Prior to my visit to Siyam World, Maldives, I’d always sworn that I wouldn’t travel abroad.
Why?
- There’s a whole lot to see in India for the need to head out to arise.
- Our currency is weak enough to even make poor-person living abroad expensive. And I like to live it up when I am out. Not have a currency converter open in my head all the time.
- You’ve to stand in queues etc. to spend your own damn money. I don’t like standing in line at wedding buffets even.
- I hate commuting. So an obvious dislike for long flights, that too in coach. Rubbing forearms with strangers. Ugh.
- I am not filthy rich to travel the way I want to (see pt. 2).
But (and a they say, there’s always a “but”), being married is a two player sport. In which, sometimes fortunately, the other person takes a call.
This was one of those instances.
(Not to say that there was a fierce amount of heel digging and a valiant battle put up by me. Worked about as well as governments trying to infuse patriotism through inorganic means.)
Regardless, this isn’t a piece about interpersonal relationships or flawed government intervention. It is about my maiden trip abroad.
Happily enough, it was to a beautiful resort in a magical world. Siyam World, Maldives.
Now, as mentioned, I’ve never travelled to Maldives. And I believe some of you reading this haven’t either. So I am going to break this down into painful detail. If not applicable, please gloss over stuff. No one needs to tell Wordsworth to skip reading Volgon poetry.
As our nation was handing out / holding / holding and waving our national flag in preparation to celebrate 75 (glorious) years of independence, me and the wife were at the airport going through tightened security checks operating on the philosophy of “guilty until proven otherwise”.
My camera bag, which has more equipment than a Swiss watch-making factory was forced to empty its guts out into a plastic tray, while lying wide open on the airport floor (no, we do not do more queues OR tables thank you).
Eventually we were deemed innocent enough to move through forward and onwards.
Finally, getting into our seats (flying Vistara Air) I figured that my call of trying out the last row had yielded mixed results.
While there was no crotch goblin kicking the back of my seat or punishing its parents for getting it into this miserable existence, by letting out blood-curdling screams, the loo being flushed every few minutes did not for a serene background score make.
You win some….
There was alcohol on the flight (J&B for whiskey benchmark). But I could not get myself to get a drink.
One, J&B? Yeaaaahh nah.
Two. They offered you one drink and moved on. One drink for me is what an official salary is for a politician. And I wouldn’t for the life of me ask for another to be labelled “that free drink hoarding” kinda dude.
Finally, I’d have a couple of hours between this drink and arrival at my resort. Which time frame most alcohol aficionados would recognise as a “severe downer”.
Here I must mention how helpful Saachi on Vistara flight UK271, on August 14 was. Thank you for saving me from that Daal, Saachi!
So yeah, completely sober entry into Malé. Which is anyway appropriate as Maldives is an Islamic country, and you cannot carry any alcohol on to the main land (or so I have read).
Wasn’t sure if we’d be stepping on to main land for transport, but why take a chance when you can opt for a full board package at your resort?
Also appropriate because we had to wait in a queue for an hour for visa at Malé airport. It sucked!
Unlike India, our stuff sailed through security and we were heading to seek out the resort crew looking around in all possible directions like semi-blind mice. (A basic map, or dude with a placard would’ve been nice to have really.)
Maldives is a country made of very many islands. These islands are spread across thousands of kilometres and are connected to each other by air or sea. As far as the resorts go, a small fraction are on the same island as the main airport, but most lie farther away.
To get to those, you take a boat, or you take a domestic flight to an island closer to the resort and then take a boat.
Or the best option, take a sea-plane.
Some resorts like Cheval Blanc and Four Seasons have their own sea planes. But most, like Siyam World, rely on an airline called Trans Maldivian Airways to fly their guests to and fro.
The Siyam World Experience – Getting There
Given we like to travel with as little effort involved as possible, we’d booked everything starting our country and ending back here (minus the shopping) prior.
Reaching Malé airport, we found the kiosk (number 21 & 22; it lies to the front and right as you exit the airport) that had reps from Siyam World.
