A young woman in her early 20s walks into a restaurant at Connaught Place in New Delhi bustling with office crowd in a late November afternoon. She sits with her friend and places multiple orders at one go. Once the food arrives some minutes later, the girl jumps off from the highchair and starts running around with the platters. Sometimes she poses with the prawn calamari against the window, sometimes puts a bowl of salad against the light. At one time she almost stood over the table to click the whole of the table with the dishes placed. If you had thought she is a photographer on a shooting project or a social media influencer, you are wrong. She has less than a thousand followers on Instagram yet she harbours a strong passion for food photography, not necessarily food.

For most of us who love going to the restaurant, this is a value addition to just savouring the food. No more are we restricted to appreciate cooking as a work of art through our eyes and heart but go beyond to save some memories on our virtual networks.&nbsp; 
Even if that makes the food go cold or runny, we are okay. For a generation seeking virtual validation everywhere, a good photo on our social media bumps up our ego. Social media at the contemporary time is being used everyday to spread information. When that young woman at Connaught Place shared the food photo, it might have been just for the sake to share with her world.&nbsp;

And the first-ever Indian to win a Michelin Star, Chef Atul Kochhar agrees. Based out of the UK, Atul believes that a camera-friendly plate goes a long way to share his own creation with the world. For audience across geographies, social media has enabled passionate creators to share edible artworks.&nbsp;

A conversation starter

“It's helped start conversations about food, food culture, recipes, ingredients – it’s made the culinary world more accessible,” said Kochar over an email conversation. “As a chef, you want your food to look as good as it tastes. We taste with our eyes - excitement, vibrancy, simplicity – the culinary journey first begins when you see a dish, and this has always been the case. The growth of social media has undoubtedly put pressure of chefs to ensure they present their creations in the very best way. But reputations and repeat customers aren’t built on imagery alone, the food needs to taste just as good or even better than it looks.”

And it’s true Instagram has changed the way we looked at food earlier. Meals as mundane as a breakfast or evening snacks have moved away from being just cereal or snack and started being photogenic. There are 161,000 posts of #OatsForBreakfast and 530,000 posts of #SamosaAndChai on Instagram. The number says it all.&nbsp;

Eating with eyes

"I make my plates as eye-catchy as possible but that’s for my guests and the current trend makes it camera-friendly,” said Chef Pawan Bisht, of Virat Kohli's One8 Commune, Mango Kitchen and Bar.&nbsp;

Chefs have always been particular about how the plating is done. With the rise in social media customers, they are being extra concerned. On social media, the word of mouth lies in the beauty of the food and the chefs will leave no stones unturned to ensure so.&nbsp;

The priority is on taste, though&nbsp;

While Instagram has helped in marketing of food or the restaurant, it’s taste at the end of the day that drives customers to return to their favourite eatery. The business of hospitality is heavily dependent on returning customer more than acquiring new customers.&nbsp;

A celebrity chef who wished to be unnamed said, you need to prioritize the flavour and quality of ingredients over the visual aspect. He says that he agrees with #FoodPorn generation being too curious about food, but what he dislikes is people are always rushing for photos. Each food has a particular temperature that makes the food delicious and if someone eats it when it turns cold, he runs the risk of ruining the effort of the chef.&nbsp;

Technology is the queen

If food is the king, technology is the queen. With the advent of high resolution and AI enabled technology that powers the smartphone cameras these days, getting good photos has become quite relevant. It’s not just the chefs who are creating masterpieces on pans and grills but also the smartphone manufacturers who have realized importance of macro and food mode photography, which is proving to be a deal breaker.&nbsp;

Most restaurateurs in Indian metro cities unanimously agreed, social media and food photos have helped them re-market their products in a good way. Moreover, it has effectively removed the barrier of accessibility from common restaurant-goers. &nbsp;A new breed of millennials who identify themselves as ‘foodies’ will be remembered in the history of hospitality for marketing restaurants and chefs knowingly or unknowingly.

A young woman in her early 20s walks into a restaurant at Connaught Place in New Delhi bustling with office crowd in a late November afternoon. She sits with her friend and places multiple orders at one go.

