Vital Statistics: Cocoa Island by COMO, The Maldives Address ...

Vital Statistics: Cocoa Island by COMO, The MaldivesAddress:MakunufushiSouth Malé AtollRepublic of MaldivesTel: +960 6641818Fax: +960 6641919Email:Website:cocoaisland@comohotels.comcomohotels.com/cocoaislandOpening Date: December 2002Owning Company:General Manager:Interior Designer:Architect:Location:COMO Hotels and ResortsFelix YeoKathryn KngCheong Yew KuanSouth Malé Atoll, Republic of MaldivesCOMO Hotels and ResortsPage 1 of 12

Getting there:Accommodations:Emirates (www.emirates.com)Indian Airlines (www.indian-airlines.com)British Airways (www.britishairways.com)Oman Air (www.omanair.aero)Qatar Airways (www.qatarairways.com)Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com)Malaysian Airlines (www.malaysianairlines.com)Bangkok Airways (www.bangkokair.com)Condor (www.condor.com)China Eastern Airlines (www.ce-air.com)SriLankan Airlines (www.srilankan.lk)China Southern Airline (www.csair.com)Korean Air (www.koreanair.com)Etihad Airways (www.etihadairways.com)These airline service Malé International Airport, 40 minutes speedboattransfer to Cocoa Island33 suites and villas, including:8 Dhoni Suites: These split-level bedrooms have king-sized or twin beds.The spacious living area leads onto a private sundeck with two chaiselounges, a dining table and direct access to the lagoon. The bathroomcontains a single vanity unit with separate bathtub, shower stall and WC.(75 m 2 )9 Dhoni Loft Suites: Expansive living areas with vaulted ceilings aresurrounded by full length glass windows on three sides. A staircase leadsto the loft, fitted with a king-sized bed and ensuite WC. A largerbathroom on the lower level contains a double vanity unit, separatebathtub, shower and WC. From the sundeck there is direct access to thelagoon. (110 m 2 )10 Loft Villas: Loft Villas offer a spacious living area with full-lengthwindows overlooking the Indian Ocean. The loft area is fitted with a kingsizedbed and ensuite WC. The main bathroom features a double vanityunit, separate bathtub, shower stall, WC and a secluded outdoor showerwith steps into the sea. Loft Villas also have private sundecks. (123m ² )4 One-Bedroom Villas: A private entrance deck leads into a calmingspace of simple elegance. The bedroom features a comfortable kingsizedbed and an ensuite bathroom with double vanity unit, WC, islandbath, separate walk-in shower and an outdoor shower. The spaciousliving room leads to the private sundeck and bale with direct lagoonaccess. (125m ² )2 COMO Villas (two bedrooms): Both the king-size and twin beddedroom have an ensuite bathroom with double vanity unit, WC, islandbath, separate walk-in shower, an outdoor shower and private sundeck.The spacious living room offers striking views of the turquoise lagoonthrough full-length windows. A private bale, ideal for dining or relaxing,is reached via a walkway. (300m ² )COMO Hotels and ResortsPage 2 of 12

Room Facilities:Guest Services:King or queen size bed with handmade Italian linenSeparate seating areaPrivate sun deck with loungers and dining tableAir conditioning and antique colonial ceiling fanInternational direct dial phoneInternet access and complimentary WiFiSatellite flatscreen TVDVD/Media PlayerElectronic personal safeMinibarComplimentary coffee/tea making facilitiesNespresso coffee machinesiPod docking stationComplimentary bottled water and fresh fruit dailySun Umbrella (Except Loft Villas)Complimentary beach bag and flip-flopsHairdryerCOMO Shambhala bathroom amenities24-hour guest services and Manager on DutyTwice daily maid serviceGuest servicesTravel and tour assistanceAirport transfersPersonalised butlers (COMO Villas only)In-room diningLaundry and pressing (no dry cleaning)Babysitting on requestForeign exchangeMultilingual hotel staffComplimentary DVD LibraryBook libraryAll day lounge and Internet roomComplimentary WiFiInternet stationCOMO Hotels and ResortsPage 3 of 12

