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Kurulu Bay is a unique private sanctuary in Sri Lanka

Posted on November 11, 2024

Kurulu Bay is a private sanctuary built alongside Koggala Lake in the South of Sri Lanka

Kurulu Bay (Sinhalese for “bird island”) is a private sanctuary built alongside Koggala Lake, one of the island’s largest expanses of water, just slightly in-land, located in the South of Sri Lanka. The lush surroundings of this tropical retreat are filled with loud and lively creatures that hoot and call, and you would forgive yourself for thinking you’d arrived in Sri Lanka’s jungle rather than a water-front resort. Yet the expanse of the calm lake, and the incredible sunsets she offers, ensure Kurulu Bay is as serene and tranquil a destination as you had hoped for.

For my baby moon, switching off was of paramount importance for me. Removing the temptation of busy street markets and the surfing tourists we normally encounter in Sri Lanka, Kurulu Bay made it easy for us to really relax. With only 14 suites and cottages, it felt nicely quiet. Commissioned to Shanghai based, award-winning architects A00, each suite allows for a sense of intimacy with nature.

We enjoyed private yoga sessions set on the terrace of the private residence, with a backdrop of the lake, and even more private spa treatments, with only 1 room for each of us available. The peace and quiet never felt empty, never felt boring. With two swimming pools, and a kitchen that boasts the most delicious sea-to-table homegrown recipes, it’s easy to see why Kurulu Bay’s whole resort is mostly booked out for private health and wellness retreats, with guests visiting from across the world. A long-weekend here (without our children) was honestly the perfect way to reconnect with each other, nature and ourselves.

Sheraton Maldives 🐚 Coral Propagation & Water Bottling Initiatives

Posted on March 9, 2022

My long-planned babymoon in the Maldives was unfortunately cancelled last minute due to a Zika outbreak in the islands, but aside from missing out on those baby blue waters and looking forward to relaxing in island life for a long weekend, I was most looking forward to seeing the re-growth of this resort’s marine ecosystem. Famed for its picturesque underwater scenery, Maldives has been hard hit by climate change in the last 10 years. Ocean warming is the main pressure on the local reef systems. The ocean acts as a carbon sink, absorbing vast quantities of carbon dioxide emitted by GHG’s. Passed its capacity to filter it all out naturally, ocean acidification is the resulting reaction which leads to coral bleaching and ultimately death.

Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has just witnessed a coral spawning, which is a milestone in the resort’s coral propagation initiative that started in February 2020. To date, over 6,000 coral fragments from 15 different species of corals have been transplanted to their artificial reefs.

These coral colonies were rescued from Gulhi Falhu in 2020 and relocated on coral pyramids at the Sheraton Full Moon Resort & Spa to give them a second chance to thrive. Now healthy and strong enough to spawn after the relocation, the coral shows how important restoration is for the future of these archipelago’s.

The aim of coral restoration is to ensure a proactive take on transplanting more coral fragments on the frames that will spawn and restore coral reefs around the Maldives once they are mature enough. Coral spawning increases genetic diversity and is a sign that reefs are slowly recovering from previous massive bleaching events.

As one of the largest man-made coral structures in the Maldives, the resort has teamed up with Reefscapers, a coral propagation organization appointed by the Maldivian Government to protect the marine habitat. The program also echoes back to Marriott International’s “Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy” initiative across Asia Pacific, providing first-hand connections with local communities and the environment.

Guests can also get involved and adopt a frame and get involved personally to plant new corals (prices starting at $170 per frame).

As well as their underwater achievements, the resort runs its own ‘water bottling plant initiative’ which is dedicated to removing large amounts of plastic bottles from the resort. This initiative is an important aspect of the property’s commitment to protecting and preserving their environment through day-to-day operations.

The new water bottling facility uses reverse osmosis technology by eliminating the need to transport water from the mainland. This advanced technology utilizes high pressure to clean and purify seawater by driving it through an eco-friendly water filtration system. The water is then mineralized, chilled and bottled in reusable glass containers ready to be enjoyed by guests.

