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Over 70 per cent prefer lagoon over pool to swim

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Maldives may be known to have some of the most spectacular swimming pools, including overwater infinity pools with breathtaking view of the lagoons. But it seems that at least three quarter of visitors still prefer to swim amongst the ’50 shades of blue’ of the lagoon.

Recently, we asked our Instagram followers @maldivesinsider if they preferred to swim in the lagoon or swimming pool. From over 20,000 respondents, an overwhelming 76 per cent said they preferred the lagoon.

Here, we look at some of the most spectacular lagoons in Maldives.

Soneva Jani

Meaning ‘wisdom’ in Sanskrit, Soneva Jani comprises 24 overwater villas and one island villa. Five islands encircle the lagoon, each one with soft white sands and covered in rich tropical vegetation. Four of the five islands remain untouched, making Soneva Jani the lowest density development in the Maldives. The overwater villas are spaced across the expansive lagoon, offering privacy and extensive views over the Maldives’ turquoise waters. Facilities include the Maldives’ first overwater Observatory, overwater Cinema Paradiso, and Zuhair’s Beach on a desert island in the lagoon.

Soneva Jani. PHOTO/ SONEVA

OZEN by Atompshere at Maadhoo

OZEN by Atomosphere at Maadhoo is situated in South Male Atoll — just a short 45-minute luxury speedboat ride away from the main Velana International Airport. The perfectly North-South Island of Maadhoo, with its large pristine lagoon brimming with exotic marine life all around, offers a true Maldives island experience. A wide range of lagoon experiences on offer is enhanced by the resort’s M6m Underwater Restaurant.

OZEN by Atmosphere at Maadhoo. PHOTO/ ATMOSPHERE HOTELS & RESORTS

Niyama Private Islands

Niyama, a very private setting for intimate, one-of-a-kind experiences. Set on a vast lagoon with twin islands, Play and Chill, Niyama Private Islands Maldives offers the ultimate luxury of choice. For those looking some lagoon action, the resort offers the chance to swim with hammerheads, coast with hawksbills, spin with dolphins. Skip over the water on a jet ski, wakeboard, catamaran or fun tube. Immerse yourself in a spectacle of the Indian Ocean.

Niyama Private Islands Maldives. PHOTO/ ANANTARA HOTELS & RESORTS

Gili Lankanfushi

Located in the North Male Atoll, Gili Lankanfushi opened in 2000 as the original overwater resort, Soneva Gili. Set in the middle of its own lagoon, guests enjoy a barefoot existence with 360-degree views of the Indian Ocean. Gili Lankanfushi’s 45 overwater villas, including the vast and secluded Private Reserve, offer unrivalled privacy. Gili is one of the first resorts to introduce overwater hammocks that have now become so common in Maldivian lagoons.

Gili Lankanfushi. PHOTO/ GILI LANKANFUSHI

Kandima Maldives

Kandima Maldives is much more than just a holiday. Discover the blue around Kandima Maldives. Whether you are looking for speed, excitement, relaxation, marine beauty or an opportunity to create that private version of paradise you have in your mind, Kandima is the place to be! With an incredible range of aquatic activities that you can enjoy, Kandima is your so Kool island (desti)nation!

The Beach Club at Kandima Maldives. PHOTO/ KANDIMA

Taj Exotica Resort & Spa

A 15-minute speedboat ride from the airport brings you to the idyllic resort surrounded by the azure waters of the Indian Ocean. Set delicately over the lagoon, this postcard-perfect getaway offers 64 sea-view villas and suites that are luxurious and lavish; yet maintain a fine balance with nature. Resort services are designed to give best lagoon experience. Within this oasis of calm set in paradise, lounge by the infinity pool or at your private beach, laze in a hammock over the blue waters and just lay below the stars at night.

Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Maldives. PHOTO/ TAJ HOTELS

Huvafen Fushi

The iconic chic boutique resort offers endless seascapes and infinite seduction. A secret haven in North Male Atoll, just 30 minutes by speedboat from the international airport. Huvanfen Fushi is a dreamscape of hidden pleasures, where every second transcends time; a sanctuary for lovers of life. The resort houses world’s first and only underwater spa.

Huvafen Fushi. PHOTO/ UNIVERSAL RESORTS

Anantara Dhigu

At Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, adventures await across three islands, at sea, and below the water’s surface. Run into the surf from your beach pool villa, or jump into the lagoon from your overwater suite. Surf, dive, picnic on a deserted island. Explore the lagoon and set sail with your very own captain and find a deserted island. Anantara’s five-star resorts in the Maldives invite you to write your own chapter of adventure.

Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort. PHOTO/ ANANTARA

Sun Aqua Vilu Reef

Immerse yourself in a paradise island as you stay in an island with unparalleled beauty of the Maldives, with guarantee to wake up to beautiful views every day. For thrill seekers and relaxers alike, Sun Aqua Vilu Reef has collected some ideas of the favourite things to do in the Maldives. From cruises and water sports to evening entertainment and on-site sports, there is something in and around Sun Aqua Vilu Reef for everyone.

Sun Aqua Vilu Reef. PHOTO/ THE SUN SIYAM RESORTS

Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa

This perfect island retreat is located in the northern Haa Alifu Atoll — an exclusive all-suite resort for those who demand genuine luxury and the utmost in privacy. Set on a crescent-shaped private island, this incredible resort offers a choice of private villas or private villas with pools for its guests to unwind and enjoy a home away from home. The expansive lagoon with abundance of fish life around this resort is second to none, making it a prime location for snorkelling and scuba diving.

Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa. PHOTO/ LILY HOTELS

LUX* South Ari Atoll

Whether seeking a peaceful hideaway or active adventure, the picture-perfect island of Dhidhoofinolhu is home to LUX* South Ari Atoll, a luxury resort where your fantasy of a laid-back, desert island paradise is about to come true. At LUX* South Ari Atoll, you will discover 193 private villas, dotted at the water’s edge along two miles of powder fine beaches and perched on stilts above a crystal lagoon.

LUX* South Ari Atoll. PHOTO / LUX* RESORTS

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Experience tennis excellence amid tropical luxury: Hideaway Beach Resort’s exclusive tennis camp with WTA Coach Carlos Martinez Comet

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Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa, the epitome of luxury in the Maldives, has announced an extraordinary tennis camp experience featuring renowned WTA tennis coach, Carlos Martinez Comet.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Maldivian paradise, this exclusive event promises to elevate your tennis skills while indulging in the lap of luxury. The camp is to be held during this October for five days.

Carlos Martinez Comet is the driving force behind acclaimed tennis academy based in Spain – CMC Competition. He is a tennis visionary known for his commitment to shaping the future of women’s tennis. With an unwavering passion for the sport, his coaching philosophy emphasises technique, mental strength, and hard work, fostering a new generation of tennis stars. His students, mentored under his expertise, have risen through the ranks of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and currently is coaching the rising star – Daria Kasatkina – who reached to the top 8 in the World WTA rankings last year.

From October 16th to 20th, 2023, Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa will transform into a tennis enthusiast’s haven as it welcomes acclaimed Coach Carlos Martinez Comet. With a track record of coaching some of the world’s greatest players, Coach Comet will lead an immersive tennis camp that promises to refine your game, perfect your strokes, and elevate your serve.

In collaboration with RTC Sport (Royal, Timeless & Challenging), Hideaway’s resident tennis pro and also the resort’s resident Sports Master, Ameen, will guide participants of all experience levels through a series of comprehensive tennis lessons. Whether you’re an absolute beginner or a competitive player, this five-day intensive course will cater to your individual needs.

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ROBINSON NOONU offers exciting sports, well-being events for guests

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ROBINSON NOONU, the premium resort on the Maldivian island Orivaru, is offering guests the chance to experience innovative concepts and practice them with experienced coaches and experts. The resort’s upcoming event weeks include the HOT IRON Event Week, Mindful METIME Event-Week, “BODY POSITIVITY”-Event, and “Your timeout” Yoga-Event.

From October 16th to 21st, 2023, guests can participate in the HOT IRON Event Week “Strength meets mobility”, led by Sebastian Prahl. This strength-endurance training with the barbell is suitable for all levels and focuses on body toning and fat reduction.

From October 16th to 21st, 2023, guests can participate in the HOT IRON Event Week “Strength meets mobility”, led by Sebastian Prahl. This strength-endurance training with the barbell is suitable for all levels and focuses on body toning and fat reduction.

The Mindful METIME Event Week, led by Peter Praunsmändtl, takes place from November 7th to 19th, 2023. Guests can find their inner strength through meditations, breathing exercises, and workout classes, including Pilates and mobility sessions.

From December 22nd, 2023, to January 13th, 2024, guests can participate in the “BODY POSITIVITY” Event with Sava Assenov. This event includes core training, Pilates, and yoga flows, as well as early bird workouts and intensive whole-body workouts.

