Club Med Kani - An idyllic Maldivian escape
Hate to disappoint but this story is purely PG-13 so do not get any funny ideas. Hehe.
I have been on a lot of holidays over the years but the one week that I spent in the Maldives with my then brand-new husband will always rank first for me.
Tevan and I were in a long-distance relationship for the longest time and we spent our entire twenties apart. So we're looking forward to spending some solid quality time with one another after our wedding. I knew we were taking a trip somewhere but I did not know where as it was a surprise.
Tevan kept our honeymoon destination a secret from me until our wedding night. I still cannot believe that he was able to keep it a secret from me that long cause I can be rather persistent.
On the night of our wedding, Tevan kept asking me to check my email and when I did; I found the surprise sitting in my inbox. Needless to say, I was over the moon when I found out that we were going to the Maldives. I have been wanting an island holiday and what better than Maldives? In my head, I was already packing my bags and on the road. Lol
If you have been reading my posts for some time, I am sure you would have deduced that I am a bit of a shopaholic and yes I am that person who shops for clothes before a trip. I know it is not exactly a sustainable habit but I am slowly working on it. I promise.
Pre Honeymoon Drama
As I said, mentally I was at the beach in a cute monokini sipping on a Tequila Sunrise while watching the sunset with my favorite person. I was just about to order a second cocktail when I received a frantic phone call from my sister who said that my grandfather had collapsed and is being rushed to the hospital. He was still unconscious at the time of the call. It took me some time to process all of this information as I just met my grandfather this morning and he looked well.
We immediately rushed to the hospital and all the happiness that I was feeling just minutes ago evaporated into thin air and was replaced with fear and anxiousness. I just could not wait to get to the hospital. This unfortunate incident took place only two days after our wedding so our car still had wedding decorations on it.
The security guard that was on duty was a very kind man, he managed to find us a parking space just in front of the entrance of the hospital.
I guess he felt bad seeing a wedding car at the hospital - Indian superstition things. We thanked him and rushed inside.
My family were all there when we arrived and my uncle informed us that my grandfather was being examined and they are waiting for an update. An hour later, we were informed that my grandfather was severely dehydrated which caused him to faint. Long story short he was going to be fine. He was just exhausted from the big fat Indian festivities'. Now we know who had the most fun at the wedding. Lol.
The good news is my grandfather was back to his chirpy self when we visited him later that evening. We were so relieved and happy to see him well. I was this close to postponing our trip but thank god everything went on as planned. The health crisis averted and we were back on track.
Traveling to the Maldives.
We flew to the Maldives two days later via AirAsia. It took us a little over 4 hours to arrive at the Male International Airport from KLIA. It was almost 8 pm by the time we arrived.
So we spent a night in Male before heading to our destination island the next day. We ate at a small shed-like stall near our hotel as pretty much everything was closed. Since it was late, everything on the menu was unavailable. The cook at the restaurant was from Kerala and he was excited when he found out that Tevan was a fellow Malayalee; again it is one of those Indian things #iykyk
Anyway, he prepared us a meal that still warms our souls to this day. It was not anything fancy- just humble chapatis that were freshly made, some dal to go with it, and tender chicken cooked in slow fire which was off the charts. It is the little things like good food and simple acts of kindness that go a long way.
We visited the local beach the next day before taking a boat to our destination. We headed to the designated meet-up point and completed the registration process. However there was a little delay due to the weather but it didn't bother us; after all, we were a pair of newlyweds that were completely into each other.
As the weather improved we were escorted to the jetty where the Club Med boat was waiting to take us to paradise. Club Med Kani is located on Kanifinholu Island and it took us approximately 45 minutes to reach our destination. And this is where the honeymoon begins.
Beginning of the island life
Once at the resort, it was royal treatment all the way. I remember thinking; "wow, I could get used to this. Lol!"
We were greeted by the GM, Gillies who gave us a brief introduction of the resort and its facilities. Gillies is a warm, affable chap that you will always remember for two things; his friendly personality and the way he walks around the island barefooted while dressed in a suit. Lol.
We were served a welcome cocktail and allotted wristbands that we had to wear throughout our stay.
We were then taken on a tour of the resort and shown to our room. We opted for the 5-Trident overwater suite and it was worth every penny.
The wooden villa is exquisitely decorated and one can enjoy stunning panoramic views of the ocean from pretty much every corner of the said villa.
The villas are isolated from the rest of the resort and guests here have exclusive access to their private beach. Haha, talk about living the good life. I cannot think of a better way to spend our honeymoon.
The villa has an entrance that leads to the main bedroom and a beautiful verandah with comfortable deck chairs for lounging and a short flight of stairs that leads to the ocean. I felt as though we'd been transported into a cocoon of comfort and tranquility.
Gosh, I wish I can teleport myself back to the villa as I write this.
My favorite part of the villa is of course the bath tub which overlooks the vast turquoise waters. I remember soaking myself in a bubble bath after a swim in the ocean while sipping on some bubbly while taking in the wondrous sight from the full-length glass windows without a care in the world. After a night of good food and drinks, we came back to a lightly scented and turned-down bed. I vividly remember the feeling of being enveloped by the caress of soft Egyptian cotton. Ahh, pure bliss.
