Pictured left to right outside the new store are: Paul Hardwick, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Director of Retail; Emma Bailey, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Tutti Taylor, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Councillor Candy Vaughan, Mayor of Eastbourne; Trevor Ridler, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Business Development Manager; and Shirley Waters, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents..
If you feel the Maldives is a destination just for honeymooners and loved-up couples, you could be missing out on one of the most amazing places on earth. Yes, it is romantic, but the true love affair of the Maldives is the wonder you’ll feel at the white powder sand, the idyllic sunsets, the exhilarating watersports and the feeling of being somewhere so far removed from your daily life as to be totally transformative. No longer the preserve of once-in-a-lifetime holidays, the Maldives now welcome families, multigenerational groups and travellers from all walks of life – there is a Maldivian island paradise suitable for everyone.
Choosing where to stay is one of the hardest decisions – the Maldives comprises 1192 islands strewn across 26 atolls, and there are 150 private island resorts you can choose from. Varying in size, facilities and price point, consulting a travel agent will help narrow down the search, whether it’s a secluded idyll, watersports focus, or family friendly resort that you’re seeking. And if you really can’t choose, then a two-centre holiday offers the option to create your perfect Maldivian holiday blend. Claire, Assistant Branch Manager at our Colchester shop was fortunate enough to explore four of Kuoni’s exclusive resorts - to compare and contrast, and to better understand how this gorgeous destination is perfect for everyone’s idea of paradise.
“I knew the Maldives would be a special place and it definitely didn’t disappoint. It’s a little piece of paradise, as I totally expected it to be, but having seen and experienced it for myself, I really believe that it offers something for more than just couples. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to families, multi-generational groups and friend groups. We visited four islands on our seven-night trip, and all were a little different to one another, with each having something that stands out compared to the rest.
Kuramathi was our first resort and was so much bigger than I expected any island to be in the Maldives! Walking from one side to the other takes a good 45mins to 1 hour, and it has fantastic facilities on offer with all that space! There are 360 villas, 10 Restaurants and several bars, including the Champagne Loft, Sky Bar and the Havana Club & Cigar Bar. There is a kids’ club, a watersports centre, offering motorized and non-motorized watersports, as well as diving and snorkeling, and floodlit tennis courts & a gym.
There are 3 good-sized swimming pools and a spa. Evening entertainment includes a resident DJ, live bands, starlit discos, or movie nights on the beach. I stayed in a 2 Bedroom Beach House. The upstairs and downstairs are 2 separate living areas, laid out the same, each with a bathroom. The front door is used by both units, and this is a great option for families or 2 couples or friend groups. They overlook the beach with direct access via the lower-level terrace or the main door. Kuramathi would suit anyone, and I would recommend it to families, friend groups, multigenerational families and couples of all ages.
Kandolhu is the other end of the spectrum! A teeny-tiny island that will take you about 13 minutes to walk round, with just 30 Villas - this is a true bare foot resort. Considering it’s such a small island, they still have 5 restaurants for their guests and a spa, but there is no main swimming pool. There is a watersports centre offering non-motorized watersports and a dive centre for diving and snorkeling. Kandolhu would suit couples of any age that want a very relaxing away-from-it-all holiday, in a very peaceful environment.
Ananea Madivaru is a brand-new resort spread across two islands linked by a bridge. It is a large, ultra luxury resort with 110 Villas and every room has a private pool. There are 9 restaurants and 3 bars, some offering live entertainment or a resident DJ in the evening. There is a beautiful overwater spa and a gym with a separate yoga pavilion, plus tennis & padel courts. There are 2 pools, one of which is for guests over 12 years old, and there is a fantastic kids club with the most amazing facilities for children.
We stayed in our own Water Villas with Private Pool. They are huge! There was so much space within the main living and sleeping areas, both of which you can walk straight out from onto your deck, where you have a private pool, 2 sunbeds, 2 chairs, a table and a netted area, with steps directly into the ocean. This gorgeous resort would suit everyone.
Outrigger Maafushivaru is a lovely established island - not too big and not too small with 48 Villas. This is a luxury resort with ultra-personal service – as we got off the seaplane the Sales Manager Kenan greeted using our first names! How did he know?! He remembered our names for all of our stay! Maafushivaru has 6 restaurants, one of which has dining pods to make that special occasion a little more special and private. They have a main swimming pool, spa, mini golf, darts, table tennis and a pool table. Plus an old school Pac Man electronic arcade game! The kids club here is one of the best I’ve ever seen – it’s called the Treehouse Retreat and has a hidden staircase inside to get to the upper level.
Maafushivaru has a private sister island which can be used for drinks receptions, private dining or wedding blessings and vow renewals.
We stayed in a Water Villa with Private Pool, and these were almost exactly the same as those at Ananea, as the same designer created both!
A lot of activities in the Maldives are focused in and around the beautiful ocean, whether its swimming and snorkelling on the shores of each island, or taking snorkeling, fishing or sunset boat trips. My highlight was a trip to snorkel with nurse sharks & stingrays from Ananea Madivaru, something I never expected I’d do in my life! The watersports team that took us out were very professional, reassuring and made us feel comfortable, and what a fantastic experience - something I will never forget!
Food in the Maldives is very varied. As you’d expect they have a lot of fish, I’m not usually a massive fan, but one evening I had freshly caught red snapper, which I really enjoyed, and I also tried sushi for the first time. We had steak diane at Kuramathi, which was cooked to perfection at the table, and a traditional Maldivian lunch at Ananea Madivaru which was fantastic - watch out for the spice - they do like things hot! I really enjoyed all the food we had, even the fishy things! Obviously with any holiday the cocktails had to be tried and tested, and I can say from personal experience they were all very good!
We flew with Sri Lankan Airlines via Columbo both ways. We had a 45-minute connection on the outbound flight and 1.5hrs on the return, both worked very well. Sri Lankan Airlines are a 4* airline, and they were very good.
My top tips for travelling to the Maldives would be to pack a few snacks, just in case some of the in-flight food is not to your taste, be mindful of their Muslim culture, though this is more relaxed in the hotels, and finally a lot of the islands are bare foot - you won’t need many pairs of shoes!
This was the most amazing trip. Not only was every island that we visited incredible, but we were also treated like royalty by our hosts and got to enjoy the very best accommodation and experiences at each resort. Nothing was too much trouble, and guests are made to feel so welcome. The Maldives truly is a wonderful destination for any traveller to enjoy.”
You can find Claire at our Colchester shop, or to find your local branch click here.
