Sea Spirit

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The MV Sea Spirit is a spacious liveaboard vessel that offers comfortable accommodation together with the high standard of service, offering an exciting and varied schedule of departures encompassing the very best of Maldives Diving.

There are huge advantages to diving on a boat that takes only a small number of passengers – it is so much less intrusive to marine life when twelve divers jump into the water rather than twenty five, so you as a diver will have a much better opportunity to come close up to those elusive species you have been hoping to see. Of course, add to that the more personal service and attention to detail both on board and in the water, and you have an ideal liveaboard experience.

The Sea Spirit is managed by two highly professional Cruise Directors who are fully qualified Dive Instructors and have many years of liveaboard experience behind them. They guide and coordinate the dive planning and ensure that the standards of your holiday are maintained in every way. A good crew and experienced dive team are essential for the successful operation of a liveaboard. With many years experience in the Maldives, the Sea Spirit’s team is able to consistently deliver a high standard of service safety and care.

Whale Submarine Maldives

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Maldives consists 99% of water. Whale Submarine Maldives gives you the opportunity to experience Maldives in a unique way. Perfect for those wanting to witness Maldives’ magical underwater, without getting wet.

How to do your booking:

Whale submarine dives in every 90 minutes DAY and NIGHT, starting 9am until 8pm.

If you stay in a resort/hotel that provides Whale Submarine as an in-house excursion, you can do booking through them.

If your resort/hotel does not provide this service you can directly contact Whale Submarine Maldives and they will make arrangements to pick you up from the resort, provided that you are staying at a close by resort.

Your travel agent or tour guide may also arrange this for you.

If you are staying at a far away resort join Whale Submarine dive when you arrive at the airport, for your departure.

If your flight is at 12pm you can join Whale Submarine’s 9am dive, and if you are leaving late in the evening, Whale Submarine have the evening dive for you.

If your flight is early in the morning or if you feel that you would not have enough time at the airport to join the dive, ask your tour operator or travel agent to arrange your transfer to Malé the day before. This will give you the ample time to do some sightseeing in Malé and do some shopping in addition to the dive in the submarine. This would give you the opportunity to explore the capital city, Malé above and below water to be able to appreciate fully what Maldives is.

Check-in:

When you make booking through the resort/hotel you will be transferred directly to the submarines floating dry-dock called ‘Whale House’.

If you are a departure passenger you may check-in to Whale Submarine’s airport counter located at the arrival hall. Here you may leave your luggage with Whale Submarine’s staff and board Whale Submarine’s transfer vessel to the dive site. The ride out to the dive site will take approximately 20 minutes. The transfer vessel transfers you to Whale Submarine’s ‘Whale House’ on the dive site. A special area in the ‘Whale House’ is designated for passengers and here you will be served refreshments and wet tissues.

Ticketing. While you relax on the ‘Whale House’, Whale Submarine’s ticketing staff will issue the tickets. Payments have to be made direct to the counter here and all major credit cards are accepted. Once the tickets are issued you will board the submarine. There is no restroom on the submarine and therefore you are requested to use the restroom on the’ Whale House’ before boarding the submarine.

Ticketing:

While you relax on the ‘Whale House’, Whale Submarine’s ticketing staff will issue the tickets. Payments have to be made direct to the counter here and all major credit cards are accepted. Once the tickets are issued you will board the submarine. Please note, there is NO restroom on the submarine and therefore you are requested to use the restroom on the’ Whale House’ before boarding the submarine.

The Dive:

On board the submarine you will descend to a submerged reef 40 meters beneath the surface. However the first stop is at 25 meters where you will see a colorful display of corals and different types of reef fish. In most of the dives the submarine is greeted by a school of blue or yellow-striped Snappers.

Common Lion fish, Yellow Box Fish and turtles are usually found here. Next stop at 40 meters is yet another type of coral garden and depending on current the submarine will be beached on a sandy spot just close to a big cave. The exterior lights of the submarine will enable you to see the different types of fish taking shelter inside the cave.

