Tour 2022- Fihalhohi

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Maldives Tour 2022 - fihalhohi

Longing for the simple Maldives – no TV, no pool, no butlers. Fihalhohi took us back to a classic, original version of the Maldives.

Fihalhohi was the lowest priced resorts on our tour and has long been one of the more basic of resorts in the destination. I remember first researching it decades ago and it had a bare bones website with a few sketchy photos. So we weren’t expecting too much. Nonetheless, it supposedly had a lovely house reef and is one of the classic properties so we were keen to check it out.

We were so pleasantly surprised. The villas had had a refurb a few years back and so, while still simple, they were fresh and smart looking. The general common area infrastructure is still a bit dated and worn, but that gives it a bit of charm.

Satisfaction is all relative to expectations…and, I must say, Fihalhohi (or “Fiha” as it is colloquially referred to) considerably exceeded ours. We also made some nice friends (see below)

Fihalhohi - bird

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Tour 2022- Cora Cora

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Maldives Tour 2022 - cora cora

Cora Cora is like a collection of all of our favourite things in the Maldives – small island, fine house reef, cultural heritage, whimsical vibe, colourful aesthetic, progressive management, accessible luxury. One might think that after staying at over 110 Maldives resorts, and having written over 1600 “Best of the Maldives” pieces we would have seen it all by now. So it is delightful to continue our adventure of discovery and find over 20 features to Cora Cora that we hadn’t seen before (or at least not with their twist). Also, it shows that you don’t have to be a super luxury property to be distinctive. I’m not surprised when I come across some esoteric luxury in one of the ultra-premium resorts, but it’s especially satisfying when a resort finds a way to add an inventive touch with creativity as opposed to big budgets. Stay tuned for some colourful delights.

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Tour 2022- Emerald

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Maldives Tour 2022 - emerald

Emerald makes a big impression for a small island. The juxtaposition of spacious and grand facilities on the intimate island provides an cozy luxury for those who want the diminutive island (you can walk completely around in a matter of minutes) while enjoying comfortable spaciousness in their dining, sleeping and playing areas.

Emerald is also probably the most “resort-y” of Maldives resorts we have been to. It exudes the luxury and indulgence of the resorts depicted in films (“Couples Retreat”) and television (“White Lotus”). I think it is because their common area facilities have this extravagant grandeur about them.

And yet, the property maintains its distinctive Maldivian charm – stylish touches of thatch, expansive white sand beaches, accessible house reef, and (our favourite) a sand floor in the bar (which so many of the newer and more upmarket resorts have eschewed).

Emerald is playing in the $1000/nt premium AI segment which is hugely popular at the moment as it is a real sweet spot for the affluent professional visitor willing to shell out for a distinctive holiday while keeping the outlay somewhat under control. A number of excellent 5-stars resorts are also positioning themselves in this space and choosing between them comes down to rather subjective considerations. I would recommend Emerald for those who want a big experience on a small island.

Maldives Tour 2022 - Emerald table

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8 Ds of Snorkeling Distinction

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A short montage of “couples on the reef” from our July 2022 snorkeling adventures

Happy Snorkelling Day 2022! Reefs in the Maldives have taken a beating in recent years from warming ocean temperatures, higher water acidity, disruption from development, Crown of Thorns Startfish, and El Nino. But one of the most satisfying discoveries from our 2022 research tour last week was the prevalence of promising coral growth. The block corals in particular (eg. Diploria and Porites) seem to be faring the best (in fact, recent research published in Global Change Biology supports the hardiness of certain species like these). But encouraging croppings of a range of species are also to be found.

And this endurance is probably part of the reasons that Snorkeling Seas’ “The best countries around the world for snorkeling” rates Maldives as #2 behind Australia. But while the corals are the literally bedrock to the Maldives’ famous reefs, coral is not the only aspect that makes for exceptional snorkeling. Whenever you find a piece on the top snorkelling spots in the world, they come with the obligatory disclaimer that such distinctions are highly ‘subjective’.  Yes, any qualitative assessment is by definition so, but a bigger part of the challenge is the complexity of the ranking.  There are many aspects to great snokelling.  You might see an octopus riding a manta-ray using a moray eel as a whip which would make for a pretty spectacular snorkel outing.  But the spot itself might be missing lots of other standard features (and that cowboy octopus might not be a reliably regular sighting).

