Paradise in shades of blue
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Dusit Thani is the latest Thai hotel group to set up in the Maldives and they've turned the island of Mudhdhoo into a slice of heaven
When the invitation from Dusit International to visit its exclusive villa resort in the Maldives prior to the formal opening arrived, I was thrilled yet also slightly apprehensive. Hadn’t this island nation just gone through some kind of coup d’etat? Was it safe, I wondered? On the other hand, six-star service on a remote island surrounded by crystal clear water sounded much too good to pass up and with 1,190 coral islands stretching over a distance of 700 kilometres from north to south, surely I’d be well away from the trouble spots.
The day before leaving, I threw my swimming suit, diving suit, sunglasses and sun block lotion into my bag along with a change of clothes. A PADI licensed open water diver, I intended to make the most of my trip.
Bangkok Airways’s flight from Suvarnbhumi Airport arrived at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport at 4.20pm on a gloriously sunny Sunday afternoon. Security prohibits flights after 5pm so I stayed overnight in the capital Male, devoid of any protests at least in my part of town, leaving early in the morning for the seaplane port on the opposite side of the International Airport.
The seaplane service in Maldives carries a maximum of 18 passengers including pilot, co-pilot and one assistant. Passengers going to other islands are often dropped off first. It’s also possible to travel to some of the islands by speedboat though it takes much longer. For example, the flight from Male to Mudhdhoo Island, Baa Atoll where the Dusit Thani Maldives is located, takes 35 minutes. By speedboat, it’s two hours of being tossed around on the waves.
The Maldivian government grants concession to hotels and resorts under a one brand, one island basis. This allows the government to manage and control the environment and its natural resources. About 100 luxury hotel and resort brands are currently operating and eight well-known Thai chains are offering their services including Dusit Thani Maldives.
I’m collected from the nearest seaplane airport by a speedboat from the Dusit Thani and arrive at the island 10 minutes later. The Thai hotel brand spent three years surveying 20 islands before deciding to take over a resort already under construction last year from a local businessman for a reported US$80 million. The 100-villa resort, which has been designed to blend Maldivian culture and Thai hospitality, is nestled in rich tropical foliage.
As at most resorts in the Maldives, guests are offered a variety of activities to occupy their time including biking, tennis, spa treatments, breakfast on a yacht and fishing.
Baa Atoll is a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve and just 10 minutes away from Hanifaru Huraa, a renowned feeding ground for manta rays and whale sharks, so the diving and snorkelling are superb.
Dusit Thani has also brought its signature Devarana Spa, uniquely elevated above a grove of coconut palm trees, a unique design featuring six tree-top treatment “pods” staffed by well-trained Thai masseuses. The 750-metre panoramic seaview swimming pool is the largest in the Maldives.
For those who love diving, the hotel has partnered with SeaSplash, a professional diving service operator, which will arrange dives to turtle, manta and shark preservation areas. Dolphins, rays and even sharks can be glimpsed from your villa and guests can also take a speedboat ride to see more of these fascinating sea creatures.
Dusit Thani wants to develop deeper cultural ties with the Maldives and the 50 Thai staff in charge of managing the kitchens, hospitality services and spa programmes are working alongside locally recruited personnel.
With more than 100 foreign resorts in operation, the country is now very short of trained staff and the Dusit Thani is planning to set up a hotel management school in the Maldives sometime in the future.
Chanin Donovanik, chief executive of Dusit International, says he intends to propose a school with an initial intake of around 300 to 400 students.
“It’s necessary for the Maldives, as the tourism business generates its core income. Moreover, we at the Dusit Thani want to ensure that everywhere we go, we will be able to offer high quality services so as to achieve our business goals,” Chanin says.
My four-day trip comes to an end all too quickly and it’s with reluctance that I say goodbye to this exceptionally beautiful island.
The seaplane lands smoothly at the new domestic airport in Baa Atoll and the flight to Male is without incident.
I thoroughly enjoyed my island experience and hope that the government will maintain the natural environment and traditional culture for as long as they can.
If you go
>> Bangkok Airways flies four a week from Suvaranabhumi to Male. Visit www.BangkokAirways.com.
>> If arriving in Male in the afternoon, you will need to book overnight accommodation in the capital. Seaplanes do not fly after 5pm.
>> Dusit Thani Maldives is offering a special opening offer until April 30. Visit www.Dusit.com/dusit-thani/en/maldives.html.