Occasionally White Tip Reef Sharks and Napoleons are sighted here. If you are lucky you may be able to see one of the biggest Groupers in the Maldives here on this location. This 2 meter long Giant Grouper frequents this area and is totally devoid of fear for the submarine. In many dives she has come close to the view-ports and showed the passengers its gaping mouth with unevenly arranged razor sharp teeth.

Depending on time of the day, current and many other factors the submarine may dive on some historical sites such as a shipwreck or a more exciting place like a shark feeding area or just another beautiful reef. Before the dive begins the crew inside the submarine would give you a briefing on that particular dive site.

If you are joining a night dive watch closely for the sleeping manta rays as the Whale Submarine’s powerful exterior lights lit the whole area.

Make sure you take your camera with you and never miss any surprise encounter with a shark or maybe a giant grouper or the protected Napoleon’s now feared for extinction.

After a breath-taking 45 minutes dive the submarine will ascent to the surface. The transfer vessel will be there to pick you up immediately after the dive and you will be dropped to Malé, the Airport or back to your resort. The whole tour will take approximately less than 3 hours.

Mon-Thu:
8:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Sat-Sun:
8:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Tel: 3333939 / 7903939
Email: [email protected]Few features of the Whale Submarine. Whale Submarine is designed and constructed in Karlsruhe, Germany under the strict regulations of the American Bureau of Shipping and Bureau Veritas and is capable of carrying 50 passengers to a dive depth of 150 meters. Whale submarine is currently the world’s deep diving largest tourist submarine in existence. So far this submarine has performed more than 5000 dives safely. The cabin of the submarine is fully air-conditioned and has a normal atmospheric pressure and thus you breath normal air. Therefore you are safe to fly just after a dive. Whale Submarine has redundant safety features to ensure the safest, most comfortable ride, and is operated by a fully trained and certified team of French and local pilots. Whale Submarine carries enough oxygen, water and food supplies to support all passengers and crew for 100 hours.

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa hosts Surfing Champions Trophy from August 8 to 14, 2016

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As surf season gets underway in the Maldives, so too does the build up to the country’s hottest invitational: Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy. And kicking off 2016’s illustrious line-up, big wave legend Shane Dorian has confirmed his return to defend last year’s title.

Unique in many ways, the Champions Trophy determines a surfer’s heat time based on their age and tests skill across three different divisions: single-fin, twin-fin, and triple-fin thruster.  Places are granted by invitation-only to just six world champions in a battle for inner-circle kudos and the USD 25,000 prize winnings.

Hawaiian big-wave slayer Dorian secured the 2015 title in a nail-biting Grand Final against defending champion Dave Rastovich (AUS). En route to the final, he achieved the Champions Trophy’s highest single wave score – a 10, the first in the competition’s history – and the highest heat total: 19.60 (out of a possible 20).

A recent finalist at the Quicksilver Eddie Invitational and The Jaws Big Wave World Event, Dorian is already turning his attention to the August event, commenting, “Lisa and I can’t wait to return to the Maldives to enjoy the chilled out vibe of the Champions Trophy. It’s such a unique concept with fun waves and great company and definitely one of the highlights of our year.”

The Surfing Champions Trophy is hosted onboard Four Seasons Explorer – the Maldives’ ultimate surf vessel. Fans can get up close to the action with onboard VIP passes, while the surf tour experience continues with shoulder-rubbing events back at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, which plays host to the contest’s competitors, judges and Tropicsurf partners (the pros behind the Resort’s surf operation).

Event Coordinator Mark Winson of Tropicsurf comments, “It’s crazy to think how prominent the Surfing Champions Trophy has become in just six years. It’s a one-of-a-kind event where the camaraderie off the waves makes for an even more magical competition on them.”

It won’t be long before the remaining five world champions are announced, and if previous years are anything to go by, fans can expect powerhouse names and some interesting twists.

For a piece of the action, book the Group Surf & Stay package, available for a minimum booking of five rooms at Kuda Huraa between August 8 and 14, 2016, including:

  • All-inclusive 5 or 7 nights accommodation (full board)
  • Competition day passes aboard Four Seasons Explorer
  • 5 or 7 days of intense surfing with Tropicsurf’s expert guides
  • Return transfers

Limited day passes will be available (at a fee) for non-package guests and members of the public wishing to view the event from Four Seasons Explorer.  Call + 960 66 00 888 for enquiries and rates.

