Crown Tours Maldives: Islands

Showing posts with label Islands. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Hiding away and seeking relaxation

One usually reaches Dhonakulhi island by speedboat

As Mohammad Shafique turned the motorized buggy I was sitting in, onto the wooden walkway connecting the main sandy island to the newly-built water villas, I could distinctly feel a rush of adrenaline pumping through my veins. A long arched walkway lay ahead of me, with stilted villas branching out of it like a palm leaf. I was in Hideaway Spa & Resort, situated in one remote northern corner of the sunny Maldives; and Shafique was going to be my butler for the whole length of my stay there. I had been put into villa no. 25, and when Shafique told me that my villa was situated at the far end of walkway, I could hardly hold my breath. I could imagine very distinctly- a wooden bungalow built over water, with open sea on two sides and having an in-room Jacuzzi bath and also a private pool seemingly merging into the vast blue waters of Maldives. The trance I had got into while imaging all this was broken when Shafique politely asked me to get down. We had arrived in front of my villa, which was going to be my home for next three days.

Lovely sandy walkways on Dhonakulhi

It was just about half an hour ago that I had stepped onto this beautiful and large crescent-shaped island named Dhonakulhi in Haa Alif Atoll in northern Maldives and tasted the first fruits of their warm hospitality. A scenic 50-minute flight on Maldivian from domestic terminal of Male international Airport had brought me to Hanimaadhoo International Airport- a small airport built on a long strip of land in the northern most part of Maldives. Hanimaadhoo can be termed as a gateway to Hideaway and other neighbouring islands, and Maldivian is the only airline that connects it to the other parts of Maldives, and also to the rest of the world. As soon as I got down the 36-seater plane and entered one-storey airport terminal building to retrieve my baggage, I was welcomed by a nicely-clad young representative of Hideaway who ushered me and five others to the ferry terminal, where a private boat was waiting to take us on a 25-minute journey to Dhonakulhi.

Exciting motorboat ride

The boat ride was a memorable one; this stretch of Maldivian waters is least crowded and I could hardly notice any other vehicle during my 25-minute ride except for some colourful fish jumping out and diving back into the water as the motorboat roared towards its destination.

A speedboat brings you from Hanimaadhoo airport at Hideaway

The boat ride had confirmed my travel agent Crown Tours Maldives’ first claim that Hideaway offered complete privacy by living up to its name. And as soon as I was fondly welcomed with a garland and a sandalwood tilak on my forehead by a smiling young lady, and ushered into a nicely decorated hall near the reception, I saw Crown Tours’ second claim coming true- the ultimate luxury. The whole atmosphere at Hideaway gave impression of pure opulence in its truest sense, and I felt like a prince being ushered into his royal habitat. I was going to immerse myself in grandeur and luxury for the next three days. The reservation manager Shambu- an Indian national- introduced me to my butler Shafique, with a promise to take me on an island tour the next day which he duly and happily fulfilled.

A king-size stay

Staying in a Ocean Villa means dipping yourself in pure luxury

As I entered my ultra-spacious villa, I was simply awe-struck. Was I in a resort or in some royal suite? A huge double bed, 10 to 12 types of pillows in the bedroom, in-villa dining area, a sitting area outside looking out to seemingly endless blue waters, a huge indoor bathroom with a walk-in closet and free standing Jacuzzi tub, separate glass-walled shower and toilet cubicles, an exclusive infinity pool with sundeck… it felt if I was in some other world.

The days were a bit warm at Hideaway, so I preferred to spend most of my afternoons in the coziness of my luxurious room. And I just couldn’t resist spending my evenings relaxing in the warm water of the infinity pool and then in the in-room Jacuzzi. I could find nothing better to pamper myself before I proceeded to have my dinners in one of the four restaurants of Hideaway.

The island tour with Shambu

The ultimate Hideaway Palace

It was on my second day there that Shambu took me for the island tour. And on this tour what unfurled before my eyes were pure luxury and enviable variety on offer at Hideaway. The most attractive and lucrative of this variety was indeed Hideaway Palace- a private sanctuary tucked in one fine corner of the island. Staying in one of the two Hideaway Palaces could be anybody’s dream. A master bedroom, two large guestrooms, an open-air dining pavilion along with an indoor dining pavilion for romantic candle-lit dinners, it seemed perfect for a premium experience for a whole family. And then, Shambu make me visit their beach villas, which seemed perfect for a couple or short family seeking a relaxing time, with a stretch of pristine white sand dissolving in turquoise waters.