Dedicated to making its operation self-sustainable and preserving the island’s natural environment, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa is also removing all disposable plastic straws and stirrers. This particular objective is to reduce landfill waste by 45% and responsibly source its top 10 product purchase categories by 2025.

… I will definitely be visiting in the late summer to see these beautiful reefs for myself.

Fitness travel

Weekends well spent with Privilee

Posted on March 10, 2020

I have tried and tested many of the amazing discount books, club apps and fitness memberships here in the UAE, but from food to fitness and festivities, there’s none that really wrap all of the city’s offerings into one, quite like Privilee does.

Privilee is our local club card that gives back without the points system. Whether you’re just over here on holiday, a true blue expat or you’ve expanded your brood recently and aren’t sure where’s kid friendly, Privilee has a four different membership plans, running between 1, 4 and 12 months, for the ultimate flexibility. Offering a card free digital booking system, making the whole concept more sustainable too, your whole weekend is literally a click away.

Partnering with a wide array of partners across the city and the capital too, boredom just isn’t an option. It’s not just the picturesque white sands of Dubai’s infamous luxury hotels that are on offer either, it’s that gym you’ve always wanted to try but didn’t want to commit to, or the busy hotspots around the city that now take 25% off your bill with pleasure.

If you’ve ever sat at home on a Friday morning, wondering what to do with your weekend, a daycay at the beach followed by a workout in the sun and sundowners on the Palm doesn’t sound too bad, especially when you know you can just walk in…

Fitness travel

SUP in the City

Posted on April 8, 2019

Living in the city, the beach is often just a weekend away, but it’s the perfect place to go for a little SUP after work too, even just to get a little perspective. There’s a few great places to rent them from in Dubai, from beachside hotspot Surf House, to Ignite Surface on the Palm Jumeirah. But they get booked up, so sometimes it’s nice to guarantee a board by investing in one of your own.

My favourite place to relax is out on the water and now that my new home has direct access to the sea, I’ve been looking for a new way to fully explore it. We’ve got a wealth of wildlife like jellyfish, stingrays and water birds all around, so actually being out on the water is without a doubt the best place to see them.

I used to have a SUP board here, but as I was living quite a bit away from the sea front, it took a serious 4×4 to transport to and frow, so I eventually gave it up. The inflatable SUP is of course a much more suitable city-living stand up paddle board as you can take it literally anywhere with you and you won’t need a car for it either.

It comes with its own travel case and a hand pump too, which didn’t take more than a few minutes to blow up fully. Known for their reliability and rock-hard rigidity when inflated, the blowup version is a real winner. I got mine from MTM Marine in Dubai who stock them from WOW Water Sports.

travel

A Wellness Weekend at EDITION Abu Dhabi

Posted on March 21, 2019

It’s not often we venture out of our highly captivating city, but in my view, the capitol has some of the most underrated hotels out there! For example, a wellness weekend away to Abu Dhabi with celeb chef Tom Aikens is my idea of a holiday. The brand new EDITION is a beautiful new addition to the city and brings with it a wealth of destination dining hotspots.

Positioned in the downtown district on the waterfront of Al Bateen Marina, it’s truly my new home away from home. A couple of beautiful gyms, spa and restaurants surround a three-story social space that has literally everything under one roof! We arrived to join Michelin-starred Chef Tom Aikens at Market, his all day dining concept which focuses on imaginative, no waste, healthy lifestyle options in an open kitchen setting.

After a well-rested start to the weekend, we ventured out to the Eastern mangroves with Seahawk to kayak around on their crystal clear waters and get some vitamin sea. A new favorite of mine, the mangroves are a beautiful eco hotspot just teeming with life.

Heading back for the evening, we sampled the modern menu of Oak Room, which celebrates world-class ingredients with ‘British rock ‘n’ roll flair’. All whilst either seated or standing in their very communal setting. Paired with exclusive French wines from MMI, the tasting menu offered a selection of everything from a carvery to a la carte options too.

Not wanting the evening to end, the rooftop of The Annex is the place to be, with it’s perfectly positioned sunset views and fire pits for the chillier nights too, it’s a favorite for residents and guests alike.

