Milaidhoo Maldives invites guests to swim with Manta Rays

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In Baa Atoll the summer months of June to November mean only one thing: manta ray season. This is when mantas (Manta alfredi), in their hundreds, migrate to the atoll’s plankton-rich waters for astounding animal-viewing opportunities unequalled anywhere else on the planet. The recently-opened Milaidhoo Maldives is perfectly located for prime manta ray viewing, being only about 12-minutes by speedboat from Hanifaru Bay, which is known as the biggest manta feeding station in the world.

During the season Milaidhoo offers trips to snorkel with mantas up to three times a week, with the timings being coordinated with Hanifaru Bay park rangers to ensure guests enjoy the most rewarding sighting opportunities. Guests can go in group trips or book a private excursion, perhaps adding on a picnic on a deserted sandbank or a cruise to a local island for a truly memorable day.  The resort’s resident marine biologist will be happy to join excursions to make this a meaningful learning experience.

Hanifaru Bay is a protected marine reserve which is carefully managed with entry limited to a small number of visitors every day to conserve the environment. Known as the world’s largest manta ray feeding station, it’s also famous for being nursery grounds for grey sharks and stingrays and is one of the very few places in the world where whale sharks congregate to mate.  It’s best known for its concentration of reef manta rays, where on good days it’s possible to see and swim alongside a hundred mantas.

Manta Rays, Milaidhoo Maldives
Manta Rays, Milaidhoo Maldives

For the newly opened Milaidhoo Maldives, this is particularly exciting as this will be the luxury resort’s first year to greet these spectacular seasonal visitors. Preparations to make this as meaningful an experience as possible for guests are being made with passion, from arranging personalised alerts to creating bespoke manta watching tours. The staff at the Ocean Stories Aquatic Centre are ready to teach guests about the gentle giants of the ocean and how to ensure encounters are safe for the animal. The team have identified several secret spots outside of the marine reserve for yet more private and personal one-on-one manta snorkelling.  Divers can enjoy spectacular scuba diving at special dive sites within Baa atoll where manta rays can also often be found.

To make this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity even more tempting, Milaidhoo has launched a special summer offer of 40% off its published rates.

What are manta rays? Not to be confused with the much more common sting rays, manta rays are peaceful, large (from 4m up to 8m in size) filter feeders, sucking in plankton. Listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, they’re not always easy to find in the wild. Hanifaru Bay, and certain ‘cleaning stations’ within the Baa atoll offer some of the best places in the world to see manta rays from June to November.

Aerial, Milaidhoo Maldives
Milaidhoo Maldives

Maldivian-owned Milaidhoo Island Maldives opened in November 2016 and is proudly rooted in the local island traditions, curating a bespoke selection of experiences to showcase the destination. Set on a tiny island in the Baa Atoll’s beautiful UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, each of Milaidhoo’s 50 private villas have been designed by a local Maldivian architect and each thatched-roof villa features generous private pools and is serviced by Island Hosts. The villas are just a short, barefoot stroll away to three world-class restaurants, incredible watersports, fitness, spa, yoga and world-class diving. Milaidhoo is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

World Champion Barista Heads to Milaidhoo Maldives this January

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This spring, boutique five-star resort, Milaidhoo Maldives, promises that every cup of coffee served in its beautiful ocean front restaurants is perfect. To ensure consistent delivery of flawless coffee, the newly opened resort brings Fritz Storm – ex world-champion barista – to the island in January to demonstrate the art of delivering the perfect cup of coffee.

During his stay at Milaidhoo Fritz will hold coffee tasting classes with the guests, as well as an informal seminar introducing coffee, its history and its culture.  He’ll highlight the vital role of the right beans, water and milk in making the perfect cup. Guests can also take barista classes where they’ll learn how to make coffee and try their hand at latte art. The tastings, classes and seminars are all complimentary to Milaidhoo guests on the 7th and 8th January 2017.

Not just another five-star resort in the Maldives, Milaidhoo likes to do things differently; calling its singular style ‘reinvented luxury’. Fritz Storm’s visit is part of its commitment to offering authentic and meaningful experiences.

