Maldives: An island for everyone

Touring six island resorts in eight days, Chrizelda Kekana discovers that, no matter your particular wants, desires or budget, there's a perfect one for you

10 July 2022 - 00:03
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Kuramathi Maldives is everything you imagine when you hear the word 'Maldives'.
Kuramathi Maldives is everything you imagine when you hear the word 'Maldives'.
Image: Kuramathi Maldives

KURAMATHI MALDIVES

FOR FAMILIES

Our group landed at Malé airport on a hot and humid Monday before taking a seaplane 56km to Kuramathi island and its eponymous resort. It is in the Rasdhoo Atoll, a snorkelling and diving hotspot. The resort was everything I imagined... and everything ran like a well-oiled machine.

Over lunch, resort manager Asma Rasheed spoke passionately about how it has accommodation and entertainment for everyone, but especially families.

The resort not only boasts a stunning kiddies’ club and tons of activities but also has an educational on-site ecology centre with a resident marine biologist to keep the children busy.

Dining options abound at the resort’s seven restaurants and there is a wide variety of excursions on offer. They have white-beach-facing villas and mesmerising water villas.

Children under 12 stay free.

 

THE STANDARD

FOR CREATIVES

I can't swim and that is all I could think about as the snorkelling guide was showing me how to put on the life jacket and use the gear. Originally white, my gear was some colour between brown, black and nude pink. Why? Because I had makeup on, a total face beat complete with stick-on lashes. I had committed my first moemish of the trip and this was only the second of my eight days in paradise.

This was our second location, the fun and quirky The Standard resort, in Raa Atoll on Huruvalhi island.

The seaplane journey there, in an overcast sky, was so bumpy it felt like there were speed bumps in the sky that the flip-flop wearing pilot (for real, the pilots wear flip-flops and people often drive barefoot) didn’t know about. Our skilled pilot landed the plane in one piece, but I’d be lying if I said that flight didn’t leave me pale.

“It’s rare for the Maldives to have rain for a full day,” said Shazim Ibrahim, the manager of The Standard. Though he had no control over the weather, he insisted we make the most of our time there, and booked us a snorkelling session for the next day even though it would be drizzling. “It doesn’t rain underwater!” he laughed.

At The Standard, the energy is vibrant and fun, with little touches of personality. In my super-spacious bathroom, for example, there was a huge disco ball hanging over the soup-bowl bathtub, and the decorations on the bedroom wall included life jackets and snorkelling gear. There are also random pops of neon, such as a pink strap around the headboard, and a ukulele lay next to my boat-shaped, welcome basket full of fruit, along with every type of alcohol you can imagine. Everything at The Standard tells you to have fun and you almost feel guilty if you don’t.

That's my only defence for having a face full of makeup on snorkelling day or why I still jumped in even though I knew I can’t swim. Held afloat by the life jacket, I realised the way the ocean was pushing me back and forth would only freak me out, so I jumped back on the boat.

I also got a behind-the scenes tour which left me impressed at their efforts in sustainability, which include waste recycling and bottling their own water.

DHIGALI

FOR LUXURY IN PARADISE

 

Our next location was the absolutely breathtaking Dhigali. The island in the Raa Atoll is just 45 minutes from Malé airport by seaplane. This five-star resort opened in 2017 and is one of the most luxurious and beautiful places I've seen, with sunset views that are  unmatched. It strikes an almost impossible balance between a remote, exotic-island feel and a technologically advanced paradise.

This was our first stop without rain, and we sipped sundowners at the tip of the island, a soft breeze hitting us while a DJ provided the soundtrack to the sky's transition from kaleidoscopic to night.

Over a Moroccan/Lebanese-inspired, six-course dinner at Battuta, general manager Glenn Daniels said Dhigali was not chasing frivolous innovations (though they do have wi-fi and an app through which guests can book activities or dinner at one of the five restaurants) or fighting to stay relevant by anyone else’s standards. Their focus is on highlighting the natural attractions, the food, the sunsets/sunrises and the people. 

