One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives

Formerly known as ‘King’s Island,’ the Maldives is a surreal land of blue lagoons and soft white sands awash in an ocean of teal and indigo. Its beguiling name means ‘garland of islands’ in Dhivehi, the local language. Although no one knows who first named this glittering archipelago that stretches north-to-south across the equator, explorers, traders and travellers have been coming here for centuries – each generation as enchanted as the last.

Very little has changed since ancient mariners first sailed these seas. Just one-sixth of the country’s 1,190 islands are inhabited – mostly peaceful fishing villages nestled among the palms. The Maldives today remains a necklace of soft sand atolls laid out on the shimmering azure waters of the Indian Ocean.

Maldivian culture is a distinctive blend of the different influences that have shaped the isles over the years – from African drumming to Oriental jewellery-work.

BODU BERU
An iconic part of Maldives heritage is the “Bodu Beru”, which literally translates from the local tongue Dhivehi as ‘Big Drums’. Carved from coconut wood, with a goat skin drum head, their beating sound echoes throughout local ceremonies, a sign of celebration and a reminder of the Maldives’ strong East African roots.

LOCATION

Surrounded by the wonders of the Indian Ocean, One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives makes its home on one of the largest islands in North Malé Atoll. A jewel among a string of coral atolls, lagoons and white sands, it is about 700 km (430 mi) southwest of Sri Lanka.