From Snorkelling to Stargazing, Here Are 7 Reasons To Visit The Maldives

1. Island eating

For a small island, Kihavah has six different bars and restaurants to satisfy your holiday cravings. For relaxed day dining, Manzaru offers a plethora of Mediterranean dishes to keep you occupied. Tuck into avocado and grilled asparagus salad or gulp down fresh oysters and king crab legs alongside one of the longest pools in the Maldives.

For the evening, start with some cocktails at Sky bar with drinks under the stars (quite literally – the bar has twinkling lights in the shape of different constellations). Then take a seat at the open-kitchen at Spice for a menu that will take you on a culinary journey across Asia. Think Phuket stir-fried seafood, Northern Thai curry noodles and Thai street food-style pork. Or perhaps your evening will be set alight at Fire, where they cook up teppanyaki dishes over an open grill. When you’ve had too much the night before, breakfast at Plates on the beach will give you a healthy hit of smoothies and energy-boosting juices to set you up for the day.

2. Relaxation or fitness?

Okay, so working out isn’t exactly everyone’s favourite holiday pastime, but if you like keeping fit there are plenty of options at Kihavah. A quick jog will see you around the island in about 15 minutes but cycling around is much more fun. The higgledy-piggledy palm groves around the island provide endless fun. Rumour has it that not a tree was cut down in the making of the resort, which is why they protrude from precarious angles along the paths.

For the hardy amongst you, there’s the gym, tennis and also a few yoga sessions too. In fact, Kihavah offers the only aerial water yoga experience in the Maldives. At sunrise, you can suspend your body from a hammock swinging over the ocean – or at least attempt to.

3. Stargazing to infinity and beyond

Resident astronomer Shameem offers private stargazing sessions using the £300k telescope that rests in the only overwater observatory in the Maldives. Lie back on one of the beds on the roof deck while you learn about the wonders of the universe. Through stories and talks, get acquainted with one of the first astronomers Claudius Ptolemy and spot Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky that’s around eight light years away.

Through stories and talks, get acquainted with one of the first astronomers Claudius Ptolemy and spot Sirius.

4. Snorkelling to see turtles and tentacles

Kihavah is located in the Baa Atoll, which means the area is a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve. This means that the comings and goings of boats and people are monitored. While some opt for scuba diving, you can easily stick with a snorkel to see a rainbow of fish straight away. We take a boat to venture into the deep blue further afield too, where we see an octopus nestled in the rocks as well as a turtle bobbing along the coral. A boat can take you to spot dolphins, and on your route you might be lucky enough to see a flying fish bravely leap out across the waves. In the right season (approximately August to November) you can also glide along with majestic manta rays.

5. Meso-needling and massages

The overwater spa at Kihavah is a delight. Six villas are perched on the sea to give you every treatment you could dream of, from restorative facials and vitamin IV Infusions to a simple mani and pedi. For anyone looking for a complete body revamp there are more invasive treatments like a meso-needling facial, colon hydrotherapy and body sculpting massages. For me, a traditional Thai full-body massage is just the ticket. The massage rooms have peep-holes in the floor so you can see the fish while your back is being pummelled. And afterwards, you can relax in the sauna and outdoor relaxation area.

6. Sea sustainability

Tom, the resident marine biologist, does weekly talks for guests on different topics to tell you just how sacred the marine life is. While many of us are clocking up a serious carbon footprint to get there, the least we can do is support the local environment. As Tom points out, coral reefs provide a home for 25% of marine life – so it’s vital to help out where we can.

The team have helped set up new reefs after 2016’s bleaching event – when the coral died because of a dramatic change in water temperature. The result has been really positive and you can snorkel along it for an up-close view. Not only that, but Tom provides entertaining titbits of information along the way. I learn that an octopus has three brains and that parrot fish excrement accounts for the majority of sand on the beaches… charming.