They took us to the Trans Maldivian Airline counter, checked in our luggage and got us the boarding passes. You’re not allowed to carry more than 5kgs as hand baggage, but our check-in stuff being pretty light plus camera equipment being fragile, my way heavier camera bag made through.
There on, I saw people not flying, getting onto speed boats bobbing just across the road in front of the airport. Seaplane passengers were put on to an AC coach that drove around 15 minutes to a “waiting lounge”.
The waiting lounge is pretty huge and is common for all sea-plane passengers.
I firmly believe the wait totally depends on the airline being able to fill the sea-plane to capacity, and then off you go. My assumption is based on the fact that we were told that our flight would take another hour plus, but we were off in more like 25 minutes.
Also, always a great idea to send the resort your travel details before-hand, so any wait here can be minimised.
The lounge though is not a bad place to wait. The view from its balcony is fantastic for someone who hasn’t flown in sea-planes all their lives. Also, it is the first time you will see those crazy ocean blues so close. Food and beverage is all paid. The lone shop, an opportunity missed by TMA. It could have so much more merchandise, and hence, revenue!
From the lounge the boarding call goes out to get to “the gate”, which is not a gate. It is a waiting room. Like a hospital waiting room, waiting room. You sit there for another 15 minutes and then led to the craft.
If you are flying northward after noon, don’t take the single seat (left while facing forward) if you don’t like sunshine.
I did, and I don’t. Suck-kus Maximus.
(The two sea planes I flew in both had a 2×1 seat config).
The take-off is pretty great. The landing is amazing too. But the flight novelty wears off in 10 minutes or so. Not to say the views aren’t great. But it’s an hour of the same thing.
Maybe it works for you but I got bored, and couldn’t exactly sleep in that din.
Also, get in-ear noise cancellation / ear-buds. It gets REALLY noisy, especially right behind the cockpit.
Guess where I was sitting?
Whaaaattttt?
Okay, jokes aside, get ear protection.
If you get bored you can try to figure the instrumentation that those flip-flop wearing pilots are using and then curse your luck for you not being a flip-flop wearing pilot. Or even a pilot. Or even crew.
OOOOOH… one thing. Invest in polarised glasses. In places like these, they’ll change your life. I tried both, and MAN is the polarising thing insanely good!
Another important thing to note here is that the seaplane has some AC. I saw AC vents, but don’t think they can be effective with an open cockpit. It does get hot, till the plane (and the fans inside) starts. Then it’s a mix of warm and cool-ish. At least right in front of the fan (that is at the back of the cockpit).
“Fan at the back of the cockpit” is one phrase I never thought I’d use though.
Seats are first come. First serve. So stay ahead of the hordes to pick your window yeah?
The Siyam World Experience – Once There
Maldivians till this point hadn’t come across as a very friendly bunch honestly. Not easy to smile. Not okay to greet back etc. Too many annoying tourists maybe.
But all that changed the moment we got off the plane. You get welcomed in traditional Maldivian style which has drums and another percussive instrument, both of which don’t like being in sync to a beat, or even to each other, and smiles from the staff.
A whole lot of smiles.
I swear I have never smiled at, been smiled at by, greeted, and been greeted as much as this short five night stay at Siyam World.
I’d read so many reviews that mentioned the staff being indifferent, or even rude (to brown people especially). But I can assure you that not an iota of that is true.
Except for the manager and another employee of Kurry Leaf, each and every member of the staff was exceptionally good. We were treated no less that how guests at luxury resorts expect to be treated.
Beyond the welcome and the check-in process (where we were assisted by the ever smiling and helpful Bodda), a couple of misses?
Together Bar felt pretty hot (they should have pedestal fans) and there was no beer on tap for the entirety of our stay.
Post our check-in we were taken to our villa. Usually, people choose to stay a couple of days at a beach villa and the other few at a water / lagoon villa. It turns out to be more economical. However, we didn’t want the hassle of un-packing and re-packing so decided to stay in a water villa throughout our stay. (Water villas are bigger and around deeper water than lagoon villas AFAIK. I don’t know how to swim so wanted a lagoon villa, but they were all booked).
