The Looks

The hairstyle you will pick will depend on lots things – will the wedding be bohemian or more glam? Where will the ceremony be held – on the beach or at a church? What kind of dress will you be wearing – sophisticated or more casual? The weather also plays a role, will it be hot or windy? Do you want hair away from your face or prefer it let down? Whether you’re after something more romantic, sophisticated, rock-chick or beachy, these 7 looks I have experimented with will play into choosing a hairstyle that’s right for you.

Look 1

Look 2

Look 3

Look 4

Look 5

Look 6

Look 7

Related Article: Create The Classic Bridal Look With Laura Mercier

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Why go? 

If you’re on the lookout for generous sunshine, surreal glassy sea and ivory-white sand, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is the destination for you. With vast, spacious suites (some with roof terraces for stargazing) you can truly find bliss in your very own island sanctuary whilst discovering private gardens, mouth-watering gastronomy, plunge pools, and stairs that dip into the Indian Ocean.

Honeymoon style

Conrad has two sides to it – one island for families with kids and one island for those looking for a quieter, more secluded time… how clever. You can take a scenic walk to either side via a long bridge, or hop on a buggy to speed things up. They’re hardly in competition, with both islands donning first-rate restaurants and powdery beaches. And while our villa was on the more peaceful isle, we dipped into the dining and activity scene on its more energetic counterpart, only to swiftly retreat to our cast-adrift refuge when we craved its seclusion once more.

Set the scene

Envisage a desert island, one heaving with green and birdsong. Butterflies and lizards dart between purple and pink flower bushes; snaking sandy baths remain cool under the shade of giant palms and beaches feel as though someone has ramped up the contrast on a camera – with impossibly turquoise water lapping impossibly white sand with an impossibly cloud-free, blue sky overhead. Honeymooners will love ‘The Quiet Zone’ adult-only beach where beds are spread out to the point where couples may feel they have the whole island to themselves.

To really get under the skin of this far-flung corner of the world and behold its surreal beauty, hop on board Conrad Maldives Rangali Island’s luxury yacht for the Sunset Cruise. You may be lucky enough to see dolphins swimming alongside the boat as an emphasised Maldivian sun begins its crimson descent. This other-worldly natural theatre is paired with delicious canapés and Champagne – just one of the activities the hotel can put on, courtesy of its extraordinary geography.

Snorkelling is another stellar way to fully anchor yourself in the exotic surrounds, with a kaleidoscopic array of marine life to discover. Watch turtles swim, exotic fish dart and rays glide through the gin clear water, and if you’re lucky, the majestic whale shark, whose presence can bowl over even the most experienced diver. Conrad’s efforts to preserve the marine life surrounding its islands is just part of a broader sustainability action plan, one that includes rebuilding coral nurseries, which guests can get involved in).

Rooms

We stayed in the Sunset Villa which, as the name would suggest, promises knockout views of the sunset every evening – the sort that wipes out all memory of a long haul flight. A private pool overlooks the crystal-clear water and stairs tempt pre-breakfast swims in the ethereal blue lagoon. The setting calls for floating breakfasts (that old Maldivian chestnut, but a novelty nonetheless), which can be enjoyed while watching the morning light move through its various shades.

The staff are so friendly and welcoming, leaving notes and artwork on your bed made out of leaves like ‘Have a nice day’ with a parrot. On one of the days, we were surprised with a bubble bath with flower petals when we got to our room after the day out.

Honeymooners can choose between thatched, overwater villas perched on stilts (stairway to heaven into the Indian Ocean) or beachfront villas which have a more modern feel and spill onto the beach via a private garden. Both styles of rooms have their own pools and, while the beachfront villas are more spacious, the overwater villas are the quintessential Maldivian honeymoon cocoon – seemingly hovering over an impossibly blue lagoon.

For a real blow-the-budget honeymoon stay, it has to be the Muraka – an underwater suite that appears to have sprung from a Bond film. Couples can snuggle under the covers as eels, exotic fish and even sharks swim above them, or brush their teeth while tracing the synchronised movements of tiny iridescent fish. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime, truly magical experience.

