Maldives Travel Blog

Win a stay at Hilton Maldives Iru Fushi Resort & Spa

2010-07-08T01:00:40Z

The team at the Hilton Maldives Iru Fushi Resort & Spa joined forces to create a giant human version of the Hilton logo on their beach to celebrate their launch a year ago and have re-created a giant ‘1’ in celebration of the anniversary this month. To get in the spirit, the luxury private island resort is asking their Facebook fans to create their own version of the Hilton logo in the most innovative way possible for their chance to win a complementary holiday at the resort. The image most liked by fans will win and the lucky creative whisked off to paradise.

There is also the chance to receive a complementary upgrade to a stunning Aqua Retreat for the 100th booking to the resort made on Hilton.com this month. Guests simply need to write ‘Happy Birthday Hilton’ in the booking notes for their chance to win. And for honeymooners staying at the resort this July, the resort is offering an exclusive 30% discount off a return visit to celebrate their own 1st anniversary.

Source: A Luxury Travel Blog

Map of the Maldives

2010-06-13T20:57:48Z

The Maldives has been said to be very treacherous in the early days, purely due to the complexity of the formation of the islands and them being hard to navigate around safely. This was until 1834-1836 when the British Admiralty Charts began and finished the very first accurate maritime map of the Maldives.

This then helped navigators travel in and around the Maldives much easier and as technology improved, newer more accurate charts were developed using satellite imagery which provided constant up to date charts of the Maldives. This being said many people said that the newer maps lacked in areas compared to the first chart created by Robert Moresby and his crew.

As time progresses the Maldives may be under threat by the rise in sea levels, statistics have proven that over the last century sea levels have rose by around 8 inches, if this rate was to continue you can expect other areas of the Maldives to be submerged in water – forcing cartographers to edit their existing maps so that they are accurate.

Honeymoon at Gasfinolhu Island Resort

2010-06-11T10:08:42Z

Gasfinolhu Island Resort welcomes newlyweds to celebrate their very special Honeymoon at one of the most beautiful and romantic places in the world….a small, tropical island with stunning white sand beaches, majestic palm trees, and the warm, inviting, crystal clear waters of an azure lagoon, surrounded by a rainbow colored coral reef teeming with incredible fish…

Enjoy the privacy and intimacy of a secluded, peaceful, natural setting and a casual atmosphere, where “no shoes, no news” is our promise, and the sunsets are marvelous!

The food is great, the staff makes you feel at home, and the star filled heavens make you feel as if you are truly out of this world…memories that will last a lifetime!

Gasfinolhu honors your Honeymoon by providing you the following “gifts” which we hope that you will enjoy in your room on your arrival night:

A Fruit Plate
A Flower Decorated Room

Gasfinolhu also offers the following “optional” Honeymoon choices, which may be booked at the Resort:

Romantic Candlelight Seafood Dinner on the Beach
Enjoy a delicious Lobster Dinner…US$175 per couple
Champagne Breakfast Room Service
Enjoy a full American breakfast served in the privacy of your own room, or on your terrace or patio anytime before noon, including a half bottle of champagne…US$65 per couple.
Robinson Crusoe “Sand Bank” Excursion
The ultimate romantic getaway! We drop you off in the morning and pick you up after lunch (enough sun for one day). Snorkel and swim in the lagoon. Includes a picnic lunch and drinks…US$210 per couple
“Love Boat” Cruise
Enjoy a wonderful day sail aboard a classic 23-meter motor sailer yacht. Sunbathe, snorkel, fish, and if you are lucky…photograph a group of dolphins and swim with Manta rays…US$240 per couple
Traditional “Couples” Him & Her Herbal Oil Body Massage
Experience a relaxing and revitalizing full body treatment using special aromatic oils with aphrodisiac properties. Two tables, two Therapists, same treatment room, same time, with soothing music, candlelit treatment room and a bottle of Champagne. US$198 per couple for 1 hour. Then take a long nap…
Wedding Ceremony (a symbolic, not a legal matrimony)
There is no better place to unite two hearts or rejoice in one’s love than at this island paradise. Repeat your vows to one another in a ceremony of your own choosing, or let us plan a traditional, symbolic Maldivian ceremony officiated by our island “headman”. US$425 per couple
Renewal of Wedding Vows Ceremony
There is no better place to renew one’s love than at this island paradise. Repeat your vows to one another in a ceremony of your own choosing, or let us plan a traditional, symbolic Maldivian ceremony officiated by our island “headman”. US$425 per couple

For more information please email: reservations@gasfinolhuisland.com or visit www.gasfinolhuisland.com

Oman Air temporarily suspends service to Maldives

2010-06-10T13:34:25Z

Oman air has temporarily cancelled flights between Muscat and Malé, the company has confirmed to Maldives Traveller.

