Update from one of our favourite Luxury Maldives Dive Resorts

Our main gym has been souped-up this month with two new spin bikes and cross trainers. These new additions boost our cardio game. And our Jungle Gymnasium now has even more outdoor equipment,  with new jump boxes, dumbbells and a press-up bench. 

With everyone’s minds on improving immunity and staying healthy, we’ve developed our ground-breaking ‘Wellness Your Way’ programme even more. Our arrival treats are now made with ingredients that help to relieve symptoms of jetlag. The welcome drink of hibiscus and mint with a touch of honey is high in antioxidants and polyphenols, which help boost immunity. And our ‘Sleep Well at Amilla’ turndown treats help you achieve quality sleep goals by using ingredients that assist your slumber.

What’s more, our range of sugar-free menu items has increased, following the very popular rollout of our sugar-free cocktails. They now include a selection of delicious sugar-free desserts. Designed by our new Head Pastry Chef, Miriam, they are also gluten-free and low carb, so they cater perfectly to various dietary requirements or ‘eating lifestyles’. 

Amilla is home to a vast array of native wildlife, including some endangered species. We are fortunate that the White-Tailed Tropic Bird (Dhandi fulhi dhooni) nests on our island and we currently have chick growing up in the shelter of a tree at the Javvu Spa Beach. The population of ‘Cluckingham Palace’ continues to grow, too. Our happy egg-laying chickens now have some new friends – a family of ducks and some guinea fowl. This adds to the selection of freshly laid eggs available for use daily. And from feathers to shells – this year we’ve seen a number of turtles nesting on Amilla again, including a rare Olive Ridley turtle. We’re eagerly awaiting seeing their hatchlings later this year.

We are now on the cusp of Manta Season in Baa Atoll. It runs from May to October. Of course, we can never guarantee sightings since they’re wild, but normally these majestic, gentle creatures are quite a common sight in the area. Hanifaru Bay, just 15 minutes from Amilla, is world-famous as a feeding and cleaning station for mantas, where they aggregate in abnormally large numbers due to all the plankton getting trapped in the horseshoe-shaped bay. Our guests will be able to visit this Marine Protected Area every other day. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime sight, not to be missed.

A key part of our philosophy is sustainability and ethical purchasing. We’re committed to offering ethically sourced and humanely treated animal products on our menus, where possible. So, we’ve partnered with farmers and producers around the world to find the best quality, grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic-free meat and fish. These animals live their lives roaming freely, which means they have better quality of life than commercially farmed animals. 

It also makes a big difference in the flavour of the end product. We are proud to partner with Dingley Dell Pork, NZ Regal Salmon, Silver Fern Lamb and Cape Grim Beef. Cape Grim is unique in that their grass-fed beef scores highly in intra-muscular fat marbling similar to Angus or Wagyu beef. Dingley Dell farms is committed to giving back to the environment and planted with 83 hectares of flowering plants that feed bees.  All these small steps go towards making our planet a better place.