A young woman in her early 20s walks into a restaurant at Connaught Place in New Delhi bustling with office crowd in a late November afternoon. She sits with her friend and places multiple orders at one go. Once the food arrives some minutes later, the girl jumps off from the highchair and starts running around with the platters. Sometimes she poses with the prawn calamari against the window, sometimes puts a bowl of salad against the light. At one time she almost stood over the table to click the whole of the table with the dishes placed. If you had thought she is a photographer on a shooting project or a social media influencer, you are wrong. She has less than a thousand followers on Instagram yet she harbours a strong passion for food photography, not necessarily food. For most of us who love going to the restaurant, this is a value addition to just savouring the food. No more are we restricted to appreciate cooking as a work of art through our eyes and heart but go beyond to save some memories on our virtual networks. Even if that makes the food go cold or runny, we are okay. For a generation seeking virtual validation everywhere, a good photo on our social media bumps up our ego. Social media at the contemporary time is being used everyday to spread information. When that young woman at Connaught Place shared the food photo, it might have been just for the sake to share with her world. And the first-ever Indian to win a Michelin Star, Chef Atul Kochhar agrees. Based out of the UK, Atul believes that a camera-friendly plate goes a long way to share his own creation with the world. For audience across geographies, social media has enabled passionate creators to share edible artworks. A conversation starter “It's helped start conversations about food, food culture, recipes, ingredients – it’s made the culinary world more accessible,” said Kochar over an email conversation. “As a chef, you want your food to look as good as it tastes. We taste with our eyes - excitement, vibrancy, simplicity – the culinary journey first begins when you see a dish, and this has always been the case. The growth of social media has undoubtedly put pressure of chefs to ensure they present their creations in the very best way. But reputations and repeat customers aren’t built on imagery alone, the food needs to taste just as good or even better than it looks.” And it’s true Instagram has changed the way we looked at food earlier. Meals as mundane as a breakfast or evening snacks have moved away from being just cereal or snack and started being photogenic. There are 161,000 posts of #OatsForBreakfast and 530,000 posts of #SamosaAndChai on Instagram. The number says it all. Eating with eyes "I make my plates as eye-catchy as possible but that’s for my guests and the current trend makes it camera-friendly,” said Chef Pawan Bisht, of Virat Kohli's One8 Commune, Mango Kitchen and Bar. Chefs have always been particular about how the plating is done. With the rise in social media customers, they are being extra concerned. On social media, the word of mouth lies in the beauty of the food and the chefs will leave no stones unturned to ensure so. The priority is on taste, though While Instagram has helped in marketing of food or the restaurant, it’s taste at the end of the day that drives customers to return to their favourite eatery. The business of hospitality is heavily dependent on returning customer more than acquiring new customers. A celebrity chef who wished to be unnamed said, you need to prioritize the flavour and quality of ingredients over the visual aspect. He says that he agrees with #FoodPorn generation being too curious about food, but what he dislikes is people are always rushing for photos. Each food has a particular temperature that makes the food delicious and if someone eats it when it turns cold, he runs the risk of ruining the effort of the chef. Technology is the queen If food is the king, technology is the queen. With the advent of high resolution and AI enabled technology that powers the smartphone cameras these days, getting good photos has become quite relevant. It’s not just the chefs who are creating masterpieces on pans and grills but also the smartphone manufacturers who have realized importance of macro and food mode photography, which is proving to be a deal breaker. Most restaurateurs in Indian metro cities unanimously agreed, social media and food photos have helped them re-market their products in a good way. Moreover, it has effectively removed the barrier of accessibility from common restaurant-goers. A new breed of millennials who identify themselves as ‘foodies’ will be remembered in the history of hospitality for marketing restaurants and chefs knowingly or unknowingly.

Food of Instagram: Is social media making us see food and not eat it?

Till the 1970s, Maldives was fed by sporadic tourism, mostly from the boats calling into islands while sailing through the Indian Ocean. It was only in 1972, the country’s tourism industry witnessed coming up of two resorts with 280 guest accommodation. During the 80s, the number of resorts increased to 55. At present, there are more than 160 resorts in the island country with white sand, sun and the sea.&nbsp; 
 
While the destination is known for leisure vacationing, it has also got a decent number of honeymooners and a fair number of divers that add the flavour of diversity to country’s tourism. India counts as one of the highest market sources to Maldives’ tourism. In 2019, 167,000 Indian tourists went to Maldives, which is a rise of more than 100 per cent over 2018. Improved flight connectivity from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi and Karnataka, and, a visa-free regime is among the several reasons that led to an increase in Indian tourists. 
 
However, more tourists mean further exploitation of the nature. But not for this country. Thanks to the government’s concrete measures, Maldives has been able to keep a check. And not just that, the resorts have come forward to minimize carbon footprints. What makes the strategy remarkable is the fact that the resorts are also engaging with the tourists and turning conservation into tourist activities thus conveying the message globally. So in a way, the hotel industry, which is generally called out for exploiting the nature is turning out to be custodians of the country's prosperity and protectors of marine assets.&nbsp; 
 
A learning lesson! 
 
Maldives is home to around 250 species of corals and 41 islands that have unique wetland ecosystems. To preserve its shores and enhance its increasing blue economy, Maldives’ Ministry of Environment is implementing the Coastal Protection Projects with support from the World Bank. The projects focus on protecting coral reef and coastal wetlands, which are rich in biodiversity and have immense recreational value and act as bulwarks against coastal erosion. 
 
The Indian touch 
 
With support from the Indian Government, Maldives has also implemented a coastal protection project at Alifu Atholhu Uthuruburi Rasdhoo. The project will provide the necessary coastal protection to an area of a length of 214 meters, facing severe coastal erosion. This area was used as a landfill previously, and with coastal erosion waste buried there has risen to the surface, contaminating the water resources and polluting the beach area. The project scope will also include beach replenishment consisting of cleaning up of waste debris and replacement of sand, and the construction of a groyne field. 
 
No mass fishing 
 
Marine life is the heartbeat of the island country. And to save the fish, the government has put a ban on mass fishing. Instead the fishermen use spears to hunt yellow fin tuna. Maldives being one of the largest exporters of tuna, this practice ensures the commercial activity stays within sustainable safety net. 
 
