If you want to celebrate Ian Fleming’s birthday today with a James Bond style outing, then Amilla Fushi excursion boat will speed you to your deserted island picnic, snorkel reef or secret lair in a Q worthy speed boat.
Best of the Maldives: Arrival Channel – Ayada
Ayada welcomes its visitors with a distinctive slender inlet which leads to a little man-made harbour. The cove is flanked by breakwaters and the entrance is marked by the resorts iconic miniature light house. When we visited, I found it one of the most endearing anchorages in the Maldives.
Best of the Maldives: Seaweed Straws – Carpe Diem
We all can embrace the ocean with more sustainable choices in what we consume and discard. One of the areas getting lots of scrutiny these days is plastic use. Bottles and bags have already been targeted, but a more recent opportunity is to cut down the use of plastic drinking straws. Carpe Diem (note: the resort is not yet open, but the Carpe Diem cruising yacht is in operation) is not just taking a bite out of plastic use, but is introducing straws you can take a bite out of yourself:
- ”It’s widely claimed there are enough plastic straws to wrap around the Earth’s circumference 2.5 times each day. Because they are so small, most straws are not recycled and usually end up in landfills and waterways, where they linger indefinitely, harming wildlife, and marring the natural beauty. Made to disappear and designed to have the same functionality expected of a plastic straw, Lolistraw will last for up to 8 hrs in a beverage and will have a shelf life of up to 24 months. When you’re done sipping your drink, you can eat the straw or compost it. The founders of LOLIWARE and the straw’s designers, Chelsea Briganti and Leigh Ann Tucker, have coined the term ‘Hyper-compostable’ to convey that all of their products, including Lolistraw, will break down at the same rate as food waste in compost or in the natural environment, such as a waterway.”
Mother Ocean’s Colourful Embrace
Mother Ocean Day today which “spotlights the magnificent bodies of water that make life on Earth possible”. Few countries appreciate the ocean more than the Maldives where is makes up more of their country than any other. To mark the occasion, I’ve assembled one of the most popular ocean shots on Instagram – the Anemonefish nestled in the protectively mothering tentacles of its host. If only we landlubbers could live in harmony with the ocean as well as these Amphiprioninae live in harmony in the ocean…
Best of the Maldives: Observatory Bar – Anantara Kihavah
“I am tasting stars” – Dom Perignon
Now you can taste Dom Perignon among the stars. On Anantara Kihavah’s new rooftop observatory and bar:
- “Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas has taken the wraps off its new SKY overwater observatory, which combines a luxury cocktail bar, a resident story-telling ‘Sky Guru’ and its very own telescope.”
Kihavah has extended the ultimate bottom-to-top vista to the heavens now including the most exquisite wines to accompany every concourse. And even if you have cloudy night, you can enjoy your sparkling wines under a sparkling firmament in the bar with a luminous ceiling display of constellations (see photo at bottom).
Potions in Paradise
Raise a glass to National Beverage Day. The fashionista set enjoy a pose with a glass of bubbly or a tropical cocktail, but that is just the tip of the thila for imbibing beauties…
- Olga ST (Russia) – JA Manafaru [ABOVE]
- Belle Lucia (Australia) – Cocoon
- Olesya Malinskaya (Russia) – Velaa
- Katrina (Russia) – Kihaa
- No A (Thailand) – Centara Ras Fushi
- Mali Kosinska (Russia) – Sun Siyam Irufushi
- Shannon More (New Zealand) – Kanuhura
- Eva Gutowski and Belle Lucia (USA – Australia) – LUX South Ari Atoll
- Ayla Marie Woodruff (USA) – Park Hyatt Hadahaa
- Yulia Rybakova (Russia) – Sun Siyam Irufushi
- Xenia Van Der Woodsen (Germany) – One & Only Reethi Rah
- Anya Denisik (Belarus) – Kurumba
- Jacqueline Fernandez (Sri Lanka) – Conrad Rangali
- Jamie Chua (Singapore) – Maalifushi
- Baby Akiyo (Malaysia) – Club Med Kani
- Faya Nillson (Sweden) – W Maldives
- Lauryn Goodman (United Kingdom) – Sun Aqua Vilu Reef
- Karina Irby (Australia) – Adaaran Hudhuranfushi
- Yulia Schastlivaya (Russia) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru
