Holiday in The Maldives

Niyama - Holiday as the word itself calls for festivities, celebration, when no work is done and just pure enjoyment. Maldives boast itself as dream holiday destination but one has to go to the select few islands that they call themselves, a piece of paradise.

A cluster of water villa. In this part of the resort there are only 5 of them and the price per night starts at $2000.

Getting lost on a bicycle, losing track of time, just us and nature.

Getting lost on a bicycle, losing track of time, just us and nature.

This sandy white beach stretch as far as 4 km. That makes it Niyama surrounded by 8 km of pure white sands,

This sandy white beach stretch as far as 4 km. That makes it Niyama surrounded by 8 km of pure white sands,

Forty-five (45) minute away from the capital Male is a Niyama Private Island Resort, it is so private that they have their own chartered flight, Maldivian Sea plane, different from the Transmaldivian Airways shared by other resorts. Although the terminal is nearby where we stayed in Hulhumale, we have to go straight to Velana Internation Airport where the check-in gates of all airlines are situated they ferried back to the sea plane Terminal

The Jetty of Niyama Private Islands. The first three words that greeted us, "Welcome to Paradise".

The Jetty of Niyama Private Islands. The first three words that greeted us, "Welcome to Paradise".

Sea port of Maldivian Seaplane.

Sea port of Maldivian Seaplane.

Male City as viewed from our ascending Maldivian Seaplane.

Velana International Airport as viewed from Maldivian Seaplane

Excited faces of a family experiencing their first float plane ride.

Every night spend on this ultra-luxe hotel puts a hole in the pocket for travelers like us who have not reached the path of the enlightened, so we decided to spend extra night in the capital on arrival and departure dates. It turned out that our decision was right as we are able to to get to know some of the normal daily lives of the Maldivian people atleast in the island of Hulhumale.

Jetty at the eastern side of Niyama.

You got to see it to believe it. Crystal clear water, gentle breeze, scent of the Indian Ocean and white sandy beach.

A view from Beach Villa no. 8.

Seeing this wonderful smile, another round of holiday is all worthwhile.

Our vacation falls within the holy month of Ramadan, but being dependent on tourism industry the Maldives have their own conservative way of accommodating the tourist whilst preserving their religious side, Maldive is predominantly a Muslim country. Coming from Oman is not a huge adjustment to us as we are used to discretely take our meals and drinking of water in public. What I like most about Maldives it that their shops are all closed, 15 minutes before the breaking of the fast, really quite difficult to find one. However, hotels are serving food but must be arranged in advance.

My favorite place in all of Niyama, The EDGE. Watching the sunset from here is priceless.

My favorite place in all of Niyama, The EDGE. Watching the sunset from here is priceless.

Pool in front of Epicure restaurant, ought to be the best infinity. Wait until you see the infinity pool at the BLU. 

When just about everything in the world is digital, Niyama has the best natural weather station.

When just about everything in the world is digital, Niyama has the best natural weather station.

Entrance to the Epicure restaurant, as natural as it is.

You experience luxury when the resort is so huge, guests are provided with bicycle to explore the place.

The last glimpse of Niyama as we boarded our plane

Experiencing this ultra-luxe holiday was a conscious decision we made, after all we are too young to enjoy a retired life.I will write a separate story, how Niyama have treated our 5-day long vacation. It was short, sweet and unforgettable in a piece of land called paradise.

Mabuhay!

Wadi Bani Khalid (What you need to know before Hiking)

Wadi Bani Khalid - Summer season could be daunting times to enjoy the outdoors of Oman. But with the expertise of local friends and the wit of Adventureclub.om in planning, we had a great fun in Wadi Hawir which is the end stream of famous Wadi Bani Khalid. The night before we spend our aquatic hike, we had a wonderful camping on the nearby desert.

The sprawling red sands of Bidiyah stretch as far as the  foothills of Wadi Bani Khalid. Just the opposite of the corner where visitors make detour from the main highway to Bani Khalid lies an almost perfect place for camping. Surrounded by hills of sand, we camp on a totally flat sands suitable to erect our tents and free from sand dust should the winds blew stronger.

Omanis are expert at glamping, short for glamorous camping. The next time you are invited for a camp, feel free to bring whatever that can make you comfortable, including your favorite portable mattress.

Camels are everywhere in the desert, for that reason they are called the vessels of the sands. Though they looked wild, they are herded as the sunsets and are set free early next morning. The barn are equipped with water and some grass to supplement their diet.

It can also be Humid and Cold in the desert, always be prepared and some extra. Last time I forgot my bonnet and it the coldness are penetrating deep into my skulls. 

When these middle manager dressed down from their work clothes, they turn into an orchestra playing gastronomic symphony. My experience on Omani cuisine is authentic as it is, nothing beats it.

This is how our foods are served, both for dinner and for breakfast. Omani have high respect on the bounties provided by Allah, it has to be shared to all and eaten by hand. On these seating, we are all equal human beings.

