For a just above the surface treat, LUX South Ari Atoll offers breakfast en bain. Maybe not radio controlled, but close enough to another “finally seen”.
Best of the Maldives: Beach Gym – Jumeirah Vittaveli
If you want the buff beach bod, then you might want to head to Jumeirah Vittaveli for some beach bootcamp on the beach gym they have set up there. Here is another “finally seen” as I had first seen such apparatus during a holiday in Spain a few years ago where they were quite popular for working out in the sun and counteracting the effects of too many sangrias the night before.
Best of the Maldives: Ballet – NIYAMA
Most live entertainment in the Maldives is either rock DJ or romantic acoustic. Given the upper crust economic brackets of most of the Maldives’ guests, I always wondered if something a bit more sophisticated wouldn’t go amiss. Like opera or ballroom dancing. Well, NIYAMA has brought one of the most sublime arts to the land of ethereal beauty and sublime grace – ballet…
“Fluidity and strength take centre stage against a backdrop of Indian Ocean. Under sparkling stars and above the crystal waters of the Maldives, the Mariinsky Ballet’s First Soloist, Xander Parish, performs for PULSE by PER AQUUM. Accompanied by dancers and soloists of the Mariinsky, the movements of Scheherazade, Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote and Carmen Suite come to life in a tidal swell. Guests at PER AQUUM Niyama will enjoy an exclusive performance on 21 August with an encore at PER AQUUM Huvafen Fushi on 23 August. Budding ballerinas and ballerinos will also have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to take centre stage themselves. Xander and his hand-picked ensemble, including Oksana Bondareva and Renata Shakirova, will be offering masterclasses at each resort during their visit.”
Grand jetés for grand jet setters.
Best of the Maldives: Water Slide Car – Centara Grand
For more G-rated frolics in the Maldives lagoon, Centara Grand has finally introduced yet another “not yet seen” item to its aquatic playground. Whheeee!
Best of the Maldives: Geocaching – Thulhagiri / Paradise Island
If you fancy a bit of personal archaeology into the Digital Age, then you can undertake your own digging about for a Maldives geocache.
Thulhgiri (that resort’s first Best of the Maldives award) and Paradise Island are the two resorts which feature geochaches in the Maldives (there are 8 in total across the country). As the Paradise Island description says…
“If you are bored wink by snorkeling, diving, swimming, looking for fish, shells, sharks, manta’s, crabs or just of relaxing and enjoying the beach and the sun, this box can be a little alteration.”
Another “Finally Seen” (Not Yet Seen Part 8 – item #25). As I’ve mentioned so many times, the Maldives exudes a tropical paradise pirate treasure mystique. And so “treasure hunts” are particularly appropriate entertainment during a visit (so much so that with this post, I’m adding a category tag “Treasure”). We used to stage them for our kids, but with geocaching, all ages can join in the fun.
Best of the Maldives: Water Zorb – Club Med Kani
For extra water safety, maybe not “wrapped in cotton wool”, but wrapped in a 360 degree floatation device. And in the safe confines of the Club Med Kani pool. Chalk up another “Finally Seen” (#12 of Part 5).
Best of the Maldives: Bath Buddies – JA Manafaru
Water is the very essence of the Maldives. So it would seem that an ideal memento of one’s stay would be something one can enjoy when one is in the warm water relaxing. JA Manafaru’s bath buddy provide a few variants especially apropos to a Maldives stay. May favourite is the snorkel duck.
I’ve added a new tag for “Finally Seen” for those “Best of the Maldives” pieces featuring things I had called out in the “Not Yet Seen” series. In this case, #23 of this past Christmas’s post.
Absolutely ducky!
Best of the Maldives: Tub Rain Showers – Hideaway Beach
Rain descending from above is not typically a welcome feature of a Maldives stay, except when the rain shower is actually, literally, a “rain SHOWER”.
When we first started coming to the Maldives, massage and power showers were the luxury soakers. Shortly thereafter, “rain showers” became the table stakes default for a self-respecting super-premium resort.
Hideaway Beach resort goes even further with their rain shower offering a trifecta of distinction…
- Double shower – A double rain shower. No more getting chilly with having to swap in and out of who gets to be under the water. The resort’s Ocean Villas also have two person rain showers in their bathrooms.
- Likely the “tallest shower” in the Maldives (with it reaching several metres up to the bathroom ceiling),
- Tub/Shower combo – Another “finally seen” ticked off.
Best of the Maldives: Water Park – Hideaway Beach
If you need a little help with your leaping, then I recommend a visit to Hideaway Beach’s new water park. In fact, it looks like one of the best places to leap in the entire Maldives. Water trampoline, water slide, water bounce cushion, water climbing walls…
“Consisting of six inflatables such as a trampoline, slide, balance bar, linked by floating pontoons, this will be open daily and is free of charge to all of our guests (both little and grown up!). “
It even includes the Inflatable Body Launcher I called for in “Haven’t Seen Yet in the Maldives – Part 6”.
Geronimo!
Best of the Maldives: Indoor Cinema – JA Manafaru
And the Oscar for the best Cinema goes to…JA Manafaru.
About the only thing at our home that provides an idyllic comfort and relaxation on par with the Maldives is nestling down in front of our in-home cinema. When we hit a bit of discretionary income a few years back, we didn’t buy a fancy car or boat or second home. We installed a quite sophisticated home cinema – projection screen, THX 7:1 surround sound, and custom seating where we could put our feet up. You always get an ideal seat, you can drink a glass of wine and you can pause it if you need the toilet.
Today’s “Best of” gives an Oscar weekend double feature to Manafaru. As it happens, they feature double with two cinema set ups – one in the bar and one in the games area. It includes 10 foot wide screen with HD projection and surround sound. A number of resorts now have outdoor cinemas where you can still soak up the tropical island vibe while enjoying your favourite flick. But sometimes a bit of shelter from the elements and a space designed for viewing pleasure is the best cinematic experience. Also, great inclement weather insurance for your Maldives holiday.