The Maldives is all about fun in the water. Tranquil, inviting sea and dazzling infinity pools. But the most basic form of aquatic frolics for kids is running through the “sprinkler”. NIYAMA Kids Club fountain lets the little ones cavort in their own posh version with it play fountain.
JA Manafaru’s kids pool is the other extreme to Huvafenfushi’s “Lonu Veyo” pool. While Huva’s is open on all side, this pool is obviously (like all kids clubs) enclosed to keep them from wandering off. But it’s not just 360 degree surround. It’s protection extends above too with an overhead canopy.
A brilliant touch to a kid’s pool. Kids can play all day in the pool. That means constant reapplying of sub block as it constantly gets washed off. The canopy provides a bit extra sun protection for their tender skin not to mention glare shielding for their eyes. Nothing ruins a sunny holiday much more than a sun burn. Some resorts actually have enclosed areas for their water play areas with full roofs. They have their benefits but do lose a bit of the warmth and brightness of the tropical outdoors.
Arbor Day today celebrates those those towering stoics of landscape flora. Actually, Arbor Days have proliferated around the world (celebrated in over 40 countries on different days of the year) indicating how pervasive the world’s appreciation for trees is. But the first Arbor Day was today in1872.
You can sit under them, look up and admire them, and climb them. But at the Dusit Thani kids club, you can play in them. The “Baan Sanook” features an extended treehouse complete with walkway and Maldivian palm thatch.
The feature echoes the Dusit’s Swiss Family Robinson chic of its Devarana Spa which is also elevated to the treetops.
Hug a tree today.
As I have noted, my very first vision for Maldives Complete was a site to provide information to families interested in visiting the Maldives. At the time, there were tons of sites for (a) honeymooners, and (b) divers, and yet I always felt that the destination was just as ideal for families as well.
A while back, the Mega Maldives Airlines invited me to write a piece which graced the cover of their in-flight magazine, “Ideal Family Vacation,” on just this subject which many people interested in the topic might find of interest…
“Nearly 10% of visitors to the Maldives were children last year…One of the biggest concerns of a parent travelling with children is safety. And a reassuring sense of security is one of the treasured qualities for a parent in the Maldives. Because the resorts are such small islands one classic fear that dissipates is that of them getting lost. You never would get the feeling that they were lost in the wilderness or snatched in a bustling area. In the Maldives, they might run off, but they can only go so far. And all of the resorts are contained to guests only with access on and off the island tightly monitored…Their unique archipelago topology means than most islands are surrounded by shallow calm lagoons, often protected several metres offshore by a coral reef. This means that there is often very little current and swimming in the ocean is like swimming in a paddling pool (or your own personal aquarium when you consider all of the colourful fish around – always a delight for the children).”
First comes honeymoon, then comes babymoon, and then comes familymoon. Kids don’t have to be the end of romance when romantic paradise is a great destination for them too. Our own Maldives history was years of family holidays to various resorts there so we’ve amassed a fair number of tip and tricks for enjoying a week on some remote island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
I was inspired to jot our favourite advice down after reading Constance’s fine blog post “5 tips for taking kids on a luxury holiday”
Our own Maldives-specific recommendations centre on two key dimensions of distinctive entertainment and excitement – snorkelling and adventure.
SNORKELING – The main event in the Maldives is snorkelling. Part of its appeal is its easy accessibility to people of all ages and abilities. Even poking around the coral croppings in the 2 feet deep lagoon shallows can be a delightful experience watching a menagerie of sea life. Still, even for kids comfortable with water and swimming, the activity of snorkelling throws in a few more variables which can frustrate. And if kids get too frustrated right off the bat, then their whole attitude can be turned adverse and they can balk at the participating the entire holiday.
HIGH SEAS ADVENTURE. The mystique of tropical paradise is most colourfully portrayed through the extensive oeuvre of “pirate” tales of exotic adventure. Tapping into the swashbuckling vibe can be a fun way to spice up the trip…
When we were growing up, we used to ask my parents, “There is a Fathers Day and a Mothers Day, but when is Children’s Day??” My parents always used to answer (disappointingly to us), “Every day is Childrens Day.” Well, there is finally a Childrens Day today. Universal Children’s Day, established to promote the welfare and well being of children around the world.
When I first started Maldives Complete, my very first inspiration was children. In the nineties, Maldives was known for (a) honeymooning, and (b) diving. But when we visited, we found it a great destination for children.
While the Maldives in general is great for children, one increasingly popular feature has become a bit of a child-challenged ghetto…water villas. The obvious reason is safety. The jetties are typically flat walkways which the occasional stumble can send adults (or even bikes and buggies) over the edge into the water below. There have been rumors, often cited by resorts where children are not allowed in water villas, that it is against Maldivian regulations to allow them, but that is not actually the case.
Given that today is International Children’s Day promoting the welfare of children, understanding the ins and outs of children in the water villas is an important subject.
The water villas are typically located in calm lagoon shallows so a rescue is pretty straightforward. As with bringing a child to a locale surrounded by water, however tranquil that water may be, vigilant attention to the child is always paramount anyway. And many parents are willing to pay the price of this extra diligence and supervision for the benefit of enjoying the distinctive water villa experience as a family.
Every resort is different when it comes to child policies in the water villas. I have been trying to capture most of the various policies in the Room Type Profiles. But the resort which seems to have to mot child-friendly approach is Centara Grand according to TripAdvisor’s Maldives Travel Article “Maldives: Children in the Maldives”…
“Reputed to have the most family friendly villas in the Maldives and also the only resort which allows children in the Over Water Villas (OWV) without the need to sign a disclaimer first, Centara is a popular family choice. The pool is also a major draw.”
TripAdvisor Destination Expert Nefertari2 elaborates…
“The Family Water Villa’s on Centara are children friendly. They have a railing, with vertical slats all the way around the decking which is at least a metre high and there is a gate which you can lock at the top of the stairs which leads to steps down into the lagoon. There is also a gate at the entrance of the Water Villa which is lockable to prevent the children from running straight onto the jetty as lets face it the robes won’t stop them falling. They are the most child friendly water villa’s I have seen in the Maldives.”
Sand banks aren’t the only middle-of-the-ocean features that move around the water like some sort of Lost plot. Kuramathi’s “Aquaglide” water trampoline gives guests the opportunity to bounce all over the place too. Also ‘Best for Water Tiggers’, ie. ‘bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun.”
(thanks Paul)
Whenever I describe the Maldives to someone, I always say “You know those iconic pictures of tropical islands with a plot of sand and a palm tree…that’s the Maldives.” Kudos to Dusit Thani whose kids club sandbox evokes this zeitgeist with its tapas-sized version of a Maldives deserted island.
The 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi wind down today with one of the climatic events, the men’s Ice Hockey gold medal game. For those wishing to join in the Olympic spirit, the One & Only Reethi Rah offers a first rate air hockey table. Gives a new meaning to the winter games phrase “big air”.
The exotic tropical islands of the archipelago just scream out the fables of “buried treasure” from pirate lore. A number of resorts now feature the sorts of treasure hunts that we used to concoct for our kids during our visits. But Jumeirah Vittaveli has made the treasure a bit more edifying than the sweeties I used to leave at the X-marks-the-spot. Each specially sequestered box, like “Fenesse Point” above, includes an educational tidbit about the island and life there. Knowledge is indeed riches worthy of a prince or princess.