Maldives Tour 2017: Summer Island

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Summer Island - tour

Going native. After visiting 74 resorts, one would think that we might go a bit native after a while. We have visited more Maldives resorts than any even Maldivian we have met (we are beyond the “that’s a lot” response to the “that’s amazing”, but always followed by the observation “you must really love the Maldives” #true).

Summer Island was a superb way to start our latest Maldivian adventure. After nearly two decades of visiting this tropical paradise, our arrivals now feel like we are coming home. And Summer Island has a very down-to-earth, homey feel. It was smaller than I imagined it. At the reception end, the island is so narrow that you can hear and almost see the ocean flanking you on either side of the sandy path down the middle of it.

They say if you are looking for a good restaurant, bar or club on holiday, then find out where the locals go. And Summer Island is popular with the Maldivian’s out for a special break. We met a few during our stay and our host, Alson, noted that during the celebration of Eid, the resort was at 100% capacity. Summer Island has an inherently Maldivian vibe. Ample heaps of soft, white sand on not just the beach and the paths, but also the reception, restaurant and lounges. Maldivian swings everywhere. A number of chickens roams freely so your breakfast egg station is truly free range, but also my host noted that they decided to let the birds roam free because it adds to the authentic native island ambiance where such poultry perambulation (my words, not his) is the norm.

One of the earliest resorts, it had a complete overhaul a couple of years ago modernising it and updating it. It’s billed as a 4-plus star category which suits it just fine. It doesn’t have lots of luxury amenities, but it does all of the basics exceptionally well – over water spa, big bed with soft linen sheets and mattress pad, outdoor bathroom, diverse and tasty buffet, infinity pool.

So many Maldivian veteran bemoan the trend of classic Maldives properties getting refurbed and then upgrading to an out-of-reach super-premium, but Summer Island bucks this trend. They have done a sterling job remodelling the resort from top to bottom, but have kept it a very affordable 4 star property. I would highly recommend it for a first visit to the Maldives (I recommend that people go to more modest properties for their first time even if they are multimillionaires, because if you start with the full-trapping super luxury ones, between the natural beauty of the destination and the extra [stimulation] of the resort amenities and features, there’s almost too much to take in at once.

Simply stylish unpretentious paradise.

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Maldives Tour 2017: Arrival

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Tour 2016 - Arrival

Welcome home! Tour 8 started with a few minors startles. Turkish Airlines changed our extra leg room seat we reserved…but they found us another one. We didn’t see the resort rep when we arrived…but we got in touch eventually (we came out late due to a delay with Lori’s bag). We had a couple hours to wait at Male Airport until the next transfer, but that didn’t stop us from starting our holiday. We checked into the Plaza Premium spa for a shower, chair head-neck-back massage (50 Euros for 30 minutes), some refreshment and a general chill out. Topped off with a DQ strawberry milkshake (as well as a Lemon-Lime Artic Blast for the boat ride).

The spa and junk food amenities weren’t the only thing happening at the newly renamed Velana Airport.  The Maldives is doing a complete overhaul of the facility with a new runway and new terminal.  So the site was buzzing with construction and new development.  Above, I am standing next to a scale model on display at the main terminal entrance.

This trip will take us to yet another new atoll (Meemu, our 14th) as well as a return to Baa to check out some of the new properties there, and we will stop in at a few in the Male area as well. 8 new resorts in total (Summer Island, Finolhu, Amilla Fushi, Dhigufaru, Rihiveli, Medhufushi, Cinnamon Hakura Huraa, Olhuveli) bringing our total stayed at to 81 (and total visited to 85).

I will also be doing my traditional micro-blog report on the TripAdvisor Forum with a snapshot profile of the following key points of each resort and stay…

  • Ambience (first impressions and overall feel)
  • Snorkel Spotting (what I saw snorkelling)
  • Favourite Food (served)
  • Weather (always a popular topic)
  • First World Problem (the most petty criticism I can find)
  • Most Reminded Me Of (comparing it to another resort)
  • Learned Something New (fun fact of the day)
  • Welcome Drink
  • Pina colada test (one of our acid tests as this simple treat varies so much from place to place)

Bring on paradise!

