Best of the Maldives: Lights Out Event – Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru / Angsana Ihuru

Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru - dawn till dusk

Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and Angsana Ihuru holds a monthly event to raise awareness of energy conservation to reduce carbon footprint by completely shutting off all electrical lights on the resort for 12 hours:

  • “Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and Angsana Ihuru launched a 12-hour lights-off event under the name ‘Connect to Earth from Dusk till Dawn’ on September 14. The monthly occurrence is scheduled for full moons in order to take advantage of natural luminescence while the two resorts switch off their lights from 1800 to 0600 hrs. Connect to Earth from Dusk Till Dawn is inspired by the Earth Hour Movement, an annual celebration marked by switching lights off for a one-hour period. ‘By switching off the lights for one hour, we can make a substantial difference in the energy consumption and we can help reduce the effect of global warming’, stated the General Manager of Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and Angsana Ihuru, Hicham Najdi…During the event, dubbed 6to6, restaurants and bars will be candlelit and a special full moon in-villa dinner can be arranged for guests upon request. The Marine Lab Team will also organize an ‘Under the Full Moon Night Snorkel’ to provide a unique underwater experience to the guests.”

The initiative is not just eco-friendly but imparts an extra romantic tone to the evening with candlelit areas and meals. Furthermore, turning off the lights in one of the few electrified places in that part of the ocean reduces light pollution making star gazing all the more dazzling.

Best of the Maldives: Jetty Lights – Joali

Joali - jetty lights

You need some sort of lighting on the jetties to make sure people don’t wander into the ocean on the way to their villa, and resorts have tended to install a variety of basic fixtures along the path. Joali has extended its art immersion ethos to these simple finishes with a not just utilitarian lamps to light the way but specially carved globes. These balls provide a pleasing aesthetic detail to follow during the day, but in the night they bathe pathway with a constellation of light specs mirroring the celestial canopy overhead.

Joali - jetty lights 2

Best of the Maldives: Egg Croissant – LUX North Male Atoll

LUX North Male Male Atoll - truffle croissant

Happy Egg Day. Obviously, not Easter, but the national holiday to celebrate all things EGGY. I love me my breakfasts. Lori often remarks that I don’t just eat breakfast, I eat Breakfast #1, Breakfast #2, and then I top it all off with Breakfast Dessert. I also thorough savour the delicately rich flavour of truffle. So LUX North Male Atoll’s Truffle Egg Croissant was a treat for me.

Eggcellent!

Best of the Maldives: Octopus Sprinkler – LUX North Male Atoll

LUX North Male Atoll - octopus sprinkler

Octopus Day today celebrating one of our favourite creatures (with whom we shared a particularly thrilling encounter during this summer’s tour). This year’s Maldives octopus feature is LUX North Male Atoll’s octopus sprinkler at their kids club.

If that’s not charming enough, then check out this video of an octopus sleeping and dreaming (!) that’s been going a bit viral lately…

Best of the Maldives: Chroma Therapy – Amilla Fushi

Amilla Fushi - chromatherapy 1

‘Hue’ can saturate yourself in the most colourful treatment in the Maldives with Amilla Fushi’s Sensora light therapy:

  • The Sensora light modulation technology is one of the most advanced chromotherapy systems in the world, clinically proven to bring the brain to rest, effortlessly reduce stress and induce deep relaxation. Sensora offers a unique multi-sensorial environment combining light, sound and kinaesthetic vibration. The advanced colour-light system recharges the brain’s electrical field and positively interacts with various bio-rhythms such as brainwaves, breath and heartbeat. The combination of associated colours and frequencies offers many beneficial effects including deeper relaxation; enhanced alertness; increased release of endorphins and reduction in chronic pain, helping to fight insomnia and fatigue; treat anxiety, mental tension and depression; and much more.”

An appropriate complement to the sunlight therapy that draws to many to Maldives in the first place.

Amilla Fushi - chromatherapy 2