Hulhumale

Hulhumale’ or Hulhumale is a reclaimed island located in the south of North Male Atoll. Hulhumale’s reclamation began on October 16, 1997. The artificial island was reclaimed to establish a new land mass required to meet the existing and future housing, industrial and commercial development demands of the Malé region. The official settlement was inaugurated by President Gayoom on May 12, 2004.

Swimming in Hulhumale’

 

You can enjoy various activities in Hulhumale. The island have a long artificial public beach which is perfect for swimming. Maldives is a 100% Islamic country so the regulations of the government of Maldives officially bans wearing bikini, swimsuits etc. 

However there are many places around Hulhumale where these rules do not apply, such as resort islands, Picnic Island and sandbanks. Maldives wants its visitors to enjoy to their fullest and also public access is very low in such areas. Trips to such places are arranged on daily basis on request.

BBQ AREA

Hulhumale has a BBQ area where many locals go during Friday and Saturday to do BBQ or barbecue and get together. BBQ events are also arranged upon requests.

SHOPS in Hulhumale

Hulhumale has local shops where you can do local shopping, buy local fruits and other necessary needed item if required.

Bicycle Riding

Hulhumale is a 144 hector, big island where bicycling has its own merit especially when it’s pretty windy in the evening hours. Bicycles are easily available on rents at cheap prices. Also for more adventurous people the motor bike is always there.

Restaurants and Cafés in Hulhumale

If you choose to take a ride or a walk in Hulhumale, you will meet up lots of Cafes and Restaurants offering different taste of foods. Most of the restaurant will be providing all types of foods and share almost same menu. The café are more famous for drinking coffee and eating snacks.

Water Sports

In Hulhumale’ there are couple of companies which provides water-sports activities. These water sports are really enjoyable to beat the heat and feel energetic.

Diving

 

There are three diving stations in Hulhumale different choice with different prices.

Hiring Boat

Boat is available on full day or half day basis at different prices which are really reasonable. You can either go to a local island visit, snorkeling, picnic island, visiting a resort.

Transportation

There are two mode of transportation in Hulhumale. Public bus transportation which will coast MRF 3.00 and Taxi Transportation which coast MRF 20.00. For your information MRF stands for Maldivian Rufiyaa which is around 3.95 Indian rupees.

Visiting Male’ City

Male’ City is the Capital City of Maldives. To go to the city from Hulhumale you will have to take a ferry which will cost MRF 5.30. The ferry transportation is there from Hulhumale to Male every 15 minutes. It is a 20 minutes ferry journey. Also you can enjoy sight seeing at this period.

In Male’ you can do site visits, because there are lots of historical places, where you will get lots of information about history of Maldives. Places like Islamic Center, Muliaage’, and Museum are present where you will find lots of information and history.

You can contact AntilogVacations for further tour and Travel Information and cheap travel packages. they specialize in providing cheap travel packages.

Utheemu Island, Haa Alif Atoll

Utheemu Ganduvaru is popular as the birthplace of Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu. It is located on the Utheemu Island, one of the inhabited islands of the Haa Alif Atoll Thakurfaanu. His brothers are remembered for having fought a war to evict the Portuguese from Maldives for fifteen years. The Utheemu Ganduvaru is essentially the wooden palace in which Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu grew up and cherished his life over the years. The palace portrays the lives of the affluent beautifully.

This region has a long history. The kings of the Utheemu Dynasty were all descended from this island. Regents from Utheem also ruled the Maldives from 1573 to 1632 AD, but the legal (though unrecognized) kings of the islands during this period were the exiled Christian Kings of the Maldives residing in Goa, India .Haa Alif Atoll, officially Thiladhunmathi Uthuruburi (North Thiladhunmathi) is the northernmost of the 19 administrative atolls of the Maldives.