Waking up with the sunrise was how we greeted our last day at the resort, enjoying not only the warm welcome from the rooftop of the residences, but the spirited yoga session and sound healing with Eastern Vibrations. The EDITION is really a dream staycation that feels more like a vacation.

Adventure Recommended travel

Phuket Cleanse

Posted on January 30, 2019

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Affectionately describing my upcoming trip to Thailand’s infamous detox resort as ‘fat camp’ I received more than a few giggles from friends and family who asked if a trip to Phuket Cleanse was really necessary. I myself know just how much I’ve eaten over the festive period and I’m not afraid to admit it. Every moment with a raclette or tartiflette up in the Alps was thoroughly enjoyed and to be honest, I didn’t stop enjoying myself when I got back either. I knew ‘fat camp’ would kick me back into shape.

Arrival is fuss-free. Straight in to Phuket airport from Dubai, the transfer to Phuket Cleanse is only an hour away. We landed pretty late, so it was great to be given a very quick run through of the open plan reception/dining/games room and an update on the next day’s activities. Kick starting the trip was a 5.45am wake up call for a 4km hike up to the Big Buddha, but we weren’t quite ready for that just yet…

I’m a fussy eater at best, but armed with a list of intolerances and dislikes, the next morning I ventured into the kitchen… “I’m easy” I said, wary that this almost vegan cuisine would last the 5 whole days of my stay, “I eat egg”. So, there it was, my base protein for the copious amounts of upcoming workouts was to be based around a fair few omelette’s. This may be tougher than I thought.

The days were as easy or as hard as you wanted them to be, ranging from high intensity workouts at the nearby RAW Fitness center to aerial yoga and Pilates back at the villa. I chose to concentrate on cheese-loss and gaining muscle mass as a goal. A whole list of about 10 -12 activities were scheduled out across the venues and you could opt in for extras such as a sunset SUP or snorkel too.

We conquered the Big Buddha hike twice in our 5 days and it was grueling, but entirely worth it too as the sunrise made for an amazing visit, sans tourists. My favourite sessions were the HIIT and Strength classes, separated by about 6 hours each day, I made a point to do both. Throw in some foam rolling sessions, light meditation and a daily foot massage too, there was plenty to keep you busy if you wanted it. If, however you wanted to enjoy some of that 30*C sunshine, the pool in between classes was also a hotspot.

Not only is Phuket Cleanse the most community minded retreat I have ever set foot in, it’s also the eco-friendliest. With a real effort to cull all plastics and notes everywhere around the room reminding you to use bottled water instead of tap to brush your teeth or fill up your water bottles (all provided) rather than buy plastic bottles, it’s ticking all the right boxes.

What I was most surprised at I have to say, was my willingness to try all the food. Save for a few highly spiced options, I was loving the regular breakfast chia and coconut bowls, pak choi and vegetable medleys and even loved the various vegan cheeses.

I’m already planning my post-summer retreat, with or without friends this time as it’s such a great place to really focus on YOU. And I didn’t even miss the wine…

travel

SOULFARI: Why a Safari is Good For Your Soul

Posted on October 25, 2018

…as seen on Yogalife

It’s more than just a landscape, Africa has an incredible way of earthing you, from the moment you land on its clay red soil in a small inter-safari Cessna, to driving across the tundra in a Toyota jeep designed purely to encourage those 360* magic moments with its inhabitants. The landscape runs from horizon to horizon, punctuated only by the trees and rocks, whose shapes and shadows mimic the animals we avidly search for, roaming the terrain.

The wind drives the Serengeti’s scents and smells, wild basil perforated sporadically under the tyres of the jeep, whilst the aroma of baking earth under foot is tinged with an almost pleasant dusty note that serves to remind you you’re in real nature. The Serengeti safari drives are winding and uneven, but even the incessant bumps quickly move from spine jerking to a more melodic perpetual motion. As the warmth of the sun gleams through the windows of the jeep, you fall further into a state of total relaxation. It’s here at this moment that your daydreams are all too real.

