Reviews

Photo by Ahmed Riyazi Mohamed

Review — “I want my guests to emerge from the natural jungle into a landscaped garden,” says Paul Vincent Benedict Brown in his clipped English accent. He makes me stop and open my eyes to this subtle yet dramatic change in landscape, marking the natural entrance of Coco Privé Kuda Hithi Island, one of the world’s most exclusive private islands.

Review — It’s a 50 minute speedboat ride to the tiny, oval-shaped island of Eriyadu which sits alone, just behind the outside rim of the North Malé atoll. The day I visit, it’s school holidays and the speedboat is packed. There is just enough time to catch the sunset from the deck of the overwater restaurant and bar, the only overwater structure in this small, no frills resort.

Encounters with Manta Rays and Anantara Kihavah Villas’ house reef ‘The Golden Wall’ are two lifetime experiences snorkellers of every ability shouldn’t miss out on. The manta ray is one of the most mysterious and largest fish in the ocean with wingspans of up to 5 metres or more and Anantara Kihavah Villas offers your best opportunity to encounter these amazing creatures in their natural annual migration to The Maldives.

In the Maldives your holiday begins before you step ashore. Whether you are traveling by seaplane, speedboat or local ferry, the journey is part of the adventure. The white and blue wooden dhoni that takes us to Thulusdhoo on a Thursday afternoon is packed with scooters, locals and half a dozen Westerners with backpacks. It’s the weekend and everybody is excited to get away from the hustle and bustle of Malé. We sail past resort islands, a fish processing plant, the local islands of Huraa and Himmafushi. By the time we reach Thulusdhoo, one and a half hours later, crowded Malé feels a long way away.

“May I take your shoes?” asks Xain our personal Mr. Friday. Our sandals disappear into a cotton bag, where they will remain for the duration of our stay. We have arrived by seaplane at Soneva Fushi ‘international airport’, a small pontoon in the UNESCO-listed waters of Baa atoll, and are whisked by speedboat to Kunfunadhoo Island. Stepping ashore barefoot feels like an initiation rite into the Soneva Fushi SLOW LIFE ethos.

Review — Since the first guesthouse opened its doors on Maafushi Island close to Malé in 2010, you can now have a tropical budget holiday on a local island in just about every one of the 26 atolls across the Maldivian archipelago. But getting to the remoter atolls involves costly transfers by speedboat and/or domestic plane and you might wonder whether it’s worth the extra expense.

Kurumba Maldives is proud to announce that they have been awarded 1st place All Inclusive Resort in the world category by the reviewers of the TripAdvisor’s Travellers Choice Awards 2015.

Review — Veli means sand in Dhivehi and indicates Kurumba’s commitment to incorporating essential local ingredients such as coconut oil and indigenous herbs into its spa treatments at Veli Spa. “We are the first spa in the Maldives to use traditional medicine in its most authentic form as a base for our treatments,” says Spa Manager Aishath Zulfishan, or Xubba, as she prefers to be called.

Ibrahim Hussein (Ibbadey), owner of Liquid Watersports is the face of flyboarding in Maldives and is inspiring young locals to get into watersports and extreme sports.

The year-end festivities are upon us and our passionate chefs have created exquisite temptations to please your discerning palates. Our final newsletter of the year also brings you exciting children’s activities plus our regular TripAdvisor reviews. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!