The service has been suspended until October 30.

Oman Air’s Malé office Manager, Safraz Abdeen, told Maldives Traveller: “The service has not been cancelled as such, but has been temporarily suspended for four months.

“One of the reasons for this is because the number of passengers on the inbound service is poor, because it is the low season.”

He added that the company was currently in discussions about the matter and there may be an update later this month.

The suspension of the service means that the four weekly roundtrip flights which usually operate between Muscat and Malé via Colombo, Sri Lanka, will exclude stops in Malé and instead terminate and originate in Colombo only, until the full service resumes again.

Maldives Traveller will keep you updated, should there be any further changes to the situation.

Source: MaldivesTraveller.mv

Discover the Underwater Beauty of the Maldives

2010-06-08T13:24:48Z

The Maldives is famed for its rare underwater beauty. The profusion of psychedelic colors and the abundance and variety of life underwater have fascinated divers and snorkelers since Maldives was discovered as a diving destination. The highest level of visibility that one could expect- sometimes exceeding 50 meters – and warm temperatures throughout the year makes diving in the Maldives a delight you would want to experience over and over again.

The Maldives has some of the best dive sites in the world and many visit the Maldives repeatedly for the sole purpose of diving. All resorts in the Maldives have professional dive schools with multi-lingual instructors and conduct courses for beginners as well as the advanced. Many of the resorts have excellent house reefs. Just a short swim from the beach and snorkelers too can experience the same pleasures from the surface.

See Also the recommended Dive Resorts in the Maldives

Island Hideaway

2010-06-04T16:08:47Z

Like one of those helpful products named in a simple, yet evocative manner as if describing its purpose, right on the packaging, the key attractions of Island Hideaway at Dhonakulhi Maldives, Spa Resort and Marina may seem straight forward.

However, while the resort has been designed to provide secluded luxury and natural beauty for the world-weary traveller, this is just part of the story of this lush green island in Haa Alifu Atoll. The resort makes use of dense woodland to create a sort of forest paradise around each guests’ residence.

While buggies are provided to make sure that you are just a phone call away from any location on the island, complimentary bicycles stored at each property allow guests to scenically take in their surroundings – or simply just work off those holiday indulgences.

However, it is how the land has been used that is just as important in making the resort, which sports its own marina in a reflection of the overall focus on providing high-end luxury that the company believes compliments the local ecosystem. The marina is used both to welcome guests to the island via speedboat transfer, as well as a means to let adventurous visitors moor up on at a rate of USD $50 per night for the unique Indian Ocean spot.

Once guests are on land and enjoying a welcoming glass of champagne or soft drink, the visitors are assigned a trained resort butler throughout their entire stay to make sure they are afforded as much or as little attention as required.

The accommodation includes the multi-story, yet spacious, beach side-Jasmine Garden Villas, which boast a pool dining area that leads onto a sun deck and private beach.

Also situated aside a private expanse of beach are the Donakulhi Residences, replete with large semi-outdoor bathtubs for two and a Jacuzzi pool, situated just outside of the master bedroom.

Guests can effectively choose to retreat from the world during their stay and take in the sunset by themselves or with family, and all the while, a special menu can be served in the comfort of their own villa. The resort’s emphasis on trying to provide blissful seclusion from just about everything can mean that watching the sun rise or set from your beach or roof terrace can feel as if it the cosmos is performing just for you.

Should a guest favour sensual baths and massages over sandy beaches, the resort also offers two stilt mounted-Hideaway Water Suites that can double as a private spa with steam rooms and massage beds. Arguably the centrepiece of these rooms, the suites’ outdoor tubs are situated right on the edge of the properties, with unrestricted views and access to the sea, allowing guests to share a bath immediately after splashing around in the surrounding lagoon.

These two specially-converted water villas are targeted specifically at couples looking for intimate relaxation and probably offer one of the best views possible from a bath tub.

If grand scale is more to your liking, the highest-end accommodation on the island comes in the form of two Hideaway Palaces, which are almost mini-resorts in their own right. Each of the Hideaway Palace’s rooms are connected by a number of individual pools, sandy floors and wood-decked areas for lounging in the sun. From the comfort of the pools, guests are able to look out onto their private beach area and take in the endless blue skies. The palaces are also equipped with pantries, which are used by the butlers to produce cocktails and mocktails along with any other speciality drinks, to the guest’s individual preference.

All of the properties at Island Hideaway are created with an emphasis on a rustic Maldivian design, with cool wooden interiors feeling very organic amidst the surrounding vegetation, in a bid to seemingly balance luxury without forgetting you’re on a tropical island resplendent with palm trees.

Beyond the accommodation at the Island Hideaway, the resort also strives to provide a number of amenities to balance relaxation and exercise. At the over-the-water Manadara Spa, massages and facials for couples and individual guests are on offer, as well as gym facilities including weights, treadmills and other means to stay fit during your stay.