Sustainable indulgence 
 
While the earlier efforts made by the government works in the public front, the resorts also share the responsibility. Heritance Aarah, Maldives’ first resort to get Leed Certification for its green architecture. Maldives suffers from a unique problem. Though it produces negligible greenhouse emission, the sea is affected due to pollution from adjoining areas. And to minimize that, Heritance Resort has built a framework to create a healthy, highly efficient, cost saving green buildings. It saves around 30% of energy compared to conventional hotels of the same scale. The hot water requirement is generated through heat recovery generator. Even with water all around, it has developed a robust rainwater harvesting and saves all the water wasted in the desalination process through reverse osmosis. While these are at the infrastructure level, the resort works in demonstrating the native lives of Maldivians for tourists by creating a local village. The hotel plans to invite local school students to aware them about sustainable lives that locals earlier led and how the future generation can preserve the same.

<img alt="m" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b9438c03-7739-433f-a5c5-6a59427ec37c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Maldives%20%281%29.jpg" /> 
&nbsp; 
Plastic recycling&nbsp; 
 
Pollution from plastic is a major issue that is looms large around ocean. We have seen pathetic photos of turtles getting choked from plastic bottles. To address that, Furaveri Island Resort &amp; Spa has its own water bottling plant. It recycles glass bottles and serves to the guest rooms and restaurants. The resort is also planning to bring in glass bottles for guests to carry during excursion.&nbsp; 
 
Another international chain, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island have collaborated with environmental network Parley for the Oceans. The plastic waste is collected and made into tote bags, which the guests can carry as souvenirs.&nbsp; 
 
Keeping up with the Corals 
 
In the last few years, rising sea temperature has resulted in bleaching of the coral reef around the world. And Maldives is no exception. Plenty of marine animals feed on corals and use the coral bed as their homes. At such a critical crisis, resorts like Anantara Dhigu and Seaside Finolhu are offering their guests a unique activity – Coral Restoration. The guests can enjoy going down into the ocean and planting corals. They can commemorate their anniversaries and birthdays through this and the resort shares photos of grown up corals every year as a gift. This is done by placing coral frames under the ocean. In a few years, these corals under suitable environment generally tend to regrow and spread out.&nbsp;

<img alt="m" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1e103794-8122-4574-9716-7564329a507e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Maldives.jpg" />

Surgery on turtles 
 
No matter how critical the method be, guests can engage in this activity and share the responsibility. Many resorts including Coco Collection Baa Atoll have come up with ‘Save a Turtle’ through Oliver Ridley Project in Maldives. There is a full-functional marine turtle rescue centre, which operates on turtles that often choke from plastic and other hazardous elements.&nbsp; 
 
Coco Bodu Hithi Resort offers its guests to adopt a turtle. Guests on an immersive expedition through snorkelling are briefed about the plastic perils turtles face. They can now adapt a turtle and help it recover and go back to the sea by sharing the fund.&nbsp;

Till the 1970s, Maldives was fed by sporadic tourism, mostly from the boats calling into islands while sailing through the Indian Ocean. It was only in 1972, the country’s tourism industry witnessed coming up of two resorts with 280 guest accommodation.

