I Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas

By Nermeen Abbas and Amany Zaher

• HOTEL REVIEW •

Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas

Even for a short vacation, you can still find time to relax and have an adventure on an island paradise in the Maldives.

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As we hadn’t left our home country of Egypt for more than a year, we wanted our first trip abroad to be remarkable, and as a small group of two female friends, we had many choices. While we looked up destinations where we could relax as well as enjoy the sea and activities, images and recommendations from the Maldives began to pop up. From hundreds of Islands, we chose the Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas—a private island within the Baa Atoll in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve—for a four-day getaway.

Planning the trip The first thing that comes to mind when choosing a holiday destination in 2021, are the restrictions and procedures needed to get there. For the Maldives, we needed to secure a negative PCR test, proof of a hotel booking, and fill in an online application form.

Once we had our hotel and tickets booked, we packed our bags and embarked on the 10-hour trip from Cairo to the Maldives via Dubai. As we entered Maldives airspace, the charming turquoise islands surrounded by palm trees started to appear in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Someone from Anantara was waiting for us at Velana International Airport and gave us a warm welcome. Within a few minutes, he had our seaplane tickets booked and led us to a VIP room where we had access to the internet, cold and hot drinks, snacks, and a kids’ area for families. As we left the airport we could smell the ocean and saw boats and seaplanes lining up over the water.

The adventure started on the seaplane. The weather was rainy and windy while islands extended like pearls in the ocean below. In August, the weather is very hot in Egypt, while the temperature was only 28 degrees in the Maldives. The rain prolonged our flight time from 35 minutes to an hour. Once the plane landed, a yacht from the resort picked us up to take us to the Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas.

Hospitality As our yacht approached the island, we saw the staff cheering and playing drums. We were served coconuts and given a very warm Maldivian welcome. We were driven to our sunset beach pool villa, where we had a private swimming pool overlooking the turquoise sea and white sands, private bicycles, swinging daybed, and al fresco bathroom with bathtub.

Though it was still raining, we jumped into our pool and swam in the warm rain. After enjoying our private space, we had a lunch of seafood and some Italian cuisine in the Manzaru restaurant, overlooking the ocean and the resort’s pool—one of the largest in the Maldives.

We were able to tour around the 15-acre island sanctuary from the comfort of a golf buggy. The island has 80 villas, with residences for families and water villas with glass-bottomed whirlpool bathtubs and overwater hammocks.

Activities With its spa, sports center, cinema, gym, tennis court, and recreational gardens, the Anantara offered many activities for us to do during our short stay. The resort also has a kids’ club for children aged four to 12, and a medical center where we did the PCR test before leaving.

The Anantara spa is an over water sanctuary ideal for reconnecting with your body and mind. Enveloped

by endless views of the Indian Ocean, the spa offers six over-water treatment suites, a Cocoon Medical Spa, a steam room, a relaxation deck with cold plunge pool, and a nail, hair and beauty salon.

Just a few steps from the spa, we found a sports center where we booked a voyage with two kinds of snorkeling in the program. The first one near the shore where we saw tropical fish and coral, and the second further out into the ocean where we went looking for manta rays. Giant reef manta rays live in tropical, subtropical, and temperate oceans and can grow to up to 29 feet wide. Led by a guide from the sports center, we snorkeled for nearly 45 minutes at the world’s largest natural manta feeding region in Hanifaru Bay in the Baa Atoll.

Dining In the afternoon, we enjoyed having jasmine tea at Nala Garden, surrounded by over 1,000 blooms along with intoxicating scents from 25 different orchid varieties. We had another unique experience waiting for us with dinner at Fire. The Japanese restaurant serves fresh lobster, sashimi, certified US Prime Angus beef tenderloin, and many dishes from Japan. The chefs put on a show for every guest each night, as the ocean breeze blows beneath the thatched roof. The next day we enjoyed spicy Indian cuisines with authentic tandoori and curries in Spice.

However, having dinner in the underwater restaurant was one of the most exciting experiences during our trip. Located six meters under the ocean, we had our meal as sharks, turtles and tropical fish swam by. We enjoyed some special dishes, including the lobster salad, the Scottish salmon, and the sea bass. For desert we had a delicious chocolate bomb explosion, a ganache and crunchy mascarpone parfait served with warm caramel sauce.

Before packing our luggage to leave the resort, we also had to try the popular floating breakfast, which we had seen in reviews on Instagram. In our private pool, overlooking the sea, we enjoyed our last meal in Maldives with fresh juices, tropical fruit platter, and pastries.

As we left the resort the staff waved us goodbye. We returned home with unforgettable memories, dreaming of another charming adventure.

Ihsan Anabtawi

COO and CMO Microsoft Gulf

STEM Takes Centre Stage As Perceptions Change

Science plays an integral part in every aspect of daily life. Now, it is becoming a beacon of hope. With increased awareness of the importance of science, more people and organizations see it as a tool to build a better and equitable future.

BY LIZAN MARI GRAY

Forbes Middle East hosted a 3M State of Science Index 2021 virtual roundtable in September, ahead of the release of the annual State of Science Index—a third-party, independent research study commissioned by 3M.

