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with a green turtle. There’s even
surfing lessons (offered by the
same company, Tropic Surf, at
Four Seasons Kuda Huraa). The
overwater spa is another jawdropper
(www.maldives.anantara.
com, 960-664-4100).
Naladhu, meaning “pretty little
island,” is across the lagoon and
part of the dine-around program.
Here 19 colonial-style houses offer
Maldives is like no other holiday experience
nearly every amenity imaginable,
from private swimming pool to a
massive deck with palm trees, a
daybed, a swing bed, and adjacent
bathroom with outdoor shower,
steam room, and chaise lounge,
plus see-through tub.
The motto for this six-star resort
is, “whatever, whenever.” Breakfast
at 5 p.m.? No problem.” Nor is
arranging impromptu excursions
like a quest to view spinner dolphin,
which we saw en mass. On the
other hand, a lot of guests never
leave their rooms (www.naladhu.
com, 960-664-1888).
Cocoa Island is a true, small-island getaway but still upscale.
Focusing on healthy eating and spa therapies at its COMO Shambhala
Retreat, Cocoa strives to provide a peaceful, harmonious sanctuary
(the meaning of shambhala). Spa treatments are complemented by a
state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool and free yoga classes. Vegetarian
dishes with organic ingredients are a specialty. All of its 33 villas
are overwater, including the original dhoni-shaped ones. (www.
cocoaisland.como.bz, 960-664-1818).
The 150-room Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, one of the Maldives’
largest resorts, is actually two islands connected by a walking bridge.
Arrival is by seaplane. The quiet side, Rangali Island, is usually
preferred by honeymooners
(50 villas), while the more
populated Rangali Finohlu has
the pool, watersports and the
must-see Ithaa Restaurant, the
world’s first, all-glass undersea
restaurant.
Ithaa, which means “pearl,”
seats 14, and cost $2.5 million
to construct. Couples can even
have their wedding ceremony
here (non-binding). The 21
overwater spa villas, each
with its own treatment room,
are part of The Spa Retreat, a
destination spa set on stilts over
the ocean off the main island,
while The Over-Water Spa
offers glass-floored treatment
rooms above a coral reef in the
resort’s lagoon. The property also has 10 dining options, from in-thesand
Japanese cooking, to the outstanding spa restaurant to a popular,
international buffet. The 10,000-bottle wine list is impressive as is the
wine-and-cheese bar with black-sand floor and wine cellar for special
tastings and dinners with tabletop, pop-up TV screens for presentation
(www.conradhotels.com; 960-668-0629).
If You’re Going Emirates airlines, www.emirates.com, flies from
Dubai to the Maldives capital of Male.
For more on the destination, log onto www.visitmaldives.com.
U.S. based, award-winning travel writers Kathy M. Newbern
and J.S. Fletcher write about luxury, spas, cruising and romantic
destinations worldwide when not operating their personalized
romance novel company, YourNovel.com, where they put you in the
middle of the romance and adventure by starring in your own book.
12 The International Indian
The International Indian 13