The highlight of our day was waking up to the sounds of waves and knowing that a day of fun and relaxation is waiting for you. The breakfast in bed was simply the icing on the cake.
Guests of the Villa also have access to the exclusive Manta Bar Lounge which serves late breakfasts and champagne with hor' d'oeuvres. We spent most evenings before sundown lounging at the lounge while enjoying cocktails and watching sting rays and sharks swim by the shore as the sun slowly descends below the horizon.
Activities to fill your cup
Club Med Kani offers an endless supply of activities so you will never feel bored. There was just so much to do that we did not have enough time to cover all that we wanted to do. Most of the activities are included within our package of choice but there were a few that requires additional fee.
Some of the free activities include sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, and snorkeling around the island and canoeing among many others. There are also daily aqua aerobic sessions, yoga sessions, beach badminton, volleyball, and football for those who are looking to keep fit during their vacation.
Guests can also participate in scheduled activities such as nature walks, fishing expeditions, and crab racing - I was told that it is more fun than it sounds.
For an additional fee, you can participate in other thrilling activities like paragliding, jet skiing, private island lobster picnics, scuba diving, and fly-boarding among a host of other fun ventures.
Club Med also has a specifically curated program for kids which ensures that they too have a great holiday while picking up a hobby. Among the activities available include painting, cooking lessons, flying trapeze, and catamaran sailing.
For those of you who are looking to just indulge in a little self-pampering, there is a spa on site that offers a variety of massages and treatments. However, if you are like me you can curl up in a hammock by the beach with a good book.
The resort organizes a flea market every Sunday which features arts and crafts made by local vendors. This is a great opportunity to purchase little trinkets as a keepsake.
We did not have any pre-wedding photos taken, so we took advantage of the photography services on-site and took a few post-wedding photos. We had a blast posing for the photos and our photographer Arau made us feel so comfortable throughout. It was a fun experience.
Entertainment - Booze, Beach, Babes, and much more
At the resort every hour is the happy hour; it was for us at least. lol
I feel that the GOs made a great difference in terms of entertainment. They were a friendly and lively bunch.
We made friends with some of the GOs and had a blast. We sang, danced, and partied all through the night. One GO from Venezuela even thought us how to toast in Spanish.
I wish I had a phone with better camera quality and had taken more photos and videos but honestly, we were having so much fun that we barely looked at our phones.
However, the real celebration begins at sundown, when the G. O team puts on an entertaining show. While we were there, they performed a Bollywood medley and a musical. The air is filled with festive vibes and high spirits.
As the performance comes to an end, guests make their way to Iru Bar for more drinks and fun. This is where martinis are drained, tequila shots are downed, salt and limes are licked. We spent most nights here and we also befriended a wonderful Malaysian couple who got married a day before us. It is always nice to make new friends.
On one such night, we heard loud commotion followed by yelling from guests who were seated not too far away from us. We later learned that a woman spotted sharks swimming by (the little ones); hence the yelling. Shortly after that, the said woman started undressing and jumped right into the ocean. This led to a few others randomly jumping in as well. It was crazy but helluva fun to watch.
I still remember this incident so vividly that I cannot believe that it has been 6 years since our honeymoon.
Sustenance - Food and Drinks
So the best part about Club Med is that it is an all-inclusive package that extends to alcoholic beverages too which is very cost-effective in the long run. You can have as many cocktails or beers as you like throughout your stay.
For a more chilled and relaxed environment, one can lounge at the sunset bar and watch the sun come down. The ambiance here is very calming. We enjoyed hanging out at the Bar after a dip in the ocean. If you are looking to dance the night away then Iru Bar is the place to go.
We dined at the buffet-style restaurant, The Velhi on most days as they had a huge spread of food ranging from Western to Oriental. Don't let me get started on their pastries and desserts. We were spoilt for choice. They can also customize your meals should you have specific dietary requirements.
The more sophisticated restaurant is, The Kandu, which requires a reservation. For those with a more refined palate or you are just feeling fancy, then you should check this place out.
The Kanna is another restaurant within the resort that serves Asian food.
We ate at the Velhi for most of our trip as we thoroughly enjoyed the variety it offers and we enjoyed the conversations that we had with the GOs during our meals.
The Takeaway
We certainly had the best time at Club Med Kani and we felt incredibly sad when it was time for us to leave. It was truly an escape that we needed after months of stressful wedding planning. The island had an air of tranquility that filled our days with serenity.
Swimming in the blue waters of Maldives will forever go down as my favorite experience. We will also miss the random day of drinking fun, lounging by the beach, dozing off in the hammock, and most of all the camaraderie we shared with the GOs.
Maldives will always have a special place in my heart as it is my first international holiday with my husband.
Penning down these memories brings me absolute delight. I hope this post brought a smile to your face as it did mine. Thanks for reading.
If you find yourself longing for an island escape after reading this post; I got you. Click here for more information about the resort or you can visit their page for contact information.
Till my next adventure.
Toodles.