Nous avons tous, à un moment ou à un autre, regardé le ciel nocturne et contemplé les mystères de l'univers, mais si jamais vous envisagez d'en apprendre davantage sur les étoiles et les secrets qu'elles recèlent, vous auriez du mal à trouver un emplacement plus idéal que SKY à Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas.

Located in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Anantara Kihavah is not only a tropical  island paradise but also a stargazer’s dream location. The private island’s remoteness means  that it is free from light pollution, while its proximity to the equator affords spectacular views of  both the southern and northern sky.

At SKY, Anantara Kihavah’s overwater observatory combined with a luxury cocktail bar, the  far reaches of the universe are brought into crystal clear focus as guests sip Champagne or  cocktails and gaze through one of the most powerful telescopes in the region while the resort’s  two resident SKY Gurus regale them with fascinating stories of the night sky. Harnessing their  local knowledge of the Maldivian sky to reveal the intriguing stories behind the countless stars  that make up the distant constellations, Zunnoon Ahmed, known as Zunnu, and Ali Arushal,  who goes by the name of Shalli, are Anantara Kihavah’s Resident SKY Gurus. Both natives  of Baa Atoll, Zunnu and Shalli are not only captivating storytellers, but they also each have  their own story to tell.

Zunnoon Ahmed

Né et élevé sur la petite île de Kudarikilu dans l'atoll de Baa, Zunnu a toujours été fasciné par le ciel nocturne. Poussé par la curiosité de découvrir les secrets et les histoires derrière les étoiles qui remplissent le ciel sans nuages des Maldives, sa fascination s'est transformée en une passion pour l'astrophotographie alors qu'il n'avait que 16 ans, marquant le début de son voyage dans le monde passionnant de l'astronomie.

Although Zunnu pursued a career in the more conventional field of IT, currently serving as  Assistant IT Manager by day and storytelling SKY Guru by night, his passion for stargazing  only grew stronger. He collaborates with online telescope operators in his spare time,  engaging in astro imaging to capture captivating glimpses of the cosmos through remote  telescopes, while he is constantly looking for new ways to expand his knowledge. “I always  make it a habit to check online astronomy forums for the latest celestial discoveries and  engage in discussions with fellow space enthusiasts,” he explained.

Having originally joined Anantara Kihavah in 2017 as an IT Coordinator, overseeing the hotel  network, managing hotel applications, and playing a key role in ensuring the seamless  operation of various technological aspects for a smooth guest experience, Zunnu grabbed the opportunity to develop his celestial passion by volunteering to study stargazing under the  supervision of the resort’s first SKY Guru, Ali Shameem.

Across the next five years, Zunnu conducted research, took theory tests and participated in  stargazing demos as part of his detailed training process. “The experience of learning about  the stars was a bit challenging when I started,” he explained. “But it has become truly fantastic  now. The journey of understanding the cosmos has been both rewarding and enlightening.”

Recalling his first stargazing session at Anantara Kihavah, Zunnu commented on how the  positive reactions of the guests turned it into a rewarding and fulfilling experience, both for him  and for his captivated audience. Sharing his passion now comes easily to the engaging Zunnu.  “We all have a natural curiosity to understand the world around us,” he explained. “And the  night sky, with its myriad stars, has always been a source of wonder and questions. Stars  often hold cultural and mythological significance in various societies. Many cultures have  created stories, myths, and legends based on constellations and individual stars, adding a  sense of mystery and importance.”

While his own personal favourite star is Aldebaran, Zunnu is more than happy to take  advantage of Anantara Kihavah’s pristine location away from light pollution to find and share  a variety of celestial events with the resort’s guests. “We regularly witness awe-inspiring solar  eclipses, captivating lunar eclipses, mesmerising meteor showers, and enchanting planetary  conjunctions in our cosmic spectacle,” he enthused.

Ali Arushal

A more recent addition to Anantara Kihavah’s small but elite team of SKY Gurus, Shalli is  another native of Baa Atoll, having been born and raised on the island of Kendhoo. Shalli  describes his childhood on Kendhoo as happy and enjoyable, and while his interest in the  stars began at a young age, it was not until he joined Anantara Kihavah that he delved deeper  into the field of astronomy.

Having joined Anantara Kihavah’s transport department in 2021, Shalli is part of the resort’s  launch crew, where his main responsibilities include ensuring transport operations run  smoothly. However, his fascination with the amazing views of the Maldivian night sky resulted  in him volunteering to train as the resort’s next SKY Guru.

During one and a half years of learning about stargazing from the resort’s first SKY Guru,  Shalli’s intensive training involved theory tests, reading assignments, and stargazing  demonstrations. Eager to expand his knowledge and complement his training, Shalli also  seeks out additional information from the internet and YouTube.

Décrivant sa première séance d'observation des étoiles avec des invités comme époustouflante, Shalli s'est rapidement réchauffé à son nouveau rôle. En tant que SKY Guru, Shalli aime partager sa passion et transmettre aux autres des connaissances inconnues sur les étoiles. Bien qu'il désigne Antares comme son étoile préférée, il n'apprécie rien de plus que de pouvoir montrer à ses invités des constellations lointaines ou de partager avec eux des spectacles aussi étonnants qu'une éclipse lunaire, une éclipse solaire ou des météores.

SKY Gurus lead guests on a cosmic journey across both hemisphere’s stars and planets,  clarifying what can be seen in the sky with the naked eye and using a green laser, they point  out different constellations and explains light years and different types of galaxies. Guests are  then able to view the sky from the observatory telescope which has a viewing capacity of 30  million light years away.

Le lieu donne aux clients l'occasion de voir des éclipses lunaires, des étoiles et des planètes invisibles depuis l'Europe ou l'Amérique. Parfois, selon le climat et la période de l'année, vous pouvez même apercevoir Saturne avec ses anneaux jaune pâle, les ceintures de Jupiter qui varient en largeur, couleur et intensité d'année en année et les plusieurs centaines de milliers d'étoiles qui le composent. jusqu'à Messier 13.

SKY is the finest over water observatory in the Maldives built with a 3.8 metre revolving Ash dome and equipped with a research-grade Meade 16” LX200 telescope with a magnification  of 400x mounted on a super-giant field tripod.

Embark on a cosmic journey at Anantara Kihavah’s SKY Observatory.

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