Kurumba Maldives receives two World Travel Awards in 2016

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Kurumba Maldives is proud to announce that they have been awarded two accolades in the 2016 World Travel Awards as follows:

Maldives’ Leading Resort 2016
Indian Ocean’s Leading MICE Hotel 2016

The first award highlights Kurumba as Maldives’ Leading Resort, which is presented to the best 4.5 to high end 5-star resorts. Kurumba Maldives has been revitalising itself with a large investment to enhance the guest experience progressively over the past six years. Combined with these actions, the resort was rebranded under the principle of “Maldives in Full Colour”, which has brought a highly differentiated guest experience with the goal to offer more for its guests than resorts further afield.

The second award, as Indian Ocean’s leading MICE hotel is presented due to the resort being able to successfully host corporate retreats, groups, incentives, meetings and events on its grounds.

The prestigious World Travel Awards have been recognising organisations delivering outstanding customer experiences in travel and tourism for more than 20 years. They have become a key global institution of the industry, stimulating competition and innovation among operators, as well as providing a helpful testimonial for quality to travellers worldwide. The Wall Street Journal is among the many media that have heralded WTA as “the Oscar’s of the travel industry”.

Judit Rosa, Sales & Marketing Manager of Kurumba Maldives commented: “We are thrilled to receive these prestigious symbols of recognition. A key part of these awards is a voting poll and we would like to thank all our loyal guests and key partners for their continuous support. Secondly, as a resort we are always looking to raise our standards and create a unique and thoughtful journey for our guests on a beautiful island setting. We are truly grateful for the positive recognition from our guests.”

For a list of all the awards, please check:

www.worldtravelawards.com/winners/2016/indian-ocean
http://www.kurumba.com/maldives-awards

Lifestyle Luxury Comes To Malé Atoll

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Amidst the stunning turquoise hues of the Maldives archipelago, lies the tranquil island of Maadhoo; home to the brand NEW LIFESTYLE LUXURY Resort – OZEN by Atmosphere at Maadhoo! Opening its doors on 15th July 2016 – OZEN at Maadhoo will be the Flagship Luxury resort within the Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts portfolio, the up & coming Indian Ocean hospitality brand.

Just 35 minutes away by speedboat from the Malé International Airport, the contemporary design style & overall ambience of OZEN at Maadhoo, complements the naturally blessed surroundings of the romantic Maadhoo Island.

The resort offers the discerning traveler a uniquely exclusive holiday plan – The Atmosphere INDULGENCE™- an ultra-luxury All-Inclusive plan, offering exotic Champagnes, Cocktails & Wines along with dine-around Fine Dining experiences which also includes a unique Underwater Dining experience at the FIRST underwater restaurant in Male’ Atoll. The Atmosphere INDULGENCE™ also includes Luxurious Spa therapies from Atmosphere’s very own Elena Spa; an extensive spa complex with exquisite overwater treatment rooms and a wide range of relaxing and rejuvenating rituals and therapies.  The Indulgence continues with superior world-class Diving adventures at Atmosphere Aqua Club; OZEN’s PADI Certified Dive School with a team of multilingual experienced professionals, along with watersports and snorkeling trips. The OZEN experience encompasses all elements of a Luxury holiday experience in the Maldives! NO Surprises, NO Shocks, NO Hidden Extras – ALL INCLUDED in ONE Price!

OZEN features 41 Beach-front villas and 49 over-water villas, each overlooking the expansive lagoon and the horizon. All living spaces are created with utmost Luxury & Comfort in mind, whilst incorporating a seamless fusion of modern design, nature and vibrancy!  Many of these villas come with their very own 8 meter lap pools, featuring fiber-optic Mood lighting, also boasts a Mesmeric Maldivian Sunset View, directly from their villas!

Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, after having successfully opened Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives in December 2013, with its unique Premium All-Inclusive Holiday Plan and fantastic value for money, went on to create the very popular & best in class 4-star superior resort – OBLU by Atmosphere at Helengeli, before venturing into the Luxury segment with OZEN.