Food and drink

Couples are spoilt for choice at Conrad Rangali with seven restaurants and imaginative (and seriously romantic) private dining options. Floating on the water and beautifully uplit, Sunset Grill offers a birds eye view of the fish and sharks circling the shallows below. The lobster here is something to write home about, and the most basic seafood dish is cooked to perfection and garnished with herbs. Breakfasts at Vilu Restaurant are a calming (and delicious) start tot he day, with uninterrupted views of the beach directly ahead and an extensive buffet, and menu, to choose from. A boat lies waiting beside the restaurant to take those who’ve enjoyed every exotic fruit juice, omelette and pancake, to the other side of the island for a mid-morning snooze or to set off on the day’s activities.

The light lunch spot tends to be Mandhoo Spa Restaurant, where tasty salads can be enjoyed from a sun bed after a pampering treatment, all to the soundtrack of the waves curling close by. Atoll Market is the unbuttoned, buzzy spot for a buffet-style breakfast, lunch or supper, while Ufaa by Jereme Leung is the one to dress up for – a five-star Chinese menu (don’t miss the coated prawns, their signature dish). Another romantic island haunt is Ithaa Undersea Restaurant (the world’s first undersea restaurant) where couples can dine amongst marine life, sipping Champagne as sharks, sting rays and fish glide past. And while not completely private, the ‘private event BBQ’ cleverly spaces tables so far apart that you feel as you’re dining alone on the sand. It’s worth noting that this needs to be booked in advance, and is well worth it for the romance factor – sipping Champagne under the stars while tucking into exquisite grilled seafood.

Family friendly

Families stay on the family-friendly side of Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, (connected via a long wooden bridge), while giving honeymooners without children in tow the peace they shlepped across the world for. Other than the Atoll Market, most restaurant tables are cleverly spread out to allow families to go about their day, without worrying about disturbing others.

Spa

Of the two spas at the resort, The Overwater Spa is the most serene. Class squares carved into the treatment room floors offer those having massages a privileged glimpse into the lagoon below. The couples massages here are as otherworldly as the setting itself – with a soothing soundtrack of the Indian Ocean rolling onto the beach. Post massage, therapists lead you to a wooden deck, that tips over the ocean for calming teas and some ‘pick-me-up’ treats. We recommend booking a treatment for late afternoon so you can experience golden hour as it hits the spa.

To book your Maldives honeymoon at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, visit: conradmaldives.com

Related Article: Honeymoon Review: Four Seasons Kuda Huraa, Maldives

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JOALI artfully blends raw, island life with a generous helping of luxury many honeymooners long for. Consider it an elevated spin on bohème – where bare-footed island escapades sit alongside tasting menus and Dom Perignon.

Why go?

For blissful isolation, absorbing all the sensory wonders of the Maldivian landscape – from those blazing Indian Ocean sunsets to the tropical tangle shading the powder-soft beach – but also for inconceivable pampering in the spa and slick service with a smile from JOALI’s affable team.

Set the scene

Rather than the cosmopolitan aesthetic spreading across the Maldives, JOALI reverentially weaves into the otherworldly landscape, sprinkling every inch of its bamboo and hand-carved structures with good taste. The island layout often leaves honeymooners feeling as if they have this paradisiacal setting all to themselves (unlike many resorts in the Maldives), with little interaction or even ground crossed with other guests.

Four superb restaurants shake lunch and suppers up, offering the culinary variety a week or two week stay often need, while the team manage to balance step-ahead service. And it’s the villa breakfasts, savoured while gazing wistfully towards the Ocean horizon, that are particularly special – a moment of pause to absorb the sheer beauty of this setting. 

Rooms:

The Luxury Water Villa is the design and architectural expression of barefoot luxury. With a private pool overlooking a balmy, transparent lagoon, sweeping wooden ceilings and a sundeck to enjoy a morning coffee or breakfast on, it leverages the surrounding beauty – pulling everything outside while keeping things exceedingly comfortable. 

A standalone bath and spacious shower overlooks the twinkling water below – a welcome tropical upgrade on the standard morning shower – while a hammock (also suspended over the water) allows you to admire the marine life below as you sunbathe or surrender to a mid-morning snooze. 