Till the 1970s, Maldives was fed by sporadic tourism, mostly from the boats calling into islands while sailing through the Indian Ocean. It was only in 1972, the country’s tourism industry witnessed coming up of two resorts with 280 guest accommodation. During the 80s, the number of resorts increased to 55. At present, there are more than 160 resorts in the island country with white sand, sun and the sea. While the destination is known for leisure vacationing, it has also got a decent number of honeymooners and a fair number of divers that add the flavour of diversity to country’s tourism. India counts as one of the highest market sources to Maldives’ tourism. In 2019, 167,000 Indian tourists went to Maldives, which is a rise of more than 100 per cent over 2018. Improved flight connectivity from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi and Karnataka, and, a visa-free regime is among the several reasons that led to an increase in Indian tourists. However, more tourists mean further exploitation of the nature. But not for this country. Thanks to the government’s concrete measures, Maldives has been able to keep a check. And not just that, the resorts have come forward to minimize carbon footprints. What makes the strategy remarkable is the fact that the resorts are also engaging with the tourists and turning conservation into tourist activities thus conveying the message globally. So in a way, the hotel industry, which is generally called out for exploiting the nature is turning out to be custodians of the country's prosperity and protectors of marine assets. A learning lesson! Maldives is home to around 250 species of corals and 41 islands that have unique wetland ecosystems. To preserve its shores and enhance its increasing blue economy, Maldives’ Ministry of Environment is implementing the Coastal Protection Projects with support from the World Bank. The projects focus on protecting coral reef and coastal wetlands, which are rich in biodiversity and have immense recreational value and act as bulwarks against coastal erosion. The Indian touch With support from the Indian Government, Maldives has also implemented a coastal protection project at Alifu Atholhu Uthuruburi Rasdhoo. The project will provide the necessary coastal protection to an area of a length of 214 meters, facing severe coastal erosion. This area was used as a landfill previously, and with coastal erosion waste buried there has risen to the surface, contaminating the water resources and polluting the beach area. The project scope will also include beach replenishment consisting of cleaning up of waste debris and replacement of sand, and the construction of a groyne field. No mass fishing Marine life is the heartbeat of the island country. And to save the fish, the government has put a ban on mass fishing. Instead the fishermen use spears to hunt yellow fin tuna. Maldives being one of the largest exporters of tuna, this practice ensures the commercial activity stays within sustainable safety net. Sustainable indulgence While the earlier efforts made by the government works in the public front, the resorts also share the responsibility. Heritance Aarah, Maldives’ first resort to get Leed Certification for its green architecture. Maldives suffers from a unique problem. Though it produces negligible greenhouse emission, the sea is affected due to pollution from adjoining areas. And to minimize that, Heritance Resort has built a framework to create a healthy, highly efficient, cost saving green buildings. It saves around 30% of energy compared to conventional hotels of the same scale. The hot water requirement is generated through heat recovery generator. Even with water all around, it has developed a robust rainwater harvesting and saves all the water wasted in the desalination process through reverse osmosis. While these are at the infrastructure level, the resort works in demonstrating the native lives of Maldivians for tourists by creating a local village. The hotel plans to invite local school students to aware them about sustainable lives that locals earlier led and how the future generation can preserve the same. Plastic recycling Pollution from plastic is a major issue that is looms large around ocean. We have seen pathetic photos of turtles getting choked from plastic bottles. To address that, Furaveri Island Resort & Spa has its own water bottling plant. It recycles glass bottles and serves to the guest rooms and restaurants. The resort is also planning to bring in glass bottles for guests to carry during excursion. Another international chain, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island have collaborated with environmental network Parley for the Oceans. The plastic waste is collected and made into tote bags, which the guests can carry as souvenirs. Keeping up with the Corals In the last few years, rising sea temperature has resulted in bleaching of the coral reef around the world. And Maldives is no exception. Plenty of marine animals feed on corals and use the coral bed as their homes. At such a critical crisis, resorts like Anantara Dhigu and Seaside Finolhu are offering their guests a unique activity – Coral Restoration. The guests can enjoy going down into the ocean and planting corals. They can commemorate their anniversaries and birthdays through this and the resort shares photos of grown up corals every year as a gift. This is done by placing coral frames under the ocean. In a few years, these corals under suitable environment generally tend to regrow and spread out. Surgery on turtles No matter how critical the method be, guests can engage in this activity and share the responsibility. Many resorts including Coco Collection Baa Atoll have come up with ‘Save a Turtle’ through Oliver Ridley Project in Maldives. There is a full-functional marine turtle rescue centre, which operates on turtles that often choke from plastic and other hazardous elements. Coco Bodu Hithi Resort offers its guests to adopt a turtle. Guests on an immersive expedition through snorkelling are briefed about the plastic perils turtles face. They can now adapt a turtle and help it recover and go back to the sea by sharing the fund.

The Sustainable Maldives: A learning lesson for tourist destinations across the world

Natasha Mittal runs a travel blog and boasts of an enviable number of YouTube followers. Working at a start-up that deals with e-waste, she had realized the earth is in urgent need of good-hearted souls who can commit to minimizing carbon footprint. She practices sustainable travel and preaches the same. The good part is, she isn’t alone in her quest.&nbsp;

There are more travelers like her, despite not having a blog or a social media following, believe that the onus is on travelers who need to be cautious to make traveling as eco-friendly as possible.

A common trend that has picked up in India have the&nbsp;millennials getting jobs quite early in their career and&nbsp;investing their disposable income in unleashing their wanderlust. Their pursuit of happiness has improved the economy of tourism at offbeat destinations across India that have stayed out of reach of generic travelers for long. However, not everything is hunky dory.

With enthusiastic travelers increasing every day, there is a new menace that has popped up – our pristine lakes becoming polluted, rare flora and fauna are disappearing, nature being killed by concrete. All these indicate over-tourism. Blinded by money, dishonest merchants are seeing tourism as an opportunity to exploit the nature.

And this is where young travelers like Mittal are leading a silent movement. This breed of travelers believes in conservation of nature for our future generations and are changing the way people used to travel.

Here are a few steps that they are adapting:

Minimizing carbon footprints: One step at a time

Traveler Mayank Kanj who is planning a trekking expedition Spiti Valley next February said, “The first step is carrying your own water bottle. There are plenty of packaged bottles available, but there aren’t enough recycle bins along the roads. Even if you dump it in a bin, chances are it might end up in a pristine mountain river due to systematic flaws. When the bottle gets empty, you can always fill it from a nearby spring or café.”

If you doubt the hygiene quality, buy a packaged one, refill your own and discard the bottle at a big dhaba. Since these big restaurants need tons of licenses to operate, they tend to recycle to ensure they aren’t penalized.

The next in the list is to stop buying chips and biscuits from roadside dhabas. Instead carry the chips, biscuits, chocolates before you start from your home and pack those in your re-usable boxes. So, you don’t leave things behind. It might be a bit heavy on your shoulder but easy on the mother nature.

When ordering food and beverage during your journey at eateries, say no to reusable plates and cutleries. In case they don’t have, at least don’t use plastic cutleries and straws and you can create a huge impact over years.