For active tourists, the resort also offers a number of floodlit tennis courts, complimentary racket hire and trained staff members; who on request are able to provide opposition for competitive guests without a partner.

The Meridis dive school operates from the site, offering access to a number of dive spots across the Haa Alifu Atoll, which remains one of the most undisturbed undersea regions in the entire Maldives. Alongside opportunities to explore local underwater wrecks, take part in night dives or ride undersea scooters, the area is said to have a wealth of fascinating wildlife like turtles and manta rays. Nearer to the surface the resort also has a clear house reef for general splashing around or snorkelling opportunities.

The resort also runs a kids club called Tender Hearts that provides cookery, conservation projects, treasure hunts and various other activities to keep children entertained during their holiday.

Along with daily breakfast specials such as banana smoothies and goats cheese omelettes, a continental buffet service is provided in the mornings for guests at the resort’s main restaurant. The site is situated alongside the resort’s Marina, where conversation is framed with a backdrop of remote islands and blue sea.

By lunch time, the emphasis at the restaurant shifts to a la carte dining, with gourmet and experimental offerings like wok-fried lobster, to fine cuts of meat and unique entrees. One such example of these starters is the Maldivian tapas, which makes use of fresh local flavours like coconut, tuna and an array of spices, all wrapped up in light pastry to provide a new take on the “short eats” popular in cafes around the Maldives.

Every few nights, the resort also holds special evenings combining regional entertainment and food on the beach, for a star-soaked dining experience, such as a Mediterranean night – offering freshly cooked pizzas, pastas, salads and antipasti.

Another restaurant is also available onsite, specialising in Asian cuisine.

Ultimately, beyond the grand design of the resort, there is a sense that it is the combination of the little things that they are central to its aim of providing the luxurious hideaway alluded to in its name. From offering a selection of pillow styles and softness to a daily complimentary breakfast in bed of freshly-made muffins; staff at the resort believe such measures can make a major difference to guests.

W Retreat and Spa

2010-05-26T01:28:43Z

In the Maldives, ‘W’ stands for “W Retreat and Spa” – one of the most exclusive high-end resorts in the tropical archipelago.

The letter “W” also stands for “water” and at W Retreat and Spa the dedicated “Down Under and Wave” centre has a feast of treats on offer for water-lovers. The area is blessed with some of the finest dive sites in the Maldives – and that certainly is saying something in a country that’s becoming known as one of the world’ best for underwater action. But at Down Under and Wave, there’s plenty to entertain everyone, not just the diving enthusiasts but also beginners; snorkellers, adrenaline-junkies, anglers and those with fantasies of simply cruising the crystal-clear ocean.

For W Retreat and Spa guests, there are a host of complimentary activities available at Down Under and Wave, including canoeing in Molokini “transparent glass” canoes, snorkeling, pedal-kayaking and windsurfing. The friendly staff speak several languages between them, including English, Dutch, French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, German, Dhivehi and Ukrainian.

If the free activities aren’t enough to keep you occupied, there is also a menu of other activities such as catamaran sailing adventures with or without your own skipper and parasailing trips offering the chance to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of W Retreat and Spa. There are also high-speed adventures on a 150-horsepower Gulfcraft Swan 20 speedboat, which you can either ride in, or water-ski or wakeboard behind; while anglers will be able to choose from Big Game Fishing or traditional Maldivian hand line fishing.

Beneath the waves, the action includes hire of a Seabob underwater rocket that can reach up to 20 kilometres per hour.

Excursions are also available from the centre for daytrips, sunset sailing, overnight trips and local island and sandbank trips. These include a special trip to the desert island of Gaathafushi for a few hours or a full day, where guests can snorkel, have kite-surfing lessons and spa treatments followed by a private dinner under the stars.

Special trips accompanied by the resident Marine Biologist are also available, and they include sea-watching, viewing your own microscopic plankton samples, underwater photography and video presentations.

For more information call +960 666 2227 or email wave@downunderandwave.com.

Source: maldivestraveller.mv

Marble Hotel

2010-05-26T01:19:01Z

A comparatively recent edition to the list of hotels in Malé, Marble Hotel is best known by the residents of Malé for the incomparable views of the glorious Maldivian sunsets from the building’s terrace restaurant. The hotel itself is located in Kanba Aisa Rani Hingun road in the north-western area of Malé, in close proximity to the sea.

While the bistro-style Marble Café has made the hotel a popular hotspot for both locals and foreigners to hang out – especially during the evenings – the hotel’s other services are equally in demand.

Speaking to the Maldives Traveller, the Customer Relations Executive of Marble Hotel, Ahmed Ali, said that all 20 rooms in the three categories were almost always continuously booked.

