The beautiful holiday island The Maldives has to be the ultimate tropical destination. It is exotic, serene and tranquil whilst being home to some of the inmost beautiful island resorts you will find anywhere in the world.

The people are continuously friendly and helpful. In fact, I’ve never come across a Maldivian who wasn’t endlessly gracious and pleasant!

The Maldives is actually made of up 1190 coral islands in the Indian Ocean in Southern Asia. 80 of these have tourist resorts.
Some of the most popular resorts are Mirihi and Banyan Tree. There are however many more, each with their own personal feel. Wherever you choose to stay, the hospitality in the Maldives is second to none.

The beautiful holiday islands of the Maldives are an extremely popular honeymoon destination. For this reason it is often booked out year round so it would be a good idea to book early regardless of the time of year you are traveling.  Being in the tropics, it never truly gets cold there so you can even travel in the traditional winter months and still enjoy your time there.

The biggest airport in the Maldives is in Male which is the capital. There are taxi boats and sea planes. Boats are actually used instead of cars which are a welcome mode of transport for people who come from big cities!

The local currency on this beautiful island is the Maldivian rufiyaa with the exchange rate being 12.75 to the US dollar (this is a fixed rate).

It should be noted that the Maldives which is a beautiful holiday island location is very expensive. Resorts have a monopoly over accommodation and there is not really any budget accommodation there. It is a place for the cashed up tourist and luxury seeker. This is why it’s a popular honeymoon spot – people save for years for their honeymoon and the Maldives are certainly a place to splurge and pamper yourself.

Resorts are an all in one affair as they contain restaurants and other amenities you will need. Most don’t really serve local style food, instead opting for what they believe the tourists will enjoy (e.g. Asian and European dishes).

The Maldives is a strong Muslim location and alcohol is not allowed for the locals. Guests are allowed to drink in the resorts as most are licensed. There are no bars besides what is found in the resort which goes to show that the resorts really are the central tourist locations.

There is no doubt that the Maldives are a beautiful holiday island destination. As long as you are happy with resort style living whilst you are there, you will have the time of your life!

Set on the pristine Gaafu Dhaal in southern Maldives is the Raffles Konottaa, ready to welcome you in 2009. Amid sparkling blue lagoons and dazzling white beaches, it presents an inviting refuge of serenity; an exclusive oasis where every convenience is close at hand, yet the world is far away. Where you can indulge in every activity you so desire, or languish doing nothing at all.

Residents arriving at Male can take a 50-minute connecting flight to Kaadedhdhoo airport, transferring to the Raffles speedboat for a 15-minute ride to Raffles Konottaa.

Guestrooms
49 villas, generously apportioned with the Raffles signature touch of residential comfort and luxury. Each has its own plunge pool, as well as a spa pool and outdoor shower on the upper level.

- 1 Raffles Villa (346sqm)

- 7 Signature Villa (167sqm)

- 21 Water Villas (118sqm)

- 20 Beach Villa (118sqm)

Wine & Dine

Bar, Lounge & Wine Cellar

- Serves a comprehensive selection of alcoholic beverages including premium cognacs, whiskies and classic Raffles cocktails as well as delectable Italian roast gourmet coffee and variety of Raffles teas.

- Private dining room for 12 persons

All-Day Dining (Main Restaurant)

- Showcasing vibrant and contemporary Indian / Asian / Middle Eastern and Western cuisine

Grill Restaurant
-  Contemporary design accented with Maldivian touches
-  Wine cellar with a good selection of old and new world wines

Pool Bar and Beach Oasis

-  In-water pool bar, just adjacent to the infinity pool

Leisure Facilities

RafflesAmrita Spa
-  With hydropool, aqua gym
-  5 spa treatment villas
-  Spa restaurant
-  6 manicure and pedicure rooms
-  Indoor gym

Sea Sports
-  Dive School with private instructors
-  Other favourite sea sports available including scuba diving and snorkeling in the Indian Ocean

Beach Activities

Golf Simulator
-  For the golf enthusiasts, with emerald green fairways and terrains designed for different skills and preferences

Tennis Courts

Library
-  A large collection of best-sellers, classics and literature
-  A wide selection of music CDs
-  DVDs featuring box-office hits and evergreen classics

Sand bank private events and dinners
- Specially organized Raffles Revelry parties that promise to be celebrations of a lifetime

Private excursions to deserted islands
-  Allows residents to explore and experience the fascinating life on isolated Maldivian islands

Conservation Area
-  A lush area with a variety of flora and greenery
-  Excellent for a slow walk or meditation in the mornings or evenings
-  A private pavilion suitable for an intimate party

The Island Hideaway at Dhonakulhi Maldives, Spa Resort & Marina is a luxury boutique resort situated on the privately-owned uninhabited virgin island of Dhonakulhi, North Maldives, Indian Ocean. The resort was opened on 1st August 2005 with 6 types of spectacular guest villas. The resort’s marina is the first of its kind in the Maldives.
The Island is a haven of peace, tranquillity and serenity.

