Celebrating the preservation of our planet's dark skies, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas features the SKY Edhurus observatory.

Fulfilling this mission are Ali Arushal—known as Shalli—and Sajidha—or Saji—the hotel’s resident astronomy guides. They delight guests by pointing out Saturn’s icy rings and dazzling globular clusters. Behind them, a cylindrical structure resembling a sea anemone houses the most powerful telescope in the Maldives.

As astronomers and storytellers, their mission to bring the universe closer to guests aligns perfectly with Anantara’s role as a guardian of future travel and its commitment to protecting the natural wonders that give exploration its meaning.

Living and working within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve means enjoying not only underwater marvels but also skies free from light pollution. Travelers arriving in search of reef sharks, manta rays, and coral reef fish are often surprised to discover a state-of-the-art observatory on a private island.

 

 

Its location is no coincidence. Thanks to its proximity to the equator, the Maldives offers a privileged vantage point. From here, planets and constellations that remain hidden from view in Europe or the Americas can be clearly seen, unaffected by horizon obstructions or the changing seasons. With nature on their side, Shalli and Saji encourage guests to gaze at the northern and southern skies with the same curiosity they bring to observing the ocean.

In fact, Shalli’s journey to the stars began in the water. A native of the atoll, he first worked with the transport and launch team, ferrying visitors across the lagoon. Astronomy came unexpectedly—a curiosity that blossomed into a passion.

In Dhivehi, an edhuru is a teacher, a bearer of knowledge. Yet, when the subject is the cosmos—13.8 billion years old and infinite in scope—translating those figures into something tangible demands more than mere theory. The skilled storytellers known as SKY Edhurus at Kihavah take the vastness of the heavens and bring it closer, transforming distant light into something the mind can hold onto, if only for a moment.

As the pace of time slows, guests shed the anxieties that cling to the daylight, allowing the night to unfold around them.

Just as a telescope transforms a blurred image into a field of diamonds, each night Shalli and Saji step into their observatory—suspended between two worlds—to focus on the universe surrounding them: above, around, and beneath their feet lies a vast, glorious whole that is our shared responsibility.