The frequent visits to Skyscanner for the best ticket price. The rush to apply for a visa. The excitement of shopping and packing for a trip.
After two years of pandemic-induced house arrest, most of us have been yearning for the thrill of international travel again. Add to that our FOMO from all the celebs posting their biggini shoots from their beach vacays. From Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor to TV star Divya Agarwal, it seems like everybody was in the Maldives and I was itching to go! So when I got the chance to visit Kandima, a ‘kool’ resort at Dhaalu atoll in the Maldives, I couldn’t have said YES quicker (quicker than when my partner proposed last year, and he had bribed me with a sparkly diamond!)
Now I know what you’re thinking—a holiday in the Maldives is going to be hella expensive. Is spending all that money worth it for a sun-kissed selfie on the ‘Gram? The answer is a resounding YES! That’s because a stay at Kandima is the perfect blend of luxury and affordability. You get gorgeous over-water villas, pristine turquoise waters, an amazing variety of dining options along with plenty of wellness and adventure activities—without paying an arm and a leg!
I spent four nights and five days at Kandima, and it was one of the most relaxing vacations I’ve had. Scroll ahead to read about my experience at this paradise on earth!
The Journey
Flights to the Maldives are frequent and direct from all major metropolitan cities in India. We booked an early morning flight, and the journey was around 4 hours long—the perfect amount of time to get some shut-eye before reaching your destination. Upon arrival, we were greeted by cheerful staff from Kandima, who packed our bags into a private car and dropped us off at our next terminal—to catch a private seaplane to the island. While we waited for our seaplane, we had access to a private lounge where we freshened up and refuelled with some coffee and delectable snacks. Before we knew it, we were boarding a tiny plane over the water!
My partner, being the nerd that he is, kept his eyes peeled at the cockpit while I took in the gorgeous bird’s eye views of the Maldives. About 45 minutes later, we landed near Kandima’s pier and were met with smiling staff and a welcome drink, which soothed our fatigued but excited souls.
The Villas
During our stay, we were lucky enough to experience two different types of villas at Kandima—the beach villa and the aqua villa. If I had to pick one, well—I wouldn’t! Both villas had their pros (and no cons!), and it honestly boils down to personal preference.
Sunset Beach Villa With Swirl Pool
We stayed at the Sunset Beach Villa for the first two nights, and had a little surprise waiting for us—a bottle of bubbly, fresh tropical fruits and a bar of chocolate. It was a lovely touch, considering that we were tired and hungry, and the bubbly was the perfect mood-uplifter!
Coming back to the villa—it was spread over 105 square meters with a private pool, which overlooked the stunning sandy lagoon. The bedroom featured a comfy king-sized bed, a couch with a coffee table, a study table and chair, massive cupboards, a fully stocked mini-bar and all the amenities you’d require for a comfortable stay. Now, I’ll get to the best part—the gigantic (and beautiful!) open-air bathroom area, which included a jacuzzi, a bathtub, a glass shower AND an open shower!
Did someone say spoilt for choice? And true to its name, we did witness the most spectacular sunsets from the villa!
Aqua Villa With Swirl Pool
This villa is what Maldivian dreams are made of—and then some! Situated over the calm lagoon, it doesn’t feature a gigantic bathroom like the beach villa, but more than makes up for it with the breathtaking water views. This stunning villa features a private sundeck which gives you direct access to the water, a swirl pool, sun loungers and a bathroom which overlooks the lagoon.
The room interiors and amenities are similar to the beach villa, which is why I found it hard to pick between the two villas. But if you want to wake up to panoramic views of the water and the sounds of gentle waves, this is the villa for you. Oh, and if you’re someone who loves exploring water, grab your snorkelling gear from Aquaholics (Kandima’s water sports centre) and take a dip whenever you please!
Besides these villas, Kandima offers multiple other stay options, for every budget! Check them out here.
Food
Did you think that a remote island with minimal connectivity would have limited dining options? Think again! With a total of 10 restaurants and bars, I was truly astounded by not only the sheer variety of dining options but also the impeccable quality.