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Maldives Tour 2016–Tour Review

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Shangri-La Villingili - double rainbow

Another tour of paradise comes to a close.

After this tour I feel that I have hit a milestone of reaching nearly all of the “core” resorts and atolls.  Resorts that have either been around for a while or otherwise have some other sort of notoriety.  I’ve also seen most of the resort groups which typically provide a very similar feel and product.  For example, I haven’t been to NIYAMA, but I have been to Per Aquum’s other property Huvafenfushi.  Of course, there are new resorts popping up every month, but those I have not yet had a chance to grow a hankering for.  During this trip, Shangri-La Villingili, Equator Village, Athuruga, Cocoa Island and Kandolhu all had a longstanding mystique for me which was very gratifying to finally explore.  There are still a few that are high on my list that I have not yet seen, but often they are in isolated resorts (eg. Six Senses Laamu) making the logistics of touring difficult unless I want to spend all of my time and money hopping on and off sea plane transfers.

Over the next week or so, I will be posting my initial “Best of the Maldives” pieces on each of the resorts I visited in order of the visits. Meanwhile, here are a few overall reflections that apply to many if not all the resorts on the itinerary.

  • Summer Weather – Everyone is worried about the rain in the low season, but it is really the wind and clouds that can detract.  The rain is really infrequent, often takes place at night when you are tucked up in bed or else last for short bursts.  I find the more pervasive issue is the wind and cloud.  Actually, most of the time during this time of year, they are welcome additions shielding the sun and providing a cooling ocean breeze.  But the winds get too much, they make the water rough, make snorkelling more difficult, kick up currents as well as sand to reduce visibility.  And when the clouds get excessive, they cast a grey pall over paradise, and ruin photos especially the coveted sunset shots.
  • Turkish Airlines – I covered Turkish Airlines with a full post last year.  I am further convinced that they are a, if not the, top option for going to the Maldives from London especially when British Airways is not flying direct (April through September).  They offer the most options to best accommodate your schedule and they offer the best prices to accommodate your budget.  Talking to my host at Club Med from Mauritius, he flies Turkish Airways for home trips even though the route is Male-Istanbul-Johannesburg-Mauritius since it saves him so much money.  I must say, also that I was extremely impressed with the service.  One passenger was having trouble getting her phone charged with the in-seat USB charger they offer and the flight attendant spent several minutes finding a suitable alternative including taking the device up to Business Class.  When my extra-leg room seat got moved with an equipment change, the attendant sought out another one for me.  These exact issues have happened to me on BA and the response is always the inevitable “I’m terribly sorry sir” (Translated from British to International English means “Go screw yourself”).
  • Year of the Turtle – Each year seems to be dominated by a particular sea creature.  2014 was the Year of Dolphins, 2015 Year of Eagle Rays.  2016 was the Year of the Turtle seeing them nearly every single outing and seeing more than any other time ever at Kandolhu.
  • Room Types with a View – After this trip, I’ve decided to add new Room Type picture/field – “View from Room”.  I had started collecting distance to shore data, but didn’t keep it up.  This trip, I realised that the view is the most important thing.  You can be 20 feet from the shore and still not see the ocean if it is shrouded in dense foliage or not be able to access it if is rough coral.  In fact, a number of room types I inspected were differentiated purely by their view.  I’ve already covered how just west-vs-east view distinguished room types in many resorts.  But this trip I’ve noticed that other view distinctions were affecting the room category.

