QH SENSATIONS
Family Friendly Maldives
Words by Lynsey Riach
Mention to anyone that you’re about to fly with a baby for the first time and you’ll probably receive a strong wince. QH contributor Lynsey Riach jetted off to the Maldives with her family and was pleasantly surprised by the baby-friendly isle which she discovered.
M
y Husband and I attempted a short four hour flight with our young baby, flying Qatar Airways direct from Doha to Male, the capital of the Maldives. Smack-bang in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives look too beautiful to be real. Let’s just call it paradise, shall we? Onboard, Qatar Airways staff greeted our sleepy boy with much cheer and a collection of complimentary toys to entertain him in his bassinet.
Four Hours Later… The Maldives are that place you’ve dreamt about and as new parents; we wanted to try somewhere
that was both luxurious and also family friendly, luckily we found the resort of Per Aquum Niyama. Upon our arrival and with an entourage of baby gear, we transferred to our seaplane. The propellers spun away with just our little family onboard and two barefoot pilots. We cruised for 45 minutes over the brightest blue seas I had ever seen, before gliding down to a silky splash landing at our new home for the week. Waiting for us was the tanned and very happy GM along with the Kids Club Manager who held out a balloon for our baby. We felt genuinely cared for and special. A brief conversation followed (which turned out to be our actual check-in) and we were then whisked by buggy to our spacious private water villa. Stacked on stilts, a collection of rustic thatched roofs stood over a turquoise lagoon that eventually blended into the Indian Ocean. Tropical fish and stingrays glided beneath us as we approached our abode. From the luxury of our own pool, we spotted a turtle and some dolphins. We fell helplessly in love with the view from our bed and one could never tire of the haze of azure blue that stretched out before us each day.
A Baby-centric Haven Upon our arrival to our pad, we were delighted to find a baby cot, baby bath and changing station with toiletries ready to use. Bottle warmer and sterilization unit along with a baby monitor which were all set up. It left me wondering why I had bothered to pack and lug all of our baby gear! For those who think they just won’t be able to rest and relax…think again. This island is bigger than you might expect. Each villa comes with bikes to explore the separate areas of the resort (‘chill’ and ‘play’ as they are known). I enjoyed yoga on the beach each morning followed by a hearty breakfast at Blu. We lazed the day away at our villa without ever seeing another soul. We scoffed delicious homemade ice cream re-stocked in our room each day. My Husband hit the reefs to snorkel; I indulged in a massage at the beautiful beach huts of Lime Spa. We enjoyed sunset views from a hidden hammock on the beach after strolling with our baby through lush jungle en route to the resort deli and shops. Designed for you in mind, Per Aquum Niyama suits the businessman, the honeymooning couple or the family. They’ll even help you pack lightly with plenty of resort side help. Mention you are travelling with a
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baby or children and just some of the items available free of charge include nappies, wipes, toys, stroller, crib, baby bath, potty and even baby nail clippers.
Malé City- the capital of the Maldives, floating precariously just above the waves
The resort is also home to a fantastic kids club concept by Scott Dunn called ‘Explorers’. With an exemplary reputation for childcare within the hospitality industry (they guarantee that all staff are fully-qualified child care graduates). Even for our very young baby, there were plenty of toys and bouncers not to mention happy and friendly staff on hand to play or babysit if necessary. The club is an incredible place for children to cultivate their creativity. Amongst jungle, huge plastic water features, spraying water down on the infectious sound of children laughing. There is also a climbing wall, sand pit, and a giant sunken grass trampoline that allows children of all ages to be kept active and happy whilst on holiday. But all the fun isn’t just for the kids. Enjoy a sunset sip at beach bar Dune or high above the resort at Farenheit. Dine and dance under the sea at Subsix, the world’s first underwater nightclub and in true James Bond style, reach the venue by speedboat.
Top notch snorkeling
With your very own designated butler and staff who effortlessly anticipate what you need or want before you know it, the Maldives, for us, was our very own slice of paradise, and I feel lucky to have had the chance to experience this beautiful chain of jaw droppingly gorgeous islands. Oh and keep an eye out on the seaplane, if you’re lucky like me, you may even spot a shark or two! n Qatar Airways flies twice daily from Doha to Male. To learn more about Per Aquum Niyama visit www.peraquum.com. You can also learn more about Scott Dunn and Explorers Kids Clubs at www.scottdunn.com.
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