Beach Villas offer a similar grade of luxury, though the beach is your garden (as opposed to the lagoon).  

Food and drink:

Never mind the exotic setting and romantic stilted villas, the food alone is good enough reason to jet to JOALI. The main consistent thread across four remarkably different restaurants is a calm bass note, set by both the surroundings but mainly the staff, whose warmth and passion for the food they are serving is infectious. Particularly like a recipe? They’ll print it out for you to take home. 

Creatively built into the tree canopy, the Treehouse wins in the romance stakes, with its privacy and far-reaching views. A private waiter assists couples through various set menus, which is served with artistic panache and full of flavour.  

We recommend a pre-dinner sake tasting at Japanese restaurant SAOKE, which doubles up as a condensed history of the liquor. Then opt for the table at the far end of the deck facing the water, where your only views are the Indian Ocean and one another. The fresh, melt-in-your-mouth sashimi is a must, as are the puddings – try the fried ice cream, you won’t be disappointed. 

The Mura Bar is the perfect lunch spot, with tables either inside the restaurant or scattered along the beach for pretty ocean views. The mango garden salad is a particularly light and delicious choice for a hot day. Should you fancy something on the menu that is not listed (within reason), the team will whip it up for you with a smile. I am a big smoothie enthusiast, and while it wasn’t on the menu, I somehow tried a new scrumptious one each day. 

Last but certainly not least, cocktails are best enjoyed on the Mura Bar’s terrace facing the pool and beach as the sun dips below the horizon. It is as though the sky is on fire and the cocktails themselves are mixed to perfection using fresh fruit and juices.

The story

As one of the few independent luxury resorts in the region, JOALI was the brainchild of Esin Gural Argat, one of Turkey’s most prominent entrepreneurs. Designed with local craftsmanship and artistry in mind, it is the Maldives’ first and only classified ‘art resort’. Guests come here to explore the lagoons with a snorkel, or the surrounding islands on a chartered yacht, or to simply switch off amid the clipped Crusoe-style architecture or wallow in the warm shallows of the Indian Ocean. 

Family-friendly:

Somehow, JOALI has managed to bring children into the exotic, understated luxury mix, ensuring children are fully engaged with a range of fun activities, from island treasure hunts to oceanography (all of which are complimentary for 4-12 year olds). The Muramas Kids Club puts on arts and crafts workshops and even teaches ‘little guests’ basic yoga at the Kids Spa. Facilities here are great for little ones, with a specified children’s outdoor pool area at the club, as well as a games platform and rainbow stairs room. 

Spa:

JOALI’s ESPA spa is an elemental haven of calm, with glass-walled relaxation rooms pulling in the surrounding natural beauty, and deft therapists who skilfully lather weary muscles in essential oils and lull their subjects to sleep. The couples massage is the one to go for, with an introductory offer of music style and oil scents before using nimble fingers across any knots from the flight or pre-wedding cortisol. It’s a rich, sensory experience that allows you to sink even deeper into those slow island rhythms.

Eco-friendly:

JOALI cleverly combines marine wildlife experiences with educational aspects around conservation and sustainability. Thrilling snorkelling expeditions are combined with the knowledge of JOALI preservation efforts with an enlarged coral tree nursery ring-fencing the white beaches. Keeping their footprint light on the delicate ecosystem, all of the room amenities are 100% natural and safe for marine life, while the small amount of necessary plastic used is both recycled and recyclable.

Location:

You get around by cycling, requesting a buggy or simply by walking and taking in the birdsong in the tropical tree canopy. The resort covers the whole island, making for an immensely private experience. And there’s more to it than just sea and sand. During a walk around the island, you may stumble upon a cute art studio nestled in the trees, where you can create memento ceramics or paintings to take home with you.

The transfer from Malé International Airport to JOALI’s unusually long jetty for the Maldives is a seamless (and incredibly scenic) 40-minutes seaplane, which soars over the Maldives Atolls – perfect green dots ring fenced by white strips of sand and ethereal shades of blue.

To book, please visit www.joali.com

Related article: Honeymoon Review: Gili Lankanfushi, Maldives

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