To promote Fritz’ visit, Milaidhoo Maldives is offering coffee lovers the chance to win a three-night stay for two on a half board basis.  All contestants need to do is take a creative picture of their coffee, post to Instagram tagging @Milaidhoo, and also use the hashtag #MilaidhooMoment. Looking for the most creative shot, Fritz will judge the entries when he visits and a winner will be announced on Thursday 12th January.  The prize is: a three-night stay for two adults, on a half board basis, between 1 May 2017 and 20 December 2017. Villa is subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.  More details are on the resort’s blog page: http://www.milaidhoo.com/blog

About Fritz Storm:

Originally from Denmark, Fritz Storm became the World Barista Champion in 2002, which gave him a unique opportunity to travel the world and learn more about coffee production, selection, quality and cultures. He’s been working with coffee-connoisseurs from all over the world through competitions, training events and origin visits ever since. Fritz says “It is a luxury to be able to be a part of a global coffee-network like this, to share all this passion with fellow people”.

Fritz’ goals are to improve the quality and knowledge of coffee around the world, taking into consideration the local cultures, history and profession; and to give people a coffee experience through better quality and understanding.

Milaidhoo Island Maldives

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Milaidhoo Island Maldives, located in Baa Atoll, is a popular choice for travelers. Set 128 km from the excitement of the city, this 5-star hotel commands an excellent location. They also provide access to the city’s biggest attractions. With its convenient location, the hotel offers easy access to the city’s must-see destinations.

Milaidhoo Island is part of Baa Atoll – a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. So if you can bear to leave the villa, a wealth of natural beauty is waiting to be discovered. Go snorkeling in Hannifaru Bay to explore the vibrant marine life. Make sure you made your travel plans to Hanifaru Bay during June to October. As you could be lucky enough to witness the largest gathering of Manta Rays. Or try stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) and glide across the surface. The resort offers plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in Maldivian life. From catching tuna with local fishermen to crafting traditional Dhoni boats.

Step into one of 50 inviting rooms and escape the stresses of the day with a wide range of amenities. Such as television LCD/plasma screen, bathroom phone, clothes rack. On top of that the hotel offers instant coffee and tea which can be found in the rooms. Throughout the day you can enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the boats, canoe, snorkeling, yoga room, windsurfing. Enjoy unparalleled services and a truly prestigious address at the Milaidhoo Island.

Discover the story of a small island — Milaidhoo

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+—Milaidhoo Island Maldives reinvents luxury

This understated yet undeniably sophisticated 5 star boutique resort spans 13 acres with its design and concept proudly rooted in Maldivian culture. Set in Baa Atoll’s beautiful UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this spectacular, secluded 50-villa island retreat is just a 30-minute seaplane flight from Maldives International Airport.

Milaidhoo Island offers reinvented luxury and spacious outdoor living epitomizing the true contemporary Maldives.

50 chapters of laidback island living

Milaidhoo Island tells the story of a destination where architectural details effortlessly mix with natural elements. Nestled in the lush tropical surroundings are twenty serene beach pool villas and thirty spacious overwater pool villas. The 50 villas are expressions of understated luxury created from the finest natural, local materials, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor living.

Custom made for guests’ personal comfort each villa is a private haven featuring the latest technology, a dedicated host and stunning ocean views from bed to bathtub.

World-class gourmet cuisine

Brimming with the freshest ingredients, Milaidhoo Island’s three restaurants appeal to all tastes and desires. Unique to the Maldives is the groundbreaking gourmet restaurant and lounge bar inspired by three traditional Dhoni sailing boats. Spectacular settings meet heartfelt hospitality, setting the scene for an unforgettable sensory experience.

Tales of tropical beauty, nature and harmony

The island may be small and intimate, but this sanctuary offers many places to meet or simply retreat. Milaidhoo Island has its own dive, marine and watersports centre, library and state-of-the-art gym. Set over the crystal clear water is the stylish island spa and open-air yoga and meditation pavilion.

Discover the story of a small island

Barefoot informality is at the very heart of this new and exclusive small, intimate and chic island. Built around nature, Milaidhoo Island offers a world-class iconic restaurant, a deeply relaxing environment, sustainable and contemporary design and genuine heartfelt hospitality.

For more information: www.milaidhoo.com