Here is Tour 7 At-a-Glance…

  • 5 atolls (Addu, North Male, South Male, North Ari, South Ari)
  • 1 new atoll (Addu)
  • 11 resorts
    • Embudu
    • Canareef Herathera
    • Equator Village
    • Shangri-La Vilingili
    • Taj Exotica
    • Kandolhu
    • Safari Island
    • Athuruga
    • Thudufushi
    • Cocoa
    • Club Med Finolhu
  • 3 new Resort Profile pix (at 98% completion, not many missing to get)
  • 58 new Room Type Profile pix
  • 28 Snorkel Spottings
  • 52 pages of notes
  • 5 dives
  • 6 spa treatments
  • 15 pina coladas
  • 94 Dive Charts added
  • 47 candidate “Best of the Maldives” pieces

Kandolhu - Napoleon fish diving

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Maldives Tour 2016 – Day 12: Club Med Finolhu Villas

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Club Med Finolhu - tour

Forget all your preconceived notions about hyper-ebullient, non-stop entertainment and buzz of activity at Club Med resorts. Their Finolhu Villas marquee property in the Maldives couldn’t be more contrary to that persona.

Instead of a whirlwind of activities, Finolhu Villas was tranquil and peaceful. There is no animation team pumping up the volume every night or leading the children in a pool frolic. In fact, no children under 12 years old are even allowed on the island, and only adults (over 18) are allowed in the water villas.

Instead of value priced villas typical of many Club Med resorts, Finolhu Villas is masterfully designed with artistically undulating curves (no not *that* kind of curves) most prominent in its distinctive roofs, but echoed as a motif throughout the resort. The resort features an array of modernist styling including its striking glass floor in its over water bar, and the grounds are meticulously landscaped like some tropical stately home.

Actually, “Villas” are a misnomer. They should be called “Finolhu Suites”. All of them have living areas for lounging completely segregated on the opposite side of the bathroom characteristic of a suite. In fact, both rooms have their own large screen plasma television. I guess that is good if you can’t agree on what to watch, but if that kind of argument is happening on your honeymoon, you might want to invest in some relationship counseling. 😉

Finolhu Villas is more than an upgrade from Club Med Kani. It is a whole new luxury concept.

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Maldives Tour 2016 – Day 11: Cocoa Island

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Cocoa Island - tour

When is a resort not a resort?

Cocoa Island resort doesn’t seem like a resort. No welcome sign. No adverts for activities. No bulletin boards.

The island doesn’t seem like a resort island. It seems more like a sand bar with some palm trees on it. It has a very small operations hub in the centre of the island. Over half the staff don’t live on the island but commute from the nearby neighbour. The much smaller resort infrastructure makes it seem more like a little, exclusive community of beach houses than a resort. The resort common area buildings feel more like the community’s shared country club facilities.

For such a small island it has such a big feel. The interior of the island is very sparsely vegetated so it has vast expanses of sandy ground shade by a dense palm canopy overhead (see top two pictures below). The entire interior is clear sand. But it is the exterior that really hits you. There is almost more beach than island (see second from bottom photo). Only Anantara Kihavah compares for an expansive wrap-around coral white beach. Kihavah’s is bigger because it is a bigger island, but Cocoa’s is deeper. And if a circumambulation isn’t enough, Cocoa is blessed with one of the longer sand spits in the Maldives that is actually up to 3 times longer than the island itself (see photo at bottom).

Cocoa is definitely one of the quietest islands around. The much smaller resort infrastructure means there is less activity buzz in the foreground and less support buzz in the background. At times, I almost felt that I ought to whisper so as not to break the silence.

The villas don’t feel like a resort villas. They seem more like an elegant beach cottages. Many of the villas are constructed with lofts which segregate the sleeping area. The living area below seems like a proper lounge. The lofts also give the villas an airy spaciousness. The windows extend a towering 15 feet up, and they surround you as 3 of the 4 walls provide expensive views of the aquamarine seas.

I have anticipated seeing Cocoa Island for a few years now. One of the previous Ministers of Tourism recommended it to me as her favourite resort (she was a big fan of the Maldives Complete site). It also snared the TripAdvisor top resort spot in the Maldives a few years back. So expectations were dangerously high, and yet Cocoa managed exceeded them comfortably. If you have a spare million and are considering buying a beach house that you might only get to a few times a year, I recommend putting the money in a bank account and drawing off it visit Cocoa Island regularly instead for a homey experience in the middle of true paradise.