 

Geographically, this atoll consists of Ihavandhippolhu, the northernmost geographical atoll of the Maldive archipelago, and the northern section of Thiladhunmathi atoll. This was administratively divided into northern and southern divisions in 1958. The atoll's official name, 'North Thiladhunmathi' is in reference to this division. Today, Haa Alif Atoll contains 43 islands, 14 of which are inhabited and classified as 'island-class' constituencies. The third-largest atoll in the Maldives in terms of population and land area is Haa Alif Atoll.

Haa Alif Atoll, also known as Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll, is the northernmost island group in the Maldives. While other parts of the Maldives have grown and developed with resorts over the past two decades, however Haa Alif Atoll opened to international tourism only in 2005. But this is a paradise in disguise because the elusive island resorts are modern and particularly luxurious - even by the generally high standards of resorts throughout the Maldives. The region's lush and green tropical scenery is raw and close to nature, with dozens of uninhabited islands and literally hundreds of secluded white coral-sand beaches that can be reached in a short boat ride and provide a escape from reality.

The largest of the four Haa Alif resorts is the Island Hideaway on Dhonakulhi island, a luxury boutique resort that features the only purpose-built marina in the Maldives. It service berths for visiting yachts gives those on board access to the resort facilities. No less than nine different classes of accommodation are available, from private beachside and garden bungalows, to the resort's two "hideway palaces" with each having five individual villas and swimming pools, set in a private forest garden. The Waldorf Astoria Maldives island resort is smaller, but offers an equally luxurious experience. It includes its Grand Water Pavilion, a two-bedroom water villa built out over the coral lagoon. It features comforts such as spa baths, a state-of-the-art entertainment system, and large wooden sun decks built around a private infinity swimming pool, with an uninterrupted view of the open ocean horizon beyond.

Not to be outdone, the boutique J Resort on Alidhoo island offers its Ganduvaru Suite, inspired by the historic palace of Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu on nearby Utheem Island. It is furnished extravagantly to befit any modern sovereign. The Zitahli Resort and Spa on Funafaru Island is the newest of the four resorts in Haa Alif Atoll, and perhaps the most elegant and secluded. Many of its five-star beach side and water villas also feature private plunge pools. All of the resorts offer extensive facilities for guests, such as health spas, fitness centers, and tennis courts, special dive schools are also present that offer scuba training and guided tours of the best local dive sites.

Only about a dozen islands in Haa Alif Atoll are inhabited, and most of those have just a few sleepy villages - yet this region is one of the more populated parts of the Maldives. As the northernmost atoll in the Maldives, Haa Alif is the closest to India and Sri Lanka. Traditionally fishermen from these islands would sail to the nearby atoll of Minicoy, to trade and make alliances marriages. Now Minicoy is part of India, and such communication between the islands is severely restricted.

Although Maldivian government policy aims to encourage tourists on the resort islands, it may be possible for the resorts to arrange sightseeing trips to some of the local towns and villages. A key sight is the historic 18th Century mosque at Utheem Island. 

Banana Reef

The Banana reef gets its name from its natural shape like a banana. This reef stretches from North-East to South over a length of some three hundred meters. Resort islands that surround banana reef include Fullmoon Island, Club Med and Kurumba. This reef has emerged as an ideal diving spot ever since scuba divers began to dive in this part of the North-Male' Atoll, twenty years ago. The banana reef provides a excellent platforms for taking photographs as the fish show absolutely no fear of photographers. However the strong current and the fragile reef makes anchoring the boat quite a task. Tourists are always requested to be careful not to damage the fragile reef when anchoring your boat.

 The first Maldives dives sites to be discovered and to gain international recognition was a long reef curved at the western edge giving it its name, Banana Reef on the south eastern side of the North Male Atoll. It is one of the most popular dive sites with thousands of scuba divers and snorkelers visiting each year. It is primarily known for the quality of its coral coverage supporting a high density of marine life.

While large shoals of reef fish are found everywhere in the reef, the eastern side is known for its enormous school of banner fish, sometimes so dense that a diver’s visibility is affected. This area also attracts morays seen slithering and coiled amongst the coral.