OZEN by Atmosphere is certainly expected to be the next BIG thing in the Maldives!

Jumeirah Vittaveli Voted ‘Maldives’ Leading Spa Resort’

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Jumeirah Vittaveli has won the World Travel Award 2016 for ‘Maldives’ Leading Spa Resort,’ at the Africa and Indian Ocean gala evening in Zanzibar.

Graham Kiy, General Manager at Jumeirah Vittaveli, said: “We are proud to have been awarded this outstanding recognition for Jumeirah Vittaveli and our Talise Spa, which is an integral part of the resort. Every day, our team strives to deliver superior service and an indulgent experience, ensuring our guests enjoy the paradise of the Maldives to the fullest. Part of this is providing culturally connected treatments, such as the use of pure Maldivian coconut oil within some of our treatments – produced on site and harvested from coconuts from the island, this is a favourite with our guests.”

Guests at Jumeirah Vittaveli can indulge in signature couple’s treatments such as the Vittaveli Romance which includes a full body massage followed by an intimate rich coconut milk bath. Guests can also request the spa team to prepare a romantic bath in their villa, complete with flower petals, strawberries and bubbly.

More information about the resort can be discovered on the official Jumeirah blog: ‘5 Reasons the Maldives is perfect for families’.

The World Travel Awards are voted for by travel and tourism professionals worldwide. Established in 1993, the awards are recognised as a world-class hallmark of quality. Each year a series of gala ceremonies are staged to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence in the tourism industry.

Graham Cooke, President of the World Travel Awards, said: “My congratulations to everybody who was nominated at the World Travel Awards Africa and Indian Ocean gala ceremony this and especially those who picked up a trophy. As the first stop on our annual grand tour, the bar has certainly been set high for the rest of the year and I look forward to greeting all of our winners from this evening at the grand final in the Maldives in December.”

Kurumba Maldives Welcomes Yoga Guru Vijeth For Yoga Week

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Kurumba Maldives is pleased to announce the arrival of Yogi Vijeth, experienced Yoga therapist, teacher and Yogic counselor, for a week of Yoga related sessions.

Vijeth started practising Yoga when he was 12 years old. He graduated in Gurkula School, then completed a postgraduate degree in Yogic science in Mangalore University, India. He then conducted a Chandrayana Vratta program, which is an ancient yoga detoxification technique (weight reduction programme) for several groups, as well as research on the effect of yogic practices during pregnancy. Vijeth is an experienced teacher and has conducted a series of seminars and workshops during his career.

From 16th to 23rd May 2016, daily special sessions will be on offer for up to 20 guests per group. These include Yoga and Meditation in the mornings and evenings plus Yogic Counselling and Therapy. The Yoga and Meditation sessions will include a group discussion about creating healthy habits and setting goals.

The Yogic Counselling and Therapy sessions will revolve around the Yoga philosophies, which act as a therapist in removing self-created problems in our minds. Yoga philosophy is both science and art. Its reason and technique will help individuals appreciate life. Private sessions with Yogi Vijeth can also be arranged upon request.

This unique visit is in addition to the existing complimentary group Yoga sessions which are part of the expansive weekly activities program; along with many other varied activities ranging from the active, like guided snorkelling, to the more indulgent wine tasting or live cooking demonstrations. Kurumba consistently strives to offer all its guests more, so they can experience the very best of the island lifestyle and the Maldives In Full Colour.

Advance booking is recommended through [email protected]. More information can be found at: www.kurumba.com/maldives-yoga-week-02

Maldives Wins Two National Awards at Marine Dive Fair 2016

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Maldives won the first prize for the Reader’s Choice Dreaming Area award and the second prize for Reader’s Choice Best Diving Area, Overseas award at the Dive and Travel Awards 2016 which took place at the Marine Dive Fair 2016. The Maldives Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, joined this opening ceremony representing Maldives at the Marine Dive Fair 2016.

Marine Dive fair is an annual scuba diving and beach resorts fair that takes place in Tokyo Japan, targeted towards the consumers and trade in Japan and Asia. This year marks the 24th edition of this annual event and went off successfully.