Cocoa Island - inner island

Cocoa Island - inner island Bruce

Cocoa Island - beach

Cocoa Island - sand spit

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Maldives Tour 2016 – Day 9 and 10: Athuruga and Thudufushi

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Athuruga and Thudufushi - tour

To save you complete and utter repetition as well as a haunting sense of deja vu, I am combining my visit posts to the Diamond Resorts Athuruga and Thudufushi. These are not just sister properties, but identical twins. Sure there are some subtle differences, but it takes a discerning eye to spot them.

I had expected there to be more variation really. One hears a huge amount about Athuruga, but actually very little about Thudufushi. On TripAdvisor, Athuruga has 788 reviews versus about a third fewer (580) for Thudufushi. And on the TripAdvisor Maldives Forum Athuruga is very dominant while Thudufushi is rarely mentioned.

Both resorts stand out with their brilliant white colour theme which just amplifies the dazzling sunshine and infuses the islands with sparkle. The classic Maldivian colour palette is sky blue, deep marine blue, lagoon aquamarine, palm green and coral sand white (which is the motif of this blog header above). Most people get lost in the blues or draw out a bit of the green, but white is often the unsung colour. In most cases, white would seem ordinary. But here, it provides the bright contrasts of the coral sands. The white accentuates the open and airy feel to the villas.

The water villas are set farther apart from each other than any other resort I’ve seen. And the decks are wide and deep sheltered by a two story roof which frames a cathedral nave of ocean-side space. The villas also feature sumptuous waterfall drench showers which you would only expect to find in a super-deluxe 5+ star property so the whole water villa experience is more luxurious than its price point.

Both resorts are also renowned for their food. The resorts use a less conventional a la Carte All Inclusive (Vadoo and a few others do this as well). So you sit down and enjoy a full 4 course meal served to you which make the dining a bit more of a relaxed and elegant than a typical AI buffet.

Both resorts have sterling house reefs. In fact, Athuruga is rated by many experts as one of the best resort house reefs in the Maldives. Unfortunately, both have been hit hard by El Nino and COTS. That said, both resorts have invested more than any other resort in marine biologists to help with this problem as 3 are posted on Thudufushi and 4 (!) on Athuruga. Thudufushi does have a good number of scattered blue and yellow Acropora coral croppings which are inspiring encouragement that these reefs will bounce back.

So what are a couple of the differences?

  • Room Types – Thudufushi has a couple of extra room types namely the Jacuzzi Water Villa and Beach Junior Suite.
  • Size – Thudufushi is slightly larger all around. The larger island affords an inner spa garden where they hold yoga sessions, Maldivian theme nights, as well as host a table tennis and darts pavilions.

Both Athuruga and Thudufushi are polished 5-carat, Triple 000 quality gems with many scintillating facets to admire.

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Maldives Tour 2016 – Day 8: Safari Island

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Safari Island - tour

Many Maldives aficionados complain that all of the best islands are being snapped up for building (or re-building) super-luxury properties out of reach from the average pocketbook. Safari Island bucks that trend being a value priced 4 star resort on an exceptional 5 star island. In fact, Safari has actually gone in the opposite direction as the island that used to be the super exclusive Dhoni Migili. The lagoon is still filled with the fleet of 12 elegant dhoni yachts from its Dhoni Migili legacy. You can’t book these, but you do get an experience or stay on one if you stay for 7 or 14 days respectively.

With Maldivian prices challenging guests’ wallets so deeply, visitors need to choose what they want to pay for and what they don’t. What you are not paying for at Safari is fancy food, fittings and furniture. Safari villas have simple bamboo furniture with the palm weave ceilings that embraces a simpler, rustic vibe.

The small island means that villas are pushed right up close to the water’s edge. Ours was a Beach Villa and the water was lapping at our deck at high tide. Safari has another room category called a “Semi Water Villa” which are situated right over very shallow water right on the lagoon/beach edge.