“Our customers are usually transit guests or tourists from the resort who need to stay a day or so before heading back to their own countries,” Ahmed said. “However, we also have many guests who book the rooms for several months in advance sometimes.”

The three categories of accommodation available at Marble Hotel are Super Deluxe Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, and Superior Rooms.

All the rooms are fully-furnished and provide the usual modern amenities such as hot and cold showers, IDD phones, mini-bars, WiFi internet access and cable TV. The four Super Deluxe Rooms are the most luxurious rooms available at the hotel and come with king-size beds and private balconies that offer an unobstructed view of the ocean and the nearby island of Villingilli. The Deluxe Rooms are a bit more spacious than the Superior Rooms, which are smaller in size and have single beds. However, both these categories of rooms come equipped with similar facilities and extra mattresses and pillows are available from housekeeping without any extra charge.

In addition to the several set menus served for breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Marble Café, the restaurant also caters to birthday parties and wedding dinners. The hotel reception on the ground floor is open seven days a week and offers concierge services, money changing and safe deposit facilities upon request. The ground floor also provides conferencing and banqueting facilities at the Rani Maalam Hall, and the Travel Desk at the reception offers assistance for guests looking to make travel arrangements. The Hotel also arranges sightseeing trips, night fishing trips, whale submarine tours, diving safaris, and island hopping trips.

Location

Marble hotel is located at the north west corner of Male’, the capital island of Maldives.

To reach to Marble Hotel from Male’ International Airport, you would have to take a boat ferry from Airport Jetty to come to Male’, the Capital island, which is 7 minutes away from the Airport Island by boat.

We are about 1km away from Male’ Jetty and it would take about 5-10 minutes drive, depending on the traffic. Taxis are available through out day and night from Male’ Jetty.

We provide airport pick up service on request, please ask for an airport pickup while making your reservation

Marble Hotel
Kanba aisa rani higun, Male’, 20335, Maldives
Tel: +960 3302678 Fax: +960 3326237 email: reservations@marble.mv

Marble Cafe’
Marble Hotel, Terrace Floor, Kanba aisa rani higun, Male’, 20335, Maldives
Tel: +960 3302678 Fax: +960 3326237 email: marblecafe@marble.mv

Summer Savings Unveiled

2010-05-25T08:22:35Z

Summer savings across the Asia Pacific region including the Maldives have been unveiled by the exclusive Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) luxury hospitality organisation.

LHW represents the world’s finest hotels and resorts, including Kanuhura Maldives and Taj Exotica Resort and Spa.

Kanuhura, in Lhaviyani Atoll, boasts a 1,000 metre-long white sand beach while Taj Exotica Resort and Spa in South Male’ Atoll is a bijou resort adorned with tropical plants and one of the largest lagoons of the Maldives.
LHW confirmed to Maldives Traveller that the organisation is offering 30 percent or more off at more than 35 hotels across the Asia Pacific region.

The offer will run until October 31.

To find out more click here.

Source: maldivestraveller.mv

The Maldives: International events Destination

2010-05-25T08:17:48Z

While the Maldives may well have a reputation as a luxurious beach front-paradise, local promoters and travel groups suggest there is also growing potential for the country to become a major destination for leading international events and ceremonies in the future.

With neighbouring Sri Lanka set to host next month’s International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards – an event that brings together some of the region’s leading entertainment figures – some local enterprises suggest the Maldives may also have potential as a host venue for similar events.

Despite recent delays to events such as a concert by R&B singer Akon in the Maldives, Ahmed Ijaz, manager of Male’-based tour operator, Sri Lankan Holidays, says that authorities are already working to make the country a major destination for major international events.
“The current Government has been putting a lot of effort to make the Maldives a hub in the region, offering an integrated approach to hold meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) and major international ceremonies in the near future,” says Mr Ijaz.

Highrise promotion company, which has been working to bring Akon to the country, as well as providing a number of major events and exhibitions, agrees that the Maldives’ tropical islands and maritime know-how can offer unique benefits as an events venue.

Highrise head, Ismail Hameed, tells Maldives Traveller that while having to ensure events remain in touch with local sensitivities regarding the country’s Islamic faith, the nation’s stadiums, hotels and resorts would be suitable for concerts and lavish ceremonies. Besides organizing a major international boat show in Male’ slated for October, Mr Hameed, who also chairs the Liveaboard Association of Maldives, says Highrise plans to head to Paradise Island Resort and Spa next month to hold a televised Maldivian music awards ceremony.

Highrise is not alone in trying to raise the profile of the country through hosting prominent international artists. Although a somewhat different audience to the proposed Akon concert, members of revered disco group Boney M – they of “Rasputin” and “Daddy Cool” fame – last month took to the stage in the Maldivian capital of Male’.

Source: maldivestraveller.mv