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Chill and Play at Niyama Private Islands Maldives

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As you already know- I absolutely love Maldives. It’s one of my favourite destinations in the world. It was the first place I dreamt of visiting post-pandemic and I am so happy to say- I did! In this blog post I would love to talk to you about the incredible Niyama Private Islands Maldives resort I got to experience after hearing SO much about it! Let’s start from the beginning…

The Blonde Flamingo in Niyama Private Islands Maldives

HOW TO GET THERE

Niyama Private Islands Maldives is located in the south-western atoll of Dhaalu. There are three ways to reach the resort – by shared seaplane transfer, by domestic transfer ,or by VIP private chartered flight. I chose the seaplane transfer with Manta Air. As you know it was not my first time on the seaplane but I just absolutely love this magical experience and I can’t get enough! Yes, I did have a happy tear in my eye again! I truly missed it!

  • Unforgettable flight with Manta Air
  • Are these blues even real?

ACOMMODATION

Niyama offers a great choice of accommodation. Their villas are incredible! You can choose to either stay in luxurious Water Pool Villas or in lush beach pool villas. You can check all villa types here.

I had a chance to stay in their gorgeous Water Pool Villa. We were escorted to our villa by our butler and were surprised with a personalized welcome message, the most beautiful bed set up made of tropical flowers and a bottle of perfectly chilled champagne. What a perfect way to start the vacations!

Our villa was a dream! We had our own private deck with sun loungers, private infinity pool ,and direct access to the most magical crystal clear lagoon. Our bathroom had both – a gorgeous bath tub overviewing the endless blues of the Indian Ocean and a partially open-air shower which I absolutely loved. The mini bar was great and very well-stocked. We even had our own popcorn machine. I mean, who needs a cinema when you have views like this right outside your window?

I also had a chance to check out and enjoy a floating breakfast at their stunning and super spacious Family Water Pool Villa. It was truly a spectacular experience! How massive is the pool? Of course I had to bring some of my pool floats for a little post breakfast pool party!

GETTING AROUND

Now my favourite part! Niyama Private Islands Maldives consists of 2 islands connected by a small bridge. The islands are called Chill and Play. The best way to get around is by bike. What’s special about Niyama – their bikes are personalised! I found it very unique as I haven’t experienced that in any resort before. Here we’re having some fun in the sun together with my travel companion Ieva.

RESTAURANTS

There is a great choice of restaurants in Niyama. Epicure serves International cuisine by a chic pool, the Nest offering Asian cuisines including Thai, Cantonese, Teppanyaki, Japanese, Indonesian, and more. Niyama is the only resort in the Maldives to have an Afro Latin restaurant – Tribal serving exotic African, Central and South American dishes.

Let’s not forget about mentioning Subsix – The world’s first underwater restaurant located 6m below sea level- you can also find it at Niyama! It’s mind-blowing!

For surf and chill lovers, there’s also a Surf Shack – offering some great snacks like ceviche, tacos, burgers and my absolutely favourite truffle fries. PS. Surf Shack is also the best spot to watch the sunsets!

Sunset cocktails at Surf Shack

      SURFING

      As I already mentioned the Surf Shack, I should also talk to you about Surfing. Niyama Private Islands is the first 5-star luxury resort in the Maldives that has its own onsite wave called Vodi. Yes, you heard that right! You can surf in the Maldives! For more information click here.

      DRIFT SPA

      Let’s talk about the Spa. Niyama owns a 24-hour Drift Spa. It’s a real paradise! There are six over water treatment rooms with lagoon view and two treatment sanctuaries with private gardens, outdoor bath, rain shower and daybed. There’s also a gorgeous relaxation area – lime tree garden with sauna, steam baths, plunge pools, Jacuzzis, and Vitality juice bar.

      Drift Spa offers a wide variety of treatments and rituals from around the world. We got to experience a signature one hour treatment. With your treatment you can pick a booster. Ieva chose the Anne Semonin Facial Mask booster to hydrate the skin and protect it from sun damage and I went for a Drift Aroma Hot Stone Massage. It was so relaxing! I highly recommend trying it!

