Adaaran Club Rannalhi, Maldives - Nature's best kept secret

Maldives: Adaaran Club-Rannalhi, Southern Male Atoll, Male

Date: 15-Dec-2008

Trip Motive: Honeymoon

Blue skies, White sand, Clear Water, Red wine & Green attire sum up a perfect recipe for a Honeymoon. Located at a 45 minute topsy-turvy speed boat drive from Male airport is Adaaran Club Rannalhi, a fantasy book freshwater island. It is one of the places where you go with eyes closed and for the rest of trip, you have your jaws wide open.

Accomodation: Adaaran Club Rannalhi provides some scenic landscape combined with unparallel luxury through couple of options

1. A 2-storeyed beach bungalow with a terrace or a balcony

2. A water bungalow in the middle of Indian ocean with a glass flooring and private sun deck.

Both of these options are accompanied by basic amenities and a mini bar.

Activities: Although one would love to indulge in the scenic leisure and , there are some larger than life options to laze out,

1. Theme nights (we had a Karaoke night and an Taste-the-Alcohol night) at the restaurant

2. Spa & Boutique (Although we didn't have the Ayurvedic massage, check out some really good souvenirs & essentials out there)

3. Water Excursions like Fishing, Snorkeling, Canoeing, Catamaran ride, Wind surfing and the best of all Scuba diving.

My Experience:

We were welcomed with aromatic napkins that allayed us amidst the scorching humidity. Tranquil location, marvelous water bungalows and amazing hospitality accompanied by comfort seemed to be the trademark of this location. We were overjoyed with the strategic location of the enchanting waterbungalows providing a clear view of the horizon in the Indian Ocean, private shacks at the back, glass flooring with a clear view of the colorful fishes beneath it and ambience that provided enough relaxation for the 3 nights we stayed over there. The sunrise view was the highlight of our honeymoon. A walk by the beach side at night or frolic in water in the bright sunshine is simply romantic. The tourists here were Europeans, in particular and so was the food. We managed to get the taste of Indian dishes (courtesy: Indian chef, Murthy) and cherished the wide variety of salads and deserts. The day time can be dedicated to water excursions like snorkelling, scuba diving (We saw colorful fishes, corals, rays, etc.), cataraman ride, canoeing or fishing(also offered at night) or auditorium programs, spas, etc. while the night life included beach disco, light music, karaoke night, drinks promotion or preferring to sit at the shore amidst the bewitching sound made by water waves. Although all the facilities are provided here, they are heavily priced e.g. Internet (1$/5min), ISD call (4$/1min), Drinking Water(5$/1.5lit).

Overall, our honeymoon was simply fabulous - the trip we'll cherish for the rest of our life. The stay expense is a bit on higher side (can be provided on request) but can be compensated with the hospitality and location view it provides. I thank our partners in good times - Cox & Kings for planning the trip, SriLankan Airlines for suiting our budgetary needs, Murthy for serving us Indian cuisine & Gihan Liyanage (DJ & a good friend at Maldives).

Tips:

1. Carry Enough Dollars as they are accepted throughout the country.
2. Try & avoid shopping basic necessities at the souvenirs shop.

3. It is hard to obtain Indian food unless you know an Indian in the chef's team.

4. Specialized candle-lit dinner with wine can be arranged in the evening by the waters.

5. Maldives is at a height of 2.2 ft from sea level and with green-house effect it might not survive much. Try and preserve its beauty in its heavenly form.

6. Take precautions against the highly concentrated salt-water and absorbing humidity.

7. Do not miss the sunset.

Rating: 5/5 lives for Maldives