Postcard perfect
Ten years ago when we all used to forward emails around, Tim and I received a forward of a bungalow over some of the bluest, clearest water we had ever seen. It had glass portals in the floor to watch the fish below and it looked absolutely magical. It turned out to be in the Maldives, and at the time, out of our reach. One day…we said. Ten years later, we found ourselves on what still feels like the dream trip of a lifetime. We spent a glorious four days as guests of Anantara Kihavah Villas Maldives and the resort island definitely has a whole lot of WOW-factor!
Can you spot the dolphin?
Anantara Kihavah Villas is located on the Baa Atoll, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, 125 kilometers from the Madlives’ captial Malé. Guests of the island resort arrive via a seaplane transfer, which feels like a luxurious treat in and of itself. As if on cue, dolphins jumped out of the water and greeted us, chasing in our boat’s wake as we made the final transfer from the seaplane’s floating platform a few hundred yards offshore to the island paradise. Our villa host, Mausool, was waiting to whisk us away to our over water villas.
Over water pool villas
Our bedroom
Our bathroom with glass bottom bath
Mausool pulled our buggy to a stop and pushed open the doors to an airy villa filled with light and endless views of the Indian Ocean. After a quick tour – here are your his and hers walk-in wardrobes, outdoor rinse shower, indoor rain shower, wine refrigerator, iPod docking station and sound system – he invited us to have a seat on our deck. Handing over a special welcome cocktail he had prepared, we each dipped our feet into ginger foot baths. Ah, this was life…
Jen swimming in the ocean
Mausool left us to relax and that is absolutely what we did for the rest of the afternoon. We alternated swimming in the Indian Ocean right off our amazing deck with dips in our private infinity pool. A call to Mausool and lunch was served right on our deck; there was no reason to leave. We ate and watched as more dolphins played in the water just in front of our villa. A curious stingray swam right up to our steps.
Our deck
The day’s toughest decision was where to nap. On the over water hammocks at the deck’s edge? Or maybe on the sun loungers? The full-sized daybed swing won out in the end as we rocked and listened to the waves lapping at the villa.
Our villa at night
Romantic bath
Nighttime is romantic; the privacy of the over water villas perfect for skinny dips in the infinity pool and romantic soaks in the glass bottom bath. Cradled in Egyptian cotton, we slept like babies each night as the tide brought in waves that would crash up under our villa.
Open air bathroom in beach villa
The beach villas we saw on our tour were no less spectacular, with private pools and amazing open air bathrooms hidden from view with coconut palms. When asked which was my favorite though, I didn’t hesitate to pick the over water villas. There was just something magical about feeling like we had our very own slice of the Indian Ocean. We had found paradise at Anantara Kihavah Villas!
View from our bathroom
Know Before You Go
- Over water pool villas at Anantara Kihavah Villas start at $2580 per night. There is a mandatory sea plane transfer fee of $500 per person.
- The sea planes do not fly in the dark, so if you arrive to Malé in the late afternoon or evening, you’ll need to stay the night in Malé.
- In case you’d still like to be digitally connected on this island paradise, Anantara Kihavah has free wifi in all villas and throughout the island at the various restaurants and spa.
Thank you to Anantara Kihavah Villas for hosting us during our stay in the Maldives and for making this truly a dream trip. As always, opinions are entirely our own.
Jennifer Dombrowski
Jennifer Dombrowski is a location independent globe trotter and bases herself in Prata di Pordenone, Italy. She works as a social media and innovation strategist in higher education and is a regular contributor on johnnyjet.com. Her website, jdombstravels.com, is the 2012 Destinology Travel Bloggy Best Newcomer award winner. Google+
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We’re Jennifer and Tim and we love traveling! We are just one ordinary couple who have found that travel brought us closer together, taught us patience, the art of compromise, and how to truly appreciate the diversity of this extraordinary world. So far, we've visited 37 countries, lived in the United States and Italy, and Tim has lived in Korea. And we do it all while both holding down full time jobs. 
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Andi Perullo de Ledesma
February 12, 2013 at 2:22 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
OMG beyond amazing! I'm so impressed you got your stay sponsored. What a dream come true.
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Jdomb's Travels Reply:
February 13th, 2013 at 10:11 pm
Thanks, Andi! It truly was a dream come true to spend four days at Anantara Kihavah Villas.
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Andrea
February 12, 2013 at 4:39 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
This might be the most amazing resort I have ever seen – I want to go NOW!!
Andrea recently posted..Taste Testing New York City’s Trendy Restaurants (Part 1)
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 13th, 2013 at 9:32 am
It is definitely the most amazing resort we have ever stayed out. It will certainly be hard to top this one!
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D.J. - The World of Deej
February 13, 2013 at 12:58 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Obviously, this hotel junkie is a little jealous. The Maldives have been on my list for quite some time…
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..The One Ocean Resort & Spa – Check-In Florida
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 13th, 2013 at 9:35 am
Definitely go to the Maldives if you have the chance, Deej! Most incredible place.
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Ali
February 13, 2013 at 4:51 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Absolutely gorgeous! Reminds me a lot of Bora Bora, although somehow this is MUCH more expensive. Your bathroom set-up sounds a lot more luxurious, although I have to wonder, theoretically, couldn’t someone swim up underneath your glass bottom bathtub? Just a silly thought
Sounds like you guys had an amazing time! I love the direct access to the water from your bungalow, that was one of my favorite parts of staying in one in Bora Bora.
Ali recently posted..How to Pick Carry-on Only Luggage
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 13th, 2013 at 11:40 pm
Too funny, Ali! Yes, someone could swim up under the tub since each villa sits separately on stilts. That’d be an awful lot of money to spend to get to such an exclusive island for a peep show though.
I couldn’t even get Tim to go for a night swim in the ocean because we couldn’t see. He was worried about stepping on a stingray or stonefish.
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Turtle
February 16, 2013 at 6:13 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
This just looks incredible – wow!
Definitely worth waiting ten years for. I’m going to put it on my bucket list and see how long it takes to get there!!
Turtle recently posted..The last king of Burma
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
March 26th, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Yes, it was definitely worth the wait. Now let’s see how long it takes us to get back to the Maldives. We’re hooked!
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Don't worry Just travel
March 26, 2013 at 12:38 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Your photographs are really amazing and the resort is something out of this world. Two of my friends have already been to the Maldives and I hope I will have the chance to go one day.
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Jdomb's Travels Reply:
March 26th, 2013 at 3:34 pm
We hope you have the chance to visit the Maldives as well, Don't worry Just travel. It's an amazing place and sadly, with rising waters, won't be around forever.
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