- Or Daniel (Israel) – One & Only Reethi Rah
- Poppy Delevingne (United Kingdom) – Finolhu
- Diana Dryn (Ukraine) – LUX South Ari Atoll
- Marissa Cox (France) – Halaveli
- Beatrice Ong (Singapore) – Olhuveli
- Pamela Reif (Germany) – Sun Siyam Irufushi
- Anna Sharapova (Russia) – One & Only Reethi Rah
- Reham al Nahii (Jordan) – Conrad Rangali
- Tatjana Kreuzmayr (Austria) – Summer Island
- Jessica Lee Buchanan (South Africa) – NIYAMA
- Henna Advani (Singapore) – Six Senses Laamu
- Belinda Morgan (Australia) – Club Med Kani
- Mai Morishita (Japan) – Oblu by Atmosphere
Best of the Maldives: Football Camp – Amilla Fushi
More “fullback” than “full bodied”, Amilla Fushi introduced its own training programme for guests (who are a bit too young to sample the wine cellar) of a football training camp:
- “Designed and developed by former professional football players, Jason and Glen Trifiro, FUTBOLTEC focuses on the techniques of young footballers in a professional and enjoyable learning environment. Sign up your kids for an exclusive 3-day football camp and let them participate on a field where players have the freedom to play and creativity is the most important thing. Choose from Junior camp for players aged 5-11 years old or Senior camp for players aged 12-16 years old. Each player will receive 9 hours of experienced coaching, training shirt, shorts, socks and training equipment.”
Best of the Maldives: Sommelier Certification – One & Only Reethi Rah
May Day, May Day…I need help…with my wine choice! May Day today is better known as a celebration of workers. Each year this day, I highlight an initiative that a resort is making in its people. This year is One & Only Reethi Rah who certify all their sommeliers through the internationally recognizes WSET standard:
- “This is a professional course and there is different levels, starting at Introduction Level 1 to advanced Level 4. All our sommeliers are certified thru this global group as well as about 20 other F&B staff members with more being certified next year.”
Raise a glass to all the resort workers who help make the Maldives even more of an experience of paradise. At Reethi Rah, “S.O.S.” stands for “Sommeliers Outstanding Service”.
Best of the Maldives: Ballet Instruction – Shangri-La Villingili
Dance is for everyone. Whether just swaying to the romantic ballads at the resort disco or practicing more classical form with Shangri-La Villingili’s innovative ballet programme.
- “Reveal the ballerina in you or just discover a new dance fitness routine with our Ballet Master. The celebrated ballerina, Karis Scarlette, a former performer of the Royal Ballet in London and a qualified teacher from the Royal Opera House, will be our Master in Residence, passing on the joy of ballet through inspiring and fun ballet classes for all ages.”
Instruction possibilities include:
- Ballet Fitness – 60 mins – Complimentary
- Mini Ballet – 30 mins, parents to be on hand to assist with little ones. Timings: 8 a.m. or 5 p.m.
- One-to-One Private Session – 60 min – $200 per person / 90 mins – $300 per person
- Private Sunset Guided Meditation & Stretching by the Beach – 30 mins – $150 for two guests
Best of the Maldives: Underwater Sculpture Gallery – Sirru Fen Fushi
International Sculpture Day today. And new resort Sirru Fen Fushi is launching a world class sculpture exhibit with the most distinctively Maldivian twist – it is underwater.
- “The sculptural installation on Sirru Fen Fushi will offer visitors a unique, cultural eco-art attraction whilst creating the foundations of an artificial reef to enhance the underwater ecosystem. The centre piece will be the Coral Cube, the worlds first semi submerged art space, a portal to the underwater realm offering visitors ephemeral encounters with the natural beauty beneath the water’s surface, delivering an other worldly experience that illustrates the connectivity of man with nature, a hybrid organic form in harmony with its surroundings, a seamless link between the land and the ocean, combining two disparate wonders, one created by man and one designed by nature.”
This creative installation is another gratifying “Finally Seen” for me as I first suggested such an exhibition 4 years ago with Part 4 of my “Not Seen Yet” series (#7).