On the western side where the semicircular reef wall drops sharply to 25 metres, the underwater landscape boasts of a large cave (15 metres). It is  inhabited with a host of exotic reef fish such as squirrel fish, soldier fish, grubbers, puffers, groupers, small wrasse, large schools of moon, striped and blue dash fusiliers, sea fans and angel fish among a host of others. In some sections, the fish are regularly fed by divers.

One of the best dive sites of Banana Reef is at the north eastern end where the underwater landscape supports spectacular caves, rock faces, deep gutters and steep overhangs. Divers might come across predators such as sleek barracudas and sharks among giant trevallys, black snappers and lumbering giant wrasses. But is still might be worth because equally spectacular are the coral formations that include some of the best examples of table corals on top to colorful underwater soft corals and sponges below.

Designed with privacy, relaxation and luxury in mind, Naladhu Maldives offers some of the best experiences anyone can have on a tropical island.

It features spacious villas with cool interiors and magnificent views. The well planned and executed menus and myriad dining options are also present to suit every mood. The various options of water sports and rejuvenating spa treatments can often make it hard to pick one. All and all this Maldives hotel provides truly unforgettable memories.

Being one of the best Maldives Island resorts, it offers guests the very best of facilities, amenities and service that makes for a wonderful tropical holiday experience.

Sun Island Resort and Spa

Sun Island is located in the magnificent island of Nalaguraidhoo. It is bound to capture your heart with its exotic tropical flowers and beautiful greenery in the gardens that will mesmerize you and transports you to the purest of stunning blue sapphire lagoons. Located 62 miles from the male’ airport, Nalaguraidhoo is the most breathtaking and picturesque island in South Ari Atoll. Sun Island has always been renowned for its beautiful setting.

Sun Island Resort is a huge resort/island hotel in Maldives. It offers you all the modern comforts, conveniences and facilities that you could never imagine. It is a mature island with dense tropical vegetation and tall coconut palms, that you could lose yourself amongst them. With wide beaches of fine white sands all around the island, there would be no difficulty in finding your own private little secluded cove for the day.

         

The Resort features 5 restaurants including Italian, Thai, 24hour A La Carte Coffee shop / Southern Star Grill. The Main Restaurant features good views of the ocean and surroundings, romantic setting, healthy dishes and good wine lists.

Wide range of sports and recreational facilities are availbale with modern equipment and experienced instructors at the resort. These include floodlight tennis, basketball, volleyball, electronic games, squash, indoor badminton, table tennis etc. Amongst the exciting water-sports activities available are scuba diving, wind surfing, catamaran sailing, and canoeing and the list goes on. A large swimming pool measuring 1800 square meters and children’s pool is set amidst exotic landscaping. It extends right to the edge of the lagoon to satisfy all your swimming needs. Towards the end of the pool is a swim-up bar.

The resort is far from the small island ‘settle back and relax’ concept. It’s big and it’s busy. If you are in a mood for party this is the perfect place for you. Yet, because it is a big island, there are different areas with different feels. The small zone around the water sports centre and beach bar is entirely quiet and laid back and perfect for reading a book (if you are that kind).

This resort comprises of 354 rooms and is among the largest resort in the country by some way. Even after so many rooms, it is a very green island with a full circuit of beach and a long list of activities, so you don't see a lot of your fellow guests except at mealtimes and in the evenings.

                          

Water bungalows account for 72 of the rooms (of which 4 are Presidential Suites). These, as usual, are the premium priced rooms and the interiors are designed to experience ultimate royalty. 

Wood floors and wall panels, a recessed ceiling with cornicing, copper, gold and peach striped textiles, work together to give an aristocratic look. A sizeable sun deck is half stone tiles and half weathered wooden boards, with sun loungers and sun chairs. 

Sun Island is unquestionably a friendly place. The relations between staff and guests are warm and easygoing. The staff is extreme hospital and extremely sensitive to the needs of customers, as they definitely have their reputation to take care. The vibe around the swimming pool and main bar is very good, especially in the evening, as it spills out on to beach side decking.

