05 November 2023

If, when asked to picture an exotic beach holiday in your mind, you imagine icing sugar sand, contrasted by cobalt seas and shaded with verdant palms then you are most definitely thinking of the Maldives. Some people believe them to be a ‘honeymoon only’ location and think they would get bored on a tiny island but they couldn’t be more wrong! So -Who should go? Honeymooners / Couples (Obvs!) – The Maldives are unashamedly romantic! Villas on stilts with unobstructed views of hundreds of miles of aquamarine seas and some of the most incredible sunsets you will ever see. There are so many romantic dining options including petal strewn, candle lit beach dinners or castaway picnics on deserted islands. Sip champagne whilst watching dolphins play against the sunset on a Dhoni cruise and return to find a bath drawn for you by your private butler with bubbles and rose petals. Families – Some of the best kids clubs in the world are found in the Maldives with action packed activities and fabulous facilities. There is a jam-packed schedule of things to get involved in and most cater for children over the age of 3. Older children will love water-villas with slides straight into azure lagoons or for little ones a beach villa just a few sandy steps from sandcastles and lapping waves. With an abundance of villa types some with 2, 3 and even more bedrooms for the larger or extended families too. There are a few resorts now with inflatable water parks along with many other water sports (as below). There are even sports camps run by famous footballers and tennis pro’s. You can even horse ride on the sand at one resort! Cinemas on the beach or in the jungle make for a great evening’s entertainment, after the obligatory hermit crab races of course! Other evening amusements can be fully immersive Maldivian dancing, acrobatics or fire dancing or for those that fancy something a little quieter stargazing on the remoter islands can be sensational! If you believe that travel should also be about learning? – sign up for a cultural island visit and experience life for the locals of this country that is 99% water or get them involved in a coral restoration project. Nature Lovers – The Indian Ocean has some of the most incredible scuba-diving and snorkelling on the planet. Most resorts have aquarium-like house reefs accessible from the shores teeming with colourful fish where you can find Nemo and even reef sharks and nearly all have PADI dive centres on site, many of these also have a resident marine biologist offering guided trips and/or evening presentations. Some atolls such as Baa to the North of Male are famous for manta rays and whale sharks in season and many resorts have nesting turtles in protected areas plus an on call service to see the hatchings, if you’re there at the right time. Sports Enthusiasts – As well as under the ocean there are plenty of activities to take part in on the water, with options in abundance and whilst the more sustainable resorts limit these to non-motorised options (kayaking, paddle-barding and sailing) there are resorts with jets skis, jetfoils, sea-scooters and banana boats etc. There are even a number of resorts within easy access of surfing waves. Most resorts offer deep sea fishing trips or have boats available for charter. If you’re not a water baby – there’s plenty going on if you would prefer to keep your feet dry! Virtually every resort offers a gym (both indoor and jungle gyms), many have tennis courts often with visiting tennis pro’s, more niche there are padel tennis options and even new kid on the block pickleball! Football is extremely popular in the Maldives, you may even see a star like Michael Silvestre or Bobby Zamora running a football academy but there will almost certainly be an opportunity to join in a match with staff in their downtime. Wellness Gurus - Start your day with sunrise yoga, followed by fresh kombucha and a chia seed fruit pot. With wellness menus on offer at many establishments, you don't have to worry about too much about extravagance when there is such a choice of fresh and deliciously prepared food on offer. As mentioned previously, there are many sports on offer and gyms are available pretty much everywhere. Yogis are well catered for with open air studios over the sea or singing bowl therapy in a thatched pavilion amongst the palm fronds. World class spas with medical treatments such as hyperbaric chambers cater for those that love their treatments high tech or if you are more traditional, you cant beat the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda with many resorts offering a free consultation and helping create bespoke itineraries that make you leave feeling like a new person. A few resorts are even running specific wellness retreats throughout the year, where the programs are jam packed, the menus are tailored and you can spend your time with like minded travellers. Foodies – There is an incredible offering available for foodies in the Maldives. Maldivian food is completely delicious taking inspiration from neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and India and making use of the incredible seafood on offer. Most resorts have multiple restaurant offerings including other international cuisines particularly Japanese, Italian and Indian. Buffets tend to be dramatic affairs with live cooking stations and beach BBQ’s. Vegans and vegetarians are well catered for, along with most dietary requirements. Some resorts have Michelin starred or famous chefs visiting for kitchen takeovers or pop up restaurants. There are some pretty spectacular dining venues as well with glass walled underwater restaurants, moored cargo boats, towering treetop tables, lighthouses and my personal favourite an observatory with a 16” telescope where the in-house astronomer shows you the stars and planets in between delicious courses.

04 October 2023

Today, on World Animal Day, I wanted to share an experience that I was humbled to be a part of and that will stay in my heart forever. Some time ago, following a couple of stressful house moves, my family and I declared that we were done with the collecting of “stuff”, fuelled by a combination of moving boxes that remained unpacked with the contents unmissed for over 4 years, along with a greater understanding of and respect for sustainability. We decided that, as keen world travellers, from now on experiences and the making of memories were far more important to us and that these would become our gifts to each other going forward. Fast forward to my birthday in June and along with my husband and a couple of very close friends I travelled to one of my favourite places in the world, in the shadows of the Waterberg Mountains in South Africa and took part in a Rhino Intervention and Relocation Experience. The plan was the immobilisation, identification, microchipping, DNA profiling and then relocation of three female rhino, to a new reserve where the breeding programs of these magnificent but hugely endangered animals can be improved. Due to the issue of poaching, everything is kept under wraps until the very last minute especially when rhino are moving locations. So, as we set out last Wednesday morning the tension was absolutely palpable as the location came over the radio and we made our way straight there. What followed was one of the most adrenaline fuelled and emotionally charged moments of my entire life. As the dust of the winter bushveld swirled, disturbed by the blades of the low flying helicopter, the outlines of the other vehicles blurred into focus, as the team of conservation guides, veterinary students and wildlife movement specialists jumped out and immediately got to work. Initially this looked like utter chaos as the two rhino that were first being immobilised separated at speed. As we were called on to help and took up our places to help push a sedated circa 1.5 tonne rhino UPHILL, we witnessed what I can only describe as the most incredible bit of teamwork I have ever experienced. The skill, knowledge and sheer passion of everyone involved was exceptional, especially Andy the head vet, who took multi-tasking to astronomical levels, overseeing the two animals at once, managing a large team in dangerous conditions and with very limited time, whilst calmly and informatively talking us through everything he did and encouraging us to be hands on. Once the animals were loaded into the transport and on their way to their new home, we travelled behind in near silence as we took in everything that had happened, feeling pretty emotional. Not only will I cherish this memory forever, privileged to have played a small part in it but I will remain in absolute awe of Andy and what can be accomplished with passion and an amazing team.