The food is a good basic buffet victuals, but in the Maldives is it hard to go too far wrong with this option. Fresh tropical fruit like the ripe papaya that melts in your mouth (the best of our trip). Grilled reef fish caught that morning just yards away, local curries, with occasional chef special treat like the banana chocolate cake with vanilla sauce. How much more do you really need from a resort kitchen?

But the island itself is a remarkable patch of sea and sand. The beaches have some of the finest talcum powder soft grains I’ve ever wriggled my toes in (in the Maldives or anywhere else). And the house reef has to be a contender for one of the top 10 in the Maldives.

If you want 5-star Maldives “the landscape” without paying 5-star Maldives the luxury resort prices, then check out Safari Island.

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Maldives Tour 2016 – Day 7: Kandolhu

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Kandolhu - tour

Small but perfectly formed.

Kandolhu is a great example of building on your strengths. With very little real estate to play with, the resort shuns trying to pack in facilities and amenities. Instead, it amplifies the “palm tree and plot of sand” idyllic existence that makes the Maldives so unique in the first place.

Part of this deserted island aesthetic is a pervasive quiet. The intra-atoll island sits protected from big ocean currents at the atoll edge and its own distinctive reef surrounds the island with a strip of shallows that further buffer the water. So the only waves hitting the beach are tiny laps of water tickling the shore’s edge with more of a trickle than a crash. The resort preserves this peace and calm by not playing music in the common areas or even offering entertainment in the evenings. While they do have a water sports centre, all motorised activity is done at a separate deserted island (Merenfenfushi) over a mile away that guests are taken to.

Even with careful selectivity of what’s on offer (eg. no pool, no entertainment, no tennis courts, no golf courses) the resort uses every trick in its book to make the most of its precious [real estate]. The rooms are exquisitely designed with a simple contemporary style. Some of the rooms extend upwards as duplexes to exploit the most of each square metre. Many resorts this size would simply have one restaurant, but Kandolhu has cleverly carved out several different eateries by keeping them small and intimate. Like a collection of tropical pop-ups.

Another natural feature that does amplify the scale of Kandolhu is its reef. Renowned as one of the best in the Maldives, its greatest strength is its expansive layout in such a tiny area. Lori and I swam completely around the island in less than an hour. You can easily access it from one of two jetty jump-in points. But the 50 meter shallows which lead to it are also packed with coral and creatures to explore endlessly. The drama and scale of the reef comes with its dramatic drop-off. A sheer plunge of 30 meters in places.

Kandolhu has long been renowned for some of the densest, most vibrant coral in the Maldives. And with more coral on hand, it has been hit like all of the reefs in the Maldives by the triple whammy of rising sea temperatures, the added wallop of this yearís El Nino, with attacks from Crown of Thorn Starfish (COTS) to top it all off. The resort responded aggressively to defend the reef from COTS and they seem to have won the battle as we didnít see a single one during our snorkel. Still, it will be a little time before the coral recovers to its former glory.

But the coral isnt the only aspect of the reef which makes it such an irresistible draw.  “Kandolhu” must be some sort of Maldivian dialect for“Kingdom of Turtles”. The reef is crawling with them. We saw them every few minutes. A total of six during our semi-circumnavigation of the island. Neighbouring resorts occasionally bring guests to Kandolhu to see this terrapin spectacle.

If Kandolhu was a celebrity beauty, like the parade who are drawn here from around the world, she would be Eva Longoria…petite charm, elegance and stylish beauty with a dramatic impact and personality.

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Maldives Tour 2016 – Day 6: Taj Exotica

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Taj Exotica - tour

“Taj Exotica”…more like “Turquoise Extremica”.

Taj Exotica is imbued with an Indian aesthetic and enveloped in an expanse of cyan shallows.