Prefer homestays

Apart from personalized services, local culture and a comfortable yet traditional accommodation, staying at a homestay helps in conserving the ecology. Suresh Sharma who runs a homestay at Fagu near Shimla said,” When hotels run commercially, they source everything right from vegetables to furniture from big traders or brands who give them a wholesale price. But for homestay owners like me who have four rooms, I have to buy everything local because I don’t qualify for bulk purchases.”

And this makes all the difference. You might not be directly buying local but just by staying at a homestay, you are definitely being vocal for local.

Ask hotels about eco friendly steps

Hotels are increasingly becoming cautious about their carbon footprint. Sarovar Hotels and Resorts for example has stopped using plastic-packaged water bottles across properties in India. Many renowned groups are following the suit.

At places where you don’t find a homestay, ask the hotels what ecological measures they have taken. Some might say recycling on wastewater, recycling plastic and some might have started an organic farm fed by the wastewater.

“When you as a customer start asking the hotels about environmental measures, they start realizing the importance. Ask whether they have wastewater recycling pit, if they re-use plastic, where do they dump their waste! Once you start asking them questions, they will feel obligated. Also, hotel booking sites need to be specific. For hotels who follow the norms of minimizing carbon footprint needs to be provided a badge of honour, which makes them different from the crowd,” said Asad Hussain, president of a hotel owners’ association in North Sikkim.

Hire local guides

While Google Maps and other online resources are amazing, nothing beats local knowledge at offbeat regions be it the Himalayas or the Arabian Sea. When you hire a local guide, you support them and their community. Nobody loves a place more than one who is born there. These locals then stay at their villages and don’t migrate to big cities in search of job and thereby preserve the serenity of the place.

The new age breed of travelers like Mittal and others follow all the above checklists to ensure their expedition doesn’t exploit the environment. Also, they believe not to explore Bollywood hyped destinations and playing loud music at mountains and forest as a part of their traveling discipline.

They are dreamers but they aren’t the only one! 
&nbsp;

Natasha Mittal runs a travel blog and boasts of an enviable number of YouTube followers. Working at a start-up that deals with e-waste, she had realized the earth is in urgent need of good-hearted souls who can commit to minimizing carbon footprint.

Natasha Mittal runs a travel blog and boasts of an enviable number of YouTube followers. Working at a start-up that deals with e-waste, she had realized the earth is in urgent need of good-hearted souls who can commit to minimizing carbon footprint. She practices sustainable travel and preaches the same. The good part is, she isn’t alone in her quest. There are more travelers like her, despite not having a blog or a social media following, believe that the onus is on travelers who need to be cautious to make traveling as eco-friendly as possible. A common trend that has picked up in India have the millennials getting jobs quite early in their career and investing their disposable income in unleashing their wanderlust. Their pursuit of happiness has improved the economy of tourism at offbeat destinations across India that have stayed out of reach of generic travelers for long. However, not everything is hunky dory. With enthusiastic travelers increasing every day, there is a new menace that has popped up – our pristine lakes becoming polluted, rare flora and fauna are disappearing, nature being killed by concrete. All these indicate over-tourism. Blinded by money, dishonest merchants are seeing tourism as an opportunity to exploit the nature. And this is where young travelers like Mittal are leading a silent movement. This breed of travelers believes in conservation of nature for our future generations and are changing the way people used to travel. Here are a few steps that they are adapting: Minimizing carbon footprints: One step at a time Traveler Mayank Kanj who is planning a trekking expedition Spiti Valley next February said, “The first step is carrying your own water bottle. There are plenty of packaged bottles available, but there aren’t enough recycle bins along the roads. Even if you dump it in a bin, chances are it might end up in a pristine mountain river due to systematic flaws. When the bottle gets empty, you can always fill it from a nearby spring or café.” If you doubt the hygiene quality, buy a packaged one, refill your own and discard the bottle at a big dhaba. Since these big restaurants need tons of licenses to operate, they tend to recycle to ensure they aren’t penalized. The next in the list is to stop buying chips and biscuits from roadside dhabas. Instead carry the chips, biscuits, chocolates before you start from your home and pack those in your re-usable boxes. So, you don’t leave things behind. It might be a bit heavy on your shoulder but easy on the mother nature. When ordering food and beverage during your journey at eateries, say no to reusable plates and cutleries. In case they don’t have, at least don’t use plastic cutleries and straws and you can create a huge impact over years. Prefer homestays Apart from personalized services, local culture and a comfortable yet traditional accommodation, staying at a homestay helps in conserving the ecology. Suresh Sharma who runs a homestay at Fagu near Shimla said,” When hotels run commercially, they source everything right from vegetables to furniture from big traders or brands who give them a wholesale price. But for homestay owners like me who have four rooms, I have to buy everything local because I don’t qualify for bulk purchases.” And this makes all the difference. You might not be directly buying local but just by staying at a homestay, you are definitely being vocal for local. Ask hotels about eco friendly steps Hotels are increasingly becoming cautious about their carbon footprint. Sarovar Hotels and Resorts for example has stopped using plastic-packaged water bottles across properties in India. Many renowned groups are following the suit. At places where you don’t find a homestay, ask the hotels what ecological measures they have taken. Some might say recycling on wastewater, recycling plastic and some might have started an organic farm fed by the wastewater. “When you as a customer start asking the hotels about environmental measures, they start realizing the importance. Ask whether they have wastewater recycling pit, if they re-use plastic, where do they dump their waste! Once you start asking them questions, they will feel obligated. Also, hotel booking sites need to be specific. For hotels who follow the norms of minimizing carbon footprint needs to be provided a badge of honour, which makes them different from the crowd,” said Asad Hussain, president of a hotel owners’ association in North Sikkim. Hire local guides While Google Maps and other online resources are amazing, nothing beats local knowledge at offbeat regions be it the Himalayas or the Arabian Sea. When you hire a local guide, you support them and their community. Nobody loves a place more than one who is born there. These locals then stay at their villages and don’t migrate to big cities in search of job and thereby preserve the serenity of the place. The new age breed of travelers like Mittal and others follow all the above checklists to ensure their expedition doesn’t exploit the environment. Also, they believe not to explore Bollywood hyped destinations and playing loud music at mountains and forest as a part of their traveling discipline. They are dreamers but they aren’t the only one!

