travel
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K living
and all the other conveniences
you might expect from a high-end
city hotel – including an espresso
machine, iPod docking station
and high-speed internet access.
Set back from the waterside in
a glade of flowers, these deluxe
villas have been designed with
flawless style, exuding sheer
sophistication. Each spacious,
teak-floored bedroom features a
large sofa and king-size bed, as
well as a shaded veranda. The
bathroom, with stand-alone tub,
extends into a flower garden with
its own waterfall shower.
The dining experience at Baros
is similarly indulgent. Guests may
enjoy all their meals in a thatched,
open-sided pavilion by the water
or, instead, opt for al fresco dining
in a gazebo just above the lagoon.
Specialising in fresh seafood, fish,
meat and vegetarian dishes, all
meals are accompanied by a
healthy selection of salads and
irresistible desserts.
Other dining attractions are a
teppanyaki grill
station and a
satay bar.
The wine list
offers a superb
selection, all
designed to
complement
the resort's
modern and
tropical cuisines.
Much more
importantly,
Baros also offers
some of the best diving in the
world, with lessons for novices
and for those keen to improve.
Indeed, Baros has now been
officially recognised as the first
EcoDive resort in the Maldives.
This means the island will be able
to offer guests an EcoDiver course,
qualifying them to assist EcoDive
teams in the surveillance of reefs
throughout the world. And this is
important work, especially here,
where reefs really matter…
T
he Maldives lies in the
Indian Ocean, south-west
of Sri Lanka, just across the
equator. The country is made up
of 1,190 coral islands, spread
across 90,000 square kilometres.
Each island has its own reef,
which encircles the island lagoon.
These reefs, alive with countless
underwater creatures and vibrant
corals, play an essential part in
protecting the islands from the
wind and wave action of the
surrounding oceans. So, the
coral reefs are hugely important
and well worth monitoring.
The low-lying coral islands of
the Maldives are so small that dry
land makes up less than four per
cent of the country's total territory.
Some islands are uninhabited
sandbars while others are as wide
as several kilometres and are well
vegetated and often farmed. Of
the 200 inhabited islands, about
90 have been developed as tourist
resorts, as is the case with Baros.
Strict local regulation of fishing
and commercial exploitation has
maintained the Maldives' marine
environment, so it remains in a
near-pristine state. As a result,
Baros is the
perfect place to
relax with fine
food and wine.
But it is also
a geological
marvel, with
thousands of
fish swimming
around the
vivid corals just
a few feet from
where you sit
Getting there: British Airways flies directly to the
Maldives from London Gatwick three times a week.
Prices start from £653 return, including taxes, fees and
charges. Book online at ba.com or call 0844 493 0787.
the reefs represent a dream world
for scuba divers and snorkellers.
Anyone with a mask and
snorkel will see butterfly fish,
angel fish, parrot fish, rock
cod, unicorn fish, trumpet fish,
bluestripe snapper, oriental
sweetlips and more. Larger life
forms, eagerly sought by scuba
divers, include sharks, stingrays,
manta rays, turtles and dolphins.
T
he Maldives may be best
known for its deep blue
seas, turquoise reefs and
white sandy beaches. However,
it is also a place full of character,
where locals know how to make
the most of their idyllic setting,
and resorts focus on helping
guests languish in luxury for as
long as they are able to stay. And
that is Baros in a nutshell.
With spa facilities to impress
the most pampered traveller,
and yoga classes delivered on
sandbanks in the middle of
nowhere, this resort offers
everything possible to improve
your sense of wellbeing.
Even the climate is pitch perfect,
with bright days, breezy nights,
balmy mornings and iridescent
sunsets. The temperature is an
average of 29ºC all year around
and the sun is almost constant,
glistening through the treetops
and creating leafy shadows on the
sun-bleached sand below.
Like Baros itself, it will be sorely
missed – the minute you leave.
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