The vibe of the resort is young, calm and relaxing

The stunningly beautiful Kandima Maldives is located in Dhaalu Atoll, a 30-minute seaplane ride, plus a 20-minute boat ride away from Male International Airport. The seaplane costs $550 per person for a return trip. Guests can also take a domestic flight to Dhaalu Airport that costs $350 per adult. From there it is a 20-minute boat ride away. The Kandima staff greets guests at Male airport, guiding them through the transit area and on to the seaplane or domestic terminal.

The island resort with 264 stylish studios and villas, 10 restaurants and bars and plenty of on-site activities to choose from, offers a luxurious yet relaxed stay for couples, families and groups of friends. The island is nearly 3 km long with a strip of white sand surrounded by turquoise waters on all sides. Kandima has the largest pool in the Maldives measuring 100 m. It also has tennis, badminton and beach volleyball courts and a football field!

One of the flagship properties of Pulse Hotels & Resorts, Kandima imbibes all the core values -- smart, playful, rooted, responsible and human – of the parent company.The vibe of the resort is young, calm and relaxing. Kandima is cheerful and tropical with lots of colourful seating in common areas and loads of plants. It offers a toes-in-the-sand experience as even the lobby, referred to as the HQ, has sand instead of a proper floor.

Kandima believes in providing hospitality with a human touch as well as making use of technology and latest innovations. Their key card, for instance, is a bracelet that has the RFID chip and which you can wear around your wrist -- saves you the trouble of searching for your key card or figuring out where to keep it when you are in the water. The staff is friendly and cheerful and remembers little things -- such as how you like your eggs or that you eat fish but not shellfish – that make all the difference. 

Activities

For those who love water sports, there is Aquaholics, a centre for water activities. You can go for snorkelling, diving, parasailing, jet skiing, deep sea fishing, kayaking. If you are not in the mood for anything adventurous, go for a dolphin watching expedition or a sunset cruise. Or simply swim close to the shore or in one of the two swimming pools at the resort. 

A resort of the standard of Kandima will of course have a spa. The esKape Spa offers a variety of treatments from exfoliation to healing therapies and is located right next to the sea. What makes it special is hearing the natural sound of the waves as you relax and unwind.  The spa also offers treatments for kids.

Kandima promotes itself as a family-friendly resort and ensures there are plenty of activities for kids. Kandiland is the resort’s kids club and is run by a team of certified child carers. There are plenty of activities to keep the little ones busy throughout the day. Babysitting services are also provided at a fee. 

Keeping in line with its brand value of being responsible and rooted, Kandima promotes works by local artists at the Kula Art studio. Every year the resort invites over 20 local artists specialising in various mediums including digital, acrylic, spray paint and local crafts, to showcase their skills. Guests can also participate in hour-long art sessions with an in-house artist and take their masterpieces back home. 

F&B

The resort offers a variety of cuisines to match every palate. There’s fine dining at Smoked, a modern grill house; and Sea Dragon offering authentic Asian cuisine with a modern touch. All-day dining restaurants such as Flavour-Zest and Azure and grab-and-go places like Aroma and Deli provide something for everyone. There is also a large selection of vegetarian dishes. 

Kandima offers different meal plans, from B&B to half board, full board and all inclusive.

Accommodation

Kandima has 10 categories of rooms. The spacious, cheerful studios and villas offer various amenities and sea views; some feature private pools and direct access to the sea. The entry-level Beach and Sky Studios, priced at $375 a night with half board, are arranged in groups in small two-storey buildings set amid lush gardens. The 592 sq ft room is just a hop away from the beach and houses up to four people. It has one king bed and one sofa bed.  For large families or group of friends, the family sky studios -- two rooms interconnected with a lounge -- are perfect. These can sleep 6 people and are priced at $950 a night half board. Beach villa with swirl pool is the next category priced at $515 a night. At 1044 sq ft, it is the size of an apartment and opens up on the beach. It has its own Jacuzzi and sleeps four people. For those wanting their own private pool, there are the sunrise and sunset beach villas with pools. These 1345 sq ft villas sleep 4 people, have an outdoor bathroom and private pool and are priced at $700 a night half board. 

But if Maldives is all about the ocean for you, then you should check out the Aqua villas that have a direct access to the ocean from the private deck. Jump into the sea from your deck, the water is shallow and it’s like having your own private piece of the ocean. The rooms with their own Jacuzzis are priced at $655 a night half board and without Jacuzzi at $533 a night, half board.  

The Ocean Pool Villas have their own private pool and terrace from where you can see baby sharks and sting rays and sometimes even dolphins playing. These are partly over water and partly coral beachfront. Priced at $716 per night, half board.

The jewel in the crown at Kandima is the Honeymoon Aqua Pool Villa. Priced at $1270 a night half board, the 861-sq-ft villa has an expansive living space with its own infinity pool. It offers uninterrupted views of the ocean.

Currently there is a 15 per cent discount on room rates.

Kandima Today

Kandima has a full medical centre on-site with a doctor and nurse. They have a full consultation unit, isolation units with beds for any contagious diseases, a small non-invasive check-up unit with ultra sound machines, first attempt cardio support and first level basic x-rays. They also have a full dental clinic all equipped with a visiting dentist. They arrange for a technician to take your samples for a Covid test. The report comes within 24 hours. In order to fly back to India, you need to get your Covid test done in Maldives, Kandima organises that.  

The entire staff of the resort is currently residing on the island reducing the risk of Covid spreading. If they visit their native island they come back and quarantine for two weeks. The resort is discouraging the staff from travelling. 

While guests are not required to wear masks, all the staff wears masks and the temperature of guests in checked when they walk into the restaurants. 

Kandima is a huge spread out property and there is enough space for one to self-isolate, if that’s what one wants to do.

Pros

* Has a pristine 3km beach.

* Contemporary rooms with stunning views and outdoor space.

* Free wi-fi and shuttle service across the resort.

* Key card in the form of a bracelet.

* Multiple dining options including buffets and a la carte restaurants; vegetarian options available.

* Two pools with bars and loungers so they don’t feel crowded.

* Loads of activities for kids.

* Abundance of water sports.

* Full medical centre with doctor and nurse on island. Covid tests can also be organised.

* Various meal plans available from bed and breakfast to premium all-inclusive.

Cons

* Shuttle service is often slow and guests have to wait, sometimes for up to 15 minutes. 

* Full-board meal plan includes only buffets, for a la carte need to take Dine around all inclusive or Platinum all inclusive.

This article was published in BW hotelier issue dated '' with cover story titled 'BOUNCING BACK - FROM SURVIVAL TO REVIVAL ISSUE VOL 6, ISSUE 6'