Wadi as you might thought is synonymous to river water but literally it means valley. On hot summer seasons, the wadi can be dry and when the rain starts pouring in, they turn in one of Oman's adventure haven for camping, hiking, swimming and cliff jumping if you have the adrenaline for it.

Tip: When you know how to swim, there is no reason for you to be afraid to jump on the cliff. Once on the edge, spend less time gaining momentum for the jump, after knowing that it is safe to jump just take a leap and enjoy the free-fall. The longer you spend on the edge the more the panic attacks and the knees locks itself. It will be difficult to jump by then unless you ask someone to push you unknowingly.

So here are my top tips when going for Aquatic Hike

1. Wear Light Apparels
What to wear on aquatic hike? In almost all of my aquatic hike, I always wear light dri-fit shirts and shorts. Cottons are the worst as it becomes heavy when soaked in water. Pants are not recommended especially if some parts of the wadi are deep, it can wear you down easily. For footwear, I prefer the aquatic shoes of columbia, which has a mesh wrapping but solid outsole with 360 degrees grip.

Nature made slides. We all have great time playing with these fresh water slides formed by the natural flow of the wadi. At first it was ignored but when one of the group discovered the fun, we all jumped in and do the crazy stunts.

2. Stay Hydrated
Hydration starts the day before. Drink plenty of water and electrolytes from the day before the hike. The main aim is to stay healthy and fit so all can enjoy. My rule of thumb is a liter of water for hour of hike duration. The most I have taken with me on a single day hike was 3 liters, 2 liters on my Camelbak and 2 spare 500 ml of Pocari sweat. I try my best to consume 500 ml per 30 minutes of hike duration. If the hike is to last more than 3 hours, I have to carefully manage with that 3 liters and so far it was all OK.

Sure that pool of water was inviting and I took the privilege of jumping in first.

3. Never go hungry
While thirstiness are easily replenished by hydration, a crunching stomach is an enemy of an adventure day. I don't mean to stuff your stomach full but eating the right breakfast, taking regular small amount of snacks goes a long way. Our group favorites are the navel oranges from Egypt, bananas from Philippines and of course the fructose-packed dates of Oman. Leave those, cheap chocolates that has sugar that is not needed by the body. Chips and junk foods ruins your hydration plan as you get thirsty more often. The point is the body has to be light but packed with energy required to navigate around the boulders. At the end of the day, you can reward yourself heavenly foods you desired.

This spot is heaven on earth. Fresh water, clean and shallow just the right spot to spend basking.

This reminds of who did not make it down the water. Full of fun and laughter as each one of us prepared for what we called 'Leap of Faith'. Amazingly, age wasn't a hindrance for taking the challenge.

4. Safety
It doesn't mean that because we are in outdoor adventure, we have to take risks to enjoy. It is actually opposite, the more safety one would apply so that there will be more years to have fun. Don't be the lame lamb for the group to carry especially if it is less than half-way.

We abseil as part of our experienced. Arranged by our partner Abo Mansoor, we all have the chance to experience this rappelling alongside the waterfall. It was an exhilarating experience to trust your life on the strands of the rope, really worthwhile.

On rainy season, the level of water can go higher than where I stand.

With this group, the 5 hour trek was a cracker.

Improvised ladder made of date trees, quite a challenge for those who hesitate to experience adventure.

5. Bring waterproof camera
Yes, camera not phone. I had learned my lessons on the numerous adventures in Oman alone, 2 iphones and one camera. It goes with sling, so will stay with you no matter how rough the activity will take. My favorite is the Nikon AW130 waterproof and shockproof camera. The performance of the camera is comparable to GoPro3 but has the editing features unique to itself, I guarantee you'll be the first one to be able upload the photos if you're like me who can't wait to share fresh experiences.

Hassan is a pioneer in Telecom landscape of Oman, adventurous and always try to stay young at heart. He has endless list of wisdom to share. Trekking offers the opportunity to learn from him, free of charge.

The scene while waiting for our turns to experience abseiling.

6. Connect to your friends
Outdoors give plenty of opportunity to catch-up with your office colleagues or friends we haven't sent for quite a long time. If possible, change places on the pack along the way to have an opportunity to chat with your friends. Some preferred to be in the lead pack especially those younger than you. For the wise and the learned stay behind the pack, they are the enlightened ones. 

Our host on the abseiling course as he guided the Kuwaiti TV presenter.

A scene on my interview the Kuwait TV.

You can watch the full adventure on here:

Mabuhay!

Five things I learned on my first Mountain Trekking

Muscat - During my high school days, I was interested to join the local mountaineering club. I had the orientation on what to bring, wear, fitness preparation and safety aspect of the activity. Unfortunately, I wasn’t financially capable to support the interest and had opted to drop. Fast forward 20 years, I am now able to provide myself all the necessary tools required to enjoy the outdoor activities from Scuba Diving, Water Skiing to Camping.

