A luxury location, where light pollution is minimal
** The Maldives ,** that island paradise, bathed by the waters of the Indian Ocean, which with the beauty of its explosive nature provokes sighs even in the last corner of the world.
But it has an advantage: at nightfall, its privileged location, just above the imaginary line of the Equator, allows you to see more than 15,000 stars with the naked eye.
Not taking advantage of this luxury would be a sin. Therefore, the luxury resort Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, located in this part of the planet where the skies are so pure and with such minimal light pollution, he has decided to install a wonderful star observatory.
How do we get there? Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas is half an hour by seaplane from Malé airport, the capital of the Maldives.
Anantara Kihavah is half an hour by seaplane from Malé Airport, the capital of Maldives
THE SKYBAR: HEAVENLY COCKTAILS
A bar with panoramic sea views, with a warm atmosphere, decorated with wood and lighting that draws a map of stars on the ceiling.
And to top it off, island drinks and cocktails carefully prepared, such as arak with lychee liqueur, peach, lemon and a hint of tea.
Sitting at its circular bar to savor this elixir is tempting, but enjoying it on its terrace while letting yourself be fooled by one of the most beautiful sunsets in the Indian Ocean it is a real luxury. Ah, add to all this Chill out music in the background, courtesy of the hotel's DJ.
But this is not all. On the roof of the Sky Bar, the ash-dome Star Observatory, that gives our retinas the best of the sky and the immensity of the sea. We climb?
THE OBSERVATORY: ADMIRING PERFECTION
The first and only observatory in the Maldives houses a Meade LX200 16-inch digital telescope, mounted on a giant field tripod.
It also includes a remote control with 360 ̊ movement.
Don't get overwhelmed, if you don't have the skills to handle these instruments, the Sky Guru will take care of it.
The Sky Bar, with panoramic views of the Indian Ocean
The Sky Guru or guru of the stars, Ali Shameem, shares his passion and experience in the world of astronomy with all the curious, offering weekly stargazing sessions, as well as private sessions for those couples who want to live the moment in a more intimate and special way.
Through the telescope we can see the Sombrero Galaxy –Located 30 million light years away!–, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus, Moon, Andromeda Galaxy, Orion Nebula, Omega Centauri, most Messier objects... You can see all this and more from this idyllic observatory.
The sunset in Maldives, one of the wonders of the Indian Ocean
Also you don't need your mobile to capture the moment, the hotel has a state-of-the-art camera that you can use to take photos, and if you want you can also print them on the spot.
The capacity of the observatory is eight people and the opening hours are 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., reserved for families from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day.
The Sky Guru can teach you the constellations throughout the year. Even if you want you can celebrate your wedding under a blanket of stars. Romantic, right?
If you have the opportunity to travel to this dream resort during the Winter Break, on December 13, 2019 there is a spectacular meteor shower radiating from the constellation Gemini. An experience that will remain etched in your memory.
The first observatory in the Maldives houses a Meade LX200 16-inch digital telescope
SHAMEEM: THE GURU OF THE STARS
Cup in hand and blessed by the light of heaven, you can marvel at the stellar wisdom of the astronomer Ali Shameem.
Prepare to be mesmerized by the yellow rings of Saturn, the belts of Jupiter, the bright Omega Centauri or the Messier 13 of the Milky Way (a globular cluster of more than 300,000 stars in the constellation of Hercules).
And yes, the guru of the stars has a favorite. “We can observe 80-90% of the constellations, for example the Big Dipper or the Southern Cross. Omega Centauri is the densest globular cluster in our entire sky and it is magnificent to be able to observe it with the power of our telescope”, Shameem sentence.
Maldivian native, Ali Shameem shares his love of astronomy with the guests of Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas.
“Sky Guru's job is to create a high-quality astronomical experience for guests, including the mapping of the constellation in the night sky and the observation of planes and objects in the sky to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for him,” astronomer Shameem tells Traveler.es.
Ali Shameem, the Sky Guru of the Anantara Kihavah
What grew up on an island without electricity, Shameem spent his childhood studying the constellations.
“The sky and the stars have been a very curious subject in my life. I wanted to see the North Star, as at the time it was believed on my island that it was visible from the Maldives. However, when I went further with the topic, I discovered that it was wrong”, explains Shameem.
"It has always been a hobby of mine since childhood, but I discovered that it was a true passion when I had the opportunity to meet my astronomy teacher, Professor Parag Mahgani (an Indian astronomer), at the beginning of the year 2000 ”he tells us.
The hotel lounge, where you can sit and enjoy the spectacle that nature offers