Instead of construction inspired from overseas, Cocoa Island features villas inspired from over the sea. These dhoni-inspired delights are the centrepiece of the all-water villa resort. The design makes if one of the most captivating resorts. Cocoa was one of the top resorts recommended to me by one of the Maldivian government ministers on my last visit and it is regularly featured in distinctive hotel lists like “The 100 Most Amazing, Unique, and Beautiful Hotels In The World” (one of the best lists I have come across and has inspired a short Italy getaway for Lori and I next month).
Maldives Quiz night – What is one word in English that comes directly from the Maldivian language of Dhivehi? Answer: Atoll.
Today is Dhivehi Language Day. I’ve always been a bit of word buff. I used to look up the meaning of every word that I didn’t know write down their definition on a small slate (probably was a big contributor getting into such a good school for me).
The other official word that is in the Oxford English Dictionary that also comes from Dhivehi is ‘Dhoni’. But to me, it’s not quite the same since ‘dhoni’ seems almost like a proper name of a specific thing in from this specific place. Furthermore, I never heard of a ‘dhoni’ until I travelled to the Maldives. But ‘atoll’ is a much more generic term in widespread use in common parlance.
But my favourite Dhivehi word is one I came across on our visit to Sun Island – “Araamu”. It is the name of the Villa resort spas and is dhivehi for “Total Relaxation”. Just like in the artic, Eskimos purportedly have 100 words for ‘snow’, in the Maldives, they seem to have multiple variations on the word ‘relaxation’. As a part of that relaxation totality, the spa offers you a ‘noni and tamarind’ welcome drink which is one of the most therapeutic welcome drinks I have come across.
A day for Dad to sit back in his favourite chair all day. One of my favourite chairs in the Maldives is Ayada’s ‘Dhoni Seats’. A creative touch of maritime Maldivian tradition.
No it’s not a shipwreck (though you can imagine that if you like) nor a bad dhoni parking job. It’s the dhoni-inspired Anantara kids club.
Who needs a big body of water at their kids club when you can have an entire ocean in your imagination. In fact Anantara does have any kiddie pool at its kids club, but the dollop of imagination the kids can be out in the open ocean while in the safety, security and supervision of the club. Anantara has modelled its kids club as a Maldivian dhoni. So as our son would say, he’s not going off to child minding…he is on an adventure on the ‘big boat’.
The iconic Maldivian dhoni inspires many features at Maldive resorts beyond the arrival lounge. In fact, you can even go to the eponymous Dhoni Island (well, used to be able to…now it is shut down). If you want to start your day with such a maritime cultural inspiration, then go to Kanuhura for their ‘Dhoni Breakfast’. The elegant morning meal is served by a personal waiter on a Kuda Dhoni (a small Maldivian traditional boat) while you enjoy the sun rise over the water.
When we visited Conrad Rangali with my parents, we took the Goma (which was still in active service) for a breakfast cruise and found it a refreshing experience which evokes one of his favourite blessings is from Winslow Homer…
“The sun will not rise or set without my notice and thanks.”
Sometimes the greeting is distinguished by the arrival jetty itself. Iru Fushi also has a cultural twist to its welcome and a Maldivian one at that. Its arrival jetty is fashioned into a classic Maldivian dhoni.
My recent visit to several prime resorts in the Maldives uncovered a wealth (65) of distinctive features that I will be exploring in depth over the coming months. I thought I would start off with a taster selection over the coming week for each resort.
The first resort on the itinerary was Four Seasons Kuda Huraa. Every spa treatment is a treat. And the best Maldive ones build up the anticipation with lovely receptions infused with incense and ambient tones that start the process of transporting you away mind and body to another place. Four Seasons Kuda Huraa takes this ‘transporting’ quite literally to a whole new level with its shuttle service to its spa. The Kuda Huraa spa sits by itself on a small little island just off shore from the main island. You could take a short swim over I guess, but the quaint ‘Kuda Dhoni’ (‘Little Boat’) ride over is just the thing to shift gears from the resort to your own little special sanctuary.
And the destination is worthy of mention. It is certainly one of the top massages we have had (the therapist was very attentive to a neck pain and spent extra time on that area that was very effective).
The Maldives are all about being close to the ocean. In the tiny islands, the waterside is never more than a few yards away. The water bungalows put you right over the water. But the ultimate water bungalow, if you will, are Dhoni Mighili’s floating ‘villas’. Luxurious accommodation fashioned into the a traditionally styled Maldivian dhoni boat.
Dhoni Mighili is also highlighted in Time magazines ‘Best of Asia’ feature winning the ‘Best Place to Blow Serious Cash’ badge.