For those looking for a yoga-focused event, the “Your timeout” Yoga Event with Anja Bölitz takes place from January 13th to 27th, 2024. Bölitz, founder of emBODYMINDing®, focuses on healthy alignment for the body and mind, combining yoga and fascia training with meditation and mindfulness.

“Many of our guests come to our island not only to relax and enjoy the dreamlike scenery, but also to benefit their body and mind during their holiday,” said Jan-Hendrik Karliczek, General Manager of ROBINSON NOONU. “With our sport and well-being event weeks, we offer them the opportunity to get to know new innovative concepts and to practice them with experienced coaches and experts.”

In addition to the special event weeks, the resort offers a wide range of activities for all guests to enjoy, including volleyball, badminton, football, water polo, table tennis, billiards, snorkelling, diving, fishing, sailing, boat tours, and wakeboarding.

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Inaugural Kandooma Manta Week kicks off on World Manta Day 2023

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Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives celebrates the annual World Manta Day (17 Sept) with the naming of a recently rescued Giant Oceanic Manta Ray, an award and a variety of guest activities for the resort’s inaugural Kandooma Manta Week. World Manta Day has been created to celebrate manta rays and to raise awareness of the threats that these beautiful, mysterious, ocean giants face.

Last month divers from Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives led by Japanese PADI-certified Dive Instructor Tomoyo, freed a Giant Oceanic Manta Ray tangled in ghost nets, at a site nearby to the island resort. The Manta Trust through its identification process has now confirmed the Manta is an adult male and is the 915th Oceanic Manta Ray to be spotted in Maldivian waters. As part of the identification process the Manta was named ‘Kandooma’ in honour of where it was seen and the dive team who freed it from tangled nets.

“We are delighted to have the Manta named after our natural island, Kandooma. When the Manta Trust shared confirmation of the name with us, I was absolutely thrilled,” said Mark Eletr, General Manager, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, who was one of the divers who freed the Manta.

As part of the Kandooma Manta Week activities at the resort, the team at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives will host a naming ceremony for Kandooma the Manta and will honour the Dive Instructor, Tomoyo from the Kandooma Dive Centre for her bravery, seizing the opportunity to cut ‘Kandooma’ the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray free. Other activities for the week long celebration of Manta Rays includes special scuba dives and snorkelling excursions to observe these giants in their natural environment and learn about their behaviours, the threats to their survival and share the story of the freeing of ‘Kandooma’.

“Tomoyo showed no hesitation on the dive. First ensuring the group of accompanying divers were all safe before proceeding. Fortunately they were all experienced and each had enough air remaining for her to do this. In all it took about three and a half minutes to free Kandooma. I was so proud of her for the way she conducted herself and took positive action. I think also the other divers need to be acknowledged as well, they remained calm, kept their distance, didn’t interfere with what Tomoyo was doing and recorded the entire encounter,” added Mark.

The newly named Manta, ’Kandooma’, is estimated to be 4 metres in size. While confirmed origin of the fishing net is yet to be confirmed, it is understood it is not Maldivian and has drifted with the tide from another country, reinforcing the importance of education and responsible disposal of nets and fishing line.

The theme of World Manta Day 2023 is Tourism. Tourism plays a pivotal role in Manta Ray conservation, as it helps to raise awareness, generates funding for research, and contributes to efforts to protect Manta Ray habitats and prevents their exploitation.

Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma is on the doorstep to some of the Maldives Top Ten Dive Sites and the wellbeing of the ocean and all the life within it, is important to guests and hotel staff alike. The resort aligns its efforts with IHG’s purpose True Hospitality for Good, through their sustainability programme ‘Journey to Tomorrow’ which is the hotel group’s response to helping achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. 

Recent events with Kandooma the Manta have inspired the resort’s management to add two free Scuba Dives per day for certified divers staying at the resort for 3 nights or more.

Located in the South Male atoll just 40 mins from the airport by boat, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is a beautiful island paradise. White sandy beaches, swaying coconut palms and turquoise waters form the backdrop for various leisure pursuits and some of the best diving in the Maldives. Guests can choose from Garden and Beach Villas, two-storey Beach Houses and the popular Overwater Villas. Families are well catered for with a choice of 2- and 3-bed villas, the Kandoo Kids’ Club, and its complete activities programme. Six food and beverage outlets ensure healthy appetites are satisfied and the flavours of the Maldives are explored. For guests who desire the ultimate relaxation, sun loungers and hammocks are located around the island. The Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala offers the ultimate tranquility and escape for body and mind.

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