The villas are awesome! What amazing view (also cuz we got 346, which was open from two sides instead of just one)!
Water villas have a large room, wardrobe area, shower, loo, king sized bed, study table, minibar, TV and large couch. Plus they have a small private pool, two beach beds, one dining table, one couch and one fantastic water slide leading right into the ocean, on the deck.
The water slide is the primary party trick, and it’s worth every bit. You’ll end up riding down into the ocean at least a couple of times every day. Even if you’re a non-swimmer like me.
That’s not to say that the other amenities won’t help make times merrier.
There are four beers, a bottle of white, a couple of small Toblerones and an assortment of soft drinks in the mini-bar. There’s a bottle of red, a Nespresso machine, and and different teas outside. One thing that can be added is sugar free sweetener. It’d add a lot of value.
I was the only beer drinker, so they more than sufficed for the time I was in the room. In fact I couldn’t finish more than a couple on any given day. Lion and Blue Ice are the beer brands available.
I loved Lion for its sessionable nature, but Blue Ice is not too bad either. The wines I have no idea about, as neither of us are into those (unless it is sparkling, where I cannot say no to a chilled flute).
The toiletries and kits are aplenty. Kits we didn’t use cuz we travel with our own preferred stuff. Toiletries didn’t make us want to complain either.
Be advised that the water is really hard and any format of soap takes a while to come off. Also, might leave your hair drier than normal. But then when you’re dipping yourself in the pools and lagoons as often, that doesn’t really bother you. Towels, both bath, pool and bathrobes are aplenty.
Enough storage space for moderate packers (I am not). A safe. Two USB plug points each, in addition to a normal (Indian style) plug point on both bedsides. Enough for your wearables and phones. Obv. the bedside drawers, notepads etc etc. all are in place.
Did I see an iron and a flat board? No. But you can call for one from the reception.
There’s a work area with a lamp, which has its own plug points. Was useful to me.
The AC. Works on point.
I had read reviews where the AC didn’t work for someone and I was mortified of not having a cold room. I can only get good sleep in temperatures sub 21C and the AC was able to maintain that with ease all night long. Even during the day with the deck doors opening and shutting, the temperature was being maintained around 24C.
I can say that with absolute confidence because I was carrying my electronic desk temperature + humidity + clock thing, because if something went wrong, I’d have proof. Yes, I am that serious about ambient temperature.
The ceiling fan is mostly for show though. Moves air at the speed of smell on its highest setting.
Night time is when you should be peering out from your windows and over your pool deck. You will see these gorgeous rainbow coloured fish that come out only at night. The water is clear enough to see fish inside even during the day, and we saw a few including baby sharks.
Morning views look something like this… Sorry about the shake already. SMFH.
(I haven’t put up any videos of the rooms and most public areas because there are scores of videos on youtube and pictures on the official site that have that aspect covered.)
Internet?
More like internot. I measured 900 Kbps in the room and 280 Kbps in the outside areas at its fastest.
You’ll have to be VERY patient with story uploads to the gram.
So, we’re done with the room. Now comes the outside experience.
Siyam World – The Outside Experience
The place is beautifully set up, but if you have a villa at the farthest end of the bridge (and these have the best views) you will have to WALK. The further away you are from the beach, the more you walk. And you walk in that brutal seaside sun. (I am still feeling the sunburn on my calves, cuz even the big umbrellas they give you, which I carried around a few times shamelessly, will not save your legs.)
It was about 600 steps (large strides, cuz we were running late for the dolphin cruise when I measured) from our villa to the path where you catch a buggy to get to another point in the resort.
In fact you walk a LOT in this resort. I usually do 4000 to 5000 steps in a day. However on the days we were at the resort, I was hitting between 15000 to 17000 steps!
Which brings us to the size of this resort. It. Is. HUGE.
You cannot possibly walk from everywhere to everywhere. The heat and, or the mosquitoes will get you.
So they have large (19 seater I think) electric buggies running on the main routes along the island. There are proper bus stops with sitting areas (though they get really hot and you’d rather stand in the shade of a tree) and displays showing the movement of all buggies.