“All of us have white beaches, turquoise waters and sunshine. After that, you have to truly find and capitalise on what sets you apart,” said Daniels. 

I loved every second of breathing Dhigali air.

A new day, a new location: Oblu Select Lobigili.

Lobigili means “love island” in the local  Dhivehi language and our arrival — to a live saxophone rendition of Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud as we were all handed  red roses, cool towels and sparkling drinks — signified immediately that this is an island of love.

The five-star, adults-only resort scored the highest with me for its use of space and its overall aesthetic. Everything is just in the right place to make you feel like falling deeper in love with the place and your personal person — the perfect getaway for two.

It has a sexy charm and will definitely have you living your best Instagram life because of all the fine-dining opportunities, spa treatments and wonderful house reef. Plus, it has the largest underwater restaurant in the Maldives, which most definitely makes it a bucket-list destination!

Lobigili also has 80% female staff, an intentional decision on their part, which definitely changes the vibe on the island. 

OBLU XPERIENCE AILAFUSHI


FOR AFFORDABLE FUN  

Just a bridge away is Lobigili's sister island, where Oblu Xperience Ailafushi sits. Opened in June this year, its focus is on offering a meaningful experience to families. It offers all-inclusive plans, where guests pay one price that covers everything from food, to drinks, to excursions.

Their kiddies' club (with a music room, a pool and a special kitchen) is something to write home about. Prices are tailored to allow families of all incomes to get their seven days in the sun, with packages as cheap as R31,000.

OBLU SELECT SANGELI

FOR PEACE OF MIND

Last but certainly not least was the picturesque Oblu Select Sangeli. As our boat approached the landing platform, the staff were waiting in a line, two playing the drums while the rest clapped to the beat. Ready with blue champagne and coconut water-infused towels, they were clearly out to impress with a warm welcome.

This was the last day of our trip and, as we faced the sad prospect of leaving the Maldives the next day, Sangeli gave us just what we needed, a Maldivian embrace. It looks like something out of a travel magazine, complete with swaying palm trees, pristine white beaches and a turquoise lagoon heaving with vibrant coral life. This is a place that puts one's mind at peace because everything signals it to be so. They also offer all-inclusive packages so  you never have to stress about reaching into your wallet from check-in to check-out.

Just like the other Oblu resorts, Sangeli offers great food, a spacious beach and water villas and has an extension called One Banyan, which is an adults-only island from sunrise to sunset.

There are not enough words to describe the magic of the Maldives. All the resorts we visited felt like the perfect holiday spots because of the detail that goes into ensuring you get what you paid for.

4 REASONS TO PICK THE MALDIVES 

  1. SAFETY
    Coming from SA, where the crime stats are high, I appreciated that I felt safe, no matter what island I was on, what club I was drinking in, or what tiny bikini I wore to the pool. If I forgot to lock my room, or lost my keys, or got lost walking to my room, there was never a moment that I felt in danger or my belongings were going to turn up missing. I’ve never had more peace of mind.

  2. FRIENDLY TO A FAULT
    People in hospitality are essentially paid to be as friendly as they can be. Having been to a fair amount of resorts, hotels and Airbnbs, I can tell you that a lot of people are in the wrong profession. In the Maldives though, at resort after resort, the people wore happy smiles and had a humility that sometimes made me wonder whether there was something in the water. Their friendliness seemed inherent and helped make my island experience beautiful and unforgettable.

  3. PERSONAL TOUCHES
    I loved to know that a person had me in mind when they did something and I felt like that every time I stepped into “my” room, thanks to personal touches such as letters, chocolates and petals arranged to spell out the word “welcome”.

  4. HAPPY HELLOS AND SAD GOODBYES
    When you arrive at the resorts, it's often to a group of staff waving as your boat approaches. When you leave, they stand in a neat line and wave until your boat is out of sight. I’ve never seen that in any of the places I’ve travelled to and something about that gesture tugged at my heart, happily on arrival and with sadness as I left.

• Kekana was a guest of Priority Escapes. See their website for package prices and flash deals.


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