Delicious food, great ambience

Outside of Matheefaru restuarant

Inside of Matheefaru restuarant

Hideaway boasts of five tastefully done restaurants, of which Matheefaru is the biggest one and offers the guests a wide range of international cuisine. It has one of the grandest breakfast buffets in Maldives and I just couldn’t resist myself from tasting each and every food item being offered there. With a French touch to its food, Matheefaru could easily serve as an ultimate destination for food lovers.

And for a thorough seafood lover like me, I need not go any further than Meeru Bar. A live fish pond there captured my imagination, and then I had the delicious-most lobster of my life. I chose one out of many and Valentine (yes, that was the name of waiter there) deftly caught and got it cooked it for me. A barbequed lobster with chilled beer…I could not have asked for more.

The sunset barbeque

My experiments with food would have remained incomplete, had I not been a part of Seafood Barbeque Party at the Sunset Pool Café on my last day of stay. I was offered to be part of it during one of my lunches at a restaurant and how I could say no! The party was on the sides of infinity pool with sun setting in the horizon… it was a perfect setting for an evening party that offered some of the most delicious seafood recipes from many live counters. And yes, most of the chefs at Hideaway were from Srilanka; and we know Srilankans are placed among the best cooks in the world. And yes, there were some Indian chefs too, offering you delicacies with a warm smile.

Easy accessibility from India

One more interesting aspects about Hideaway that attracted my attention was the fact Indian travellers could go there without even touching Male. In fact, the Maldivian operates a weekly flight from the Indian city of Thiruvanathapuram to Haanimadhoo where the Maldives government has started immigration facilities. So, travellers willing to go to Hideaway can actually bypass Male and cut their travelling cost if they opt for this option.

posted by

AJAY K GARG

www.terrahopper.com

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

# Veligandu

My Veligandu Sojourn, continues...

by Ajay K. Garg on 7:20 AM

So, my love affair with Veligandu Island continues for my third day here. Some light rain showers in the afternoon have indeed enhanced the romance quotient of the island, and it has looked more beautiful throughout the day with an overcast sky and a light breeze caressing the flora found in abundance on the island. And the night has been splendid like the two previous nights.

I am back in my room now after a most romantic candle light dinner and just going back through the events of the day, thanking my tour operators Crown Tours Maldives, for suggesting me Veligandu Island in the first place and subsequently arranging my stay here. Little I had known in the morning that my third day at the Island was going to turn out to be a romantic one in its own sense. But that is how the day has kept unfolding before me and, by now, has cemented its place in one secure corner of my mind as one of the never-forgettable days of my life.

It had all started with a short time spent at the Duniye Spa located on east coast of the island itself. My package had a 15-minute free spa voucher that could be redeemed any time within the first three days of my arrival. The spa treatment was a rejuvenating one and it amply set my mood for the rest of the day. The ambience inside spa rooms built over water is simple yet soothing, and the whole atmosphere there seems to breathe a new life into you; enhanced by the ever-smiling Balinese masseurs, whose deft hands gradually pamper you into a world of calmness.

As soon as I stepped into my room after getting a refreshing spa treatment, I got a call from Mr. Fathuhulla, the general manager of the Island. He suggested a beach dinner to me, which I readily accepted. I had already registered myself for the Sunset Punch Dolphin-spotting Cruise, and while agreeing for beach dinner, I knew in my heart that it was actually going to be a different evening for me.

A date with dolphins

My evening started with romancing with dolphins in the deep blue waters. The 1.5-hour cruise started exactly at 17.45 hours. We all were perched on upper deck of a motorized boat, and soon were on our way to spot dolphins in their natural habitat and to have an unobstructed view of the Sun setting in the horizon. Rifaath, the dolphin-expert of the resort, had told me that they spotted dolphins more often than not, and I knew this cruise was not going to be like one of those jungle safaris where you didn't watch the big cats at all and returned after spotting their pugmarks only. And we indeed spotted dolphins today! And not just spotted them, we kind of played with them. My god, they were there in abundance – leaping in unison, answering to our clapping and racing along the boat. And, those reddish yellow hues of the evening sky creating a magnificent backdrop to this all!! Nothing could be more exhilarating, nothing could be more romantic than this.

And the beach dinner

The candle light dinner on the beach has been a perfect finish to a day filled with heart-warming activities. A table set in middle of the long stretch of sand, a bunch of florescent bulbs tucked on the coastline, water-level increasing gradually as the evening darkened, a view of the dimly-lit water villas in the distance, a specially cooked seafood platter with smooth American white wine, a personalized attention, and a perfect solitude to heighten your senses - what more could one ask for! It has been truly a different experience, never to be missed while one is at Veligandu.

