Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas has unveiled SKY, the Maldives’ only overwater observatory combined with a unique luxury cocktail bar, a resident story-telling Sky Guru and housing the most powerful telescope in the region.
The Sky Bar
The panorama lounge perched over the lagoon maximises ocean views from every vantage point. Contemporary yet warm, with raw timber and soft lighting throughout, this is the place to take in Indian Ocean sunsets. A circular bar serves as the centrepiece, with the resident mixologist busy at work. Sip on island signatures such as Kihavah Island Tea, an Indian Ocean white rum and arak with lychee, peach, lemon and a dash of Earl Grey Tea.
Laze on low oversized daybeds that wrap around the terrace, enjoying innovative tapas and fragrant shisha. Resident DJ Kristina spins mellow vibes that shapeshift with the fading light.
The Observatory
The custom-built Ash-dome observatory sits on the roof deck of the Sky Bar surrounded by nothing but open skies and the ocean waves below. The first and only observatory in the Maldives houses a research-grade 16” Meade LX200 telescope mounted on a super-giant field tripod. Remote-controlled with 360 ̊ movement, the powerful telescope opens up a whole new world of wonder.
Stargazing with Sky Guru Shameem
Sip champagne or lay back on a circular daybed with the sky above as resident astronomer Shameem points out the pale yellow rings of Saturn or the counter-rotating zones and belts of Jupiter that vary in width, colour and intensity from year to year. Take a peek through the telescope at the Milky Way’s shining Omega Centauri or Messier 13, a globular cluster of over 300,000 stars in the constellation of Hercules.
The Maldives’s location just above the equator means both hemisphere’s stars are visible from Anantara Kihavah. Coupled with minimal light pollution and open skies, this is astronomy par excellence. Sky Guru Shameem (protégé of Italian astronomer Dr Massimo Tarenghi who headed the ALMA observatory in Chile) shares his passion and expertise of the constellations in weekly stargazing experiences and private couples’ sessions. Name a star after your loved one as the ultimate honeymoon gift.
