Best of the Maldives: Tables – Kanuhura

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Kanuhura tsunami tables

Seven years ago today, one of the most profound natural disasters of modern times hit Asian with the Boxing Day Tsunami. With an epicenter in Sumatra, it still yielded deadly force thousands of miles away in the Maldives where 68 people died and 300 were injured.

Like all of the countries affected, the Maldives mourned their losses and started the process of rebuilding. Many resorts were struck which led to renovation projects. The One & Only Kanuharu were hit which, among other damage, fell many of their trees on the east side of the island. As a part of the clean up, Kanuhura’s on-island wood-workers gathered up the downed tree trunks and fashioned them into tables that are used throughout their Handhuvaru lounge. Lots of resorts have all sorts of creative designer furnishings throughout, but these simple, locally hand-hewn creations memorializing a pivotal event in the region’s history are the most compelling to me.

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Best of the Maldives: Underwater Holiday Decoration – Anantara Kihavah

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Anantara Kihavah underwater Christmas tree

Wee fish you a ‘mer’ eco-ristmas!

An inspired underwater creation at Anantara Kihavah this holiday season…

“Is it a rock? Is it a tree? Is it an eco-friendly coral Christmas tree under the sea? Anantara Kihavah Villas in the Maldives’ UNESCO Marine Biosphere Baa Atoll region has taken its unique coral adoption initiative to new festive depths with the creation of an underwater Christmas tree made entirely from reef coral collected from the seabed. Diners at the exclusive island resort’s Sea Restaurant, one of the few underwater restaurants in the world, can view the Christmas tree display along with striped lionfish, moray eel and eagle rays while savouring the Indian Ocean’s abundance of marine life.”

I have had to adapt a version of the classic carol ‘Oh, Christmas Tree’ for this creation…

Eau Christmas Tree, Eau Christmas tree,
How lovely are your nudibranchs!
In beauty green and blue as one,
Through summer sun and winter sun.
Eau Christmas tree, Eau Christmas tree,
How lovely are your nudibranches!

Happy Holidays to everyone! Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All.

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Best of the Maldives: Japanese Restaurant – Adaaran Vadoo

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Vadoo Kitajima 2

And another Happy Birthday…today to the Emperor of Japan.

To celebrate, it’s time for another doff of the kabuto once again to all things Japanese in the Maldives, Adaaran Vadoo. This time, in this season that puts the ‘feast’ into ‘festive’, it is the Kitajima restaurant. Many resorts feature Japanese fare like sushi and tempura and some even have full fledged Japanese restaurants. But none as extensive and authentic as Kitajima. The materials used in building the restaurant, supplies used in preparing the dishes (except for the hyper-fresh seafood), and the staff straight from Japan (including the manageress who has been there since the opening).

“Adaraan Prestige Vadhoo is unique in the Maldives to offer a Japanese specialty restaurant. For those wishing a change of taste and scene you can try traditional Japanese meals ranging from fresh sushi to succulent tempura at the Kithajima restaurant. Our staffs have had many years of training and experience in the preparation of Japanese cuisine and will endeavour to prepare your selections to suit your preferences. Traditional Japanese favourites ranging from edamame and spring rolls to sushi, tempura and sashimi served with specially made sauces and accompaniments are just some of the dishes on offer to satisfy your cravings. Only the freshest of seasonal sea food and best ingredients are used in the preparation of the dishes. Many Japanese beers and Sake is available to enhance the dining experience.”

Vadoo Kitajima 3

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Best of the Maldives: Chocolate Dessert – W Retreat

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W Retreat 7 Layer Chocolate

Happy Birthday Lori!

Today my companion in all my adventures celebrates the major milestone of her 50th birthday. Lori was the one who was initially responsible for my immersion into all things Maldives. After living in the United Kingdom for nearly a year, we hit the dreary, grey winter months. After many weeks without seeing the sun, Lori confronted me with the ultimatum, “Bruce, either you pay for a tropical holiday or you pay for psychotherapy. Either way you are going to pay, but might I suggest that you might enjoy the tropical holiday more.” My friend Andy Lees insisted that the only place to take her was the Maldives. And the rest was history.

On this day, the thing to celebrate is cake. There are a plethora of spectacular chefs in the Maldives so I am typically very hesitant to ascribe any ‘Best of Maldives’ for specific foods. Most of the ‘Best of Dining’ accolades go to distinctive experiences or venues. If I am going to accord a kudos, it needs to be quite a narrow area (like Sheraton Full Moon’s Gazpacho).

While I couldn’t whisk her away to the Maldives, I do have special gourmet treats planned for her tonight, including a special chocolate cake which evoked one of the most memorable desserts we ever enjoyed in the Maldives – the W Retreat’s ‘7 Layer Chocolate Cake’. Like Lori’s birthday surprise, the cake was two months in development by Pastry Chef Sanjit Gupta. It mastered that paradox of rich flavours with exceedingly light feel to it.

