Spa-Tacular Rangali Island - Luxurious island resort picks up two nominations at the Spa Asia 2008 Crystal Awards

	Over Water Spa

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is up for nomination at the Spa Asia 2008 Crystal Awards in the Best Resort Spa and Best Destination Spa categories. Spread across two islands, surrounded by a vibrant coral reef and lagoon, the resort is once again proving it is more than just a picturesque destination.

Since re-branding in 2007, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has continued to pick up a streak of awards and accolades, most recently the ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Hotel 2008’ in The World Travel Awards. The Spa Asia awards are designed to honour the best in the industry and the nominations reflect the continuing development of the resorts’ world-class spa offerings. With an Over-Water Spa, dedicated to pampering couples treatments in spectacular glass floored treatment rooms, and the Maldives’ only destination Spa Retreat, boasting 21 Spa Water Villas with private treatment room and in-villa mini gym, a gourmet spa restaurant and tailor-made wellness packages; the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island offers the widest choice for spa aficionados in the Indian Ocean.

For the younger visitors a range of treatments from manicures to pedicures, body scrubs and body massages are also now available in the new Ice Cream Spa, designed to look like an old-fashioned ice cream parlour and offering a range of delicious indulgencies including a ‘Super Sundae Supreme’ body scrub. From this autumn, both the Over-Water Spa and Spa Retreat will launch a brand new range of treatments and therapies.

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Hanifaru in Baa Atoll, is an uninhabited island with a natural underwater bay -locally known as ‘Vandhumaafaru Adi’- famous for whale sharks. The bay, known to divers as ‘Aquarium’ is home to a large numbers of whale sharks, grey sharks, manta rays and sting rays, is also a nursery for these species.

It is believed to be ‘one of the very few places in the world where whale sharks congregate to mate.’ Divers might have known the bay very recently. However, the fisherfolks of Baa Dhonfanu and other nearby inhabited islands had known the place for centuries, not as a dive spot, but as a whale shark fishing point; whale sharks, caught for their liver oil and/or fins, used to be an important source of livelihood for them.

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The Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa in the Maldives is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2008. One unique aspect of the resort will be the novel option for guests to dine on the equator. Guests will cruise aboard Shangri-La’s luxury yacht 75 kilometres north from the resort to the meeting place of northern and southern hemispheres, drop anchor and savour a gourmet lunch with fine wines on the equator line.

In addition, guests will be able to fish, snorkel and visit Fuvahmulah, the third largest island in the country, on the full-day cruise aboard the 21-metre sailing yacht. The yacht features two luxury cabins with en-suite bathroom, an indoor lounge area, spacious timber decks with sun loungers, and an on-deck dining area.

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John Philipson – Managing Director, Maldives. John Philipson has been promoted to the position of managing director Maldives from his previous position as area director for the same region. John will continue to oversee the iconic Soneva Fushi – voted Best of the Best in Condé Naste Traveller’s Awards, Soneva Gili - the Maldives’ first award-winning over-water resort, and Six Senses Latitude Laamu - which is scheduled to open mid 2009.

John has more than eighteen years of hospitality experience including broad ranging responsibilities with deluxe 5-star international hotel and resort companies. Prior to joining Six Senses, he was general manager of Rocco Forte Hotels’ The Lowry, in Manchester, and general manager of The St. David’s Hotel & Spa in Cardiff, Wales. He started his hospitality career with the Hyatt International Group at the Hyatt Regency in Grand Cayman Island in the Caribbean, and the Grand Hyatt in Chicago.

A British national, John has been active in the hospitality industry since finishing his higher education at Newcastle University. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Hospitality from New Hampshire College and a Masters of Science in Hospitality at I.M.C.A. Socrates in Boulder, Colorado - both in the United States.

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Ingredients
- 500 g Aubergine (washed, de-stemmed and cut into slices)
- 50 g Semi-dried smoked Tuna (cleaned, cut into pieces)
- 5 tbsp Coriander Curry Powder
- 100 g Onions (sliced thinly)
- 4 Garlic Cloves (sliced thinly)
- 6 Curry Leaves
- 2 pcs Rampe Leaf
- 45 ml Coconut Oil
- 400 ml Coconut Milk
- 100 ml Coconut Cream
- Salt to season
- Pinch of Caster Sugar
- Oil to fry the aubergine

Directions
1- Fry the aubergine until softened. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

2- Heat the oil. Add in the onions, garlic, curry leaves and rampe leaf and fry until the onions are browned.

3- Add in the aubergine, coconut milk, curry powder, fish and seasoning. Boil over a moderate heat until the sauce has thickened. Add in the pinch of sugar and cook for a further minute.

4- Add in the coconut cream, adjust the seasoning and remove from heat.

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August 14th – August 28th

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