Restaurant:Bar:Executive Chef:Dining Options:Guest Wellbeing:Treatments:Retreat facilities:Outdoor Activities:Other facilities:‘Ufaa’, serving modern interpretations of Indian and Mediterraneancuisine with an emphasis on local produce, including seafood and COMOShambhala healthy eating options‘Faru’, open 10am to late. Adjacent to infinity pool, leads onto the beachTimothy De SouzaBreakfast, Lunch and Dinner with All Day Dining menuIn room dining from 7am to 11pm‘COMO Shambhala Retreat, Cocoa Island’Asian-inspired holistic therapies developed by COMO Shambhala.Includes reflexology, Ayurveda, massage and facials3 single massage pavilions with outdoor shower/Jacuzzi garden1 double massage pavilion with outdoor shower/tub gardenOpen-air yoga pavilionHydrotherapy poolSteam (separate male/female)Meditation and relaxation areaGym with weights and cardio equipmentYoga with Master Pramod KumarDive Centre, for all levels of SCUBA enthusiastSnorkelingCatamaran sailingWindsurfingKayakingFishingIsland toursDolphin & sunset cruises25 metre infinity-edge lip poolResort boutiqueCOMO Hotels and ResortsPage 4 of 12

Room Rates 2012:Season 126 Dec 2011 – 6 Jan 2012Season 27 Jan – 30 AprSeason 31 May – 31 OctSeason 41 Nov – 23 DecSeason 524 Dec 2012 – 6 Jan 2013Dhoni SuiteDhoni LoftSuiteLoft Villa1 BedroomVillaCOMO Villa$1,450 $1,650 $1,850 $2,050 $4,150$1,050 $1,250 $1,450 $1,550 $3,400$750 $900 $1,050 $1,150 $2,500$1,000 $1,200 $1,400 $1,500 $3,300$1,450 $1,650 $1,850 $2,050 $4,150- Rates are in US$ per room per night, single or double occupancy on a bed & breakfast basis.- All prices are subject to 6% GST (Goods & Services tax) plus an additional bed tax of US$8.00 perperson per day. Please note that taxes apply to all, irrespective of age- In addition a 10% service charge will be added to all services provided.Direct Reservations:Tel: +960 6641818Fax: +960 6641919Email:res@cocoaisland.como.bzGDS Access Codes:Private label chain code CVSabre 79169Galileo/Apollo 6820Amadeus MLECOIWorldspan MLECICOMO Hotels and ResortsPage 5 of 12