The longest we had to wait for a buggy was 7 minutes (which is what the official expected wait time is). Most of the time though, it was lesser that 3 minutes. They are everywhere!
But please do carry mosquito repellant body spray. And expect to sweat. A lot.
Siyam World – F&B Experience
The closest bar to us was Orchid and the bartenders were fantastic! Harish made a Basil Mash that my wife fell in love with (she loves sweet cocktails) and proceeded to get pretty buzzed on. I was on multiple things, till I settled on Bloody Mary (which Manju at Mint Bar makes really well).
Now, the bar experience is great, but it falls short on one major thing which I mentioned earlier.
Food.
There is none.
I believe it is because the outlets are so far spread out that having kitchens isn’t feasible in all locations. But what that does, is force the guest to shuttle between outlets (more walking and buggy rides) when they need a bite. And it’s an absolute buzz-kill.
Also, it forces you to go to a central outlet like Together bar, which serves both F&B, but remains crowded all the time. The best seats / loungers are all taken, there are LOADS of kids and the F&B staff is under back-breaking pressure.
It shows.
I would seriously advice the resort to have a couple of more satellite kitchens around and along with the bars. Not only will it improve the guest experience, but also help the resort minimise service failures (like a couple of times our drinks in Together didn’t arrive at all, and we left rather than chase them).
Here is the breakdown of the F&B outlets we sampled:
Orchid Bar: One end of the island, some kids, mostly adults. Excellent barkeeps! (Try Basil Mash made by Harish). Nirosh is such a calm and easy person to chat with. Suggest a quick chat with him about his home country.
Mint Bar: No-kids-allowed bar. Very peaceful <3. Beautiful sunset views. Fantastic barkeeps (Manju and Nagy) again! Manju will make a really spicy (even save some really hot chillies for you) Bloody Mary. What excellence in service! Nagy loves to chat, and you will love to chat with him.
Together Bar: Snack and event central. Super crowded. Surprisingly good Fatoush salad. Surprisingly horribly veggie burger. Manoj from service was very helpful. The regular DJ (I’m sorry I forgot the name of, but the dude who is taller of the two) plays some FANTASTIC house.
Tempo: All fantastic meal buffets. Large selection of everything from continental to Indian, soups, salads, breads, meats and even a separate section for vegans. Very efficiently managed outlet with no lag or lack in quantity or quality. Service is great. Loads of wines available. Great place to have your Proseccos and Champagnes.
Andalucia: Spanish specialty restaurant. Not much for vegetarians like us, but go just to meet Na’am. What a fun conversationalist! Nikhil is damn sweet and helped us figure our food in what is a primarily meat based cuisine with a constant smile on his face.
Takrai: Thai food, and what AMAZING Thai food. Richard is a seasoned F&B professional and it shows. An asset to the resort really. Himanshu stood out for his skills and demeanour as well. The food however… Y.U.M. we went there twice.
Kurry Leaf: Our low point in this trip. We were really looking forward to an Indian meal in a bit, and had a reservation for 9:30. Now, Kurry Leaf is at the opposite end of the island, and we’d met a couple of travellers from another part of the world we were trading stories with.
So by the time we finished our drinks, caught a buggy and walked across a small section of beach and pier (who really knows how far a place is, when you’re new?) it was 9:50.
We walk in to Kurry Leaf and were met (remember, met, not greeted) by Shirley, who I informed of the reservation.
Shirley: A flat out, “Sorry sir, you are late and we are shut now.”
Me: “But the place shuts at 10?”
Shirley: “Yes, but last order is at 9:45.”
Me: “I need to speak with your manager”
Manager (Suarez), arrives.
Same thing about being late and them being shut.
I then launched into a long monologue about how this was no way to run an F&B outlet in a resort (business hotel I would understand), and that it takes not only proficiency but also passion and love for service & hospitality to be in this profession.
I have worked with luxury hotels and hell, we served guests even if they arrived five after 11PM, which was shut down time. Yes it sucks, but that is what the job is all about.
