13 Over Water Hammocks

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Maldives lagoon hammock

After all that lagoon drinking, you might need a place to lie down for a bit. For a growing number of resorts, you won’t have to go far. One of the most popular lagoon accessory is the over water hammock. Years ago, this feature was quite distinctive, but now it is becoming (rightfully) more popular. Here is your guide to lagoon lounging in the Maldives…

1. Anantara Dhigu
Anantara Dhigu - lagoon hammock

2. Meeru
Meeru - lagoon hammock

3. Gili Lankanfushi
Gili Lankanfushi - lagoon hammock

4. Kanuhura
Kanuhura - lagoon hammock

5. Ayada
Ayada - lagoon hammock

6. The Rania Experience
The Rania Experience - lagoon hammock

7. Nika
Nika - lagoon hammock

8. Gangehi
Gangehi - hammock

9.  AaaVeee
AaaVee hammock

10.  Taj Coral Reef

11.  Six Senses Laamu

12.  Summer Island
summer-island-lagoon-hammock

13.  Vilu Reef

 

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Best of the Maldives: Lagoon Wine Tasting – Kurumba

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Kurumba - in lagoon wine tasting

Why sip your red wine by the water, when you can savour it in the water? Immerse yourself in the aquatic paradise that is the Maldives.

I’ve long pined for more extensive use of the lagoons. With one of the “best” lagoons around, Kurumba has found a way to make more use of it than just sheltered snorkelling and leisurely ocean dips. It offers a weekly lagoon wine tasting hosted by one of the resort sommeliers (above left). They offered a selection of both red and white of some thoroughly enjoyable bottles made more than mouth-watering with its exquisite venue.

I’ve long mused about what criteria to use to “rate” the resort lagoons (any suggestions?), but I have added yet another new tag for “Lagoon” so people can wade through all of the Maldives Complete pieces on the, well, not so deep subject.

Kurumba - in lagoon wine tasting sunset

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Best of the Maldives: Waboba Ball – Kurumba

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Waboba action at Kurumba

Mill pond flat water. One of the trademarks of the Maldives seascape. Especially in the sheltered lagoons. Just perfect for skipping stones. But the soft sandy beaches of the Maldives are devoid of stones pretty much. Anyway, you find the perfect skipping stone and then it’s gone after a single throw. It sinks to the watery abyss starting and finishing its skipping career in a single moment of glory.

The Australian innovation, Waboba Ball, takes the fun of skipping stones and turns it into a beach game. It is a ball weighted just enough to give it great skipping action. You can play skipping-catch (see above) or compete to see who get get the most skips in a throw.

An ideal Christmas gift for someone hanging around the Maldives shallow waters. Of course, such a great gift is only found in one of the Maldives’ finest stores, Kurumba’s Nala boutique.

Special thanks to my demonstrators Cailen and Keegan Calkin who provide the action demo above.

Kurumba - waboba ball beach

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Best of the Maldives: Mermaid Photo Point – Jumeirah Dhevanafushi

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Jumeirah Dhevanafushi - mermaid photoshoot point

As Fashion Week has shown, there is nothing like just the right setting and backdrop to “make” a photo. When I was selecting shots for the photoshoot posts, I strong favoured shots by the water (only 2 of the 52 shots were not by the water). The ocean is what engulfs and defines the Maldives.

The “wading into the lagoon” is a popular pose (as is lying down an wallowing in the shallows), but then a part of yourself is submerged and hidden. If you want to set yourself apart, the Ocean Pearls of Jumeirah Dhevanafushi happens to have a random out-cropping of rock between a couple of the water villas. It is easy wading/swimming from to get to it where it provides an ideal mermaidesque posing platform jutting out of the sea.

So for those channelling your inner-Ariels (or if you are very lucky, maybe one of the Maldives’ own extremely rare indigenous mermaids – see reported snap below – might just perch there themselves).

Maldives mermaid

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Best of the Maldives: Lagoon Table – Centara Ras Fushi

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Centara Ras Fushi - in lagoon lunch

I love Maldives lagoons. The whole magic of the Maldives centers around its unique shallow and calm waters. In my “Haven’t Seen” series, a recurring theme is resorts not doing enough “in water”. A few resorts are starting to move tables into the shallows for some wet-piggy-toes dining, but Centara Ras Fushi has made a bolder move with a thatched-parasol table set permanently in its lagoon.

You can even pre-book the table for your lunch at no extra charge (the seafood platter is appropriately the most popular). Mind you, you do need to think about the tide timings (see below).

I have now added the “In Ocean” category tag for all of the examples of exploiting this unique resource.

Centara Ras Fushi - lagoon table high tide

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Best of the Maldives: Lagoon Deck – Baros

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Baros - lagoon deck

Maybe the best place for the Coco York’s next gig is the musically themed, blues enveloped “The Piano” deck. But curiously, this aquatic oasis’ name comes form its shape, not its function…

“For those who dream of being alone with their partner in a uniquely romantic setting, Baros Maldives has introduced two fantastic experiences. The choice is dinner or a massage as the sun sets, the stars twinkle and the moon glows, on a deck isolated in the middle of a sparkling lagoon. This exotic lagoon fantasy is possible at the newest addition to the delights of Baros Maldives, The Piano. The Piano is a small wooden deck, poised above the translucent waters of the lagoon. This deck is shaped like a grand piano and is available for couples who want to be alone. The only sound is the natural music of splashing waves and the whisper of the caressing breeze.”

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Best of the Maldives: In Ocean Dining – Angsana Ihuru

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Angsana Ihuru in ocean dining

If you fancy a private soak, then Angsana Ihuru offers a step beyond beach-side dining with in-ocean dining.

“The sandbank dining is set on a private sandbank which is located just 15 minutes ride away by speedboat. You may enjoy a breakfast, lunch or a dinner.”

And if the wrasses show up, you might get fish pedicure as a bonus.

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Best of the Maldives: Water Rafts – One & Only Reethi Rah

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One and Only Reethi Rah water rafts

If sliding into a pool isn’t exciting enough for you, then bouncing into a whole ocean might do the trick. And it’s available to all ages in the One & Only Reethi Rah water sports lagoon. Which in addition to its water trampoline includes a floating water volleyball “court”, a climbing wall “ice berg” not to mention an old school swimming raft. During my tour, these features were probably one of the tops that I most regretted not having the time to avail myself of. I could have spent hours on them especially with my kids when they were younger. Any one of these blow-up contraptions are worthy of a “Best of the Maldives” distinction individually, but since Reethi Rah is just such a cornucopia of such special features, I’ve decided to combine them in a single post.

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