Picture yourself amidst the swaying palm trees, green, blue, teal and turquoise waters, sand and sun, reeves and corrals, that’s what Maldives is and more. It’s more than just a honeymooner’s paradise and the new Travel normal has made Maldives the hotspot destination for Indians. From kids to groups of friends, solo travelers to the elderly to your Bollywood celebs, everyone is heading there, and we decided to go check it out. You only have to think of 2 things – the flight to Maldives and the Resort. These 2 things can make or break your trip. Thankfully Hyderabad now had a direct flight to Maldives, and we took it in the first week it started. And for the Resort, we picked Kandima Maldives because of the huge space and tons of activities on the island.
How to reach Maldives from Hyderabad
GoAir launched its direct flight connecting Hyderabad with Male, which flies 4 times a week including Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Flight G8 1533 departs from Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 11.30 AM and arrives at the Maldives’ Velana International Airport at 1.30 PM.
GoAir launched its direct flight connecting Hyderabad with Male, which flies 4 times a week including Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Flight G8 1533 departs from Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 11.30 AM and arrives at the Maldives’ Velana International Airport at 1.30 PM.
On the return leg, flight G8 4033 will depart Male at 2.30 and arrive in Hyderabad at 5.30 PM, thus making the travel experience smooth, convenient and comfortable.
How to reach Kandima Maldives from Velana International Airport
We took a domestic flight (priced at $350) from Male which took about 30 minutes and landed at a nearby Dhaalu Airport. Then a short 20-minute boat ride. You can also opt for a seaplane experience and that is $450. The seaplane is followed by a short boat ride and comes with better views of the tiny islands.
About Kandima Maldives –
Opened in March 2017, the modern luxury resort, Kandima Maldives is located in Dhaalu Atoll, a quick thirty-minute flight from the Velana International Airport, followed by a twenty-minute boat ride to this fancy island, and is spread vastly on a 3km stretch of stunning lagoon and lush green surroundings.
Offering to its guests a one-of-a-kind experience, the property encapsulates 264 stylishly designed studios and villas, 10 extraordinary dining venues and plenty of fun-packed activities to sum up your vacation. Be it a romantic escape, aquatic adventures, fitness activities, spa getaways or just family time, Kandima Maldives will pamper you like nobody else.
Our Stay –
We picked 2 different types of stays for our trip. First 2 days, we spent at the Ocean Pool Villa which is over the sea and comes with a pool. The villas are spacious and if you are lucky, you might see some dolphins right from the pool. We missed out on that sight and moved off to the water villas.
Then came the dream stay from Maldives – The Water Villa. We took the Aqua Villa with a swirl pool. These villas are spaced out into the sea and even walking to the villa felt like a dream come true. It’s plush white and the blue shades of the water pop from tiny corners.
Food options at Kandima Maldives –
For food, we had the options of dining at Zest and Flavour. Both places have the buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner which came along with the package. Since the resort gets a lot of Indians, there is a dedicated Indian food counter for all the meals. Even the Chef was an Indian from Uttarakhand. With a good mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, you can keep savouring the food for a week easily.
We had heard so much about the Sea Dragon experience at Kandima with their Chinese restaurant. That is under renovation, but we got a chance to try the menu at Azzure. Deli is a boutique cafe that serves some coffee and quick-eats right by the big pool. For food, another favourite was the Breeze Bar. Their Pizza and Burgers are perfect to just chill by the pool. Breeze is where you can spend your evenings with some live music or dance party. Smoked is one of the best Grill-houses in Maldives and we decided to have our last dinner there. It was loaded with meat and fresh catch from the sea. And made for a perfect end to the trip.
Activities at Kandima Maldives –
Every guest gets a bicycle to cover the 3km long island and that’s the best way to move around the island. You also get snorkeling gear to go jump into the sea and explore the nearby corals.
I wanted to dive in Maldives and Aquaholics was perfect for that. We picked different activities every day and it was so much fun. We went dolphin watching for the sunset and it was magical. We had about 20 dolphins swimming right under the boat.
Turtles are symbolic to Maldives and the dive for watching them is a must. Thankfully, the turtles come right behind the resort and we saw 3 big ones at about 30ft depth.
Maldives is known for the spa and at Kandima, they have a dedicated spa center right by the sea. It was one of the most soothing spa sessions ever.
If you are traveling with your family and kids, then there’s Kandiland which is the kids play area. This is a big positive for parents to have their kids enjoy the place. Even caretakers are there at the area so you can chill at the property.
The island even has a full-fledged football field, tennis court, basketball court and 3 huge pools. And if you don’t get enough workout with the swimming, walking and cycling, there’s a gym as well.
Special mention for the 24×7 clinic at the property. Finding quick medical assistance is an absolute necessity in the new normal and the property has that covered for all the guests.
Overall, this is the best time to be in Maldives. The property rates have come down and the direct flight makes it so convenient. Even Kandima has an offer where you can get a 4 day all included at $4000 (stay, meals and transfer). The weather will be good till April, so plan that trip ASAP.
Website – https://kandima.com/index.php/en/