Anantara Dhigu is another resort exploiting its distinctive lagoon for a bit of inside and outside refreshment. They are using it as the venue for their weekly guest cocktails.
Make mine with a splash, please.
Best of the Maldives: Lagoon Wine Tasting – Kurumba
Why sip your red wine by the water, when you can savour it in the water? Immerse yourself in the aquatic paradise that is the Maldives.
I’ve long pined for more extensive use of the lagoons. With one of the “best” lagoons around, Kurumba has found a way to make more use of it than just sheltered snorkelling and leisurely ocean dips. It offers a weekly lagoon wine tasting hosted by one of the resort sommeliers (above left). They offered a selection of both red and white of some thoroughly enjoyable bottles made more than mouth-watering with its exquisite venue.
I’ve long mused about what criteria to use to “rate” the resort lagoons (any suggestions?), but I have added yet another new tag for “Lagoon” so people can wade through all of the Maldives Complete pieces on the, well, not so deep subject.
Best of the Maldives: Private Beach Cinema – Constance Moofushi
If you prefer a more intimate film night, then Constance Moofushi offers private beach cinema…
“Choose your film from a selection of more than 100 to watch on a private screen, with the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore and soft powder sand beneath your feet. Lie back on loungers or beanbags and let us create a unique luxury cinema experience complete with popcorn, ice cream, canapés, sparkling wine, beers and soft drinks served to you on the beach.”
Lori and I have our own little home cinema in the UK. It is one of the greatest treats. You can stretch out on the sofa, and you can pause the movie to ask a question or refill your wine glass. Frankly, we love watching movies and it’s one of the very few things that we might “miss” when we visit the Maldives. Sure, some resorts have public theatres (but that would involve syncing our schedule to the playing times) and most resorts have TVs (but that would involve secluding ourselves in our room when paradise is just outside the door. Moofushi’s approach seems to be an inspired best of all possible worlds.
Best of the Maldives: 3D Outdoor Cinema – Anantara Kihavah Villas
From the sublime, to the ridiculous. Ridiculously genius that is…Anantara Kihavah outdoor cinema. A number of resorts have introduced al fresco screens in recent years, but Kihavah has taken it to a new dimension with their 3D capable projector.
OMG, 3D Sharknado please!!
(PS. As we’ve entered into the entertainment awards season, I add a added “Film” tag for all the Best of the Maldives gong winners in that category).
Best of the Maldives: Pizza Hut – Velaa
You can have a more simple pizza at one of the Maldives’ most exclusive resorts, Velaa. Nonetheless, I can guarantee you it will be the most exotic “Pizza Hut” you have ever eaten at (yes, that’s exactly what they call it).
So after you hit the beach, you can hit the hut!
Best of the Maldives: Pizza – Taj Exotica
Friday night is pizza night (and a tub of Haagen Dazs). And a pizza that just sizzles with Seth Godin’s “remarkability” factor is Taj Exotica’s “$200 pizza”…
“Inspired by the thousand dollar New York Pizza, Chef Kermani came up with the brilliant idea of the two hundred dollar pizza, which became a famous sensation within the whole Taj Exotica culinary experience. This pizza has captured the hearts of so many guests; people have blogged, photographed and written about it. This four quarters, fifteen inches pizza is filled with the best ingredients hand picked from around the world. The base of this pizza is completely covered with Philadelphia cream cheese with one quarter topped only with waygu beef carpaccio and kalamata olives. Second quarter of the pizza is topped with roasted French duck and Foie Gras with Italian truffles. Another quarter is topped with Italian Porchinis, white parma ham, completely covered with parmesan cheese. The last quarter of the pizza is topped with jumbo lobster medallions with Iranian caviar topped with a finishing touch of 24-karat edible gold leaves. This pizza is served personally by the executive chef, Kermani, sprinkled with thirty years old balsamic, trickled right in front of the guest. This is followed by two glasses of champagne and a photograph with the chef. This photograph is gifted to the guests upon their departure as a part of the memorable two hundred dollar pizza experience.”
In Godin’s “Purple Cow”, he describes how “remarkability” is literally the ability to get people to “remark” about your product. The way you would ‘remark’ to your friends if you passed a purple cow in the field, “Guess what I saw?…”
In the ever escalating arms-race of the super deluxe Maldives resorts, I often challenge them to ask themselves, “What is the story that your guest is going to tell on the golf course or at the Mah Jong table?” It won’t be the pina coladas, sunsets or palm trees. For the multi-millionaire set, these things are rather pedestrian. The “$200 Pizza” does pass that test though. I don’t care how rich you are, not many folks have had a “$200 Pizza”. It is a form of metonymy where a small part of the luxurious experience encapsulates the lavish extravagance of the whole holiday. And in this age of Instagram, where unless you take a picture of it and post then it didn’t happen, bling pizza is ideal Instagram fodder.
The pizza also provides a good illustration in “impact” gift giving. The price of a gift is governed by two variables – 1. the general expense of the item, and 2. how high is quality of the version you got. If you want to give a great gift, focus on #2….
- Determine your budget
- Divide by 10
- Identify items that generally cost that amount (the one-tenth)
- Find a version of the item that costs 10x the norm
The pizza is great example. A typical pizza costs around $20 in many places in the world. So the $200 Pizza is a 10x (order of magnitude) more expensive version. Another good example is a Christmas gift Lori got me. I needed collar stays (the little pieces that you put in nice shirts to stiffen the collars). I like nice shirts and so Lori got special collar stays. The regular brass ones normally sell for about $5 or so, but Lori bought me lovely silver ones with mother-of-pearl. They cost $50 (the 10x rule). The exceptional versions that she found made the gift special (and when I am going to special occasions, I always use them…no one can see them, but I know I’m wearing them).