Responsible tourism is the new normal: Millennials travelers are leading the revolution

As I lay on a hammock over the white sand that looked like icing sugar, the sommelier of Heritance Aarah Resort walked up to me and offered some of his famous signature cocktails that would go so sparklingly well with the pristine sunset view. In the mood for some kiwi and lime as base, I asked Steve to surprise me. A gentle ocean breeze lulled me to a sunset siesta as I heard the coconut leaves rustling and murmuring along with the light roaring of the waves. Before me, the peacock hues of the Indian ocean were slowly turning shades of pink, as if a painter had dipped his brush in the azure water.&nbsp; 
 
Travelers like me were itching for a beach vacation ever since the worldwide lockdown started in March due to the pandemic. So when the Maldives Tourism Board announced that tourists no longer need to go for a 14-day quarantine in the island country and can prefer to stay for a week and even hop resorts, I was game!&nbsp; 
 
One fine morning in October, I found myself on an Air India flight from Trivandrum to Male, the only flight that was operating from India then on a weekly frequency.&nbsp; 
 
Flying in the New Normal 
 
While I have been taking domestic flights since September, I made my post-lockdown debut of flying international only in October. 
 
One needs a mandatory Covid Negative (RT-PCR test) report done from an ICMR https://www.icmr.gov.in/ listed laboratories. To get a visa on arrival at Male Airport in Maldives, I made sure the sample was collected not before 96 hours from my first port of journey. The same process is required when you would need to enter India from an international destination.&nbsp; 
 
With the negative report in my hand, I had to web check in 24 hours before the flight and upload the test report on Maldives Government’s designated website detailing out my travel itinerary for smooth process of Visa on Arrival.&nbsp;

<img alt="m" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="54fe6695-61ba-4526-9453-3d8161a0a66d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2826%29_14.jpg" /> 
 
I boarded the flight to find myself on a window side on the left for better view of the ocean when landing. Forty minutes whisked away munching on the airline provided dry fruits and sipping on fruit juice, and the flight started descending. As I aerially surveyed the navy-blue sea turning turquoise, the flight landed at Velana International Airport in Male. The visa process was smooth with a smiling immigration officer wishing us a great vacation.&nbsp; 
 
Sunny Side of Life 
 
After a scenic seaplane ride that flies only at 12000 feet above the sea-level thus giving a great glimpse of the ocean and islands, we found ourselves at Heritance Aarah Resort. The seaplane lands at a jetty right at the entrance of the resort and a buggy through a wooden bridge over the ocean takes you to the reception area. There is a Covid Assistance Desk at the jetty, where the incoming luggage from the plane got sanitized, thermal screening done, and hands sanitized.&nbsp; 
 
While the staffs are mandated to wear masks all the time, it’s up to the tourists as they all have tested negative in the last four days. We threw away our masks in the air like the graduates do with their caps. The sunny side of life is real with a true ‘mask free’ vacation. 
 
This resort oozes luxury with a Maldivian traditional vigour. Ocean Villa, our home for the next four days was a traditional Maldivian thatched roof cottage over the shimmering lagoon, overlooking an infinite horizon. The resort architecture anyway offers social distancing with all facilities set apart. From the glass-bottomed bedrooms, we could spot tons of manta rays, baby sharks, clown fish and more. There was a staircase leading directly to the water, which one could enjoy privately.&nbsp; 
 
We booked ourselves on an all-inclusive package. This package includes an assigned butler, all meals including breakfast, alcohols in room, mini bar and access to all facilities except the water activities. The meal selection was crafted to give us the ultimate experience.&nbsp; 
 
We began our day with a breakfast at Ranlu. Keeping in mind the social distancing norms, all meals are to be ordered from ala carte. The lunch will be at the same restaurant and often we would cherish the sunset with a drink from Pool Bar with an infinity pool. The mixologist Steve Fernandes, a Sri Lankan descendent understood the art of mixology so well that we would wait for the evening for the magic to happen. For a traditional Maldivian meal, we also had a lavish meal at Ambula where the chefs conduct a workshop on Dhivehi cuisine, predominantly consisting of tuna fish and coconut.&nbsp;

