Scott Dunn Goodies: Two sun shirts for my children by SUNUVA, a beautiful leather passport holder by Ettinger and finally our holiday itinerary. Off to a good start!

As you know, I recently started a collaboration with Scott Dunn, who are a luxury travel agency that recently won the Conde Nast Traveller ‘Favourite Specialist Tour Operator 2015′ and have great Kids Clubs around the world. For our first trip together, Scott Dunn has arranged our half term break to the Maldives to a luxury, boutique hotel, NIYAMA, part of the PER AQUUM group and sister hotel to the oh-so-fabulous Huvafen Fushi (who are putting on a private performance by Joss Stone on February 28th!). Scott Dunn has their own Kids Club there, which I have heard is exceptional.

And we all know that I have a slight obsession with the Maldives… A friend the other day told me that she didn’t get why I wanted to go to the Maldives over and over again. ‘Doesn’t it get boring? It’s beautiful but there are plenty of other places to visit in the world. Why would you go there over and over?’ she said. That is true, but the problem with the Maldives is that once you’ve been there, you just keep on wanting to go. The Carribean are great but the hotels just don’t compare. Asia is even further away. As far as beach holidays go, there aren’t a lot of places to beat it. (Kind of like going on Business Class Flights).

And since it’s February, it’s grey, winter is never-ending, a little (a lot) of sunshine can go a long way.

So, what makes the Maldives so great? You may ask…

1. British Airways Direct London – Male.  10 hours there, 11 hours back. You can go to Miami or the Caribbean for almost the same amount of time, but for the same price, the hotels, service and food are just overall better in the Maldives. Going to Thailand is great, but it’s a longer flight and to get to any of the islands, you will need to take another domestic flight. My children already have a playdate booked on the flight coming back with friends. Guaranteed happiness for everyone.

2. The lagoons: They are shallow enough for your 12 month old to toddle, paddle and swim in. The water is crystal clear and just breath-taking. As my children call it, it’s like a ‘swimming pool.’

3. The sea life and the diving: you don’t even need to put your head in the water to catch sightings of stingrays, baby sharks, coral, legendary unicorn fish or multi-coloured picasso fish. Some of the best snorkelling is done on the hotel house reef and for diving aficionados, the Manta Ray and Whaleshark spotting will leave you speechless.

4. The sand: soft, white, powdery, just as in the dreamy postcards.

5. The sun: Even in the rainy season, you are mostly likely going to get plenty of guaranteed sunshine year round. You can still have a fantastic time despite a few hours of Monsoon rains here and there.

6. It is safe: I once lost my toddler on a Maldivian Island when she escaped the Kids Club while no one was looking – cheeky monkey. But I felt safe knowing that nothing would really happen to her. Turns out she hitchhiked a ride on a buggy with a nice Mr. Friday who brought her home to our beach hut safe and sound.

7. The hotels: The quality of the hotels is just unparalleled. What’s great about them is that most of them are relatively new so there are none of the ‘tired, old hotels.’ ie. think Italy or Barbados. And each new hotel tries to outdo the last new hotel, with underwater bars/spas/restaurants, concerts and talks, private residences and private islands. There are also now all kinds of hotels to suit all budgets. Not all are $1,000 a night, with more and more affordable hotels cropping up. After all, it is still the Maldives. The sea, sun and sand is the same wherever you stay.

8. The service: Asians just know how to do ‘service.’ They are always smiling, humble and kind. Forget grumpy French waiters, it’s all about the service here. The Maldivians are lovely, gentle, smiling people who will do everything to make your stay unforgettable.

9. Kids Clubs: For families who want a break, the Kids Clubs are outstanding. From snorkelling to turtle feeding, glass bottom boat kayaking to dolphin safaris, cinema under the stars to treasure hunts. There are even talks by marine biologists and astronomy presentations. There are activities for all ages and your children’s horizons will just keep growing.

10. Complete relaxation: This is the luxury version of Robinson Crusoe or Castaway. You can completely take a break from the hectic pace of modern life and really forget your worries just for a week… You could argue that it gets boring after a week, but to me, this is the idea of bliss.

See you on the other side.

xx

NHYM

http://www.nottinghillyummymummy.com

@NHyummymummy

** Scott Dunn organised this trip to the Maldives with some perks/discounts, but I still paid for the holiday and the views are all mine**