The problem is that many people focus on #1. They want to give an impressive class of item (like a watch or a TV), but then can only afford to get a crappy version to fit their budget). No one if happy with a crappy watch, even if it is a watch.
Lori was able to get something exceptional without breaking the budget because she got a simple type of item. Not all people can afford the $1,000 cognac and $10,000 suite, but many Maldives visitors can splash out on a $200 pizza and enjoy having a slice (yes, pun intended) of world-class extravagant luxury.
And finally, a lobster pizza in Maldives!!
Exotic(a) pizza with extra bling!
Even More Why Do I Do It – Ruckusmaking
Criticism is easy. Very little is perfect in life and it’s easy to just call out all the imperfections. My recent Maldives tour brought home this realisation as one of the challenges I relish in my resort research is uncovering and highlighting the distinctions of each resort. Not what makes them special (being in the Maldives is what makes EVERY one of them special), but what makes them distinctive. That takes a bit more discernment and insight. It’s awfully easy to complain that the butter was too cold or not cold enough. It’s much harder to figure out what part of the meal was most unique.
This is my “Ruckusmaker” focus. Referring to Seth Godin’s concept of someone who speaks up for something they believe. My belief and my mantra is “There is no ‘best’ resort, only the ‘best’ for you. And with over 100 to choose from, there is something for everyone.”
Seth himself is someone who often gets asked why a best-selling professional (multi-millionaire) writer like himself would devote so much effort to a daily free blog. One of his motivations is articulated in his post “Say Something”…
“There’s a lot to admire about the common-sense advice, ‘If you don’t have anything worth saying, don’t say anything.’ On the other hand, one reason we often find ourselves with nothing much to say is that we’ve already decided that it’s safer and easier to say nothing. If you’ve fallen into that trap, then committing to having a point of view and scheduling a time and place to say something is almost certainly going to improve your thinking, your attitude and your trajectory. A daily blog is one way to achieve this. Not spouting an opinion or retweeting the click of the day. Instead, outlining what you believe and explaining why. Commit to articulating your point of view on one relevant issue, one news story, one personnel issue. Every day. Online or off, doesn’t matter. Share your taste and your perspective with someone who needs to hear it. Speak up. Not just tomorrow, but every day. A worthwhile habit.”
Maldives Complete, making a ruckus for 7 years!
VOTE for Maldives Complete!
- “We are now on our 17th trip to Maldives. We have been waiting for 10 years for this website…. Spot on.” Jeb Payce, UK
- “Great web site, I wished I had seen this before I went !! Thank you” – divajakelayla, TripAdvisor Maldives Forum
Maldives Complete has entered a beauty pageant of its own – the 2016 UK Blog Awards. PLEASE VOTE FOR MALDIVES COMPLETE.
Being completely non-commercial, Maldives Complete has limited means and resources to raise the profile of the site. Commendations like the Blog Awards help in a big way to keep the blog and site from being buried in the wash of travel sites jockeying for your travel dollar.
Reasons to vote for Maldives Complete…
- Maldives Love – Maldives Complete is the Maldives lovers’ blog. It celebrates everything distinctive about the Maldives. It doesn’t settle for the conventional tropical island pabulum dribbled out by the parade of travel writers and celebrity junkets (eg. palm trees, pina coladas, sunsets, blah, blah). Instead, it digs into truly unique and remarkable aspects of this paradise.
- Help Others – One of the most common pieces of feedback I get is that guests wish they had found Maldives Complete earlier in their Maldives research (see Jeb’s quote above). A vote will help more people find the useful and fun information that I work daily to produce and share.
- No Ads – Everyone gets bothered by ad clutter on pages where you are just trying to get some basic information. I have committed to staying non-commercial, but it means I don’t get any money for helping with marketing, promotion or even operating the site. But it also means that visitors can be confident that my information is objective and not swayed by pay-for-display deals.
- Completeness – True to its name and mission, the blog now has 1000+ pieces over 6 years of consistent and commitment posting.
Again, Maldives Complete would really appreciate your support in voting and even getting others to vote for it.
ޝުކުރިއްޔާ (Shukuriyaa)
[PS. It turns out you can vote multiple times if you are truly enthusiastic. Whatever support you can provide is gratefully appreciated.]
Best of the Maldives: Foam Party – Bandos
The holidays brought lots of the white stuff to Bandos resort. No, not snow, but bubbles. Foam bubbles, specifically. Foam parties have been a bit of a trend for a while in big city nightclubs. A chance to bring out the inner child in a bubble bath in everyone (thanks Paola). Good, clean fun!
Best of the Maldives: Modern Boat Villa – Soneva Fushi
Beloved Wives Day today (husbands in China must shout out declarations of love to their wives). And I am taking my beloved wife, Lori, for a quick escape from English wind, rain and cold. Down to the French Riviera for some friends’ New Years celebration and a quick stay in Monaco. The sunny Med shores have made them a magnet for yachts from all over the world.
One yacht that won’t be straying quite that far from home is Soneva Fushi’s new concept “suite” – “Soneva In Aqua”. A sort of mobile “water villa”. Great to see this concept revised every since the demise of The Rania Experience and Dhoni Island. Of course, the resort will provide the crew you need. Not the only boat villa in the Maldives (eg. Conrad Rangali’s “Goma”, LUX Maldives “Kokomo”), but the distinctive in its modern styling and spacious accommodation..
“Soneva In Aqua will further elevate guest experience by offering the option of a boat villa which will combine all the benefits of this iconic resort’s services and amenities with the freedom and exclusivity associated with a private boat charter.”
LORI, MY LOVE FOR YOU IS AS WARM AS THE MALDIVIAN OCEAN BREEZES AND MY PASSION AS HOT AS ITS TROPICAL SUN!!
