Kurumba in Early Days


Maldives
PUBLISHED September 29, 2018

From its humble beginnings in 1972, Kurumba has been recognised as the first resort to officials begin operations in the Maldives and marked a landslide of progress and prosperity to slide into the Maldives.


At the time, this remote archipelago, inhabited only by fisherfolk, was unknown to the outside world, with no foreign investment. There was only a small airstrip on Hulhule Island (the present international airport), built by volunteers, with no regular flights.




"We had nothing in the Maldives then, nothing. No Banks, no airport, no telephones only ham radio or Morse code contact with Colombo. Even the UNDP experts said that tourism would never succeed because there were no facilities, no infrastructure." Recalled Mohamed Umar Maniku Universal Enterprises Chairman,


Access to the island was only by sailing dhoni or open boat with outboard motor. There was no jetty (although one was later built using coconut trunks as pillars). After arriving by boat on the beach, guests had to wade through the surf to reach the resort.




An agriculture officer and one of the pioneering figures behind Kurumba M U Maniku spent his time after work, finishing each day at 1.30pm to develop Vihamanaafushi. 


"We knew nothing about tourism," said Maniku. "It was tourists who helped us build the industry here. We listened to them and gave them what they wanted. Luckily for us, they wanted simplicity in natural surroundings and that was what we had to offer and all we could afford."




Maniku and his young Maldivian friends managed to build 30 rooms in blocks of three, using coral stone for walls, coconut timber, and palm thatch for roofs. Each room had a brackish water shower and toilet, basic furniture, and access to the beach. Meals were taken in a canteen or as barbecues on the beach.


They called the resort Kurumba Village, after the Dhivehi word for coconut, Kurumba. The resort opened on Tuesday 3 October 1972 and remained fully booked for the rest of the year, an augury of its success ever since. 




Kurumba expanded to accommodate more people after the airport was extended to take long-haul flights. Like an authentic tropical village, but with the comforts of home. Freshwater, air-conditioning and restaurants with international offerings. 


In 2003, Kurumba underwent a complete transformation yet again, to meet the demands of the 21st century. The result was a world-class resort with 180 rooms, including the Royal Residence, Presidential Suites, Pool Villas, Family Villas and beach and garden superior rooms. 


Today Kurumba Maldives charms guests with its unparalleled choice of dining experiences and a wide range of recreation activities and entertainment. They also wear the title of being the first five-star resort in the Maldives and has been proudly reinventing themselves since 1972. 

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