Best of the Maldives: Indoor Overwater Lounge – Club Med Kani

Club Med Kani manta lounge exterior

 

Sometimes a ‘Best Of’ involves no particularly unique ingredient, just assembling the pieces in a distinctive way. That is how I felt about another lounge on the water, Club Med Kani’s ‘Manta Lounge’. It is part of their ‘5 Trident’ luxury water villas area.

On face value, there is not much there that you wouldn’t see in one form or another especially at the higher end resorts. But something about the execution impressed me so much that I imagined if I was staying at Kani (I was only there one day), then I would probably spend a fair amount of time at Manta.

Despite being enclosed, it has a nice, airy and open feel to it. But the enclosure has lots to appreciate…

  • Shielding from the rays when you’ve had lots of sun.
  • Air conditioning when you had lots of heat.
  • Wide variety of seating when you’ve had lots of beach loungers.
  • Wifi when you’ve had lots of time away from web surfing.
  • Easy access to refreshments on offer when you have lots pangs of hunger and thirst.

Many resorts have enclosed lounges and libraries, but most of the time they are sequestered by reception with little view and buried in the main complex. Lots of resorts have sitting areas out on jetties, but most of the time, they are uncomfortable wooden bench with a modest palm canopy. The Manta Lounge was the best of the jetty rest areas combined with the best of the reception lounges.

As a bonus, they had the overwater hammocks which are lots of fun and comfy, but mostly I have seen them as features on private water villas and not available to the general guest population.

 

Club Med Kani manta lounge

 

Club Med Kani manta hammock

Best of the Maldives: Boat Deck – Shangri-La Vilingili

Shangri-La Villingili Horizon boat deck

For a bigger sailing sunrise and cruise that is just as enjoyable in silence, Shangri-La Vilingili has one of the best bows I have seen for relaxing in the best seat in the house. Sofa on the foredeck. Brill.

Lori and I have done our fair share of boating from your brother-in-law’s 50 foot catamaran on the North Carolina Intercoastal waterway to sailing with various friends. One of the favourite places to settle down for the ride is the very bow of the boat. A la Titanicking of the world’ style. The problem is that it never seems to be that comfortable up there. Anchor chains and other rigging get in the way of truly stretching out. While not at the tippy-tip of the prow, I nonetheless love the Villingili luxury yacht Horizon’s sofa situated on the foredeck for languid place to stretch out and truly enjoy the ride.

Sitting on the sofa at home watching Graham Norton somehow doesn’t compare with sitting here and watching the sunrise.

Best of the Maldives Online: Diving Signs – Scuba Hanna

Worldwide Dive and Sail Maldives trip for hearing impaired

  

In honor of Dhivehi Language Day yesterday, we feature a post on a universal language. One familiar to speakers of all languages who dive in the Maldives.

Diving is probably most people’s first introduction to actually using sign language. That is except for the hearing impaired, of course, for whom the underwater world is just as east to converse in as above water. Worldwide Dave and Sail offers a range of diving holidays for the deaf and this week takes them to the Maldives for a wide ranging itinerary including a stop at the Kuramathi house reef.

“Ever wanted to take the plunge, but you have been unable to take that giant leap because you are D/deaf or hard of hearing? Do you find it hard to understand instructors in big classes? FRUSTRATED?? Not anymore… Welcome to Worldwide Dive and Sail where your worries will disappear. We use a wide range of communication methods to ensure that everyone can understand and participate; these being: BSL, ASL, lip-speaking, gestures and fingerspelling. We aim to accommodate everyone, whatever their communication needs are! Please note, however, that all our trips will be a mix of D/deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people.”

The trip goes from 18-28 April and includes Male, Rasdhoo, Ari,Thaa, Nilhande and Laamu atolls.

If you would like to enhance your silent vocabulary of underwater words, then I highly recommend Scuba Hanna’s YouTube channel which is the most complete collection I have found. She does an entire 3 minute video on just different signs for different species of shark, and all sorts of fish I never knew the signals for like angel fish, and clown fish.

 

OK sign

Best of the Maldives: Traditional Sailing Breakfast – Soneva Gili

Soneva Gili - sailing breakfast

 

 

If you want a traditional floating breakfast with even more traditional mode movement (and more natural and quiet), then you want Soneva Gili’s sailing breakfast (you can rinse your hands naturally too by just reaching over the side). For a price of $100 per person (exclusives of 10% service charge and 6% GST)…

“We offer Continental breakfast selection for this dining experience. The selection can be offered as per the guests choice and availability and feasibility to serve on the sailing boat.”

