a sign advertising Beijing Urban
Construction Group – cementing
its presence here literally and
metaphorically – and stopped off
briefly for lounge refreshments before
taking off (on the return, transferring
to Naladhu, we were escorted to a
separate Anantara office-come-lounge
inside the terminal which scanned our
passports and offered drinks).
As it was the last flight of the day,
we touched down at nearby Kandima
to drop off two guests. The last leg,
barely five minutes, must have been
the shortest flight of my life.
The crew member adeptly hopped
from plane to raft to plane – the only
time in aviation where no-one bats
an eyelid seeing someone hanging
outside while the aircraft is moving.
This versatile seven-year-old
resort, divided into ‘chill’ and ‘play’
islands – inscribed on the flip-flops
should you forget – is well known
regionally and internationally.
Initially part of the Per Aquum
brand, it’s now a stand alone within
the Minor Hotels portfolio – which
majors on the Maldives with three
Anantaras: Dhigu, Veli (cover photo)
and Kihavah as well as the exclusive
Naladhu, and its fast-growing Avani
brand is due to make its Maldives bow
this year.
Niyama is a spacious resort so the
bikes outside every villa are useful for
exploring both sides, though they have
no brakes and some over-eager guests,
particularly on the narrower decking
on the water villa side, have been
known to take an unscheduled dip.
We had the best of both worlds; two
nights in the beach villa with pool and
direct beach access and one in a water
villa which had a pool, jacuzzi and
steps to the ocean – where the only
peril was watching out for the coral
and rocks under foot.
We were shown a glimpse of 77, a
solitary central villa separating each
side, complete with lounge and long
pool – a premium space with rates to
match the 180-degree ocean views.
Other premium options include
stand-alone villas in The Crescent
which command premium prices –ranging from US$17,590 before taxes
per night – and popular with Middle
East travellers for their privacy.
At the edge-of-resort Surf Shack,
I caught up with General Manager
Hafidh Busaidy, who was formerly at
IHG in the Middle East for 20 years.
Niyama’s 134 rooms are only one side
of the equation as Busaidy oversees a
504-strong team from 30 countries –
and as befits most luxury resorts, you
would never know, though there are
plenty of ‘private’ paths, reserved for
staff, as you’re cycling around.
“The message I like to get out is
the team is extremely genuine – it’s a
fun island with lots to do, and we’re
family friendly,” he says.
It’s true. We were warmly welcomed
at every turn and even the masseuse
popped in to chat to us at breakfast,
which I think was a travel first.
In 20 minutes we cover
the importance of waste and
energ y management; how more
biodegradable materials are going
in room (eg toothbrushes); Minor’s
plastic reductions programme;
ongoing maintenance challenges; and
crucially, whether you can watch the16