I’ve been snorkelling in the Maldives for two decades and have visited over 100 different islands.  To help break down the Distinctions, I’ve come up with the 8 D’s…

  1. Density – Are the fish and coral just packed in like a Tokyo metro or scattered more widely?  The best spots are like a grandma’s attic packed the brim with colourful and curious sights. Or “fish soup” as it is sometimes colloquially referred to.
  2. Diversity – Does the destination present a wide portfolio of sea life or is it a one-hit wonder?  Maybe a spot presents a once-in-a-lifetime chance to swim with a manatee or see a whale migration, but are there side shows as well?  The best spots are a veritable 3-ring circus of multiformity.
  3. Dazzle – Is there a ‘wow’ factor?  The place to start here is the ‘Snorkel Safari Big 5’ (ie.  Shark, Turtle, Ray, Moray, Lion Fish).
  4. Distance – Is it easy to just jump in and you are on the reef in minutes?  Easy accessibility is also part of the carefree, unencumbered, relaxed and spontaneous ethos of snorkeling culture.  Something close to shore or the resort so you can throw on your mask and fins and pop-in at the drop of a hat.
  5. Degrees – How’s the water?  Some amazing underwater sights are situated in less temperate areas.  As a result, a wet suit is a advised and sometimes even a dry suit is needed.  Whatever the underwater allure, chilly water is definitely a detraction.  The ideal snorkeling is enjoying the sun on your back and nothing more to fuss with than a t-shirt.
  6. Detection – How far can you see?  This is a big D word for ‘water clarity’.  Clarity tends to be good on reefs which are essentially giant water filtration systems, but they can vary due to currents, sea bed constitution, and ecosystem.
  7. Dependability – How reliable is the great experience?  Are some excursions delights and other duds?  A number of sites will have renowned ‘events’, eg. migrations, seasonal activity, feeding, but are only there certain times.  The less predictable the less appealing.
  8. Drop-off – What is the shape of the underwater landscape?  A reef ‘drop-off’ is ideal combining the inner reef lagoon shallows (where one can meander horizontally and even stand on sand – never coral! – and see fish in brightly lit sunlight) with a dramatic vertical dimension with deep water schools and marine animals.  Pure deep water and pure shallows are never as good as a drop-off combo.

Note: The TripAdvisor Maldives Forum also features a robust discussion of the subject of “What Do We Mean By A Great Reef”.

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Tour 2022- Eriyadu

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Maldives tour 2022 - eriyadu

Eriyadu is another vintage Maldives classic – tiny island, fine house reef, decades long pedigree – tarted up with a few reburbs inside the villas and around the property. In particular, the villa rooms themselves were quite smart. The new bathrooms were almost 5-star in quality (but I must say that situating them in a carved-out part of the previous front room and leaving the initial front door in place, was a curious aspect). The house reef is especially accessible straight off the main jetty and drifting down to the dive school jetty for coming in. We saw several sweet reef sharks and a striking eagle ray as well as even more encouraging coral growth.

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Tour 2022- OBLU Helengeli

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Maldives tour 2022 - oblu helengeli

Take me back to the Maldives. And take me back to the Maldives that we fell in love with is what OBLU by Atmosphere at Helengeli certainly does. Walkable size, retro early-tourism era structures (like their games area cement seating), sand floors in the bar and restaurant (oh how I miss these in so many of the luxury properties, but I guess they do a number on the LE BOUTIN stilettos), North Male atoll convenience (no seaplane to mess with, but sitting but on the upper fringe of the atoll, it does have a distinctively remote “middle of the Indian Ocean” feel). But Helengeli has also kept up with the times with some well-chosen revamps and additions – dining area with over water seating and big windows, charming “spa oasis” laid out around a water garden, and even and over-water gym!