I do not want to come back from Veligandu. But I have to go. Tomorrow, I have a seaplane ride back to Male, from where I will be flying back to India the next day. So, I take your leave now. I have to pack my bags! Sigh!!

posted by

AJAY K GARG

www.terrahopper.com

Thursday, December 4, 2014

# Veligandu

My Veligandu Sojourn

by Ajay K. Garg on 8:18 AM

It is my second day at Veligandu island in Maldives, and I am already falling in love with this tiny piece of land. A narrow and not-so-long strip of pristine white sand dotted with beach villas and water villas on its circumference, the whole island has got an air of tranquility about it. Rightly so, as the clear greenish blue waters around this land mass are also so very peaceful that their occasional roaring comes to your ears as a lullaby being sung the Mother Nature. No wonder I find so many European travellers having a great time here. Europeans, I have always found, love to stay at places where they can not only have a peaceful environment and privacy, but also can get some sun and a rush of adrenaline whenever they wish to do so. Well, I am also similar to Europeans as far as their preferences are concerned, and so I am loving it out here.

The moment I stepped on the island, what immediately attracted me was a sense of serenity about it. It did not come to me as a tourist place at all. A long strip of open sand at the southern end of it and a broad beach extending northward. A not so overly crowded place as I must have imagined. Despite it being a narrow island, it has enough space to roam about idly. It felt as if I am going to stay for the next few days at a place that has been eagerly awaiting me. A home, yes, yet far removed from the daily chores and activities of home! For, its rustic charm and a calm and undisturbed atmosphere, Veligandu presents itself as a tropical Maldivian island in its truest sense where there is enough sun and sand to soak in, and where one can unburden oneself and feel rejuvenated by the time it is time to go back (if, at all, one wishes to go back).

I arrived at Veligandu Island Resort yesterday before noon after a 20-minute seaplane ride from Hulhule terminal and then a scintillating 5-minute motorboat ride from somewhere in the middle of the sea. But wait! Did I say 'before noon'? Or was it 'after noon'? It was before noon by my watch, but it was after noon at Veligandu. Okay, let me clear the mystery. The resort at Veligandu keeps itself one hour ahead of Malé time. Why? Just to save on daylight time. Good!! It means an early start for your day and longer day hours to spend lying idle on the long stretches of sand.

Well, not just the daylight, the resort people seem committed to save everything around them - the corals, the waters, the environment! For, they have got a water treatment plant, a sewage treatment facility and a greenhouse on the island itself. So, don't be surprised when you find two long glass bottles lying on the top of the kitchenette bureau when your butler ushers you into the cosy atmosphere of your mildly but beautifully decorated abode. Water in these bottles is a product of the local water treatment plant and is called the Veligandu Water. But before you step into that cosy villa of yours for the next few days, have you made sure that you have set your watches right to keep pace with the environment-loving people at Veligandu Island Resort?

posted by
AJAY K GARG

www.terrahopper.com

Saturday, September 6, 2014

# Tropical

Maldives Is Paradise!

by Ajay K. Garg on 7:50 AM

There is a saying in India that goes like this: "If you wish to go to heaven, then you have to die first." Having twice been to Maldives, I have altered this saying a bit. Now I say to my friends: "If you wish to go to heaven, then all you have to do is to go to Maldives." Really, there is no other way to be in paradise than to be in this tiny island country, which is 99 per cent water and just one per cent land. When you reach there and open your eyes to a wonderful, mesmerising world spread before you, you just cannot help wondering which one of those over 1100 islands God must have chosen as His abode. Surely, you feel as if He is somewhere out there, since otherwise a landscape can't be so serene as to fill you with piety and an air can't be so crisp and refreshing as to invigorate you completely.

The best thing about Maldives is that the moment you put your foot on it, it binds you for forever. In the beginning everything looks so lilliputian - tiny airport, tiny islands, tiny capital city, tiny population. But as you start becoming some moments older in the country, everything starts coming to you in grand proportions - broad smiles, large-hearted people, sweeping vistas, vast expanse of bluish water, great beaches, great food, the warmest of hospitality, to name a few. And that was why I could not stop myself from coming to this country for a second time. An opportunity paved the way for my second visit to Maldives, and I didn't think twice before packing my bags. And may be very soon I would be on my third voyage to the Maldivian archipelago, courtesy Crown Tours.

And now coming back to the point with which I had started sharing my thoughts and views with you. What could be a better way to witness this paradise than to be airborne while riding one of those little yellow-and-blue seaplanes? Absolutely nothing!!! So folks, go pack your stuff, catch your flight and be there in Maldives soon. You will surely be welcomed with a warm smile and your passport stamped with a free visa-on-arrival in no time.

posted by
AJAY K GARG

www.terrahopper.com