Beyond The Beach by Kathy Everden

Beyond the beach

The Maldives

by Kathy Everden | April 1, 2011

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The Maldives may well have it all in terms of sun, sea and sand, but its top resorts are piling on the extras to tempt visitors who crave something beyond the blue horizon

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W Hotel on Fesdu Island Once upon a time there was Kurumba. Just a short skip from the airport, it was the best the Maldives had to offer in terms of an international resort. Twenty years later and there’s serious talk of a blonde-only fantasy resort, where the Latvian company Olialia (pronounced O la la) plans to introduce its blonde-only concept for all staff. Probably a fantasy in more ways than one – given that the majority of Maldives tourists tend to be couples, the selling power of blonde hostesses might be limited. But it does provide an example of how new resorts are striving to distinguish themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace. A glimpse at the roster of new names on the horizon gives us an indication of the ever-powerful lure of the tropical Maldives vision, with Mandarin Oriental, Raffles, Viceroy, Jumeirah, Six Senses, Per Aquum and Amari in the lineup, as well as Anantara, which has just opened its Kihavah Villas resort. This new, to-die-for destination boasts 78 villas, all with infinity pools, decks, hammocks and dining areas, sunken baths and outdoor showers, plus an underwater wine cellar, the longest pool in the Maldives, sunshine butlers, tennis court, iPads, wave skiing, wake-boarding and parasail boating. At this end of the market, the competition to stand out among the palm trees is fierce, and increasingly resorts are looking beyond the beach to offer that USP (Unique Selling Indulge Maldives Proposition) that can augment the attributes of paradise – the stunning white sands, turquoise seas, lush vegetation and luxury accommodation that photograph so well but tend to blur the distinction between hotel brands – with something a little more unique. And, one other tiny niggle that might be thrown in for consideration is the weather. Shock, horror; it does rain in the Maldives. You may never have seen watery vapours in any photographs, but take it on advisement, even during the peak winter months, there’s plenty of the wet stuff. While seemingly officially banned from every photograph, this is not the soft caress of tropical showers beloved of shampoo advertisements; rain can run to a torrential downpour for several days at a time.