by editor’s office, am
Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa on the Maldives will have its opening on July 26, 2009. The first luxury resort on Addu Atoll in the southern Maldives will feature a spa village under Shangri-La’s signature spa brand CHI, The Spa. While CHI’s holistic concept is based mainly on ancient healing traditions from China and the Himalayan region, guests will also be able to choose from three newly created, region-specific treatments, integrating the natural treasures of the Maldives and Indian Ayurveda traditions, as seen, for example, in the use of so-called cowrie shells – or cowrie snail-shells, to be exact.
In ancient times, the Maldives used to be the main supplier of cowrie shells, once used as currency in many countries of the Indian Ocean, and many varieties of the cowrie snail can be found on the beaches of Villingili Island even today. Using these snails, the spa’s creative director Becky developed regionally inspired “Kandu Boli treatments”, and thus new signature spa treatments. Kandu Boli is what the cowries are called in the local tongue of Dhivehi.
Guests will now be pampered with cowrie shells and virgin coconut oil in order to bring back balance to the flow of Chi within the body. The coconut oil used is specially produced for the resort by a village community on one of the neighboring islands. The Kandu Boli Ritual takes 90 minutes, the Kandu Boli Voyage requires 150 minutes, and the intensive Kandu Boli Experience lasts 240 minutes. The shells, held close to one’s ears, create a relaxing effect by making the whisper of the ocean audible and tangible. Peace of mind is further delivered by ritual Maldivian chants and cloths softly touching the body in the rhythm of the waves, as well as scalp and forehead massages using warm coconut oil. The Kandu Boli experience further includes a soft peeling with mother of pearl, which also cleanses and soothes the skin.
The 142 villas at the Shangri-La Villingili Resort and Spa offer views of either the ocean or the lush natural flora. Gan International Airport, the second international airport, is an eight-minute boat trip away. Domestic flights from Male International Airport to Gan are available around the clock and take only 70 minutes.
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group and one of the most distinguished hotel management companies worldwide, currently owns and/or manages 62 hotels under the deluxe Shangri-La and mid-market Traders brands, with a rooms inventory of over 28,000. The group has over 40 projects under development in mainland China, France, Great Britain, India, Canada, Macau, Maldives, Austria, Philippines, Qatar, Seychelles, Thailand, and the United States. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.