Dhonakulhi is a physically large crescent-shaped island with a beach length of some 1.4 kilometres on each side, a width of 500 metres and land area of 234,000 m² – equivalent to 28 football pitches. The crystal clear turquoise waters of the shallow waist-deep lagoon surrounding the Island stretch as far as the eye can see. The Island is unique in its reef formation, the reef system it sits on having a natural channel splitting it in two distinct parts, and thereby forming a natural harbour for the marina. In addition to coconut trees, banana trees and rubber-tree-like vegetation, the Island is covered by uniquely rich dense bushy vegetation.

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Huvafen Fushi, in North Malé Atoll of the Maldives, is a breathtaking 30 minute luxury speedboat ride from Malé International Airport. On arrival, after being greeted by your ‘Thakuru’, or Maldivian Butler, a quick cruise, skimming across the azure Indian Ocean, will prepare you for a magnificently sensual escape into paradise.

Set within its very own lagoon, Huvafen Fushi is a naturalist’s wonderland where the stunning environment – above and below the waterline – is an attraction in itself. Managing company Per Aquum is dedicated to delivering an experience beyond each guest’s wildest dreams while remaining dedicated to the sustainable development of the resources of the Maldives.

Huvafen Fushi – Accommodation  

8 Beach Bungalows with Plunge Pool — 125 sqm

Facing the pristine lagoon with direct access to the beach, the Beach Bungalows offer overhead fan, espresso machine, private bar, Culti amenities, daybed, safe, IDD telephone – Bang & Olufsen cordless telephone, 32” plasma screen, Bose surround sound system with DVD and connected iPods. A sumptuous deck overlooking the beach with daybed and dining table. The private courtyard houses an oversized bath, fresh water plunge pool, waterfall shower and outdoor daybed.

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Handhufushi Resort & Spa is the only resort built on Herathera Island, Addu Atoll. In Dhivehi, the Maldivian language, Herathera means a hideaway or sanctuary. It is here that we find the unspoiled natural beauty which helps us to forget the hustle and bustle of our daily lives and enjoy the peace and relaxation we seek on a holiday in the Maldives. Herathera Island Resort or Han’dhufishi from J Resort, surrounded by a beautiful lagoon and long stretches of white, sandy beach, is the only resort on the island of Herathera, a 20 minute speedboat transfer from Gan International Airport, on the island of Gan. Gan is about a 70 minute flight south of Hulhule International Airport, the main airport near Male’. After about 55 of the 70 minute flight, your flight crosses the equator then continues about 15 minutes to Gan.

Book Handhufushi Resort & Spa

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Imagine an island thousands of miles away, with palm trees, golden beaches and a crystal-clear turquoise lagoon shimmering in the tropical sun. Imagine the warm sea breeze caressing your body, the most colorful fish darting in and out of stunning coral gardens, and a romantic picnic on the beach. Imagine the two of you, with all the time in the world to do as much or as little as you like.

“Velavaru” translates as ‘Turtle Island’ in the indigenous Madivian language of Dhivehi. Dhaalu Atoll, home to the resort, is widely considered virgin territory when it comes to tourism. Many of its dive sites, reefs and islands are virtually untouched and definitely worth an outing. Angsana Velavaru arranges different types of excursions that invite you to discover the wealth of experiences that the atoll has to offer, from island hopping and dolphin watching to snorkeling safaris and night fishing.

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Paradise is made of this! A small island resort, surrounded by a crystal-clear lagoon and miles and miles of ocean in shades of blue and turquoise.

This is the place for a real break, far removed from the bustle of modern life, on a beautiful island, full of tropical greenery, surrounded by a fabulous lagoon, perfect for swimming and snorkelling and close to the Maldives’ best dive sites.

The Maldives is famous for its marine diversity and especially for its whale-sharks. The country has some of the most fabulous sites for diving in the world and luxurious Diva Resort is the ideal base for discovering it. The most beautiful sites are less than an hour from the Resort.

Accommodation

Junior Suites

All the Junior Suites look out to the sea and are near to the beach.Each Suite has a bedroom, en-suite bathroom, terrace and private garden area. The designer has used dramatic orange touches to give the Suites a warm, sunny feel, further enhanced by the use of local wood for the bedroom floors and terrace decking. Even the stylish bathrooms, with their sunken terrazzo baths, look out both over the garden and towards the sea.

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