Resort Synopsis: Cocoa Island, The MaldivesIn December 2002, COMO Hotels and Resorts – also behind Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos, as well ascity hotels, including Metropolitans in Bangkok and London – opened its second private island resort, inthe Maldives. Called Cocoa Island, this landmark opening has brought COMO’s vision of privacy andstylish beach living to the Indian Ocean.The Maldives is made up of a string of tiny islands - perfect dots of white in the turquoise waters. Eachisland is no more than a few kilometres across, most far smaller. Other summits sit just below thesurface, creating smudges of milky indigo. Occasionally, frothy surf gathers on an island’s windwardflank, highlighting coral reefs.Cocoa Island, known locally as Makunufushi, is located among South Malé’s coral atolls. Importantly,guests don’t need seaplanes to access the island, it’s just a 40-minute speedboat transfer from theinternational airport on Malé (the main island). In addition, Cocoa is located in the opposite direction tothe majority of resorts (concentrated in the North Malé atoll) occupying a quieter, undisturbed area.Despite a heady combination of good climate, white sand and warm seas, tourism developments havebeen sensibly controlled during years of peaceful Islamic governance, displaying respect for the region’sinimitable culture and natural resources. Outside the capital, there’s no traffic, and little noise. Tinyfishing boats slowly turn into distant specks that tip over the Maldives’ mirror-flat horizon.The resort looks out towards these calm, cerulean waters. The island is long and thin – about 350 metreslong – with sand snaking out into a perfect spit that disappears with the evening tide. The naturallandscape has not been interfered with, and the island features palms, wild sea grapes and hibiscus. Thehouse reef, which encircles Cocoa, delineates a gin-clear lagoon that’s rich with sea life, including rayand baby sharks. It is a sea without currents, making Cocoa Island an ideal choice for families.The resort aesthetic is by Singaporean architect Cheong Yew Kuan – most recently responsible for twonew COMO Hotels and Resorts, Uma Ubud in Bali, and Uma Paro in Bhutan. At Cocoa, the style isdeliberately restrained; a simple yet sophisticated mix of the contemporary and indigenous. Certainroom types occupy ‘Dhoni’ boats, based on the designs used by Maldivian fishermen. They are notunlike the houseboat typical of Kerala, the nearest Indian state.Each of these 33 rooms – which include eight Dhoni Suites, nine Dhoni Loft Suites, ten Loft Villas, fourOne-Bedroom Villas and two two-bedroom COMO Villas sit offshore on the southern side of Cocoa,overhanging the lagoon. They are reached by planked walkways. Structures combine New Zealand pinewith Kajan thatched roofs. Natural materials are carried through to the interiors, with high rafteredceilings and glossy teak flooring.The inside/outside space merges on the horizon-side, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows opening up toa substantial deck for slipping in and out of the water. These same decks provide privacy for lounging inthe sun, or a place for quiet, al fresco dining.The island’s serenity is reflected in the clean-lined, airy interiors combining whites and blues – moreHamptons beach hut than the usual rough-rustic aesthetic favoured by other Maldivian hotels.The Dhoni Suites are split level, and include a sitting area with an outsize Balinese-style day bed. Thebathroom is large with a double-ended tub backed by a mirrored wall. The Dhoni Loft Suites, whichstretch to 110sq metres, are distinguished by bedrooms on a mezzanine level (with an ensuite WC)beneath the rafters. This ensures commanding views through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the oceanlight softened by sheer white drapes. Loft Villas are similar in style to the Dhoni Loft Suites.COMO Hotels and ResortsPage 6 of 12

About The COMO Group and COMO Hotels and ResortsHeadquartered in Singapore, The COMO Group represents Christina Ong’s unique vision ofcontemporary living. This encompasses the hospitality collection known as COMO Hotels and Resorts,the international luxury fashion retailer Club 21, the award-winning wellness concept COMO Shambhalaand the philanthropic COMO Foundation.Founded by Christina Ong, COMO Hotels and Resorts develops and manages handpicked, andindividually curated properties, including The Halkin in London, two Metropolitan hotels in London andBangkok, Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos, Cocoa Island in the Maldives, and two Uma experienceresorts in Bali and Bhutan. It also manages, in partnership with its sister brand in wellness, the COMOShambhala Estate in Bali. COMO Shambhala is also promotes health, relaxation and learning through itsproducts, services, cuisine, treatments, and spa facilities within each COMO property.Accurate and intuitive service, sympathetic and elegant design befitting each location, and outstandingcuisine are hallmarks of the COMO experience. Restaurants within COMO’s properties include theaward-winning Thai restaurant nahm in London and Bangkok, and the internationally-renowned Noburestaurant in London.Urban Hotels: COMO Hotels and Resorts’ urban properties include the Halkin in London’s Belgravia, andthe Metropolitan hotels in London and Bangkok. All three properties feature award-winning chefs and acontemporary aesthetic and exceptional service. The lively Metropolitan hotels also house the worldfamousMet BarsIsland Resorts: COMO’s private resorts offer powder-white beaches and some of the world’s best diving.The understated style and laid-back nature of Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos and Cocoa Island in theMaldives belie the exacting service that has become a COMO hallmark. World-class cuisine andcomprehensive wellness treatments and activities at COMO Shambhala Retreats complete COMO’sapproach to a perfect beach holiday.Adventure Retreats: The Uma properties in Paro in Bhutan and Ubud in Bali unveil local culture, nature,and religious and folkloric traditions. Specialist guiding, treks and tours, physical activities and tailormadeprogrammes ensure memorable insights into some of the world’s most unique locations. Intimateand relaxed, the Uma properties reference local design and cuisine while providing an unmistakablyCOMO experience.Wellness Resorts: COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali is a sanctuary for holistic wellness. Expert staff aregoal-oriented, relevant and realistic in their consultative approach. Each guest’s individual needs andambitions determine the programme of nutrition, exercise, therapies and activities. Facilities andtropical villa-style accommodation are impeccably appointed.COMO Hotels and ResortsPage 8 of 12