And like classic Maldives, the main event at Helengeli is the snorkelling. Situated on not one but two channels provides an extra flow of water helping the corals a bit and providing an appeal boulevard for a range of marine life making it one of the most vibrant house reefs in the Maldives. We saw encouraging growth especially among the block corals like porites and diploria (brain coral) along with three of the Snorkel Safari Big 5 – shark, turtle, moray.

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Tour 2022- Ritz Maldives

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Maldives tour 2022 - ritz carlton

If you want to see blue, and you don’t know where to go, why don’t you go where fashion sits? Puttin’ on the Ritz.

It’s all about the view. For me, the number one reason to visit the Maldives is to gaze upon the tapestry of dappled blues that make the destination other-worldly with its dazzling aquatic vistas. When your flight first enters the Laccadive airspace, the expanse of variegated azure and turquoise beneath seems like you are not descending on just one of the planet’s premier destinations, but rather that you have arrived an entirely different planet altogether. One of our biggest thills when visiting resorts is finding unique ways the property has optimized the bucket-list worthy views (and conversely, one of our biggest pet peeves are when such views are disrupted or not optimized).

One advantage to Ritz Carlton Maldives being built on reclaimed land is that they were able to design the entire island layout from the outset. Holistic design is definitely a hallmark of this relatively recent entry to the super-luxury class of Maldives resorts. The Ritz does literally put the “O” in “OMG” employing an “O” thematic element. The villas, the kids club, the spa, various common areas and features are all constructed in this circular shape (see photo below).

Contrary to the Louis XVI rococo ornamentation of its London patriarch, the style aesthetic was contemporary simplicity executed with a palette of natural colours and textures. Brushed concrete and washed wood evoke a cashmere-like softness to all the surfaces.

But our favourite aspect of the design was its optimization of views. For starters, the reclaimed land meant that the foliage was less dense anyway. Also, the extensive square meterage of the island provided copious space to afford optimal layouts (many times disrupted views are the casualty of having to squeeze too many things into too small of a space). And the narrow shape of the property meant that just about every inch was ocean view. And the designers did not squander this bonanza. Everywhere we sat seemed deliberately optimized for a spectacular view of the Indian Ocean expanse.

If you are going to put your resort in the super-premium sector, then having some sort of “Wow” factor is fairly important. Many of these resorts opt for the subaquatic vista with an underwater restaurant. A few have opted to go “up” with vertical vistas (eg. Anantara Kihavah, Jumeirah Maldives, Velaa). But the Ritz’s distinction was to go closer to the ocean. They do so with expansive floor to ceiling windows covering nearly the entire width of the villa. Furthermore, the villas are positioned relatively close to the shore line and have only a smattering of small foliage between. As a result, when you enter your room, your entire peripheral vision is filled with the ocean so clear and close that you feel you could stretch out and dip your toe in it. It brings the outside in. Sitting in our bed in the beach villa, we felt closer to the water than we have in many water villas (and in the water villas themselves, this design only amplifies their aquatic intimacy).

Ritz-Carlton Maldives - O

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Tour 2022 – Arrival

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Maldives Tour 2022 - arrival

Tour #19 of the Maldives. Seven new resorts – Ritz Carlton Maldives, OBLU Helengeli, Eriyadu, Emerald, Cora Cora, Fihalhohi, OZEN Maadhoo – to explore and find new gems. But first, I had to try a new airline – Emirates.

My research early in the year found lots of plaudits for the UAE state airline and the schedule and prices fit well so I thought we would try it.

First, we had to a run the gauntlet of mayhem that was Terminal 3 Heathow. We arrived nearly 3 hours ahead of departure time and barely made it to the flight as Lori was literally the last person to board the plane. There were delays at every juncture, but most was the 90 minute security queue. So much for our relaxing pre-trip cocktails.

