Niyama Private Islands Maldives is a versatile destination resort that fits any kind of a holiday, whether you’re looking for adventure-filled days, a digital detox, or a fulfilling family vacation. By Rashima Nagpal
Surrounded by the mesmerising beauty of the Indian Ocean, Niyama Private Islands Maldives is a twin-island destination that stands out with its luxury quotient and sheer variety of activities. A faint dot on the globe and yet a world of its own, the resort comes with an array of world-class facilities and services. From 134 tastefully-designed stay options to nine impressive restaurants, a lavish spa, and a gamut of thrills, the resort houses everything you need on an island getaway.
GET THERE:
There are multiple ways to reach the resort. The most exhilarating of these is a 40-minute seaplane journey from Malé; the resort’s airport representative welcomes you on arrival at Malé International Airport and assists you with the check-in for the seaplane transfer. The flight lets you soar above the atolls of Maldives, and witness lush islands of all sizes and shapes. If you’re a big group or a couple who prize their privacy, choose to arrive in style, in a privately chartered seaplane, which can accommodate up to eight people. If the clamour of the seaplane engine isn’t your cup of tea, you can take a 30-minute domestic flight from Malé to the recently opened Dhaalu Airport, followed by a 10-minute speedboat transfer to Niyama.
FIND A HOME:
With twin islands called Play and Chill, Niyama Private Islands Maldives offers you a multitude of settings. At Play, honeymooners and style-savvy groups of travellers enjoy the luxury of the infinite horizon and beach villas. Water babies prefer the laid-back vibe of the overwater villas at Chill.
Privacy is paramount at each one of the 134 accommodations. Each villa offers a deck that allows you to soak in outdoor rain showers, take moonlit dips, or sunbathe. Each room is outfitted with a king bed, a full-sized refrigerator loaded with gourmet treats and an entertainment system, and comes with your own thakuru (butler) service for a personalised staying experience.
Of the 11 kinds of abodes offered at Niyama Private Islands Maldives, The Crescent (from Rs. 6,60,730 per night) is the most extravagant. Featuring five chic villas, all
with private pools, a dedicated chef, two butlers, and a housekeeper, this over-water sanctuary has room for up to 14 adults and eight children. Ideal for an indulgent family holiday, it comes with a host of complementary offerings, including a sunset dhoni cruise, a private barbeque, a boduberu show by the locals, and a movie under the stars.
EAT TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT:
The nine elegant dining venues at Niyama bring world cuisine to the table. Blu, an all-day diner by the infinity pool at Play, boasts a poolside ice cream boutique featuring myriad flavours. Epicure, situated at Chill, offers its own all-day dining experience with lavish breakfast buffets and themed buffet evenings. Half a kilometre from the shore, a speedboat takes you to Edge, Niyama Private Islands’ signature fine-dining restaurant that serves sumptuous seafood from the region. Then there’s Subsix, a beautiful restaurant six metres under the waterline, perfect for a romantic dinner surrounded by schools of groupers, parrotfish, and moorish idols, and the occasional hawksbill turtle. On the other hand, Nest serves pan-Asian cuisine in a treetop setting.
A beautiful blend of Caribbean and African cultures is offered at Tribal, that welcomes you with aromas of chimichurri and chipotle. Both Dune and Fahrenheit offer inventive drinks amidst vibrant settings, so you can let your hair down. Guests also have the choice of enjoying an exclusive feast at the spot of their choice on the island, the way they like.
GET SPLASHING:
A holiday on the shores of the Indian Ocean is incomplete without taking a few plunges into the sea. Water babies have enough and more to play with at Niyama. This is one of the rare Maldivian resorts that sees surf-worthy waves.
There are even seaplane transfers available to other shores where the waves are bigger and better. If you’re an amateur, there’s a surf guru in-house to help you catch your first waves.
Go scuba diving at multiple exciting reefs, or snorkel the Niyama lagoon to find turtles with the help of experienced guides. If getting submerged in the sea is not on your to-do list, you can watch the reef from onboard a glass-bottom boat, sail in search of the spinner dolphins that grace the region with their antics or go on a romantic, private sunset cruise. If you’re game, you could catch the day’s dinner on a fishing expedition onboard a dhoni. There’s no dearth of thrills here—learn to waterski, parasail, paddleboard, kayak, monoski, wakeboard, kitesurf, windsurf, or even operate a jetpack.
RECUPERATE:
Pampering knows no bounds at Niyama’s Drift Spa, the resort’s wellness haven. Let the healing hands of expert practitioners revitalise you in one of the six overwater treatment rooms. Or escape to one of the two treatment sanctuaries, which feature private gardens, outdoor baths, rain showers, and daybeds, and wash away your worries in a bath of aromatic elixir. With special treatment sets available for adults and children, every member of the family can luxuriate in the spa. Try the signature treatments, which use local ingredients and influences. For instance, the Niyama Scrub features Maldivian coral sand and coconut oil that polish the skin and nourish the body. Rejuvenate your body after a day at sea with a Niyama Massage, where a blend of aroma and rhythmic strokes energises and relaxes in equal measure. You also have the choice of hyaluronic oxygen treatments for your skin, the spa at Niyama being the only one in the archipelago with this offering.
Also on offer are alternative healing and beauty treatments, such as 24-carat needle facials, auricular therapy, epigenetic testing, and personalised treatments that draw on reflexology, and crystal and colour therapy, offered by visiting practitioners. Let your hair down, literally, at The Salon by Pedro Sanchez, where stylists from Pedro’s Zurich headquarters bring your tresses to life.
With two islands and infinite possibilities, Niyama Private Islands Maldives offers the complete island holiday package.
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