About COMO ShambhalaCOMO Shambhala is an award-winning wellness concept developed as a sister brand to COMO Hotelsand Resorts. The company is headquartered in Singapore and comes under The COMO Group. Runningas a thread through COMO properties worldwide, COMO Shambhala promotes a healthy way of living,learning and eating well. The pursuit of balance is central to the approach, the word Shambhalatranslating as ‘peace’ in Sanskrit.The COMO Shambhala resort experience combines Asian-based therapies, nutrition, exercise and yogawith a results-driven agenda managed by experts in holistic health. Weight loss, anti-ageing and stressmanagement can all be addressed while staying in a spectacular part of the world. Facilities are stateof-theart and usually include yoga rooms, Pilates equipment, hydrotherapy and Ayurveda. The flagshipretreat is COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali, an award-winning destination spa in Bali.The COMO Shambhala city spa experience is attached to COMO’s Metropolitan properties in Bangkokand London, as well as a standalone yoga centre and day spa in Singapore.COMO Shambhala Cuisine has been developed by the COMO Group’s Executive Chef Amanda Gale forthose seeking better health through nutritional, low-calorie eating. Largely organic and often locallysourced, the cuisine replaces refined foods with naturally occurring sugars, and bad fats with nutritiousnuts and oils.COMO Shambhala also produces a range of skin and bodycare products, COMO Shambhala At Home,made from all-natural ingredients. COMO Shambhala Active Living is the company’s resort andactivewear line, launched in 2007.Key Biographies: Cocoa Island, The MaldivesFelix Yeo, General Manager:Singapore-born Yeo has over 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, working for multinationalssuch as Hilton, InterContinental, Renaissance and Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts. This has taken him asfar afield as China and Malaysia. In January 2010, Felix joined Cocoa Island as General Manager—theperfect appointment for a PADI certified Master Scuba Diver with well over 10,000 diving minutes.Timothy De Souza, Executive Chef:Australian-born Timothy comes to Cocoa Island after a two-year stint with Daniel Moran at Parrot Cay inthe Turks and Caicos. Prior to that, Timothy worked with Shannon Binnie at the Salt restaurant in Tokyo.Timothy’s style of cooking combines pan-Asian influences with a deep respect for sourcing the finestlocal and regional ingredients.Cheong Yew Kwan, Architect and Interior Designer:Cheong divides his time between Bali and Singapore. His past projects include Begawan Giri Estate onBali, and for COMO Hotels and Resorts, Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos. He has also worked on anumber of high profile private houses. Formerly with Kerry Hill Architects in Singapore, his style isdefined by a keen awareness of indigenous traditions, creating satisfying, sensitive volumes for modernliving. His most recent projects include Uma Paro in Bhutan.COMO Hotels and ResortsPage 9 of 12