No one is asking you to flambé and carve up a piece of meat one hour post shut down!
All you had to do was serve two vegetarian meals (vegetarian was mentioned in our guest sheet), of which gravies are usually pre-prepped and other misé has obviously been done.
Anyhow, Suarez was sullen, and I didn’t want to eat there anymore anyway, so we headed to tempo to see if we could find some scraps.
And here is where the OBVIOUS difference in attitude was so visible.
The buffet was being wrapped up and I walked up to the person who seemed to be in charge (chéf Rupak) and asked him if we could get anything to eat. He inquired what we wanted, and knowing that we needed nothing more than basic Indian food, he actually got Paneer plus green chillies from the kitchen! Niranjan helped us look around and get daal and rice from the chafing dishes that’d not been collected. Rosni actually re-laid a table and Shubham chit-chatted and ensured we weren’t feeling odd being few of the last ones out there.
That, is how you run a hospitality business.
Guest delight!
I had the pleasure of meeting Chéf Rupak for breakfast again, and he was as affable and gracious in accepting a big thank you from me, as he was in helping us the previous evening.
Jungali was shut. And the others we either didn’t visit, or I don’t remember.
Which brings us to the near end of this piece.
Siyam World – Adventure Activities
They are priced at what would make the word “premium”, blush.
Two scuba dives worth of money can get you a whole basic course in Thailand I guess. But then pricing is the management’s decision, might just be working out for them.
Didn’t for us.
Dolphin Cruise
The only one major activity we took part in was the Dolphin cruise. And we saw very many. Although I have heard from another bunch of people who travelled to one of the Siyam resorts recently about the lack of these magnificent mammals, we faced no such issues.
It is made clear at the very onset that seeing wild dolphins is a 50/50 chance. But we saw them jump out, flip, land, swim with our boat in groups etc.
It is an experience that I cannot describe in words, and all I have to say here is that I would recommend it very VERY highly.
Just make sure you don’t head to the roof section of the boat at the start of the cruise as suggested by the adventure crew (ostensibly, because the “breeze is better”), because the dolphins are best seen from the bow of the vessel. Probably to the side opposite to where the sun is, as you will get better pictures.
If you stand on the roof, or sit at the back of the boat, the bow will already be crowded with people by the time you get there, and some lame-ass auntie-type will be busy taking stupid selfies while blocking your view.
I could have gotten a couple of great shots, but got only maybe one, because I went to the roof. Dick move on the part of the activity team really.
Snorkelling
I did forget to mention that you are issued one snorkelling kit per person and it is a pretty decent experience. Especially for those who don’t live near the sea. Looking back, I actually spent more awake time in the sea water than in the room.
I think I saw at least 11 different kind of fish while in the water (and baby sharks while above it). We did miss out on seeing Rays and Turtles, but then maybe if we’d have spent less time in the bars and pools, that too would have happened!
Water’s clear but not go-pro photo clear. There is a fair amount of haze.
There also was a Beach Party organised by the hotel. It involved, better brand alcohol, a belly dancer and a live band, you guessed it, while you chilled on the Orchid Bar beach. It was fun, no doubts there. The belly dancing lady was very pretty, the band was professional and the alcohol, worth guzzling.
There are a few huge bats on the island, and they fly about during the say as well as the night. Look amazing while flying and look amazing while hanging and chilling.
All said and done, the five nights went by a lot sooner than we’d wanted them to, and Bodda was there to help us get on to our sea-plane for our journey back.
A word for Bodda. Ever smiling. Helped with every restaurant booking. Helpful without being obtrusive. 10/10
Also, the housekeeping staff. Avinash, who took care of our room was impeccable and the person who came to replenish our mini-bars didn’t just look like Santa, he behaved like one too. 😉
We finally got on to the sea-plane, wizzed through security, got through some duty-free shopping and on to a half hassled flight back home.
But that’s a story for another day.
Big thank you to the management of Siyam World for running things the way you are. Yes, there are a few niggles, but that is always the case when running such a massive property.
We hope to visit you again soon!