Hello from Covid safe Kandooma, late May 2021
Words, photos and videos by Stephen Lanfranco, Kandooma Surf Centre operator and surf guide.
Hello all,
Stephen Lanfranco, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Surf Centre operator and surf guide here, with an insight from on the ground of what it’s currently like at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma. Given the situation with Covid cases in Male, we aim to answer any travel concerns surfers or families wishing to come to Kandooma may be wondering about.
First and foremost, we are very safe here on the resort. In reality, probably safer than most countries that our clients are travelling from. As an island we can use our natural isolation and excellent policies and procedures to maintain our safety.
We have had an incredible start to the surf season, the waves have been firing, Kandooma Right has been pumping and most of the breaks in the South Male atoll have been empty..
A Kandooma May 21 dreamscape. Paddle bro, paddle!
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Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma follows a very strict protocol under the IHG clean promise which is probably one of the highest standards of hotel procedures in the world.
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Social distancing, face masks, hand sanitisers, spraying guests luggage, screening temperatures on arrival and departure, all staff wearing masks and gloves, are just some of the proceedures. We even have an on site doctor and nurse providing PCR tests and support. From a staff perspective it’s pretty full on all the procedures and steps we take on a daily basis to ensure the safety of our guests.
Male’, the capital city, is currently on lockdown and has imposed a curfew to contain and the spread. However this doesn’t affect travellers as our guests are not going to Male, they are at the separate airport island of Hulumale. It takes less than half an hour between hopping of their flight and getting on the speedboat to Kandooma.
Getting to Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma from Male airport is super streamlined and straight forward, passengers get off their plane, go through immigration, collect their luggage and this is done faster than ever before. An airport rep wearing a mask and gloves greets them as soon as they walk out and walks them straight to the speedboat where their luggage is sprayed, hand sanitiser is offered to them, then 45 mins on the speedboat and they arrive at the island.
The airport is cleaned regularly and is under tighter control than ever limiting the number of people who can be there at one time, ensuring only staff and ground operators are present. Read more about the IHG Clean Promise Here.
For guests travelling to Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma from other islands in the Maldives, depending on the island they are coming from they might be required to do a PCR test and quarantine until their results are ready. This is usually the case if clients are travelling from local islands. For IHG Resorts that operate with the Clean Promise, resorts such as Six Senses, no PCR test is currently required.
The local laws and regulations are constantly adapting to the situation, The Perfect Wave have been keeping travellers up to date with their Travel Advisory, however everyone should keep checking for the latest.
Arrival and Staying at Kandooma
Once the guests arrive at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma, they have their temperatures screened, are given more hand sanitiser and driven in the kart directly to check in. Their luggage is sprayed again and delivered straight to their rooms.
More than 70 percent of the staff at Kandooma already have been vaccinated, and in the coming months this will increase to 100 percent.
The rules on travel between islands are what keep the Maldives safe. No staff member can leave Kandooma island to travel to other islands freely. If they have to leave for any reason they are required to do 14 days quarantine on their return.
From a guest perspective there is plenty of space for distancing in the resort. Occupancy has been modest through 2021 and guests often have the resort facilities and waves to themselves. All the resort facilities are open except the Beach Bar and Kitchen restaurant. Currently there are 2 bars, 2 restaurants, dive centre, Spa, kids club, water sports and of course surf centre running as usual.
If gusts require a PCR test in days prior to their departing flight, this is easily arranged with the Doctor at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma taking swabs for testing and results ready in time before heading to the outbound flight.
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