When we boarded, we encountered another first – A380. I had read plenty about these airborne behemoths and had seen them on the airport tarmac, but I had never set foot in one. It was a every bit a treat as this next generation flying machine would have you hope for. Spacious, elegant, modern. Large HD video screens. A few inches of extra legroom and seat width. Not to mention the extra aisle headroom making the whole environment less claustrophobic. Nice full power sockets at each seat. The wifi was great value ($17 for entire journey), but pretty weak and unreliable.

After a very quick stopover in Dubai (too dark to see any of its iconic structures on arrival or departure), we were off on the final leg of the Maldives. The Emirates flight is a nice balance of a two-legged trip to there (in the absence of a direct flight which BA has pulled once again from its summer schedule). A longer first leg of just under 7 hours is a good length for a meal, some reading, a few computer games and a film. Then you stretch you legs in Dubai and only have 3.5 hours to go which you can nap through.

Maldives, here we are!

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Things I Haven’t Seen Yet in the Maldives #19

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Havent Seen - island shirt

We are off once again to the Maldives today! For the first time ever, we will be visiting the Maldives twice within a twelve month period for gathering information and material.

Claudio Lugli Island Shirt [ABOVE] – Unfortunately, the Claudio Lugli fish shirt has been out of stock since its introduction, but this latest style is a reasonable alternative for your Maldives resort wardrobe.

Marine Conservation Society Official Clothing – Sustainable and supports a good cause, but most importantly, very stylish.
Havent Seen - Marine Society

Greg Norman Shirt – For just a subtle touch of shark fashion, you can opt for this very lightweight sporty shirt from the shark of the fairways.
Havent Seen - shark logo

Shark Socks – Or for a more dramatic sartorial shark, check out these paws Jaws.
Havent Seen - shark socks

Hannah Blount Jewelry – A recent discovery by my sister (much to the delight of Lori) is designers Hannah Blount who specialises in exquisite sea themed jewelry. A delightful signature touch are the little gold barnacles she puts n the pieces.
Havent Seen - Hannah Blount

Lounge Chair Towel – Something we came across in Miami, a lounge chair towel with a pocket sewn into one end to facilitate hitching it to the top of lounge chair (without it slipping down especially if you slip off to doze and slide down the chair back).
Havent Seen - lounge towel

Glass-Bottom Transfer – When we took our first trip to the Maldives, we were immediately struck by all of the colourful tropical fish swimming by the transfer boat jetty. A glass bottom boat would let you enjoy the underwater spectacle all the way to your resort (thanks Paola).


Beach-to-5K – Holiday version of popular “Couch to 5k” with the resort organising a programme of gently increasing exercise (and recovery spa treatments) to get people to the point of running a full 5k distance at the end of their stay.
Havent Seen - couch to 5k

Healthy First Buffet – A Cornell study found that “With buffet foods, the first ones seen are the ones most selected. Over 75% of diners selected the first food they saw, and the first three foods a person encountered in the buffet comprised 66% of all the foods they took. Serving the less healthy foods first led diners to take 31% more total food items.”
Havent Seen - healthy buffet

Sauna with a View – We saw these at a local outlet and thought they would be perching on jetty or even just waterside of a beach so people could look out over the ocean while soaking in the heat.
Havent Seen - sauna with a view

Moveable Bed – Soneva Jani’s retractable roofs bring the outside in, but this innovation brings
Havent Seen - Moveable Bed

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Best of the Maldives: Outdoor Second Home – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru

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Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru outdoor second home

One of our favourite aspects of visiting the Maldives is sitting al fresco in the (nearly) always temperate air with the equatorial warmth livened by the cool ocean breezes. A number of luxury resort feature outdoor cabanas. And other feature second buildings for children’s (or other guest’s) quarters. But Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru features an outdoor open-air “villa” that is so extensive that it is like an alternative “outdoor” residence. The two-story construction includes dining area, lounge seating as well as an area to just hang out and look out of the ocean. Also, an excellent segregated working area if you want to take your work away from and not disturb the rest of the family.

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