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Richa, a computer engineer and Chintan, a finance professional got married on 6th May, 2011 in Mumbai. Their wedding was a fun-filled affair and the wedding functions included a Christian wedding at a beach-facing bunglow, a bollywood-theme sangeet, the traditional pheras and a hatke vidaai where the couple commenced their new journey in a colourful rickshaw.
Richa talks about her & Chintan’s amazing, romantic holiday in the Maldives.
Chintan & me were thinking about Maldives, Mauritius, Bali, Fiji and Seychelles. We were looking for a faraway island with pristine beaches and lagoons. One fine day, while we were sipping wine at a restaurant, my husband (then fiance) asked me “Where do you want me to take you? Name the first place that comes to your mind right now”. I said ‘Maldives’ and he smiled. We then got busy with wedding planning and preparations, and when it was time to do our bookings for the honeymoon, Chintan asked me if I still wished to go to Maldives. I obviously said ‘yes’.
We stayed at the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, an exclusive & romantic island resort with pristine beaches and lagoons. Calm, peaceful and tranquil, it is surrounded by lush tropical plants and encircled by clear blue waters & serene weather; when you’re there its impossible not to fall in love with the combination of god’s creativity and human architectural intelligence.
We were in the Lagoon Villa- a stunning bedroom, with a luxurious bathroom & a bathtub with panoramic views of the Indian Ocean; a private sun deck with loungers, easy chairs and a ladder with direct access to the lagoon!
Must-do’s at Taj Exotica, Maldives:
1. Jiva Grande Spa: An authentic Indian spa, with a range of signature wellness experiences. The couple spa experience was heavenly & immensely relaxing. Before initiating the massage they washed our feet in a respectful sort of way, post which the massage started. After the ‘out of the world’ full body massage was done, we went for a steam which was the perfect end to a beautiful session at the exquisite spa.
2. Bar Equator:A bar with a beachside view under a blanket of stars, complimented beautifully by a tastefully selected set of wines, cocktails. A place to relax, where the sky meets the ocean with bean bags, live music & much more!
3. Private Dining at ‘Ocean Pavilion’:My husband loves surprising me and during the honeymoon he gave me another lovely surprise-he arranged for a romantic private dinner at the ‘Ocean Pavilion’ which was a standalone wooden deck suspended in the middle of the resort’s huge lagoon, around a mile away from shore and only accessible by boat. The pavilion was decorated with comfortable cushions, candles, lanterns and flowers, which made the venue super romantic. Being on the pavilion, sipping champagne with him, surrounded by the stunning beauty of Maldives as the sun set over the crystal clear blue waters, and some delicious food from a set menu, words can’t describe how nice I felt!
4. Water sports:We didn’t want a typical romantic & peaceful honeymoon. Both of us being super adventurous we wanted to indulge in the water sports there as well. We went snorkelling, water skiing & scuba diving, made the best of the water sports activities available & had super fun doing the same.
5. Fine Dining at ‘Deep End’: Upon entering the Deep End restaurant you realize that the restaurant is actually an overwater dining room to enjoy an almost continuous maritime breeze and the placid waves of the ocean. With that great ambience and tropical-island dining feel is exceptional progressive world cuisine made with top ingredients sourced from around the world.
6. Freshwater Infinity Swimming Pool:Apart from just swimming what I loved about the pool was the view. The light blue sky meeting the turquoise colour ocean right ahead of the pool (3 different shades of blue), refreshing constant breeze & delicious food from ‘Deep End’.
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