The 7 layers were…

  • Sacher sponge
  • Chocolate marquis
  • Chocolate Brule
  • Hazelnut custard mousse
  • Chocolate jelly
  • Milk chocolate mousse
  • Cocoa powder

Exquisite…like Lori.

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Best of the Maldives: Spa Design – Six Senses Laamu

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Six Senses Laamu spa dreaming of maldives

The spa ‘vista’ doesn’t have to be the glorious Maldivian seaside when you have such dazzling design for the spa itself. Six Senses Laamu’s spa stands out not only in the Maldives, but worldwide having recently been nominated for ‘Spa Design of the Year’. Its look is inspired by nature resembling a woven bird’s nest.

Six Senses Laamu spa

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Best of the Maldives: Spa Vista – Adaaran Vadoo

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Vadoo spa vista 1

The vogue thing in the Maldives is the underwater features, but I am an unabashed fan of the over water views as well. Waaaay over water. The sea plane rides and any place that provides a broader perspective on the distinctive aquatic landscape.

You can drink with a view, dine with a view, and workout with a view. And you can even relax with a view at Adaaran Vadoo Prestige’s spa right at the window looking out over the ocean from a rare (in the Maldives) 3rd story.

Vadoo spa vista 2

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Best of the Maldives: Buffet Vista – Hulhule

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Hulhule Buffet

 

Everyday is an air show in the Maldives. One of the most exciting parts of a trip there is the arrival. When your plane first touches the edges of the sprawling archipelago you are treated to an other-worldly vision of a blue kaleidoscope. Always do whatever you can to get a window seat for flights in and out of Male airport.

This view was formally recognized this week by the website PrivateFly.com who surveyed their members for the ‘Top 10 Airport Approaches in the World’ and Male came in #5…

"It is an Island Airport, on its own island..The airport is surrounded by deep blue seas, turquoise reefs, white sandy beaches and palm trees…approaching over the Maldivian Atolls where you often see turtles and dolphins on approach."

The airport touchdown isn’t the only thing at Hulhule with a great vista. The Hulhule Hotel features its restaurant buffet on its 4th floor with the best mealtime vistas in the Maldives. Most buffets are relegated to the interior of the island without even a glimpse of the ocean, but at Hulhule the entire expanse of blueness is spread before you as copiously as the delectable items before you with big picture windows on both sides of the room.

Sometimes there are less attractive tankers in bay, other times some of the glitziest yachts. One of the sights, obviously, is the Male airport, so the restaurant also would have made a great grandstand for this week’s airshow.

Enjoy the approach yourself with some of the videos on YouTube…

Male airport

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Best of the Maldives: Vodka – W Retreat

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W Retreat vodka

 

Today is the Red Bull Air Race over Hulhumale capping off yesterday’s Red Bull Air Show (see photo below)

The classic, near iconic, Red Bull cocktail is the ‘Vodka Red Bull’. And if you are looking for the best place for vodka, the barn storming winner is without doubt the W Retreat. Specifically, it’s night club ’15 Below’ which prides itself on its dozens of varieties of vodka on offer in its vodka wall (see photo above).

Their most unusual vodka is Roberto Cavalli from Italy. Their most popular vodka cocktail is ‘Kiwi Spring’.

Right up there with the Ice Bar at the Ice Hotel as one of the best vodka bars in the world.

Check out series of videos from the event on YouTube.

 

Red Bull Air Show

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Best of the Maldives: Sand-Between-Toes Dining: Velassaru

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Velassaru beach dining

Dining on the beach is pretty standard now, but dining ‘in’ the beach? There are ‘beach chairs’ and then there are ‘beach’-chairs. As in ‘made out of beach’. And I don’t mean ‘beech’.

If you like getting down for dinner, then Velassaru takes ‘sand between your toes’ dining to a whole new level. A level down into the sand for sand between your toes, legs, and anything else.

I’ve always been a big aficionado of beach dining in the Maldives and have been frustrated when resorts sequestered guests off into to cinder block dining halls for meals.

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Best of the Maldives: Low Bed – Adaaran Vadoo

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Vadoo bed

Time to get down.

The latest bed instalment is not the biggest, nor the best, but the ‘lowest’. In keeping with its Japanese heritage and ambience, the Vadoo beds rest on the ground. Not like your typical ‘Beds-R-Us’ foldable futons though, these beds are as plush and thick.

I had my bed on the floor growing up. It was especially convenient for collapsing into (perhaps a very serious concern for some people). Also, great for subclinophobics (fear of things under the bed).

Vadoo is not unique with this bed style, but Vadoo is best quality I have come across with its quality of mattress, bedding and stylishly design black lacquer frame.

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