Alimatha Island

   Alimatha is located on the northern end of the Felidhu Atol, just 2 hours away from the capital island airport in Male by boat. The island itself is significant representative of the Maldives comprising of rich green vegetation surrounded by white sandy beaches extending out into crystal clear warm water.

     The bravo club village offers high standard comfortable accommodation with air conditioning and all the facilities that you expect from a modern hotel including excellent service fantastic local and international cuisine, bar, boutique and medical facility. It is a tropical paradise to relax in with all the modern comforts.

The Maldives is one of the most famous diving locations in the world. Alimatha island offers many stunning sites for dive excursions. Alimatha has national park area of Dewana kandu around it which can be reached in 10 minutes via boat.

Snorkeling is also a great way to catch a glimpse of the underwater world. TGI arranges night snorkeling trips for those who want to see the different colors and habits of the “night life” on the reef.

As its name suggests, Alimatha Aquatic is a resort devoted to the pleasures of diving, snorkeling and water sports. Like its sister resort Dhiggiri, Alimatha was completely renovated in the late 1990s. It’s also an Italian-dominated, club-style resort. The lagoon is quite wide and more suited to sailing and windsurfing (included in the package price) than snorkeling.

The Maldives has over 1,190 islands and only a few hundred have been utilized. It is easy to find an uninhabited island anywhere in the Maldives. This provides a romantic heaven where couples can escape from the all the worries of the world and lose themselves in each other.

There are options on spending the night on a romantic Robinson Crusoe-style deserted island or having a picnic on your own sand bar.

Alimatha Island has always been highly ranked on review sites and is one of the most beautiful remote beaches in all the Maldives. 

             

Cruising in Maldives Atoll Explorer

Atoll Explorer: Another way to discover the Maldives

Maldives has recently emerged as the favorite holiday destination for tourists looking for seaside fun. The main features that has helped Maldives to reach such a position is its spectacular scenery and magical blue waters. The Atoll Explorer has also been a medium that has facilitated the development of tourism in Maldives. The Atoll Explorer is something that will help you in visiting all the important places in Maldives in one go. It will enable you to visit from one island to another in no matter of time.

Introduction to the Atoll Explorer: 

Atoll Explorer was the first cruise ship to be launched in the Maldives in 1996. It had just been taken over by a British group which continues to provide the best service to its customers ensuring the luxury needs of the people.

Atoll Explorer is certainly one of the finest cruise ships sailing the Maldives and its routes offer passengers seeking the wild beauty of coral islands. 

The boat itself: 

In 1996, Atoll Explorer was introduced as a new and interesting concept to the tourists of Maldives. It was an instant success, and is still regarded as a prominent attraction to the Maldives over the years. One of the key attractions of the ship is undoubtedly the presence of a PADI-certified dive school. The ship itself is a comfortable haven with well-appointed spaces, robust mechanics to propel the vessel and an experienced staff to take care of guests of the ship.

Accommodation on board:

Atoll Explorer is designed to accommodate 40 people and is equipped with 20 cabins that are classified into three types: Cabins A, B and C. A and B cabins are located on the upper deck. They feature double bed and a balcony. C Cabins have a double bed or two single beds and a large window called "post" which enable a view of the ocean. Telephone, wardrobe, air conditioning, bathroom, shower room and availability of personal items such as beach slippers, beach bags and a wide range of aromatherapy toiletries are also present to meet the needs of the visitors.

Recreational areas on board:

The two bridges on the Atoll Explorer are ideal places to witness the sunny morning and enjoy a cocktail. Sometimes, guests have the chance to see dolphins that swim in the water. The Jacuzzi on the terrace is an ideal place to relax after a day diving, snorkeling or sunbathing on the beach of a deserted island.