<img alt="M" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="72474a30-bec6-42ad-acc9-24476f729157" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2825%29_22.jpg" /> 
 
Rediscovering Maldives 
 
Maldives follows the unique concept of one island one resort, which really came handy during the pandemic. So, each island has only one resort without any other office buildings or markets. Basically, you get to enjoy the whole island on your own.&nbsp; 
 
After a luxurious stay at Heritance, our next destination was Kandima Maldives. While the earlier one was responsible luxury, Kandima on the other hand is more of a peppy cool hospitality on offer. A Manta Air seaplane flew us there.&nbsp; 
 
While the cottage here is Aqua Villa, meaning a modern concrete cottage with a jacuzzi overlooking the ocean. Having said that we would swim all day right under our cottage simply because the water level lower.&nbsp; 
 
It’s here, where we booked ourselves for an activity driven stay. Being one of the largest islands in Maldives, Kandima has a vast expanse to explore. The next morning, we headed on a boat for a snorkeling session. The boat takes you to the middle of the ocean where water depth is more than hundred feet. Armoured in life jackets, swimming fins and a snorkel, we dived in. The initial experience was scary with water pressure making me claustrophobic, but our instructor helped us overcome the fear. The thumb rule is never to imagine that the water level is too deep under you. For the next 60 minutes, we witnessed a parallel world underwater with turtles, sharks, and a thousand variety of fish swimming around you. And how could you miss the majestic coral reef gorgeously tinted in brown, green and red. We returned happy like a therapy session underwater. The evening was scheduled for a sunset cruise, where you ride a boat to catch the best view of the sea meeting the infinity of the sky. With snacks and drinks, we relished the sun going down turning the sky into a festival of Holi.&nbsp;

<img alt="m" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a39e0d09-960c-4f81-8702-fd894a8f6487" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2827%29_23.jpg" /> 
 
We had a slice of every activity the resort offered. Besides we also availed cycling, evening yoga and a spa session where you could hear the roar of the ocean while the expert masseuse wearing masks take you to a new dimension of comfort. It wasn’t just any stay. 
 
The resort General Manager is an Indian born, Neeraj Seth, who took us to a secret patch on the ocean. It required us to walk in water, the level ranging from knee to chin. And we reached the sand patch, which popped out of water with waves breaking on it.&nbsp; 
 
On our last evening at the island, the resort had arranged for a Chinese dinner on the beach. The place was lit up with Chinese ball lights and the set up looked straight out of a fairytale. As we relished on seafood, we made a promise to return to the island nation again. While Maldives’ sand, sea and the sun make the place a heaven on earth, the warmth of the local people make the experience unforgettable.&nbsp; 
 
Hasta la Vista, Maldives! 
&nbsp;

Quick Tips: 
 
Is it safe to travel to Maldives? 
 
Absolutely yes. Because testing is mandatory before arrival. And you get to stay in a separated island far from locals.&nbsp; 
 
Is Maldives Visa on Arrival now?

Visa on Arrival for Indian passport holders. No fee is levied for the visa. However, now you need a Covid Negative test report as well. 
&nbsp; 
Places to stay: 
 
Kandima Maldives, Kudahuvadhoo &nbsp;- Seaplane Transfer. 
 
Anantara Dhigu, Dhigufinolhu – Yacht and Boat Transfer 
 
Heritance Aarah, Raa Atoll – Seaplane Transfer

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer does not represent the views of the WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer)

As I lay on a hammock over the white sand that looked like icing sugar, the sommelier of Heritance Aarah Resort walked up to me and offered some of his famous signature cocktails that would go so sparklingly well with the pristine sunset view.