You can choose to either dine à la carte at their restaurants or pick a meal plan at Flavour, their buffet restaurant. We ate most of our breakfasts there, and were amazed at the gigantic spreads! Of course, a beach vacation isn’t complete without a floating breakfast, and our Maldives experience wouldn’t be complete without one. The floating breakfast at Kandima didn’t disappoint, and the spread was as delicious as it was vast.
As much as I enjoyed the novelty of eating breakfast in the pool, I probably wouldn’t try it again—mostly because I prefer not to have my breakfast floating away from me. My partner, however, loved it—so it really boils down to individual preference!
On our first night, we were craving barbecue, so we made our way to Smoked, Kandima’s grill house restaurant. We grabbed a table under the stars and gorged on some delectable smoked meat. I ordered a grilled lobster with vegetables, which was so good that I polished it off in minutes. My partner’s order of a wagyu beef steak was ‘the best steak’ he’s ever had, according to him.
The next evening, we decided to check out Azure, Kandima’s Greek restaurant. Fun fact: the resort’s head chef is Greek! And yes, that means you can get some truly authentic greek food on this island! I tried the catch of the day, which was salt-baked—an ancient Mediterranean cooking technique. My partner thoroughly enjoyed his Lobster linguine, which he walloped and then helped me finish my dish (it was a large fish!). The highlight of our dinner though was the Tiramisu, where the server poured hot espresso over the dessert at our table.
On Day 3 we decided to relax in our villa and order room service. The menu isn’t too vast but has diverse options to choose from. Bonus points: they even have a kids menu for your little ones. We ordered the cheeseburger which came with fries, and I was glad we decided to split it since the quantity was huge! Oh, and we loved the vanilla pannacotta so much, that we ordered it thrice.
On our final night, we ventured towards Sea Dragon, Kandima’s Asian restaurant. Here, you can select your catch from the live tank, which displayed a variety of fish, lobster and crab. We feasted on flavourful dim sums, mouth-watering baos and the most delightful fish and lobster of our entire Kandima trip!
We paired it with white wine, which our server offered to bring for us, because he said he heard we were ‘wine lovers’. He perhaps noticed that we had paired almost every previous meal with white wine, and his thoughtful gesture gives you a pretty good idea of the wonderful and attentive service you’ll experience at Kandima!
Experiences
There are two kinds of beach vacays—one where you sit by the water and relax, and the other where you indulge your adventurous streak. Kandima offers a wide variety of activities for both options!
I picked the former, but I did more than just lazing around, sunbathing and reading by the sea. A relaxing 60-hour massage at the Eskape spa overlooking the ocean made me want to start every morning with one!
Unfortunately, it would be impossible to recreate that beautiful setting and find a masseuse as skilled as the one at Kandima.
On another day, I also attended an art class at Kula Art Studio, where my lovely instructor Zima helped me create a frame-worthy painting!
On another morning, I decided I needed a workout, so my partner and I rented a glass-bottom boat from Aquaholics and kayaked over the corals! During our stay at the Aquavilla, we also picked up some snorkelling gear, and free-dived into the water directly from our villa. If you can swim, I would definitely recommend you do the same—we spotted a variety of stunning marine flora and fauna!
My partner is the more adventurous one of the two of us, and he participated in a bunch of water sports activities. His absolute favourite was the parasailing, which he found ‘meditative and relaxing’. According to him, it is the best way to marvel at the breathtaking ariel views of the coral reefs surrounding the island.
Before we knew it, our wonderful trip to Kandima came to an end and we boarded our seaplane feeling a mix of sadness, contentment and excitement to come back soon!
Kandima is the perfect beach destination if you’re looking to let your hair down and have a good time! If you’ve made it to the end of this article without booking your stay—what are you waiting for? Psst…the resort is currently having a flash sale and you can get 47% off on your stay. This is your sign from the universe—click here to book!
Featured Image: Author’s own