The conversation opened with an introductory speech by Laszlo Svinger, regional Vice-President and Managing Director for 3M Middle East and Africa, who shared a glimpse of how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped life and key insights from the survey. The study explores global attitudes towards science and delves into how people think and feel about the field and its impact on the world. “Of all the arenas in life that COVID has upended, science is perhaps the field that has been transformed the most,” shared Svinger. “The pandemic has created an entirely new research environment, one that is now structured for collaboration and communication above all else.”

H.E. Dr. Amin Hussain Al Ameeri, Assistant Undersecretary of the Health Regulation Sector at the Ministry of Health, delivered a special address discussing the U.A.E.’s experience of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in healthcare.

This was followed by an in-depth panel discussion by science and technology leaders on the importance of STEM education, how the field is perceived, and how perception has changed.

The speakers were: Camila Cruz Durlacher, Vice President of EMEA R&D Operations at 3M; Jad Bitar, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group; Dr. Patrick Noack, Executive Director of Future, Foresight and Imagination at the Dubai Future Foundation; and Ihsan Anabtawi, COO and CMO of Microsoft Gulf. The roundtable was moderated by Cara Nazari, Managing Director of AmCham Dubai.

The leadership of the U.A.E. understood decades ago that technological changes would only increase, creating a vastly different world to the one they grew up in. The country has prioritized investment into STEM and is now reaping the rewards. “The stance for science, technology, engineering and mathematics is very important. The U.A.E. has been looking into the topic and how it can benefit the country for many years. Something that was set in place by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to prepare future generations for a new era,” said H.E. Dr. Al Ameeri.

Science and healthcare Science has been in the spotlight since the onset of the pandemic, and this has caused a significant shift in perception towards the field. The State of Science Index found that trust in science is at an all-time high in the U.A.E., with 90% of respondents stating they trust science today.

“People are more aware of science and more openly discussing it. They are consuming scienceprovided data, looking for trusted information through reading, listening or watching,” explained Durlacher. Increased awareness and knowledge of science have resulted in people realizing the vast opportunities this field presents.

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 is rooted in science, affecting all industries from healthcare to agriculture. Science and technology have been critical components in all aspects of the societal ecosystem during the pandemic. Bitar explained: “The ability to detect a new form of virus played a critical role in implementing precautionary measures. The next step was to decode the virus and develop a vaccine and treatment, all driven by science.”

Gathering data helped governments with scenario planning for the best course of action, the effect on the economy and society, and identifying what needs to be communicated to the public. Technology was key to creating awareness. Now, it is helping ensure the safety of U.A.E. citizens by enabling them to track test results, vaccination status, and scheduling remote medical consultations. Hospitals and clinics are placing a more considerable emphasis on telemedicine, with Omnia Health forecasting this market to grow from $73.5 million in 2020 to $280.7 million by 2025.

Women in science Society in the Middle East is becoming more inclusive and understanding of the importance of diversity. According to the State of Science Index report, 82% of respondents agreed that it is essential to increase diversity in STEM. The U.A.E. is becoming a change agent by encouraging women to pursue roles previously dominated by men in the region. “I think it’s great that the U.A.E. now has a female astronaut and female pilots. STEM is truly a place where women will have a home in the U.A.E.,” added Nazari.

Developing STEM Investments in science and technology continue to grow, whether that be through infrastructure enhancement or research and development. The U.A.E. has invested millions of dollars into its space program, while firms like Microsoft are taking a more diverse perspective. “We have an industry approach to the R&D we do. We channel our R&D and resources towards the areas the world needs most like innovation in healthcare,” explained Anabtawi.

There is a regional drive encouraging people to become involved in STEM. Many of the programs are being gamified to make them more appealing for children. Game developers are designing games that help to build abilities in critical thinking, problemsolving, and creativity—all important skills in the tech field.

Addressing the problems in science and technology Technological advances will bring more positive changes in the future. However, many things still need to change or can be improved upon. Diversity in the developmental phases of technology will help ensure it is more accessible to everyone. “One of the ways to avoid unknowingly developing bias tech is to ensure there’s the right kind of diversity in the developers of these technologies,” said Dr. Noack.

The pandemic sparked global collaboration, which led to numerous game changer solutions. Maintaining an open dialogue between countries and continuing to share knowledge will drive further breakthroughs.

124 “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you THOUGHTS can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.” —Steve Jobs

“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” —William Shakespeare

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

“The future rewards those who press on. I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. I don't have time to complain. I'm going to press on.” —Barack Obama

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” —Abraham Lincoln

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” —Marcus Aurelius “What we need to do is always lean into the future; when the world changes around you and when it changes against you - what used to be a tail wind is now a head wind - you have to lean into that and figure out what to do because complaining isn't a strategy.” —Jeff Bezos

“When I look into the future, it's so bright it burns my eyes.” —Oprah Winfrey “Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance.” —Ban Ki-moon

“If you don't focus on the future generation, it means you are destroying your country.” —Malala Yousafzai “Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.” —Nelson Mandela

• THOUGHTS ON •

The Future

Jeff Bezos “For all of its uncertainty, we cannot flee the future.” —Barbara Jordan

“I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.” —Mahatma Gandhi

FINAL THOUGHT

“When you cease to dream you cease to live.” — Malcolm Forbes