In the Instagram era, if you don’t get your social snaps, then did you even go on holiday. Now nearly every resort offers a photo point (motivated by the free publicity as they almost always have the name of the resort plastered prominently on them. But no one has more than You & Me with its five different points:
The snappiest resort in the Maldives.
I may not be a Victoria Secret model, but Medhufushi give me my own paradise photoshoot perch. Now’s the time we are putting together our holiday greeting card with photos from the year’s high points (which every Maldives trip tops). No need to be clamouring over palm trees for that tropical shot when you have a convenient seat-sized one handy. Appropriate for swimsuits or evening wear.
A number of islands have guide signs to help introduce guests to the distinctive flora and greenery, but JA Manafaru has helpful signs for just about every aspect of their property. I’ve already posted about their outdoor workout course where your ‘trainer’ is a series of signs to help you along the path. Their photo op sign was one of the first in the Maldives (now many have them) and the coral fragment frame is a delightful way design.
JA Manafaru also feature quite an intriguing showcase of a traditional Maldivian village which they bring to life with very informative and well designed sign posts telling the story behind the display (see below). It makes the exploration of their distinctive exhibit into a museum quality adventure.
For a deeper ocean experience, you can visit one of the most famous lines in the world – the Equator. Visitors to Gan get a certificate for flying over it, but visitors to Outrigger Konotta can take an excursion to swim right in it (and get a certificate)…
That really crosses the line!
On our tours, we always take a shot in front of the resort welcome sign. We are not alone as this is definitely one of the top photo types one sees posted online.
The literally iconic “W” of the iconic W Retreat is not only probably the most popular logo shot in the Maldives (at least judging by Instagram posts – see bottom photo for example), but the resort generously lends a hand. The minute you step on the jetty, they take the shot for you and by the time you have checked-in and made it to your room, a framed photo of your arrival is waiting for you at the room (see ours below).
As with so many touches, the W takes this feature a step further…or should we say deeper. They have submerged a “W” in their lagoon for underwater photos. Not quite the underwater sculpture garden I “haven’t seen yet”, but along the same lines.
W would win world water witness with wonderful water wrinkle we want.
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).