Beyond the Resort: Activities at Cocoa Island, The MaldivesCocoa itself has a fully equipped watersports centre offering kayaking, windsurfing and catamaransailing from the beach. There is also a comprehensive COMO Shambhala Retreat. Beyond the island, anumber of excursions are available, taking guests further into this compelling archipelago of coral reefs.Island hopping is a popular activity, incorporating uninhabited spits for snorkeling and impromptubarbecue-picnics. Guests can explore typical Maldivian villages – for example, the neighbouring islandand fishing village of Maafushi.They can visit Malé, the capital of the Maldives, visiting the Gold Domed Islamic Centre, the PresidentialPalace, Friday Mosque and the fish and fruit market, shopping among rows of colourful little stores.Boat charters include private sunset cruises on a speedboat watching dolphins at play and flying fishskirt across the water. Alternatively, the resort can arrange powerboat rides around the islands, cruisingalong reef lines.Fishing is also richly rewarding – Cocoa’s kitchen can prepare the catch for dinner.But it is the diving for which Cocoa Island has its most formidable reputation. The team of staff – all PADIinstructors, who can teach courses for all levels, from beginner to specialty certifications up toDivemaster - in English, Japanese, French and Spanish – have in-depth knowledge of local waters, thecoral reefs, wrecks and seasonal highlights.All divers are required to hold an International SCUBA diving license. It is recommended to bring alongthe logbook as well. In addition, divers may have to take part in an orientation dive as part of Maldivianregulations. Safety at Cocoa is considered absolutely paramount.Cocoa’s rental equipment includes Scuba Pro BCDs and regulators with 11 litre tanks. Wetsuits are longlegand short-arm, and available in all sizes. The resort also provides Gull and Mantis masks, technisubfins and Aladin dive computers. The compressor is a Bauer V-20.The nearest decompression facility is at Bandos Island, approximately one hour away by speedboat.Every day the dive boat (Dhonis) leave Cocoa Island up to three times exploring any of 20 sites within a30-minute radius. The range includes gentle drop-offs, small reefs and more challenging channel diveswith powerful currents. Night diving is available on request.Highlights include:Cocoa Thila: Located in the middle of Cocoa Channel, this dive site – among the 10 best sites of theMaldives - is just to the rear of Cocoa Island. We descend down into the blue water and let the currentdrift us on to the reef, where huge schools of fusiliers, red snapper and bigeye trevally congregate onthe thila corner. Large tuna, and giant trevally ride the currents with frequent sightings of up to five or10 spotted eagle rays as we drift along the thila edge. On top of the reef, beautiful table corals, reef fish,and big green turtles can be seen. Drifting towards the end of the thila grey sharks and white tip sharksare common sightings although very shy.10 minutes by Dhoni BoatCOMO Hotels and ResortsPage 10 of 12

Guraidhoo Corner: Starting the dive along the outer reef provides a spectacle of many fusiliers and dogtoothed tuna. As we drift, a large school of schooling banner fish feed in the current and indicate thecorner to the channel. Stopping on or near the corner, we hold onto the bottom to watch the action offrequently seen white tip sharks, grey sharks, spotted eagle rays, giant trevally and large napoleoncruising in current. If you are lucky a friendly napoleon will approach, making for excellent photography.From May to November with the right conditions hammerhead sharks may also be sighted.20 minutes by Dhoni BoatSand Dune: A popular site during manta season. With the right currents three or four manta can be seenat any one time circling the single rock, waiting to be cleaned. We spend a minimum of 20 minuteswaiting or watching mantas circling only metres away - it is an amazing experience. On the rock aremany different species of shrimp, anemone fish and juvenile angelfish making this an interesting dive onits own.20 minutes by Dhoni BoatKandooma Caves: A group of four large caves in a row, with one over 70m long, making it one of thebiggest underwater caves in the Maldives. Beautiful sea whips, fans and soft coral populate theentrances. Inside, bright yellow sponges dot the roof like stars. Here you will find soldier fish, moraysand often turtles or stingrays sheltering from the strong currents outside – which can make for awhirlwind dive.15 minutes by Dhoni BoatMedhufaru: This is a very scenic dive with beautiful soft coral, and often thousands of scalefin anthiasswirling in the strong currents (a number of overhangs give good shelter). Large tuna are quite commonand sometimes white tip sharks can be seen in numbers near the channel entrance. What makes thisdive site unique is the regular sightings of large schools of giant trevally - sometimes 20 or more.20 minutes by Dhoni BoatWaggiri: This sheltered reef is home to many interesting small marine creatures and soft coral includingnudibranch, shrimp and fire and arrow goby. There’s every chance you’ll see the long-nosed hawkfishthat inhabits the small black coral trees.Inner Reef Current: Small20 minutes by Dhoni BoatCocoa Corner: Drifting along the outer reef you can see many fusiliers and turtles with sometimes whitetip sharks and spotted eagle rays. As you come into the channel expect small overhangs with beautifulcoral, sea fans and sponges.5Outer Reef & Channel: Small – Strong Currents15 minutes by Dhoni BoatBack Kandooma: This leisurely dive incorporates numerous schools of fish located on the edge of thedrop off. You can see blue striped snapper, two spot snapper, and fairy basslets, with black pyramidbutterflyfish and turtles.Along the Outer Reef: Small Currents15 minutes by Dhoni BoatCOMO Hotels and ResortsPage 11 of 12

