The Resort
Kani
is quite a unique resort. While you approach the resort on board
the transfer boat which ferries you from the airport you will notice
the dense vegetation. Buildings virtually cannot be seen. Then you
walk along the wooden jetty towards Kani’s palm-fringed shore and
finally find yourself captivated by a new experience. Entering the
centre of the island you will be welcomed in the shade of a majestic
old banyan tree and your holiday really begins.
The feeling of being
at home with nature and in touch with tradition begin as you walk
across the sands to the Reception right under this venerable tree,
around which all the main buildings are grouped and whose broad
branches span the entire area. Banyan trees are worshipped in some
Asian countries and can sport a crown bigger than a soccer-field.
Even in Kani this grand tree with an entanglement of roots as a
trunk, forms the spiritual heart of the resort. The tree is estimated
to be more than 100 years old and quite a few smaller versions are
found all around the island.
Kani started 20 years
ago when a group of young Maldivians were enchanted by this island
rich with coconut palms and dense tropical foliage untouched by
man. They resolved to keep the essence of an unspoiled environment,
even as they gradually added the comfort and sophistication demanded
by today’s discerning travellers. What started with nine basic bungalows
with rudimentary facilities and a small dining room is now a hotel
with 150 rooms, each with its own bathroom, air-condition and solar-heated
hot water as well as numerous restaurants and bars. Even when there
are 300 guests on the island, the beaches and paths in the interior
will seem deserted.
To give the resort the
ambience of a Maldivian village, each of the public buildings is
housed in a separate pavilion, loosely grouped around the banyan
tree just like in a village square and with their sides open to
the breeze. Carved wooden posts supporting high, rattan-lined roofs,
are linked by latticed screens placed above eye level to preserve
an ever-open view of the beautiful surroundings. This concept of
transparency has been persistently implemented with each new building,
and now there are only few places on the island where you cannot
see from one shoreline through to the other.
Kani is oblong in shape
and stretches in a north-south direction along an outside reef.
Although the island measures only 750 metres in length, that is
820 yards(less than half a mile) and 178 metres in width, it is
easy to lose yourself amidst its lush greenery. There are guests
who have come here repeatedly and have never even managed to walk
round the island once!
A wide beach of coral
sand embraces the island and, with bushes and plants growing down
to the shore in some places, it is possible to find a secluded spot
to relax and sunbathe in privacy. There is even a small plant nursery
in the interior with hundreds of tropical plants grown to enhance
the beauty of the resort.
Kani’s attractions on
land are equalled by its surrounding underwater world. For divers,
whether beginners or enthusiastic experts, the waters around the
island hold a rich diversity of marine life. The energetic can enjoy
a variety of organised water or land sports, including football
on the grassiest pitch in the Maldives. And for those who
simply wish to spend leisurely hours on the beach Kani offers the
peace and quiet they will expect from a tropical paradise.
As well as being famed
for its friendliness, Kani attracts singles, couples, honeymooners
and families alike. With the wide range of sports and evening entertainment
there is the right choice for everyone.
Kani is definitely the
resort for those who want to enjoy finer things in life!
It is an experience you
will never forget!
The moment, the memory
and the dream.
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