Bringing you out of this somewhat meditative stare across the fields and fields of golden grass that rocket past are the indescribable viewings and encounters with the animals that inhabit this terrain. Hippo’s lounge around upstream, keeping a wary eye on the crocodiles basking on the shore, whilst trumpets pierce the silence from the largest of all the Earth’s beings as they warn of their arrival with their young, at the local watering hole. This isn’t about a bucket list of the ‘big 5’ but a really personalised discovery of why Africa is referred to as God’s land.

Time slows to allow every whisper through the blades of grass meet your ears, feigning a sense of urgency or looming presence with their dramatic soundtrack. The whistle of the wind loudly finds gaps in the natural surroundings of the hotel, complemented by the music of the cicadas as the sun goes down and their predator’s cries with beautiful feathers. The sun sets in vibrant pinks, fiery oranges and plum-like purples to remind you there’s a rotation, but under what feels like a never-ending full moon, you’d be forgiven for thinking that time here stood still. As the dawn breaks, there’s no risk of monotony with hours to be spent out under the Tanzanian skies, it’s the most soul-connected place to be.

WHERE TO STAY: Four Seasons Serengeti, for the ultimate up close and personal luxury experience with the Serengeti and its animals.

travel

Four Seasons at Anahita, Mauritius

Posted on July 3, 2018

It’s always been on my list, as most tropical islands are, but Mauritius always seemed just a little too far away for a weekend escape. I was very wrong… Only a 6 hour flight from Dubai, heading towards South Africa in an A380, Mauritius is as easy to access as Europe. Factor in the travel time it takes you to reach most hotels from the airport in other destinations like Sri Lanka and Thailand, you’re looking at a shorter total travel time with the Four Seasons at Anahita.

Welcomed to the island just as the sun was starting to set, a permanent coastal breeze breathes life into any tired soul. The coastal road to the resort is winding yet wonderful, with views of both mountains and sugar cane fields as far as the eye can see. There’s no beaches as such, but surrounding the island is the reef with a distant surf constantly cresting.

The Four Seasons at Anahita is as luxurious as one would imagine of the brand, but it’s the deep blue extended oceanscape that seems to start almost as immediately as you set foot inside the reception. Bungalows rather than rooms await your arrival, boasting plunge pools and ever so greatly received, motorised mosquito nets over the doors, so that your ocean experience continues well past the sun going down. I must admit, it’s been a long while since I fell asleep to the sound of waves gently lapping at the shoreline.

Featuring 3 very distinct and different restaurants catering to your cultural and dietary needs, from Mauritian flavours and seafood BBQ’s, to an exquisite Italian that boasts the best tiramisu on the island, as well as a customary buffet for travellers who can’t decide which flavour suits them best. The Four Seasons at Anahita has a wealth of experience at persuading its guests to fully relax and enjoy their break.

With plenty to keep you occupied too, there’s a whole host of activities in the resort that will allow you to fully take advantage of your R&R. A tennis court, luxury gym and length pool, outdoor boxing set up, bikes as well as a wealth of water sports. There’s no excuse for boredom, but then again, we don’t ever really switch off do we? If anywhere is going to help convince you, this resort is.

travel

Those Little Travel Essentials You Actually Need

Posted on May 21, 2018

What do you always forget when you pack? For me, it’s usually the non-glamorous essentials like adaptors, headphones and chargers. I’m notorious for buying them at the airport last minute, as I’ve probably been more focused on packing the way too many shoes instead.

Here’s some pieces I’ll be carrying with me throughout the summer, as changing continents often comes with it’s own plug problems.

The essentials list from EVRI & OneAdaptr:

TWIST+ World Adapter DUO

OneAdaptr is a science and design company immersed in the business and leisure travel lifestyle, with a focus on socket science.

Charge your devices with a single outlet, anywhere you are. This universal travel adapter works in over 150 countries – just twist the base to raise the adapter you need. It can power four devices at once, with two USB ports and a universal AC outlet, as well as a built-in Macbook charging port.

