A design retreat for the cosmopolitan traveller – THETRAVELBLOG.at
If the Maldives ever really feel like Manhattan it might be right here. And no, we’re not talking of site visitors or the bustle of the town, however fairly the cosmopolitan power, excessive finish design and culinary mish-mash that defines a metropolis like New York Metropolis. Allow us to introduce you to the Maldives’ latest addition for the cosmopolitan traveller, an eco-conscious particular person on the look-out for one thing distinctive within the Maldives.
Welcome to Patina Maldives!
However first, right here’s somewhat confession. Earlier than reserving this journey the Maldives weren’t actually excessive on our bucket checklist. We’re curious explorers by nature and our travels normally embrace a component of unscripted nature exploration with a contact of native appeal and historical past. Now, the Maldives, actually aren’t the place for these forms of journeys.
However as this weblog is written from the angle of a pair, that’s solely 50% of the story. Me (the editor), Marion, I’m the character fanatic with a bent for off-the-beaten path experiences and sleeping underneath the celebrities every now and then. My husband Raffael however is somebody who loves metropolis journeys and seaside holidays. So frankly this Maldives journey solely occurred, as a result of his calls for for a seaside getaway acquired extra pressing… properly and Patina Maldives mixed each his passions completely!
The journey to Fari
On a gray October day we discover ourselves on the airport in Malé, whisked away to the boat terminal by the extremely properly organised workers of Patina Maldives. Simply minutes later we’re sipping a freshly brewed ice tea on a pace boat someplace within the Indian Ocean. That’s the great thing about staying within the North Malé Atoll, you’re not distant from the worldwide airport and might journey by boat as a substitute of a sea aircraft. Nearly 45 minutes later we’re welcomed by the Patina crew, their proper hand on the center, a gesture we’ll expertise day by day on the island any longer.
The draw back of staying at North Malé Atoll and so near Malé is that issues are a bit busier in comparison with extra distant atolls. We cross by neighbouring Ritz-Carlton resort every time we get on a ship, passing by proper in entrance of their villas. Not a lot privateness over there it appears. Patina Maldives not less than occupies the final of the 4 isles that comprise the Fari Islands, providing a bit extra seclusion. The Robinson Crusoe feeling doesn’t actually materialise right here although.
A person-made island
We’re staying in a seaside villa the following 4 nights, however first our baggage is hoisted on prime of a golf cart to get us there. First impression: The artificially made island is already fairly inexperienced, a lot greener than we had anticipated. Later we study that over 350,000 crops and a whole lot of palm bushes had been bought and planted to create this brand-new oasis. To be trustworthy, there may be nonetheless a protracted technique to go to catch as much as pure islands and their lush vegetation, however issues develop shortly within the tropical local weather – so one can hope that the island will really feel extra pure fairly quick.
Our One Bed room Pool Villa
Our private essentialist (that’s how butlers are referred to as right here at Patina) shortly explains all of the options of our room and we’re in awe of each element. In the case of design there’s an unimaginable sense of “now” at Patina Maldives. It begins with the modern form of the villas and ends with the fabric decisions and options of the room. The large sliding glass doorways open to a non-public pool, there’s a high-end Japanese bathroom within the toilet, an indoor and an outside bathe, an outside bathtub and a hammock.
Each element appears like straight out of an Architectural Digest unfold.
Pursuit of Perpetuality
However we’re not (solely) right here for the design. Patina Maldives’ philosophy is what enticed me to return on the journey as properly: Patina calls it the “pursuit of perpetuality”. It’s a sustainability philosophy, that appears deeply dedicated and honest. Nearly each luxurious resort on the Maldives has some kind of sustainability program these days, understanding that friends have gotten extra invested in ecological practices. But Patina Maldives’ dedication to ecological and sustainable practices appears to stretch fairly far and deep from zero-waste kitchens to recycling ocean plastic.
We’ve seemed on the sustainability initiatives in additional element, as we’re all the time serious about what all of it entails. The Patina program is sort of complete and covers many fascinating matters, that embrace:
- ENERGY
- A deal with solar energy: The child’s membership, recreation and dive centres are already 100% photo voltaic powered. A primary within the Maldives.
- Utilizing marine offshore photo voltaic panels in addition to photo voltaic panels on the flat roofs of every villa.
- The aim is to increase the photo voltaic plant to offer 50 p.c of the resort’s power wants by 2030.
- DESIGN & BUILD
- The villas had been prefabricated off island to save lots of power utilizing a expertise referred to as “Mass engineered timber” (MET). This lowered carbon emissions by over 6,000 tons (together with the manufacturing, transportation and modular development).
- As a substitute of typical thatched pointed roofs the villas and different buildings are all designed with flat roofs, so photo voltaic panels could be mounted. This manner the Fari Islands can be house to the biggest photo voltaic set up within the Maldives.
- The prefabrication additionally made certain there’s minimal runoff into the ocean in the course of the development.
- CONSERVATION
- Marine conservation is a key initiative of Patina Maldives, with a devoted coral propagation venture.
- Friends can participate in conservation actions from constructing coral propagation constructions from clay to seaside cleanups.
- The resort collects 10 kilograms of ocean plastic waste for every visitor’s keep, which is able to then be recycled and repurposed.
- EDUCATION & COMMUNITIES
- Patina affords free diving courses and certificates to native Maldivian youngsters in an effort to boost the following era of native ocean advocates.
- 1% of the gross working income from Patina Maldives go to charities that assist native communities.
- CONSCIOUS CUISINE
- As a vegetarian we particularly appreciated the signature restaurant at Patina Maldives referred to as “Roots”. It’s a completely plant-based high-quality eating restaurant working by a root-to-leaf precept and providing a singular sustainable open air eating expertise.
- There’s an natural permaculture backyard on the island.
- All of the ingesting water on the island is filtered and produced on the island in a water manufacturing and bottling plant. Zero plastic wanted.
- Meals waste is used to create natural fertiliser by way of bio-digesters.
- Imported meals is sustainably sourced and accredited by EarthCheck or related certificates.
These are simply a number of the initiatives that make Patina Maldives a fairly holistic sustainable resort and that’s one thing to think about if you go to an archipelago that’s so closely affected by local weather change.
Visitor experiences
Now in relation to experiences Patina Maldives units the bar excessive. Their program makes a 4-night keep nearly too quick. We may’ve simply prolonged our keep to cowl extra of the unimaginable experiences on supply.
It’s not simply the “basic” actions like scuba diving, turtle snorkelling or wildlife & sundown boat cruises, however conservation talks with the resident marine biologist or a signature “Ceramics & Coral Conservation Workshop” the place we constructed coral propagation constructions from clay. We additionally acquired to hitch a singing bowl live performance in addition to a plant-based cooking class. There’s not a uninteresting second on the island.
