Filitheyo

The operator’s guide for the Filitheyo island resort describes it as “barefoot luxury retreat”, and we couldn’t agree more. The only resort in the group of islands that make up the Faafu Atoll, this islands beaches are special for even Maldivian standards.

The resort’s 125 villas integrate nicely with impressive coconut palms and other exotic indigenous vegetation and, unusually for most islands, Filitheyo has paths that allow you to walk through the island as well as around it with a network of interior trails. The wooden walkway through the public area is the only change in surface from the smooth sandy floors, so you are positively encouraged to spend your whole vacation barefoot.

Not so long ago, this resort was once predominantly German-speaking in the visitors it attracted but now has a more cosmopolitan flavor with other European and Japanese visitors adding to the mix. Although the resort does not advertise itself as a family center, it is popular with families and has 10 Family Villas (these are actually Superior Villas with interconnecting doors).

The dining here is probably the best to be found in a resort in this class. A wide range of meal options in the main bar and the a la carte restaurant, from where, of course, you can watch the sunset as you eat. You can also choose villa or beach dining, and half-board is a good option here since the resort allows guests to choose lunch or dinner as the included meal.

Bandos Island Resort

Bandos is without doubt one of the most popular island resorts in the republic of the Maldives and a focal points of diving in the region. The dive center here is both a PADI Gold Palm Resort and a Platinum Facility of the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers and has one of the only two decompression chambers in the republic. The dive centre also offers a range of scuba courses to suit beginners and experts alike, advanced re-breather courses are available here. If you don’t wish to go through the trial that is the entry level open water course you will not be disappointed with the snorkelling around the island.

Bandos has become more popular in the last few years since it was closed during 2005 and had a major refit, which included some additional stylish accommodation plus an extension of the existing facilities. The tranquil calm and beauty of the island has in no way been compromised however. Although the reception is complete with conference centre, internet hotspot and plasma TV, thatched roofs abound and the resort is exotically shaded by tall native palms. In addition to this, the resort has gone out of its way to welcome families, not always the case with some island resorts here, many of the rooms in the standard and junior class have interconnecting doors to make it easier for families split between several rooms, and children are generally not at a loss to find some other little person their own age to amuse themselves with. The island resort is also conveniently close to the main island and capital of Male, meaning the transfer is short (not always rapid), and its quite a practical choice if you wish to include a tour of the more lively city of Male in your trip.

If you are planning to get married during your holiday then this may very well be a good resort for you to consider. Providing the  “Kuda Bandos Sunset Wedding” which involves a traditional island ceremony, sunset boat ride, and local cultural dress and drums. The ceremony is held on the beach of one of the uninhabited islands in the atoll – Kuda Bandos – and is then followed by a romantic cruise for the newlyweds on a Dhoni (Maldivian boat). Later, the newlyweds can opt to enjoy a romantic private dinner set on the beach of Kuda Bandos or else dine with their guests on the main island.

Hotel Rooms

There are about 100 standard rooms at the resort, most having a beach-side aspect, and these are a combination of double and twin bed layouts to provide for families. They are nicely furnished but we found that the bathrooms were a little on the small side (this is quite common for standard class accomodation in the Maldives however).

The 48 Junior suites are arranged in clusters with shared gardens and their stylish decor, with a yellow and ochre color scheme and wooden four-poster beds contributes to the feeling of comfort in these rooms. The only main downside for some of the tourists we talked to staying in these rooms is that the beach in this section of the resort is almost completely submerged at high tide, but this did not bother us when we tried one of these rooms for a couple of days.

Circular-shaped Beach villas are the latest addition to the island and are all two-storey, with upstairs bedroom and sea balcony. They have been very tastefully done and definately achieve that superior feel. The bathrooms are quaintly half inside and half outside and are complete with thatched jacuzzi, perfect for de-stressing after the full day I had trying to learn to kite-board.

Summary

All things considered, Bandos is one of the best resorts we have visited in the Maldives so far and is perfect for a holiday in the Maldives whether you are a sporty single, romantic couple or family group. With great atypical white beaches, a good range of relatively well-priced accommodation, and great facilities, Bandos is sure to continue as one of the principal destinations for holiday makers visiting the Maldives.

Maldives Islands under Threat from Warming

The Maldives archipelago of 1200 islands stretch 800 kilometers across the Indian Ocean and are just a few meters above sea level. Their natural beauty is infamous but they are highly vulnerable to sea level change because of their very low aspect. A sea level rise of even half a meter would submerge many atoll islands and make others uninhabitable.

As well as the threat from sea-level change the islands are also under a very real threat from an increase in ocean temperature. Increases in water temperature could destroy the coral reefs that play a large part in protecting these islands from waves. Global warming has always been a point of conjecture among many environmental scientists, however, the unprecedented rapid melting of Arctic sea ice in 2007 has turned the view of many and now many agree that there is a definate warming and it is happening more rapidly than was originally thought.

In 2008 a leading climatologist, James Hansen, published a paper which presented fatcs demonstrating that the actual safe limit for carbon in the atmosphere was at most 350 parts per million and that anything higher than that would have catastrophic effects globally.We have already reached that level with the current concentration at 390 ppm and rising.

Its not only the Maldives under short-term threat however. Neighboring countries like Bangladesh are already suffering saltwater intrusion as seas rise; Australia is enduring epic droughts, and forests across western North America are succumbing to pests multiplying in the growing heat.

The fact that we are already suffering the effects of warming is probably the main reason why no one is junping for jiy at the recent pledge of the G8 nations to take steps to try and restrict temperature increase to 2 degrees and atmospheric concentration of Carbon Dioxide to 450 parts per million. A few years ago, those might have been realistic goals, but our current scientific findings indicate that they’re out of date.

Later this month, over 100 world leaders will meet at New York for the United Nations’ Climate Change Summit. On 24th October 2009, the Maldives will hold the largest underwater political demonstration in history with snorkelers and divers taking banners down to the coral reefs as a reminder to everyone of what is at stake.