In the early evening, the breathtaking sunsets can be admired from both terraces. From the moment the sky darkens thousands of stars twinkle and show how beautiful it is to watch the celestial vault without light pollution. Guests will also enjoy a slideshow of the underwater world and discuss the events of the day with their new friends and companions.

Restaurant and Bar:


A renovation of the restaurant in the upper corner of the boat open space restaurant has allowed the clients to enjoy the scenic beauty of the ocean while enjoying a few drinks before going to a sumptuous buffet comprising of the Asian dishes. The cuisine is varied and offers many specialties of seafood along with good soul feeding music. Nespresso coffee establishment in the restaurant allows you to enjoy perfect coffee. 

Dinner on the last night of the cruise is organized by the ship's captain (Captain Fulhu). A group of musicians would enliven the evening and set the mood for the night.

The bar is modern, stylish and the ambience is relaxed. It is well stocked with wines and spirits. Cocktails created here embody the essence of the Maldives. Mojitos to Bellini through the Singapore Sling and cocktails created more recently, the customer has a wide choice.


Diving opportunities:

Atoll Explorer has a basic PADI diving board and professional Euro-Divers which are happy to guide and educate the amateur diver. The novice divers are always welcomed and the encouraging environment makes it possible to pass the first level of PADI in a few days.

Schedule of dives is designed so that the diving opportunities along the North Ari Atoll and South Ari Atoll are maximized. The two atolls are among the best diving spots in the world and they allow divers to see beautiful creatures, among other sea turtles, sting rays, whale sharks, reef sharks, octopus, moray eels, lobsters and myriad of colorful fish in their natural habitat. 

Cruise schedules:

Atoll Explorer has two cruise schedules aligned to clients interested in visiting the islands of the Maldives and see sites, spectacular beaches and the beautiful underwater world. Vacationers can choose between one of two schedules to meet their vacation needs. Cruises run from Monday to Monday.

1st route:

The first route is based on a plane cruising along the North Ari Atoll and the islands of the region. Atoll Explorer is initially located about fifteen minutes from the airport of Malé.  The customers are greeted at the airport and taken by speedboat to the Atoll Explorer. After a tour of the boat and the installation in the stateroom, the dinner cruise begins. The itinerary of the cruise stops on deserted islands through spectacular lagoons. 

Route 2:

The second cruise around South Ari Atoll offers the same kind of experience as the northern cruise. The program lays emphasis on visiting deserted islands, coral reefs and most recognized Maldives dive spots and a few secret spots that Captain Fulhu would disclose happily to passengers.

Dress Code:

Atoll Explorer is a cruise ship style vacation and guests are invited to let go of their inhibitions .Shorts, T-shirts, swimsuits, wraps, etc. are the order of the day while casual clothes like trousers in cotton or linen, cotton dresses, sandals, etc. are perfect for cool restaurant or beach parties.

Conclusion:

Atoll Explorer has returned to the specific promise to give its customers an unforgettable experience, which includes all-inclusive trips to inhabited and uninhabited islands, dinners on the beach, all onboard meals and beverages, the majority of water sports, snorkeling. The concept has been successful in keeping its promises and it is with great pleasure that I recommend this ship. Customers who bought this cruise are privileged. The invoice is minimal compared to the value for money offered. The staff is efficient and very friendly and makes sure that every guest feel comfortable. I hope more people will get inspired from this blog and look forward to enjoy this amazing journey to Maldives through Atoll explorer.

Kuramathi Island Resort

This blog is all about my last trip to the Maldives. I stayed in kuramathi Island Resort. I was on holidays with my loving wife. Both of us were truly enthusiastic about the holidays.

So it all began at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Terminal 1, the long awaited day has finally arrived. After multiple checks, we are already inside the Airbus A340-600 Qatar Airways Company bound for Malé, the capital of Maldives. The flight interspersed with a brief stop at night in Doha, capital of Qatar. The airport was really comfortable and well air conditioned. The sun rose, and finally allowed us to fly above our first atolls, only this time we were not dreaming.

