Ringing in the 2020 New Year, you probably made huge travel plans for the year ahead! Perhaps you were counting down the days until you’d fly and flop onto a sunbed, or finally get to tick spotting the glow-in-the-dark...
Ringing in the 2020 New Year, you probably made huge travel plans for the year ahead! Perhaps you were counting down the days until you’d fly and flop onto a sunbed, or finally get to tick spotting the glow-in-the-dark beaches of Maldives off your bucket list?
Yet, in late January a global pandemic came along and subsequently crushed all your grand travel hopes for this year. So, we’re looking at 2021 instead, and it’s still Maldives for us here at the Sunny side. From the infinite shades of blue and green, to the patches of white sands and dark corals, to the unobstructed views of the glimmering ocean, Maldives’ varied charms are bound to enchant visitors to our island nation. And here’s ten incredible reasons why you should choose Maldives, in the hope one will catch your eye…
The bay is situated in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO marine protected biosphere covering an area of 303 hectares. From May to November each year, huge amounts of krill and plankton here attract all kinds of marine life. These ideal conditions make it the world’s largest natural manta ray feeding destination. There are enormous populations of butterflyfish, oriental sweetlips, white tip reef sharks, hammerheads, eagle rays and the ever-weird-looking Napoleon wrasse. Curious and friendly, mantas – unlike stingrays and eagle rays – do not possess stingers.
Be it to rekindle romance, celebrate a birthday, mark an anniversary or create an extraordinary experience in a tropical haven, there’s something for everyone. Limited only by your imagination, dining in Maldives spans the entire spectrum – a bespoke menu in the privacy of your villa, on a secluded sandbank, champagne breakfast, underwater, on a tree-top, lagoon lunch, bubbly cocktails at sunset, beach barbecue, candle light dinner under a canopy of stars or even floating in your pool. The Maldives promises an intimate slice of paradise, the possibilities are endless, and the memories will live with you forever.
Does being “stranded” over a lagoon for several days sound appealing? If not, one resort in the Maldives might change your mind. Soneva Fushi opened what it claims are the world’s largest one- and two-bedroom overwater villas in September 2020. If you’re probably wondering, “How big is big?”, the one-bedroom villas clock in at 6,286 square feet and the two-bedrooms at 9,224. While there are overwater villas out there with more square footage, these are the largest one- and two-bedroom villas available. There are eight of these suites, called Water Rooms, available for guest bookings.
The globally disruptive Coronavirus pandemic has changed our daily lives and how we interact with one another. In light of social distancing recommendations, several million people across the globe had to stay home, it has also sparked innovation. The Maldives has found a way to help tourists bypass the boredoms of quarantine – renowned for the ‘one-island-one-resort’ concept, tourists from all over the world visit to enjoy the pristine natural environment, world class services, privacy and seclusion. With the COVID-19 tourism regulations in place, and naturally distanced islands allowing for more privacy, Maldives is believed to be one of the safest holiday destinations.
Miles are usually accrued on airline frequent-flyer programmes that are designed to encourage airline customers enrolled in the programme to accumulate points (also called miles). Now picture earning miles by crossing a country’s borders. That’s right: On World Tourism Day 2020, the Maldives Immigration in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) launched the world’s first tier-based border-crossing loyalty programme titled “Maldives Border Miles”. The programme features three tiers, each with a distinctive variety of rewards and benefits. Tourists will earn points based on the number of visits and duration of their stay, with additional points awarded for visits during special occasions.
Imagine yourself taking a series of strengthening asana poses on the deck of a dhoni as you gaze into the horizon. Settings don’t come more inspirational than this, with the expanse views of the Indian Ocean unfolding before you, and the blue sky above. Pullman Maldives Maamuta takes a holistic and integrated approach to wellbeing built on sleep, food, sport and spa by offering fun, innovative wellness experiences that balance performance with enjoyment, leaving you wanting more as you stretch and breathe. inhale, exhale.
One can spend an entire day at the Joali spa by ESPA, which strives to take guests on a healing journey, starting from within. The spa’s centerpiece is a monochrome hammam, a first in the country, modeled after the 16th-century Turkish baths of Roxelana. The menu features results-driven treatments including facials, massages and body treatments. Joali Maldives is optimized for those seeking pure, unabashed relaxation.
Located in its own atoll between Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll and Addu Atoll, the island of Fuvahmulah is the only one-island atoll in the Maldives. The island is gifted with countless distinctive features that make Fuvahmulah stand out from the rest of the islands in Maldives. Its apparent disconnect from most of the country means that the deep blue open comes crashing right at their reef, opening up opportunities for amazing underwater pelagic encounters, fantastic surfing and has gifted its people with some truly unique characteristics. The island is unbelievably green, and many islanders display an affinity for botanical endeavors, as behind the low-lying walls lie colorful private gardens. It is also one of the few islands that have fresh water lakes.
Life under the sea just got a huge boost in visibility thanks to the opening of The Aqua Villa experience Pullman Maldives Maamutaa. This luxury two-level Aqua Villa has a submerged master bedroom combined with an overwater bedroom and plenty of space for its guests to relax and live their once in a lifetime story. The Aqua Villa Experience is where everyone’s childhood curiosities come to life. It’s play, but not as you know it. It’s moments you want to share with the world. And more importantly, with those closest to you. Imagine the serenity of diving, without a tank. Or sharing midnight secrets, in an aquarium that’s uniquely yours. If you’ve ever wanted to live The Little Mermaid in real life, now’s your chance.
Dating back to the battles of Napoleon Bonaparte, who famously opened champagne with his saber in both victory and defeat, the art of sabrage is a signature ritual at St. Regis hotels around the world, where a bottle of champagne or is sliced open with a sabre. If you’re ready to add this new skill to your list of perfectly impressive party tricks, then take part in a rich celebration of storied history with champagne sabering at The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort – an explosive and theatrical way to enjoy a little bubbly.