As I lay on a hammock over the white sand that looked like icing sugar, the sommelier of Heritance Aarah Resort walked up to me and offered some of his famous signature cocktails that would go so sparklingly well with the pristine sunset view. In the mood for some kiwi and lime as base, I asked Steve to surprise me. A gentle ocean breeze lulled me to a sunset siesta as I heard the coconut leaves rustling and murmuring along with the light roaring of the waves. Before me, the peacock hues of the Indian ocean were slowly turning shades of pink, as if a painter had dipped his brush in the azure water. Travelers like me were itching for a beach vacation ever since the worldwide lockdown started in March due to the pandemic. So when the Maldives Tourism Board announced that tourists no longer need to go for a 14-day quarantine in the island country and can prefer to stay for a week and even hop resorts, I was game! One fine morning in October, I found myself on an Air India flight from Trivandrum to Male, the only flight that was operating from India then on a weekly frequency. Flying in the New Normal While I have been taking domestic flights since September, I made my post-lockdown debut of flying international only in October. One needs a mandatory Covid Negative (RT-PCR test) report done from an ICMR https://www.icmr.gov.in/ listed laboratories. To get a visa on arrival at Male Airport in Maldives, I made sure the sample was collected not before 96 hours from my first port of journey. The same process is required when you would need to enter India from an international destination. With the negative report in my hand, I had to web check in 24 hours before the flight and upload the test report on Maldives Government’s designated website detailing out my travel itinerary for smooth process of Visa on Arrival. I boarded the flight to find myself on a window side on the left for better view of the ocean when landing. Forty minutes whisked away munching on the airline provided dry fruits and sipping on fruit juice, and the flight started descending. As I aerially surveyed the navy-blue sea turning turquoise, the flight landed at Velana International Airport in Male. The visa process was smooth with a smiling immigration officer wishing us a great vacation. Sunny Side of Life After a scenic seaplane ride that flies only at 12000 feet above the sea-level thus giving a great glimpse of the ocean and islands, we found ourselves at Heritance Aarah Resort. The seaplane lands at a jetty right at the entrance of the resort and a buggy through a wooden bridge over the ocean takes you to the reception area. There is a Covid Assistance Desk at the jetty, where the incoming luggage from the plane got sanitized, thermal screening done, and hands sanitized. While the staffs are mandated to wear masks all the time, it’s up to the tourists as they all have tested negative in the last four days. We threw away our masks in the air like the graduates do with their caps. The sunny side of life is real with a true ‘mask free’ vacation. This resort oozes luxury with a Maldivian traditional vigour. Ocean Villa, our home for the next four days was a traditional Maldivian thatched roof cottage over the shimmering lagoon, overlooking an infinite horizon. The resort architecture anyway offers social distancing with all facilities set apart. From the glass-bottomed bedrooms, we could spot tons of manta rays, baby sharks, clown fish and more. There was a staircase leading directly to the water, which one could enjoy privately. We booked ourselves on an all-inclusive package. This package includes an assigned butler, all meals including breakfast, alcohols in room, mini bar and access to all facilities except the water activities. The meal selection was crafted to give us the ultimate experience. We began our day with a breakfast at Ranlu. Keeping in mind the social distancing norms, all meals are to be ordered from ala carte. The lunch will be at the same restaurant and often we would cherish the sunset with a drink from Pool Bar with an infinity pool. The mixologist Steve Fernandes, a Sri Lankan descendent understood the art of mixology so well that we would wait for the evening for the magic to happen. For a traditional Maldivian meal, we also had a lavish meal at Ambula where the chefs conduct a workshop on Dhivehi cuisine, predominantly consisting of tuna fish and coconut. Rediscovering Maldives Maldives follows the unique concept of one island one resort, which really came handy during the pandemic. So, each island has only one resort without any other office buildings or markets. Basically, you get to enjoy the whole island on your own. After a luxurious stay at Heritance, our next destination was Kandima Maldives. While the earlier one was responsible luxury, Kandima on the other hand is more of a peppy cool hospitality on offer. A Manta Air seaplane flew us there. While the cottage here is Aqua Villa, meaning a modern concrete cottage with a jacuzzi overlooking the ocean. Having said that we would swim all day right under our cottage simply because the water level lower. It’s here, where we booked ourselves for an activity driven stay. Being one of the largest islands in Maldives, Kandima has a vast expanse to explore. The next morning, we headed on a boat for a snorkeling session. The boat takes you to the middle of the ocean where water depth is more than hundred feet. Armoured in life jackets, swimming fins and a snorkel, we dived in. The initial experience was scary with water pressure making me claustrophobic, but our instructor helped us overcome the fear. The thumb rule is never to imagine that the water level is too deep under you. For the next 60 minutes, we witnessed a parallel world underwater with turtles, sharks, and a thousand variety of fish swimming around you. And how could you miss the majestic coral reef gorgeously tinted in brown, green and red. We returned happy like a therapy session underwater. The evening was scheduled for a sunset cruise, where you ride a boat to catch the best view of the sea meeting the infinity of the sky. With snacks and drinks, we relished the sun going down turning the sky into a festival of Holi. We had a slice of every activity the resort offered. Besides we also availed cycling, evening yoga and a spa session where you could hear the roar of the ocean while the expert masseuse wearing masks take you to a new dimension of comfort. It wasn’t just any stay. The resort General Manager is an Indian born, Neeraj Seth, who took us to a secret patch on the ocean. It required us to walk in water, the level ranging from knee to chin. And we reached the sand patch, which popped out of water with waves breaking on it. On our last evening at the island, the resort had arranged for a Chinese dinner on the beach. The place was lit up with Chinese ball lights and the set up looked straight out of a fairytale. As we relished on seafood, we made a promise to return to the island nation again. While Maldives’ sand, sea and the sun make the place a heaven on earth, the warmth of the local people make the experience unforgettable. Hasta la Vista, Maldives! Quick Tips: Is it safe to travel to Maldives? Absolutely yes. Because testing is mandatory before arrival. And you get to stay in a separated island far from locals. Is Maldives Visa on Arrival now? Visa on Arrival for Indian passport holders. No fee is levied for the visa. However, now you need a Covid Negative test report as well. Places to stay: Kandima Maldives, Kudahuvadhoo - Seaplane Transfer. Anantara Dhigu, Dhigufinolhu – Yacht and Boat Transfer Heritance Aarah, Raa Atoll – Seaplane Transfer (Disclaimer: The views of the writer does not represent the views of the WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer)

A week in Paradise: How Maldives is reopening for tourists

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Suchayan Mandal

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.