      Image Source – Niyama.com

      KIDS CLUB

      Niyama Private Islands Maldives is perfect for families and owns Indian Ocean’s biggest kid’s club called Explorers, giving parents time to unwind and relax while their little ones can have the time of their life. The club is located in the heart of the tropical jungle letting the young VIPs connect with nature. There are some great activities for littles ones such as dolphin scouting, snorkeling safaris, coconut tree planting and many more.

      THINGS TO DO

      I believe at Niyama Private Islands Resort there’s something to do for everyone. There’s no way to get bored! There’s so much to do. Surf, swim in the ocean, snorkel in their beautiful house reef, exercise at their gym, relax at their SPA, enjoy all the incredible restaurants, or enjoy a destination dining. Have a rum cocktail, and enjoy reggae music in Surf Shack; party under the water in Subsix; watch the movie on the beach under the stars with your loved one. What would you pick?

      Thank you for having me Niyama Private Islands Maldives. I absolutely love my stay and I hope to visit you again in the future.

      For bookings head to https://www.niyama.com/en

      Post in collaboration with Niyama Private Islands Maldives

      Adult cruising on Scarlet Lady, The brand new cruise ship from Virgin Voyages

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      Ahoy! Last weekend I had a chance to spend a night on a brand-new ship from Virgin Voyages – Scarlet Lady. I was over the moon as recently I have dreamt of a cruise holiday, so I thought this experience would help me to understand what cruising is like these days! A few years back I used to think cruises were boring, designed mainly for older people, and generally a peaceful type of holiday. Well this is 100% not the case here! Scarlet Lady is an adult-only, luxury party ship. The aim of Scarlet Lady is to attract the younger audience- the modern traveller who enjoys stylish restaurants, fun entertainment, great music and parties. I personally fell in love with this red beauty from the moment I walked in. Let me tell you all about it and show you around!

      Accommodation

       There are 1330 cabins and 78 Rock Star suites aboard the Scarlet Lady. My room was a Sea Terrace. The room was quite small but comfortable and it had all I needed – a sofa bed, in-room entertainment with 43″ + 4K flat-screen HDTV, a mini bar, a glam area, a wardrobe and a little bathroom. At first, I didn’t understand where the bed was. I walked around,  confused as to why there was only a sofa bed, haha. Turned out the “sofa bed” is actually a Seabed, the first-ever transformational cabin bed, specially engineered and handcrafted by Walter Knoll in Germany. The concept of the Seabed came from the convivial nature of cruising and gives sailors more space for social gatherings in the cabin. Virgin Voyages sailors can enjoy their cabin in two distinct ways as a place to revel or a place to relax. I think it’s a great idea! When we came back from the party our Seabed was already converted for us into a very comfortable bed. I slept so well! Another great feature is the mood-matching lights, that automatically adjust to enhance the time of day based on where the ship is in the world, reflecting the blue seas and the gold to purple sunsets of the Caribbean waters. How dreamy! I certainly liked them the most in flamingo pink!

      It’s also worth mentioning that each Sea Terrace cabin has a private balcony that features custom-designed hammocks, hand-woven by artisans from Yellow Leaf – a social enterprise that fosters women’s empowerment and community transformation in rural Thailand. Imagine sipping your morning cuppa, sitting in a hammock in the Caribbean sun, ah!

      During my one-night stay on the ship, I also had a look at the Mega Rock Star Massive Suite and it was epic. It was huge, even had its own music room! How cool! My personal favourite thing was the marble-clad bathroom with a Peek-a-Boo shower area that overlooks the bedroom and out to the ocean. So magical! There are only two Massive Suites aboard the Scarlet Lady, each with a private huge terrace and a hot tub. Can you imagine how amazing it could be to enjoy this place with your friends in a sunny Miami or the Caribbean? I mean wow!

