Every shade of blue

About the Maldives

Publicerad: 2009-10-21

We like to do some internet research for yo. Below is a story from the travel magazine RES.

Nowhere else can you find as many shades of blue as in the Maldives. Fujifilm comes here to test their range of blues for new products. RES visited some of the lovliest resorts of the Maldives and found environmentally friendly luxury on Soneva Fushi, witnessed an under water wedding at Kuda Huraa and became best friends with the staff on Komandoo.

maldives kuda huraa

Kuda Huraa Villa

Not very long ago the Maldives had backpackers for tourists. Shod in sandals adventurous vagabonds came to stay in a hut on the beach, dive and live off coconuts and fish they caugth themselves. They came home with stories of having found paradise. Velvety white beaches, lush vegetation and aquamarine lagoons are still there, in abundance, but another kind of traveller visits these days.

A doctored kind of happiness, some say, while others mist over at the mere thought of the peace and preach lyrically about an existence far away from the stress and drabness of everyday life. The rustling of palm leaves instead of the media roar and time to do....nothing. Today there are more than a hundred islands that has been made into private resorts. Usually given a name that's a mix between the original name and the resort name. Secluded, sometimes even remote, luxury in an exotic environment, never more than a step or two from the sea, spa treatments galore, delicious food and drink, activities and facilities.

The resorts often prides themselves on being secluded, a haven, away from the sped up high tech society of the 2000's. Resorts want to point out their uniqeness. Unique? Isn't it all sea, sand and palm trees anyway? Not quite. Every island has a distinct character an ambience and a concept all their own. Some emphasises serenity, some oodles of activities. Architecture and design vary greatly too. Traditional Maldivian style to more formal or extremely contemporary with every design gadget in the book. Rates differ a lot too. Starting at reasonable ending with astronomical.

maldives soneva fushi

Almost fifteen years ago swedish Eva Shivdasani, born Malmsten, and her husband, Sonu got the idea to start a luxury resort in the Maldives. Eva had worked as a model for many years and was fed up with the wandering life, met Sonu in Monte Carlo and fell head over heels in love. Together they decided to settle down in the Indian Ocean area. The result of years of hard work is a five star enterprise on the island of Kunfundadhoo. An important aspect for them, besides offering exclusive accomodation, was to preserve island nature as much as possible, or "luxuriously back to nature", as Eva herself calls it. No trees has been cut down and the staff is trained in recycling and handling of waste. All the villas are built of recycled material. Eva and Sonu also run a project to save turtles and sharks.

Arriving on Soneva Fushi you'll be given a handsome Indian bike and guided to your private villa through tunnels of green djungle. The bike is the best way of getting around on the 1,4 long and 400 meters wide island. The bike rides also shows you that you are not completely alone on Soneva, which is easy to believe when you stroll on the deserted beach.

maldives komandoo

Komandoo - a paradise pearl

100 meter wide, 500 meters long - Komandoo Island Resort is comically tiny. A walk around its perimeter takes less than fifteen minutes. Located more than 120 kms from Male you need a seaplane transfer to get here. Very cool experience with a view of the atolls to die for and barefoot pilots.

Best feature is diving and snorkelling - the underwater life is fantastic since the island is right by a channel. Visibility is better than my vertigo permits. The island itself is as green as they come due to the palm tree plantation planted around 30 years ago. There are 55 villas along the beach and some over water. Simply decorated, not over the top luxury. Understated and a realistic alternative economically.

Komandoo opened in 1998. The athmosphere is relaxed and very personal. After just a few days I leave the island choked, nearly in tears, waving to the staff who personally sees us go off from the jetty.

maldives komandoo villa

Komandoo accomodation

Four Seasons send their very own (small, but still) yacht to pick us up and take us to Kuda Huraa in less than half an hour. A relatively short transfer in the Maldives. We are shown to our water bungalow, standing in the lagoon on stilts. Like living on a boat; softly rocked to sleep by the sound of waves and the ocean at your feet in the mornings. Stairs directly into the water from the bungalow deck for swimming and snorkeling. Honeymooners dominate among the guests on Kuda Huraa and they happily spend most of their time in the bungalow or the lagoon. Many couples get "married" on the island. A frequent sight is wedding ceremonies on the beach. Four Seasons even offer under water marriages for devoted divers. When you've had enough of romance there are cooking classes for curries, both Indian and Maldivian style. Four Seasons, one of the most renowned hotel companies in the world, is known for amazing service. This place is no exception. Service is impeccable.

maldives kuda huraa spa

There's a spectacular spa on it's very own little island, a dhoni takes you there. A nice detail is the transparent floor in the massage department letting you watch the corals and fishes while being pampered to the bone.

Source: RES

Skriven av linda, 2010-02-09 11:27:20