). And it would be great for exploring the reefs if they actually had some Gillyweed on hand!

One and Only Reethi Rah - Easter hogwarts 2

One and Only Reethi Rah - Easter hogwarts

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Best of the Maldives Online: Yoga Instagram – Jessica Olie

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In addition to having the world’s first underwater yoga session, Hurawalhi also secured one of the world’s best yoga Instagrammer, Jessica Olie. Her collection of Maldives shots are some of the best yoga post shots I have come across (and that is quite a competitive category in the atoll photo anthology). Here are a collection of some of the most stunning…

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) – Anantara Dhigu - 5

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) Anantara Dhigu 1

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) – Anantara Dhigu - 7

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) – Anantara Dhigu - 10

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru - 3

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru - 5

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru - 6

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru - 9

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru

Jessica Olie (United Kingdom) – Four Seasons Landaa Givaavaru - 2

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Best of the Maldives: Underwater Yoga – Hurawalhi

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No joke this time (or this time), but Hurawalhi really did do underwater yoga in a world’s first:

  • “Jessica promises the 1-hour vinyasa flow to provide physical and mental rewards, with captivating views of fish around you as you move from one pose to the next bringing you even closer to a state of the zen-like state of mind.”

The one hour Vinyasa flow session was conducted by Jessica Olie (who frankly has one of the best yoga Instagram feeds…stay tuned for more on that).

Hurawalhi - Jessica Ollie underwater yoga

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Best of the Maldives: Kowgosmufushi– Underwater Activity

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Myth that there is nothing to do except snorkel, dive and swim in the ocean because 99%+ of the county is water. While there is plenty to do on land, the potential for underwater frolicking in the crystal clear lagoons and reefs is boundless. No one seems to have embraced that potential more that the newly launched Kowgosmufushi resort  who have devised the most creative and ambitious slate of underwater activity of any other property in the Maldives. Maldives Complete has secured another scoop on this ambitious venture located in the Haa atoll. We have long tracked the unusual and distinctive so the resort management knew where to come to for someone that would really appreciate their bold ambition and creative offerings. Resort Manager Aff Ali told Maldives Complete, “Kowgosmufushi really understands the understated undersea potential with its innovations underway” In another Maldives Complete exclusive, here is the complete catalogue of underwater activity at Kowgosmufushi…

  1. Nightclub [ABOVE]
  2. Guitar Playing
    Underwater - activity - guitar playing
  3. Dancing
    Underwater - activity - dancing
  4. Conga Line
    Underwater - activity - conga line
  5. Disco Dancing
    Underwater -activity - disco dancing
  6. Dirty Dancing
    Underwater - activity - dirty dancing
  7. Pole Dancing
    Underwater - activity - pole dancing
  8. Pool
    Underwater - activity - pool
  9. Golfing
    Underwater - activity - golf
  10. Tennis
    Underwater - activity - tennis
  11. Skateboarding
    Underwater - activity - skateboarding
  12. Surfing
    Underwater - activity - surfing
  13. Weight Lifting
    Underwater - activity - weight lifting
          
  14. Boxing
    Boxing
  15. Spinning Class
    Underwater - activity - spinning class

  16. Biking
    Underwater - activity - biking
  17. Crime Fighting
    Underwater - activity - crime fighting
  18. Reading
    Underwater - activity - reading
  19. Fish School
    Underwater - activity - fish school
         
  20. Quiz Night
    Underwater - activity - quiz night
  21. Romance
    Underwater - activity - romance
  22. Wedding Make-up
    Underwater - activity - dressing
  23. Fashion Show
    Underwater - activity - fashion show
  24. Photoshoot
    Underwater - activity - photoshoot
       
  25. Driving
    Underwater - activity - driving
  26. Camping
    Underwater - activity - camping
  27. Swinging
    Underwater - activity - swining
  28. Massage
    Underwater - activity - massage
  29. Yoga
    Underwater - activity - yoga
  30. Watermelon Eating
    Underwater - activity - watermelon
  31. Cooking Classes
    Underwater - activity - cooking
  32. Web Surfing
    Underwater - activity - computer
  33. Candle Lit Phone Calling
    Underwater - activity - phone call
  34. Body Surfing
    Underwater - activity - body surfing
  35. Double Body Surfing
    Underwater - activity - double body surfing
  36. And whatever this is…
    Underwater - activity - whatever

   

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Best of the Maldives: Organic Eggs – Six Senses Laamu

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Six Senses Laamu - organic eggs

If the Easter bunny is looking for the best eggs for tomorrow’s baskets, he might want hop on by Six Senses Laamu. Yes, April Fools is tomorrow, but this announcement, “Six Senses Laamu Crafts Out-of-the-Ordinary Experiences on Land and Underwater”, came out last week so it appears to be legic (thanks Paola):

  • “The latest crafted experiences from the resort comes in line with two other Six Senses values of sustainability and pioneering wellness. This time the newest arrivals to the island are a flock of 24 chickens from two neighbouring islands, and their reservation at the resort is made for a long stay. Before their arrival the flock was vetted by Raymond Rochester, a guest and visiting veterinarian. They were given a warm welcome by the resort hosts and upon arrival, in line with guests experience, they are assigned a Chicken Guest Experience Maker (Chicken GEM) available to help make their stay comfortable. Their accommodation is located at the newly built organic Kukulku Farm. Kukulku is the word for chicken in the local language of Dhivehi…Resident Manager Frans Westraadt along with Sustainability Manager Megan O’Beirne supervised the preparation of the Kukulhu Farm. It includes a state-of-the-art chicken gym facility, a multi-level installation with terracing steps for exercise sessions and handmade nests that follow the fundamental philosophies of the Sleep With Six Senses programme.”

One of my favourite egg-cellent press releases of all time.

Six Senses Laamu - chicken spa

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