Features:

Designed To Use With Apple MagSafe 1&2 adapter, 12W USB Adapter, Apple Portable Power Adapters, World Travel Adapter Kit, Battery Charger, Airport Express
Maximum 4.0A 20W High Power USB Charging Station
USB Charging Ports, Charge Up To 4 Devices Simultaneously
All-In-One One Piece Design
New Twist & Release Mechanism
Worldwide Compatibility In Over 150 Countries
Built-In Fuse Protection
Light & Compact, Ultimate Travel Companion

Flip Duo-Dual Usb Charger

The original British plug was a brilliant design at the time of invention. However, it is too bulky and lacks some required modern features for today’s ultra-thin, power-hungry mobile devices. Not only Flip is a third of the standard British plug’s size, it also has 2 USB ports. The folding design has made it possible to reduce the thickness, while retaining the functionality and the pins are also hidden away when not in use.

Features:

18MM Thin – is the right balance between thickness and features
Quick Release – Simply press the button, lock the pin and you are ready to go
Dual USB Chargers
Max 3.4A High Output
Auto Release
Protective Covers – Keep Metal Pins from Damaging Other Devices

EVRI 80W USB – C Laptop Charger

Designed and developed with the mobile professional in mind, this is your USB based power pack that charges absolutely any laptop, from Mac to Dell, HP to Lenovo, it has 4 ports that with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 allow for fast and efficient phone and tablet charging too.

Features:

Fast charging with up to 80W of power
The ultimate solution for Apple Macbook, Dell, HP, Chromebook, Lenovo, Acer, Asus and more using the USB
C Power delivery – 2.0 equipped with Qualcomm Quick charge 3.0 technology, fast charging al QC 3.0 and 2.0 devices
Special charging technology allows the USB A ports to charge laptops when utilizing the included interchangeable
DC tips for up to 70W of power
Worldwide coverage
AC input 100 – 240V

EVRI USB – C Mobile Laptop Charger

It’s your car charger that actually works! Making taxi rides much more efficient on your mobiles, equipped with 45W of continuous power, it’s sleek and compact design keeps you topped up on the move.

Features:

Fast charging with up to 45W of power
DC input 12 – 24V
The ultimate solution for Apple Macbook, Dell, HP, Chromebook, Lenovo, Acer, Asus and more using the USB
C Technology Power USB
C and USB type A devices similarly

travel

Niyama: The Ultimate Wellness Weekend

Posted on February 18, 2018

A weekend away in the Maldives is a special adventure, whether you’re headed to a divers paradise, honeymoon hotel or even embarking upon a working retreat, the azure blue of the sea is as mesmerising out of the plane window as it is from the island itself. A short sea-plane ride from the capital lies Niyama, an island that’s got plenty for you to explore with 4 km’s of jungle and beach, that you can wander around by bicycle.

From the beach villas, looking out on your private pool is as postcard-worthy as it is stepping out beyond onto your slice of beach. You could get lost watching the waves gently take back some of their land with every kiss of the beach, as the sun slowly dips below the horizon, casting an electric orange glow across the open ocean that lies in front of you. If like me you’re only missing an umbrella-clad coconut from this picture… rest assured there’s plenty around.

A whole host of restaurants dot the shoreline that vary from themed a la carte offerings to bespoke fish markets with plenty of fresh catch to choose from. The reef fish is a must-try, a little disconcerting if you’ve just been snorkeling with them at sunset mind but you’ll soon learn to adjust to island life.

What’s totally unique if you’re not too keen on getting to grips with the marine life the more traditional way (by getting wet) is their underwater restaurant, located on it’s own little sunset hotspot just off the island’s coast. A quick pontoon ride away and you’ve landed at ‘Subsix’ which turns in to a nightclub and a bit of a glow party once the sun goes down. Dancing with the fish is a new one on me…

The pièce de résistance for me is the newly opened a fully functioning surf bar at the very tip of the island. A shoreline entry with some beautifully cresting waves on the most impossibly clear water. Don’t be surprised if a turtle pops his head up to say hello too!

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