WORDS: Nicci Collier
If you’ve ever had the urge to submerse yourself in the huge tank at Cape Town’s Two Oceans Aquarium or wondered whether Arial really did have it better “unda da sea”, then book your next holiday at this Maldives resort for dinner in a watery wonderland.
Found on one of the Maldives’ most pristine islands of the Baa Atoll region, Anantara Kihavah Villas makes the most of its setting with a haven of “beach pool villas” and “over-water pool villas” offering exquisite views of the turquoise ocean beyond and below. The resort was built in and around the island’s untouched natural vegetation, and not a single tree was removed during construction.
The spacious pool villas – 78 of them – sit poised over the clear blue sea or along a stretch of private beach. The roofs are thatched palm, a nod to traditional Maldivian building methods, while interiors reflect an Indian-Moroccan aesthetic with colonial touches. The colour palette takes inspiration from the surrounding coral reefs and the pervading atmosphere is one of chilled-out, holiday bliss.
If you’re not having your cares washed away poolside, at the lapping edge of the Indian Ocean, or by a skilled therapist in the Anantara Spa, you’ll do well to head to one of the four themed restaurants: Sea, Fire, Salt and Sky.
Our pick would be Sea – one of the few underwater wine cellars and restaurants in the world. It’s situated at the edge of a reef with the primary view windows next to a channel, providing a constant stream of marine passersby as you dine on a rustic Mediterranean buffet lunch or degustation dinner menu.
The Sky restaurant is a close second, with a bar and open rooftop deck, perfect for stargazing and heart-winning. And in keeping with blue skies and seas, the Manzaru pool bar and restaurant boats the longest swimming pool in the Maldives (49 metres) and swing beds that hover over the water.
And for those not content to simply gaze dreamily upon the azure waters, experienced instructors, rental equipment, comfortable dhoni boats and reef dive sites cater for scuba diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. From crustaceans, sponges and fish, to dolphins, turtles and even sharks, there are plenty of marine creatures to be seen in their natural coral reef habitat.
All sounds rather hard to resist, we think.
More information: http://kihavah-maldives.anantara.com/
Don’t miss out on VISI 56, our “Into the Blue” issue, on sale now.