Ultimately we reached Kuramathi and its arrival pontoon rise majestically before our eyes. A charming hostess greeted us with a smile and led us to the grand reception entirely of wood, in earthy beige. What surprised us was the size of the island! The island is so great that we were led by buggy (golf cart type) to our Water Villa. The door opened into a great room, a refinement unparalleled: flat screen, hi-fi art, mini bar, bathroom design, jacuzzi on the terrace, welcome message on the Great bed. Kuramathi was completely renovated and it was evident  everywhere. One that has been on my find ever since I stepped on Maldives was snorkeling. So not wasting a single minute, I took a wholesome shower, and plunged into the turquoise waters of the lagoon for the first splash on the house reef. I hallucinated that we saw two turtles, a black tip shark and group of fish like triggerfish, surgeons ...

After a good swimming session, we started to explore the island and we ended up discovering a sumptuous hotel immersed in lush vegetation. What was nice about the island was that the owners had left many places completely preserved. So it felt like that we were on an uninhabited island.

There were many types of villas cleverly scattered over the island. They had beautiful and tempting outlook, and passing them without squinting at them was next to impossible.

There were 10 restaurants to choose from including three main restaurants (I recommend the steak

Island BBQ, the server flambe dishes in front of you). In fact, depending on the villa you have booked, the hotel would assign a restaurant for the duration of your stay. If you choose to take the all-inclusive select, you will still have the possibility to book any of the restaurants on the island.

And do not miss

-Water sports available are numerous (windsurfing, sailing, glass bottom boat, canoeing, banana boat, water skiing, catamaran).

-Visit the Spa (relaxation assured, massage is complemented by a warm bath, scented, with a glass of sparkling wine and fresh fruit available.

Here's a quick summary of my experience at Kuramathi Island Resort. We loved it and recommend it as a value for money. It was excellent and a memorable experience, which has definitely increased our standards for the demand for luxury. The Exceptional and hospitable service won our hearts and it was with regret that we left the island.

I hope my blog will inspire you to visit the island for yourself and live a experience worth enjoying in life.

The Beautiful Maldives

Maldives is a country of South Asia, situated in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India. It consists of approximately 1,190 coral islands. it has around 26 atolls, spread over more 90,000 square kilometers. That is why it is one of the most disparate countries in the world. It comprises of live coral reefs and sand bars. For those of you who have no idea what atolls are imagine them as an island made of coral reefs and just in the middle it comprises a water body. The atolls are situated atop a submarine ridge 960 kilometers long that rises abruptly from the depths of the Indian Ocean and runs from north to south. Only near the southern end of this natural coral barricade do two open passages permit safe ship navigation from one side of the Indian Ocean to the other through the territorial waters of Maldives. The islands are grouped into nineteen administrative ‘atolls’, and vary in size and character. Some are sandbanks, while others are tropical islands, with lush vegetation, ringed with coral reefs, turquoise lagoons full of marine life, and white sandy beaches.

The largest island of Maldives is Gan, which belongs to Laamu Atoll or Hahdhummathi Maldives. This island is large enough to have roads. In Addu Atoll the westernmost islands are connected by roads over the reef and the total length of the road is 14 km.

Most atolls of the Maldives consist of a large, ring-shaped coral reef supporting numerous small islands. Islands average only one to two square kilometers in area, and lie between one and 1.5 meters above mean sea level. The size of island varies over Maldives.

The Maldives has no hills, but some islands have dunes which can reach 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) above sea level, like the NW coast of Hithadhoo (Seenu Atoll) in Addu Atoll. Islands are too small to have rivers, but small lakes and marshes can be found in some of them.

On average, each atoll has approximately 5 to 10 inhabited islands; the uninhabited islands of each atoll number approximately 20 to 60. Some atolls, however, consist of one large, isolated island surrounded by a steep coral beach. The most notable example of this type of atoll is the large island of Fuvahmulah situated in the Equatorial Channel.

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