      RESTAURANTS & BARS

      Forget the boring buffets, this is not what Scarlet Lady is about. There are 20+ world-class intimate eateries and luxury bars on board. Of course, during my one night stay I couldn’t check them all out, but I did try a couple and would love to show you my favourites!

      First we’ve headed to the Sip for a little sip of champagne…I absolutely loved this Champagne Lounge. The decor was so beautiful! It was a perfect way to begin the night.

      After a couple of glasses of champagne, we have decided to check out other bars and restaurants. I personally fell in love with the Dock House as it gave me my favourite bohemian and Mediterranean feel. This place is perfect to relax and have some dips and mezze.

      Another place that got my attention was The Wake, a glamorous restaurant serving steaks and seafood, and Pink Agave, that transports sailors to the vibrant streets of Mexico City. Loved its vibe!

      • The Wake
      • Pink Agave

      We had dinner at Test Kitchen, a laboratory-like eatery, that is part cooking school and part restaurant. I found it a very interesting experience and I loved the food. Every dish was truly special.

      I also got to try Razzle Dazzle which is a vegetarian-forward restaurant. We had such a delicious brunch there. It was hard to decide what to eat as the menu looked great and there was a huge choice!

      Other on-board eateries include Gunbae – a lively Korean BBQ, and Extra Virgin, the ship’s trattoria serving regionally inspired, deeply rooted Italian culinary traditions. More casual alternatives include the The Pizza Place and Lick Me Till Ice Cream (which serves complimentary scoops) – and many more!

      ENTERTAINMENT

      I don’t know where to start here as it was such a fun night! First, we got to watch a show in The Red Room – the first transformational multi-form theatre at sea. We watched the ‘Duel Reality’, which is a modern take on Romeo and Juliet. The show and effects were incredible! I had lots of fun! There was also another show at night in the same room, which then turned into a huge party! Here’s some snaps from this fun night!

      We also got to experience The Manor – a mind-blowing nightclub with the most spectacular entrance. It was seriously calling for a little photo shoot! I decided to go with Virgin’s signature colour and put my favourite red dress on! Do I look like a Scarlet Lady? Haha

      WELLNESS & FITNESS

      Now let’s talk about probably my favourite part of the ship! What I loved about Scarlet Lady was the incredible, luxurious Redemption Spa featuring a hydrotherapy pool, mud room, salt room, cold plunge pools, quartz beds, and rejuvenating spa treatments.

      Don’t think it’s only a place to relax though! By night, sailors can complete their well-being journey by attending one of the voyage’s evening spa parties where a killer DJ will transform the spa’s thermal suite into a mermaid hideaway extravaganza.

      Wellness is a major focus for Virgin Voyages and along with the spa there’s also the B-complex gym, The Perch – an outdoor yoga space, The Runway-outdoor running track, a training centre, and much more.

      Let’s also not forget to mention the outdoor well-being pool. Of course, we didn’t get to enjoy it due to the weather, but here’s how it looks. There’s also a Gym and Tonic bar right next to the pool that serves fresh cold-pressed juices and handcrafted cocktails.

      GROOMING SPACES

      There are also grooming spaces on the ship! There is the Mani Pedi Spa– a nail salon with the most beautiful views, The Dry Dock– a blow dry and hair styling beauty bar complete with hair nourishing and scalp treatments designed by Softroom, Stubble and Groom– a barber, and the first ever tattoo studio on board a cruise ship called Squid Ink. And look how stylish these places are! No need to worry about manicure or pedicure when travelling on the Scarlet Lady!

      SUSTAINABILITY

      Virgin Voyages has partnered with Climeon, a Sweden-based technology company, with a goal to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions by converting engine waste heat into clean electricity. The company has also banned single-use plastics on board. I think it’s a great initiative!

      To sum up, I had an absolutely amazing time on a Scarlet Lady ship. I have only one question now. When am I going on a cruise holiday?

      If you fancy checking their packages yourself or book your stay, you can do it here. You can also get a cheeky up to $400 bar bonus! I hope to see you there!

      Post in collaboration with Virgin Voyages