Destination Overview: Cocoa Island, The Maldives‘By God, I envy this man his island, and wish that it was mine to withdraw to’Ibn Battuta, adventurer, explorer and visitor to the Maldives in 1583Cocoa Island once belonged to a pioneer-photographer, Eric Klemm. Although no shipwrecked Battuta –one of the Maldives’ earliest known foreign visitors – he possessed something of the 14 th -centuryexplorer’s pioneering spirit. He arrived in the Maldives in 1976 where he set up home, and in 1980, builta four-bungalow hotel, photographing the island with a singular passion.Remarkably, Cocoa Island looks little changed from those images, despite the arrival of COMO Hotelsand Resorts. This is true throughout the islands because of intelligent government policies. Newbuildings, for instance, cannot exceed the highest palm trees. In addition, Maldivian tourism does notcater to mid- to low-market developments that favour volume over content and environmentalconsiderations.As a result, the 754km-long string of 1192 dots located south of India and west of Sri Lanka, is unusuallypristine. Most of the islands are less than two kilometers square with land no higher than two metresabove sea level. Around 202 are inhabited, including 90 given over to tourism. The majority are locatednorth of the capital Malé.However, the Maldives have struggled with other environmental factors, including global warming –rising seas are threatening the lowest-lying islands – and significant coral bleaching from 1998’s El Niño.This affected the hard coral. But today, the underwater world shows positive signs of recovery. Thewater temperature remains around 27-30 degrees Celsius all year, although there are two distinctseasons.The dry season runs from December to March. Mid April and late November are best for diving, withcalm seas and exceptionally clear water. The rainy season runs from May to November. These are onlytropical storms, with sunshine reliably breaking through the clouds. Divers should note that Septemberis the best time to see whale sharks and hammerheads, and the manta season runs from May toOctober.The Maldivians are 100 per cent Muslim. The people, who largely work in tourism or fishing, share manyfeatures with the Indian Subcontinent’s population – most obviously, a smiling, well-meaning nationalcharacter. To find out more about the Maldives’s land and culture, guests of Cocoa Island can takeadvantage of the resort’s highly informed local staff.Media Contact:Chris OrlikowskiLynda WilliamsPR & Marketing Manager (Europe)Senior PR and Marketing Manager (Global)COMO Hotels and ResortsCOMO Hotels and Resorts17 Old Park Lane COMO HouseLondon6B Orange Grove RoadW1K 1QT Singapore 258332Tel: +44 (0)20 7447 1049 Tel: +65 6304 1488Fax: +44 (0)20 7447 1022 Fax: +65 6304 1485Email: chris.orlikowski@comohotels.com Email: lynda.williams@comohotels.comWebsite: comohotels.comWebsite: comohotels.comCOMO Hotels and ResortsPage 12 of 12