The subcontinent vibe permeates throughout the décor like the silhouette lanterns hanging from the trees. It prevails with Indian inspired best-ofs like Ayurveda treatments, and yoga courses.  But iit really comes alive in its restaurants. One of the best Indian dishes I have ever eaten was the recommended Chef’s Special Butter Chicken that tenderly melted in your mouth with just the right aromatic glow of piquant spices. All restaurants cater strongly to vegetarians offering a range of Jain, vegan and other alternatives to many dishes. They even serve Indian wine (Fratelli Chardonnay).

An aquamarine landscape frames the entire resort. Not just a large lagoon, but one that seems to stretch from horizon to horizon on both sides of the island. In fact, it actually covers over 200 acres in all. One of the largest lagoons in the Maldives. And Taj has built on this asset extensively. It has an unmatched array of lagoon accessories including lagoon swing and lagoon hammock, a lagoon pavilion, and a lagoon private jetty. One f the downsides to the shallow and sandy lagoons is that they are no very conducive to coral growth, but Taj has addressed this issue by investing in 206 coral frames in the past 4 years as a part of an ongoing reef generation project.  And the resort provides regular boat trips to a nearby coral reef free of charge.

Taj Exotic provides a truly affordable taste of luxury for people who want to immerse themselves in the unique blue seascape of the Maldives.

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Maldives Tour 2016 – Day 5: Shangri-La Villingili

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Shangri-La Villingili - tour

There is no reason to not come to Shangri-La Villingili.

The number one reason people give against coming to the Maldives is the myth that “There’s nothing to do there.” Admittedly, some of the smaller islands do have limited activities (but that is actually a draw for some people). But Villingili is a spacious island enabling it to support a rich infrastructure of activities and facilities. The spa is one of the largest in the Maldives and it sports a mini “village” of shops, services, dive centre, photo studio, etc.

The biggest activity “can’t do” complaint about the Maldives is golf. Many affluent travellers are happy to go just about anywhere…as long as they can swing a club. A few golf facilities have cropped up over the years across the Maldives, but only Shangri-La sports a full 9 hole course with independent fairways.  Lori and I played a round during our stay and we were thoroughly impressed. Our home in Buckinghamshire, England has no shortage of world-class golf courses and Shangri-La’s is as challenging and thrilling course as any. They are short holes (maximum hole is just under 200 yards) so no opportunity to practice your 200 yard drive. But, the modern game is all about the approach shots anyway, and as the old saying goes, “drive for show, putt for dough.” The greens and fairways are all as well maintained and manicured as any prime English course. Yes, you can play serious golf in the Maldives…at Shangri-La. Seriously laid out, seriously challenging, seriously beautiful surroundings and seriously fun.

Among Maldives aficionados, the big showstopper to choosing a resort is the “housereef”. And no house reef is adequate without (a) a drop off, and (b) easy access. Shangri-La ticks the housereef box strongly. A special set of stairs on the northern water villas jetty provides a very simple entry (I love stairs because it is so much easier to put on your fins without getting sand in everything).  Given the vagaries of maritime creatures, I am always impressed by resorts’ “called shots” in the sport of snorkelling where they call out “if you go here, you are virtually guaranteed to see this…” In Villingili’s case it was turtles. Several turtles are virtual residents there. And no less than 10 minutes into the water one of them came swimming up to us (see video clip below). Actually, it’s not too surprising as Villingili has its own turtle nesting area (which it has marked off and protected).

Another reason people avoid straying too far from the resorts close to Male is avoiding the seaplane transfers. Seaplane schedules can be quite changeable and timings are especially vulnerable to the weather. Also, some people are bothered by flying in such a small, loud, unpressurized craft, like a seaplane. But the transfer to Gan is by domestic turbo prop planes. The schedules are fixed so you will know your logistics precisely before you set off. And they fly higher over the weather in more comfortable, pressurised planes. And for the well-heeled clientele, the Gan airport accommodates private jets and Villingili provides a special greeting service where you are picked up on the tarmac. Private jets can even fly directly to Gan and clear customs avoiding a Male transfer altogether. An increasing number of charters and commercial operators are looking to expand services here so everyone can have this direct connection convenience.

If you are thinking of an exceptional stay at Villingili, then there’s nothing stopping you.

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