The Japanese market was once among the top 5 markets in terms of arrivals to Maldives. While the market has dropped over the year, they still remain among the top 10 markets and show potential for growth. The Japanese enjoy their travel to tropical destination and is a huge market for the dive segment of the destination. This gives Maldives an advantage over other destination as Maldives offers free visa on entry and easy connections between Japan and Maldives.

Maldives embassy in Japan represented Maldives at Marine Dive Fair this year, Maldives presence was well covered at the event. Through right promotion and exposure at this event, expect a positive growth with increasing arrivals from the Japanese market once again.

Heinrich Morio Joins Soneva As Managing Director – Maldives

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Soneva Resorts and Residences, the world-leading luxury resort operator, has announced that Heinrich Morio has joined the company as the new Managing Director – Maldives, responsible for overseeing its flagship resort Soneva Fushi as well as its latest luxury offerings Soneva in Aqua and Soneva Jani.

A dual US and German National, Heinrich’s hospitality career spans more than 35 years, most of which have been spent in the management team of some of the world’s most renowned luxury hotels and resorts.

Prior to joining Soneva, Heinrich was the General Manager (opening) of the Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai, and formerly the General Manager of the Burj al Arab, as well as the General Manager of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, both also located in Dubai, UAE.  Before moving to the Middle East, Heinrich was the General Manager of several One & Only properties in Mauritius and Bahamas, as well as luxury resorts in the United States. He will join Soneva in July 2016.

We are very excited to have Heinrich on board with us. He has impressive hospitality experience in iconic properties around the world and we look forward to leveraging his expertise to further enhance Soneva’s service offering. He will work closely with Olivia as we ramp up to open Soneva Jani by October 2016,” said Sonu Shivdasani, Founder and CEO of Soneva Resorts.

In October 2015, Soneva welcomed Olivia Richli as the new General Manager (opening) of Soneva Jani, Soneva’s newest property in the Maldives, which is currently under construction.  The resort is being built on a large island surrounded by four smaller islands in the middle of a large, five-kilometre turquoise lagoon in the Noonu Atoll, Maldives. Four of the five islands will remain untouched so it will be, by far, the lowest density development in the Maldives. Meaning ‘wisdom’ in Sanskrit, Soneva Jani comprises 24 over water villas and 32 island villas.

The resort is surrounded by crystal clear waters, with pure white beaches, islands covered in rich tropical vegetation and set in a vast sparkling lagoon.Soneva owns and operates Soneva Fushi in the Maldives and Soneva Kiri in Thailand. Soneva in Aqua, an ultra luxurious yacht offering an experiential travel experience, was launched in the Maldives in 2015 and sails out of Soneva Fushi. For more information about Soneva visit www.soneva.com

W Maldives Appoints new GM Anton Birnbaum

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W Retreat & Spa – Maldives is thrilled to announce the appointment of its new General Manager, Anton Birnbaum. A native of Austria is responsible for the overall operation, providing strategic and inspirational leadership to his new team and delivering distinguished W experience to the hotel guests and clients. Among other responsibilities, Anton will oversee implementation of the annual business plan annual operational and capital budgets, marketing and guest satisfaction.

Anton was promoted to the top position after previously serving eight years as Executive Assistant Manager at Le Méridien Vienna, where he started his hospitality career as a Director of Human Resources. Prior to joining the Starwood team, Anton worked for such big brands as T-Mobile, DO & CO or SPAR in Austria.

During his time with Le Méridien Vienna, Anton supervised the development of the Food & Beverage department and functioned as a key hotel contact for such major events as the Life Ball, Fashion Check-in, Vienna Fashion Week, Afterhours, Vienna Art Fair or Vogue Fashion’s Night Out. He also focused on the networking events in the B2B sector as well as building the relationship with hotel’s key suppliers and partners. In 2014 Anton took charge of the Luxury Collection Hotel Imperial’s launch event for more than 1,000 guests including international stars like supermodel Helena Christensen.

For bookings and more information on W Retreat & Spa – Maldives, please explore http://www.wretreatmaldives.com/.