Best of the Maldives: Skin Service – Reethi Rah

Reethi Rah skin service

 

 

There’s soft against the skin, and then there is soft skin itself. With the beating that the sun can give the epidermis, one needs a little help to keep it fresh and supple. Yes, great products, but to that Reethi Rah adds and exceptional service

“The Sun Spa Esthederm is a unique service which will identify each guest's individual skin sun potential and advise them on the best skin care to maximise their full tanning potential. Institut Esthederm has developed more than 28 different sun care products, which allow all skin types to get the benefits of the sun safely. They also allow users to get the desired results under any kind of sunlight intensity. A full day service by the pool or the beach includes the services of a professional Sun Spa Esthederm therapist who will start by preparing the skin for the sun and then apply and reapply sun cream every hour or two and after swimming according to the guest's skin type and programme. At the end of the day, guests will enjoy an after sun treatment to sooth their skin and prolong their tan.”

It’s sort of like a ‘complexion butler’ or ‘skin crème sommelier’ (“Mademoiselle, we have a charming ‘Bain de Soleil 1973’ for a smooth body and a lingering fresh finish…”).  The only downsides are that the only choices on the menu are from the ‘house’ of Institut Esthederm Paris, and the price is a vintage $200 per day.

Best of the Maldives: Towel Scuplture – Club Med Kani

Club Med Kani towel sculpture

Pin it!

I was inspired by the terry cloth creature above to take the plunge into the latest social mediaPinterest. Pinterest allows you to set up albums to share collections of photos. I’ve already featured room art a number of times including ‘Bed Decoration’ and ‘Bed Art’, but this particular piece (shared with permission from guest Vincent Benita) is by far the most elaborate and cheeky I have ever seen.

The piece made me realise that I regularly come across great examples of bed and room decorations and rather than constantly revising my ‘Best Of’ posts, it would be better to create an honour gallery where al my discoveries could be collected and showcased. I’m started with the following two ‘Boards’…

I was tempted to create a ‘Maldives Sunset’ Board since there are so many prize examples of those on the web, but I’m going to start with these first.

Best of the Maldives: Softness – W Retreat

W Retreat tshirts

W Retreat is the cashmere of Maldives resorts. Soft, cozy and luxurious.

A bit of an off-beat recognition for a resort that does pride itself on off-beat stuff. But it is just so evident. When my wife Lori and I visited the W this summer, we were stuck by the quality of materials used in general, but especially the sheets (which have super high thread counts).

I thought that it would be a fun piece to do today being Easter which is all about soft, cuddly things like baby chicks and bunnies not to mention silky smooth chocolate to savor.

The GM of the W (GMW?) Lauren Kritzinger knew my pet peeve about resorts not having good t-shirts for sale. So he was gutted when their revamped styles had not arrived when we visited. I let him off the hook and took his word for it that they would be good. But, not content, Laurens sent me a couple of samples of the new product (see picture above) when we got home. And yes, the t-shirts are truly distinctive. And that is from a resort t-shirt connoisseur. Nice simple styling, but most distinctive is the material. The cotton is such a fine grade it is like silk. Not only do they feel fantastic, but they are lighter weight than any other t-shirt I have ever come across. Just right for the toasty sunshine of the Maldives.

Soft shirts, soft sands, soft bedding, soft music, a soft touch with their obsessive service and even free soft drinks every few feet.

Best of the Maldives: Treehouse – Soneva Fushi

Soneva Fushi treehouse

Do you want the ‘Robinson Family’ experience instead of the ‘Robinson Crusoe’ experience?

If you want to not just admire the trees, but sleep in them, then look into Soneva Fushi’s ‘Villa Suite and Treehouse’.

  • A walkway leads from the Villa to the Tree House
  • Situated 2.5 meters above ground level
  • 2 bunk bed (2 singles)
  • Small toilet with basin and WC
  • Balcony/Terrace
  • Air-conditioning and overhead fan

The whole concept evokes one of my earliest memories of exotic, tropical island is the movie the ‘Swiss Family Robinson’. A Disney, family version of its (probably intentional) namesake ‘Robinson Crusoe’. Not one man stranded in paradise, but a charming family. Of all of their innovative contraptions crafted from what they could scavange the most captivating was their treehouse abode. Ostensibly for protection from wild critters, but actually simply a pre-adolescently fantasy.

Soneva’s website includes a 360 virtual tour for a cinematic preview.

Best of the Maldives: Arboreal Signs – Kuredu

Kuredu tree signs

If you don’t have a tree guide book to hand but still want to know the identity and stories behind some of the striking landscape on the island, then you will appreciate Kuredu.

We often describe the Maldives as a plot of sand and a few trees. Everyone loves the sand bit, but the trees often go unmentioned and unappreciated. The palm trees are certainly a prevalent fixture, but the islands also have an arboretum of tropical curiosities like the Banyan, and (one of our favourites) the Walking Pine.

“Hernandia Nyphaeifolia – English Name: Lantern Tree…Grows up to 20 meters high and found in coasts of East Africa, Asia, and Polynesia including South Pacific. The seeds of this tree are spread by bats, the leaves, fruits, seeds and bark of the tree is said to have medicinal values. Tahitians polish the seed and make necklaces.”

Kuredu has posted a series of handsome and informative signs at prime examples of arboreal distinction across the resort which adds a bit of natural interest and insight during your strolls.

Kuredu tree signs 2