DESTINATIONS INDIAN OCEAN
ABOVE: Amari Galle
Where to stay: The Amari Galle Sri Lanka has 172 sea-views rooms, each with a private terrace or balcony. The swanky pool deck is extensive and edges right up to the sand. There’s always lots going on, too, with beach bonfire barbecues, live music, a spa and a kids’ club. B&B rates from £123.
w BREATHE IN THE MALDIVES With nearly 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean, about 100 of which are home to holiday resorts, the Maldives is an unbeatable destination for a classy beach break, and capital Malé is just an hour’s flight from Colombo. The city is worth a few hours
of anyone’s time to get a feel for the country’s culture, as local life doesn’t feature much in-resort. “I wanted to experience these
destinations as a twin centre to see if it was an easy process for clients, and between Colombo and the Amari Havodda, it flowed well,” says Holly Fitzjohn, team manager for Thomas Cook. “No long waits, representatives meet clients at every step, and during the short layover in Malé, there’s a complimentary lounge for passengers taking onward domestic flights.” Where to stay: If your clients’ image of the Maldives is a remote and beautiful island, with a single property offering a high level of service and upscale accommodation that
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travelweekly.co.uk 9 August 2018
Sri Lanka’s proximity to the Maldives is reason – or excuse – enough to make this a twin-centre adventure
isn’t ostentatious, the 120-room Amari Havodda Maldives in the south atoll ticks those boxes. An hour’s flight from Malé and a 10-minute speedboat ride gets you there. A thicket of tropical foliage
runs down the backbone of the resort, cloaking the Beach Villas. Overwater Villas offer the convenience of slipping right into the big blue, with the house reef keeping waters calm. All villas come with exceptionally luxurious outdoor bathrooms. “The resort’s great for water
sports,” says Mandy Wong, personal travel consultant at Destinology. “It’s a great place to do your
Padi dive qualification. Training is in the lagoon, not a pool. You dive straight from shore with the house reef acting as guidance. There’s also paddleboarding, a dolphin swim in open water and a sunset dolphin cruise.” Rates from £165 per person, per night, in a Beach Villa, including meals and soft drinks.
ozohotels.com,
amari.com
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