DESTINATIONS INDIAN OCEAN | MALDIVES
3
OF THE BEST
EXCURSIONS
Snorkelling: Get up close and personal with the wonderful array of colourful marine creatures that reside in the atoll, including parrotfish, surgeonfish and clownfish. The boat journey to the snorkelling location takes about 20 minutes, and life jackets are provided for clients who aren’t confident in the water.
Dolphin-spotting sunset cruise: Witness a spectacular sunset over the Indian Ocean and the chance to see dozens of dolphins putting on a show alongside the boat. Enjoy a glass of champagne to make the experience even more special.
Desert island dining: Visit an uninhabited island where lunch has been arranged and set up for you in time for your arrival, before cooling off with a dip in the Indian Ocean.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Dolphin-spotting sunset excursion; Siyam Water World; Arigato restaurant, Siyam World; Seabob, Siyam World
fast act ast fact
Eighty per cent of Brits are planning to spend more on their holidays in 2023, while nearly a third
said the Maldives was their top bucket-list
destination, according to a survey of 2,000 holidaymakers by Sun Siyam Resorts in May.
60 3 AUGUST 2023
SPORTS GALORE On land, the recreation centre’s range of sports includes tennis, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball and futsal. Padel is also played on a new court and there’s even a full-sized football pitch, with kickabouts organised on a regular basis for staff and guests to play together. As a keen tennis player, I decide to try my hand at padel for the first time. The Mexican racket sport is said to be the fastest-growing in the world, and it doesn’t take me long to see why; especially when played in such an idyllic setting, surrounded by palm trees and with the sound of exotic birds chirping above.
WATER WORKOUT Guests who prefer to keep cool on the water aren’t short of options either. Stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and windsurfing are among the gentler activities, while adrenaline junkies have the choice of hydroflying, jetskiing and a speedboat tour. I choose to have a go on a Seabob – an electrically powered body board on which I glide through the water at up to 13mph and dive beneath the surface to swim alongside the fish. It’s such fun that I return later for another go. Siyam World is also home to the Indian Ocean’s biggest floating water park, with free entry for guests. It provides hours of fun whatever your age, as I discover
I have a go on the Seabob, gliding through the water and under the surface at up to 13mph
while attempting to clamber over the various obstacles in the quickest time possible, ending up in the water more than I’d like to admit.
NEW AND UNEXPECTED If you’d told me horse riding was available in the Maldives, I’d have said you were pulling my leg, but Siyam World has made it possible with four rare-breed Indian horses housed in a ranch. Guests can book a sunrise or sunset beach ride, with photoshoot packages available.
CULINARY PARADISE All those activities use up a lot of energy and
Siyam World has plenty of places to refuel. The crème de la crème is arguably Takrai, a Thai restaurant just off the jetty, which offers a vast array of pan-Asian dishes plus stunning views of the Indian Ocean. Japanese fine dining in Arigato, fresh seafood in the Wahoo Grill and Indian fine dining at Kurry Leaf are just some of the other choices. Five bars,
²
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