Located at the Main Road, this historical landmark is an estimated 300 years old and is a gigantic plant towering 30 metres high. One could wander through the sawdust trail at the entrance and be amazed by the maze of thick wooden barks of this ancient tree, enshrouded in rich greenery. The tree is a nesting place for herons, fruit bats and other animals and is a sight not be missed. This tree at Kuramathi can be considered as one of the oldest banyan trees found in the Maldives.

Fast Facts about the Banyan Tree

• A banyan is a fig that starts its life as an epiphyte when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree.
• Older banyan trees are characterized by their aerial prop roots that grow into thick woody trunks which, with age, can become indistinguishable from the main trunk.
• Aptly named the Banyan tree, it was originated from the word “banians”- Indian traders who carry out their businesses under the tree.
• The underground roots of a banyan species found in the Amazon are known to fulfil medicinal purposes. They are cut into 10 cm lengths, dried and smoked regularly to relieve pain.
• Alexander the Great is said to have camped under a banyan tree that was big enough to shelter his whole army of 7,000 men.

You will also find a “Plants of Kuramathi” placard adjacent to the 300 year old Banyan Tree, a brief yet informative display of this incredible plant.

Diving has never been this simple. Rasdhoo Divers opens the opportunity for families to explore the marine flora and fauna with their newly unveiled Family Program. Commencing on the 1st of June, 2012 till 30th, September, 2012 the packages come in a variety of 3 types, at flexible prices.

Offer 1: For a family of four who all complete one of the following three courses with Rasdhoo Divers (a) the PADI Open Water Diver course, (b) Referral course or (c) Advanced course; a wonderful souvenir of an excellent family adventure – an underwater video filmed by our videographer, free of charge.

Offer 2: The Private Family Discover Scuba Diving course – available for maximum 4 persons with a minimum age limit of 10 years for a special price of $315 + 6% GST. Guests interested to take part in this must be medically fit to dive.

Offer 3: If three or more family members do the PADI Enriched Air Diver/PADI Nitrox course, the course is free of charge for all and each participant pays only the US$150 + 6% GST certification fee. In addition, after the course dive with Nitrox 32% for no extra charge on Kuramathi.
So what are you waiting for? Swing by, swap your clothes with a wet suit and be a fish for a while.

Guests who have stayed with us have shared some of their memories with us on Facebook and today, we would like to share some with you our readers.

by Anelia Kanevas

by Ann Besko

by Anna Kupriyanova

by Giorgos Petrakis

by Judith Beskos

by Judith Beskos

by Kristel Masia Servidas

by Pedro De Vallera Pepes

by Peer Giesen

by Peer Giesen

by Antonis Konstantinidis

by Sophie Revitt

Fast Facts
Birthday: 13th March 1961 (51 years)
Star Sign: Pisces
Marital Status: Married
Favourite colour: Navy Blue

A well known face to many of our guests, Adambe is our guest of this month’s issue. Adam Mohamed (his nickname, Adambe, literally means Brother Adam) from the neighbouring island of Rasdhoo, has been serving Kuramathi for over 20 years and is a proud resident of this island whom he considers his second home. Having joined the team in January, 1992, he worked as an Engineer in the Maintenance Department, after which he switched to captaining and shifting sails on the traditional Maldivian sailing boat. Presently, he acts as a skipper for Big Game Fishing, Diving Excursion, and Island Hopping boats. When asked what he would like to share within his working experience in Kuramathi, Adambe responded.

“I believe in delivering the best possible service to our guests. I have met wonderful guests during my years of service, and when they come back to Kuramathi, they still recognise me. It is a wonderful feeling. I love this island”

Adambe, is so passionate about this island, he feels that his future is tied here as well.

Spookiness was redefined on Halloween as creepy characters crawled over every nook and cranny of Kuramathi. They seemed to be ubiquitous and the setting was perfect to give you a good scare!

Please see below for the frightening events on the day where jack o’ lanterns and ghouls unite!

Renowned for its luxuriant foliage and eco-friendly orientation, Kuramathi proudly announces the newest of its services to our guests – Kuramathi Water. This clean, potable water made on the island emanates from a Classic Crystal purification system, ensuring the highest levels of quality and standards. The finished product is a glass bottle containing fresh drinking water. The bottle comes in two sizes, 500ml and 1 litre, and is a complimentary amenity for guests staying on Full Board. The bottles are also replenished from the guest’s stock every day.

Reusing glass bottles is a milestone for Kuramathi, making our carbon footprint smaller as it would save the usage of about 300,000 plastic bottles discarded every year. To provide our guests with a memoir of Kuramathi, the bottles will be sold at the bars for very reasonable prices. One other interesting aspect about this water is that they are bottled in two forms; as still and sparkling waters.

Hi! My name is Sharon, and I am going to write about my day at the Kids Club.

It is a Wednesday, and I’m walking towards the Kids Club. Excited, I think of the many new things I will discover today. At the Kids Club, I am greeted by Captain Luisa, and by a small troupe of explorers heading to the Nature Trail. Ha! We take the buggy and march towards the Nature Trail. There we see many interesting things.

Rasdhoo Divers have recently unveiled their newly refurbished building. Dubbed as the ‘Dive Centre’, this facility is located near the Eco Centre, just past the reception and is a host to a number of premium services to its guest divers. From a spacious lounge to a classroom equipped with a flat screen TV, the 500sqm building is designed to ensure that you are given the best possible service whilst you explore the abundant marine life found in the Maldives. Lockers are also stationed inside the Dive Centre allowing guests to safe keep their valuables while they are on their underwater expedition. The Dive Centre also features a brand new compressor of world class standard. The BAUER Pure Air compressor is renowned for their efficiency, and eliminates noise, creating a quieter surrounding.

Aptly named as the “Hammerheads”, Rasdhoo Divers are also proud to announce a family program later on that would offer the chance for families to go for a dive togetherat the same time. This program is currently being developed and will be launched late December. In addition, a new “Full Gear Service” would be provided to the divers very soon as well. This would enable a diver to go to their villas after the dive without having to go through the trouble of rinsing and putting away the equipment! Diving has never been so easy.

Rasdhoo Divers feature an array of dive courses and interesting boat dives for our guests. One great dive excursion is the Half Day Safari, an ever increasing favourite of the guests that offers the divers a chance to explore North Ari Atoll and its myriads of fish swimming alongside the colourful coral gardens. This excursion is completed by a full breakfast served on board.

2011 has been a remarkable year for Kuramathi with the introduction of several new elements to improve the overall experience on Kuramathi. From a bright kick off in early January with the reception of the TUI International Environmental Award simultaneously inaugurating the Eco Centre in the process, to the sensational Honeymoon Pool Villas, the year has seen exciting changes that align perfectly with our continuous commitment to deliver perfection to our guests.

But this is an on-going process, as we take pride in getting our guests’ feedback and utilising this carefully to introduce more products and services in the hope of ensuring total satisfaction of our beloved guests. The Kuramathi Lounge now acts as a comfy transit spot for our guests. Whereas, Kuramathi Water is a great plus for our guests whilst at the same time saving the usage of an estimated 300,000 plastic bottles per year!
Let’s have a look!