L-R: Hamed Al-Saadi, Abdulhamid Al-Hadhrami, Khalid Al-Mazrouai, Cledion Taporco

With just a day of preparation, I got what I need but my fitness level is not at its peak (it has never been because beers always taste good) coming from my annual holiday in Philippines. There were initially 9 of us ‘office junkies’ that would scale a mere 300m from an altitude of 2000m but were down to four knowing that our patrol leader is Abdulhameed, seasoned Omani Triathlete and an outdoor enthusiast. 

Reward: The Ghubra Bowl from the top of which Wukan village
can also be spotted

Jabal Akhdar is about 2.5 hours drive from Muscat including the uphill drive of about 40 minutes. The high elevation of ‘The Green Mountain’ makes it a great place during summer months as the temperature would be 10 degrees that what it is in Muscat and would even drop more during night time. 

Abdu slept comfortably with no tent and is not concerned about foxes
and scorpions, else he'll eat them

At night, the sky was really amazing with all the stars seemed so close and the moon appears like a ball of light in one of the peaks. The stillness and the deafening silence made me appreciate how peaceful was our life for the era of commercialism. All we can hear was the bray of the free-roaming donkey and the hiss of the insects.

Before China introduces the metal grills in Oman, this the local way of bbq.
Who introduced the bamboo then?

While we almost try all the time to be professional on the timing on most of the trips, we are still late to arrive and had our lunch past 2 pm with this goat sharing the remains.

Goats in Oman eat rice! Shaa is the arabic for Does while Anz are for Bucks

Proud owners of 4x4 vehicles (Jeep, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner and Pajero)
meet in Birkat Al Mouz

After gobbling up our lunch, we have just enough time to distribute our supplies with Abdu making sure that we all have our fair share. 

Apart from food, we each have to carry at least 6 liters of water. In total,
our backpacks weighs between 10-15 kgs.

In front of us is the village of Manakhir, where handful of houses are built.

While I almost have everything what I need according to my research, the following are very important I should say.

1. Always follow the lead of the experienced hikers. It is inevitable the few of the group would like to experience the adrenaline rush or have the interest to show better path. When confused, always follow the lead of the most experienced hiker because they have the sixth sense of how to find the right path. I have compared it in cooking, that if we are not able to arrive at the taste that we desired, an experienced chef would know which ingredients are missing and what to put in sequence.

This was the last time that we had an eye on Manakhir Village

2. Look for signs. Although the track that we follow is considered unmarked, we are not the first to be there. There are also enthusiasts like us that are kind enough to create trekking signs such as carefully arranged rocks and paint spray. Another is the presence of donkey or goat dungs, in the first place we are using donkey path anyway. So during the time that my companions are out of sight, I had the hint that I am on the right path.

Paint Spray showing which direction to go.

Decaying remains of a goat along the path.

 

Artistic way of creating trekking marks

3. There is no substitute for proper hiking boots. Just because I have an all-terrain shoes means that it was enough to absorb the punishment of rocky path. A good trekking boots would be something that has hard out-sole, soft insole, high-cut or enough to cover the uncle and it should be an omni-grip. Luckily, mine was able to survived but have unnecessarily stretch my leg muscles. Khalid had semi-sandals which cost him minor cuts from the sharp edges.

For this reason that the guidebook called it 'The Balcony Walk'.
In photo is Abu Ahmed, our search and 'reconnaissance' expert.

4. Long pants are a must regardless of weather and terrain.  I thought that because we are in Oman where sun shines almost year round, a rugged short would do. Long pants protect from harmful rays, insect bites but more importantly from cuts in the event of an accidental slip. A multi-pocket pants are handy for the energy bars and other essential tools

While we have to manage our water well, these goats don't have that problem.
They even most of the time, I guess as trail mark for them.

5. Food and water management. We are trekking in Oman not in Philippines where water from certain fauna can be extracted. The terrain is almost dry and the only sight of water (which is stagnant) is hundreds of meters down on a dead-drop cliff. Banana and Dates are very handy and provide a good source of carbs and sugar.

Fresh dates of Oman, the yellow one is called Khalas and is the number 1
variety.

These might seem basics for the experienced hikers but for beginners like, it made a whole lot of sense. Of course, those are lessons for myself and there are plenty of resources available in the internet that will help you better prepare. 

On winters, this plant boast a array of colorful flowers

Perfectly camouflage Arabian lizard, how else would I call it?

Can you spot another camouflaging lizard?

It took me more than 10 clicks to finally got this photo. Even on stones, this
insect appears like withered leaves.

It is already past 7 pm when we rendezvoused on the marked trail, and
anytime soon the mirage will disappear and we will be in total darkness.

We took a used smoked hand grenade that we found on a small camping ground.
Adjacent to our path is a military training facility, the toughest in Oman. I don't
know if this belongs to them.

Overall, the trip was very unforgettable and our bond as brothers are ever stronger. We all share our personal stories and get to know each of us better. We all look forward for the next trip sometime next month. Until then.

Mabuhay!