The Maldives: Staying at Himmafushi Island's Just Surf and Dive Villa
Anette
7:37:00 PM
Showing posts with label Accommodation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Accommodation. Show all posts
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
The Maldives on a budget: Going local at Himmafushi Island
Anette
11:01:00 PM
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| A typical street on Himmafushi island. The island is not that big so everything is within walking distance, but many of the locals use motorbikes to get around |
Local Islands - An Introduction
The history of tourism in the Maldives is rather short; while the first Maldivian resort opened in 1972 it was only as recent as 2009 that the government opened up for the possibility of having guests staying at the local islands. Tourism has grown to become the largest economic industry in the country, and the increasing number of foreign tourists come as a big opportunity for economical revitalisation of the local communities.
The majority of foreign visitors chose to stay at the luxurious island resorts, far from an authentic experience of the real Maldives. My darling Yuma and I very much enjoyed our resort stay in Ellaidhoo, but at the same time we wouldn't have gotten the same unique experience as we did if it weren't for our short stay in Himmafushi at the local guest house Just Surf Villa & Lodge.
The history of tourism in the Maldives is rather short; while the first Maldivian resort opened in 1972 it was only as recent as 2009 that the government opened up for the possibility of having guests staying at the local islands. Tourism has grown to become the largest economic industry in the country, and the increasing number of foreign tourists come as a big opportunity for economical revitalisation of the local communities.
The majority of foreign visitors chose to stay at the luxurious island resorts, far from an authentic experience of the real Maldives. My darling Yuma and I very much enjoyed our resort stay in Ellaidhoo, but at the same time we wouldn't have gotten the same unique experience as we did if it weren't for our short stay in Himmafushi at the local guest house Just Surf Villa & Lodge.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Lodging in Kamikōchi - Nishiitoya (西糸屋)
Anette
4:47:00 AM
Kamikōchi is a popular tourist destination, both for hikers but also for people who want to chill out and enjoy the sight of the beautiful nature. As a result there are a small number of traditional Japanese guesthouses situated by the river where you can stay the night and enjoy the typical hospitality of the Japanese people.
During our weekend trip to Kamikōchi last weekend my boyfriend and I stayed for one night at a guesthouse called Nishiitoya, a name which litterarily means "south thread house".
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| The Nishiitoya situated right by the river, and surrounded by mountains. |
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| Our Japanese style bedroom |
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| .. And with a typical tokonoma (床の間) alcove |
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| Both dinner and breakfast was included in the stay, and in the evening we had a delicious washoku (和食) Japanese style dinner. |
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| An overview of the food we has for dinner Yummy! |
Like most Japanese guesthouses they also offer free access to their Japanese style bath, where one could sit and enjoy the view towards the mountains. In addition they also had a small sauna.
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| The changing room |
For those who want to spend time reading about things related to hiking and nature they also provide their guest with a common room where a wide range of books can be read.
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| The common room, which offered a wide selection of books about outdoor activities |
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| Our favorite was still the cafe, where they offered free drinks for staying guests and a nice view of the outside river. |
