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Hotels This Mum Took Her Maiden Momcation & Found Herself A Must-visit Family Destination In Maldives
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This Mum Took Her Maiden Momcation & Found Herself A Must-visit Family Destination In Maldives

Experience Maldives in a different outlook, family friendly space combined with luxury at the eco-conscious Lux* South Ari Atoll.

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By: Pallavi Phukan Published: Aug 09, 2022 10:00 AM IST

This Mum Took Her Maiden Momcation & Found Herself A Must-visit Family Destination In Maldives

On her maiden momcation, a new mum checks into the eco-conscious LUX* South Ari Atoll in the Maldives and comes back with renewed love and responsibility towards nature and ideas for the next family vacation. By Pallavi Phukan

#MomGuiltIsReal – is what I wrote on my Instagram while sitting at the airport waiting for my flight to the Maldives. For a beach person who had spent the last two years of the pandemic in the mountains, Maldives was an exciting start. Only in this case, the feeling was diluted with the guilt of leaving behind a two-year-old at home for the first time. After I get back, I should take her somewhere, I thought to myself.

South Ari
The Villas at LUX* South Ari Atoll.

After a two-hour flight delay, I landed in the Maldives and headed straight to the LUX* South Ari Atoll lounge to board the seaplane. My social media-loving brain did a somersault. I was finally going to have my Maldivian moments.

In just 30 minutes of the seaplane ride from Male to LUX* South Ari Atoll resort, my phone was filled with azure pictures of the Indian Ocean. Maldives is anything but overrated. I looked around at my fellow co-passengers, everybody looked mesmerised. I smiled at a multi-generation family of five; the kids and the parents were excitedly clicking pictures while the elders looked on with a smile.

South Ari Sunset
Sunset View from LUX* South Ari Atoll Villa.

We landed at the paradisiacal LUX* South Ari Atoll resort in Dhidhoofinolhu Island just before sunset. Out of the 193 villas that are either dotted across four kilometres of sugar-white sands or perched above crystal-clear blue lagoons, my home for the next three nights was a cosy beach villa with a thatched roof and direct access to the beach. The guilt subsided a little, and the prospect of me time had this mother grinning ear to ear!

Later that evening, as I sat in front of the resort’s Japanese restaurant UMAMI with a glass of wine, trying to soak the view in front of my eyes, a bartender announced that manta rays have been spotted near the jetty after almost two months. My evening was made. Two manta rays put up a brilliant performance; they were surrounded by thousands of anemones and other fish I wish I could identify.

LUX* South Ari Atoll is located in a Marine Protected Area (MPA) and the on-site Marine Biology Centre works actively in collaboration with other partners in nature conservation. A significant contribution of the resort’s team to ocean life research has been the discovery of a female whale shark, as the majority of sighted species in the area are male. They named the whale shark, LuxMas. The team has since then helped identify over a dozen of these gentle giants around the atoll.

The next day, I sat on a wooden dhoni to spot a whale shark. I was accompanied by Mark, the resident marine biologist and his teammate Yusuf. After that, I ticked a long-cherished dream off my bucket list. I went snorkelling in the ocean and had my first tryst with life underwater. I did not know that the highlight of my trip was yet to come.

Solar Panels at Maldives
Floating Solar Panels at the resort.

The all-inclusive luxury resort is also one of the leading eco-friendly resorts in the Maldives. It launched the world’s biggest floating solar panels at the sea that power up to 33 per cent of the whole resort’s use. The resort also offers activities that allow guests to contribute to the ocean’s well-being. I signed up for the coral planting workshop.

As a group of us followed Mark to the workshop, I spotted two familiar faces clicking selfies near a heart-shaped installation. It was the husband-wife duo from the multi-generation family from the seaplane. My eyes searched for the kids and the grandmother but they were nowhere to be seen.

Coral Reef
A frame with coral fragments ready to be submerged in the sea for regeneration

I turned my attention towards Mark who was briefing the group about the sad reality of coral reefs. He brought a hexagonal metal frame and a bucket of loose coral fragments that had been collected for regeneration. We tied each coral fragment carefully to the frame and took it near the jetty where Mark submerged it in the ocean. I felt a wave of happiness and satisfaction wash over me. Nothing on this trip could trump this feeling of contentment. (A recent mail with photo updates from the LUX* Marine team informed us that our corals are doing great and, in a few months, will be relocated into the deep ocean reefs where they can thrive.).

Resort at Maldives
Beach Villa at LUX* South Ari Atoll

Everywhere I travel, I always look out for authentic local experiences. Resort stays usually disappoint in this regard but LUX* South Ari was an exception. One of the activities from the resort’s Collectable Travel Experiences is a masterclass on Maldivian cuisine. While all the eight restaurants at the resort serve global cuisine–from Japanese and Middle-Eastern to Italian, Asian, and Indian–along with an impressive variety of plant-based and vegan dishes, my favourite turned out to be the Maldivian meal that we cooked with Chef Habibur at the herb garden. From garudiya (Maldivian fish broth) to boshi mashuni (banana leaves and coconut salad) to kopee fathu satani (collard greens), Maldivian cuisine is class apart and impressed even a non-foodie like me.

On my last evening, as I was framing the view around me, I came across the silhouette of a family laughing away at the horizon. This time I walked up to them and clicked a few photos for them. As I airdropped the pictures to the Singhs, I became sure that Maldives would be the perfect destination for my next holiday with my daughter and husband.

GETTING TO MALDIVES

Malé is well connected to major Indian cities through airlines like IndiGo, Vistara, and GoFirst. From Male International Airport, LUX* South Ari Atoll can be reached via a 25-minute seaplane ride. These flights are available from the main airport during daylight with a waiting period of about 1 to 2 hours. Alternatively, one can take a domestic flight to the Maamigili Airport and further a 20-minute speedboat ride to reach the resort.

STAY

LUX* South Ari Atoll has eight categories of stay. Full board three- night stay starts from INR 2,25,000 for 2 guests including transfers.

Related: Immerse Yourself In The Tropical Wonders Of LUX* South Ari Atoll, Maldives For The Ultimate Holiday

Written By

Pallavi Phukan

Pallavi Phukan

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