In 1993, Ho Kwon Ping was on a trip to the Maldives. The former journalist was on a mission, having turned his hand to hospitality and transformed a disused bay in Thailand into the first Banyan Tree resort, he wanted the hotel brand’s second property to be in the Indian Ocean archipelago.
At a small island, 30 minutes from Male, KP (as he’s known to his friends) toured a forest-topped islet in the North Male Atoll. Home to a small guest house, there was not much else on the island, not least electricity or running water.
“Still, he knew that this was the one,” Mohamed Naeem, deputy general manager at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru tells me as we sit on the terrace of Madi Hiyaa, the resort’s manta-shaped overwater restaurant, enjoying uninterrupted ocean views.
Naeem has been part of the resort since its inception. Born and brought up in the Maldives, the former teacher-turned-hotelier relocated to the tiny island before it officially became Banyan Tree. As one of the first international resorts to open in the Maldives, the Singaporean hotel brand brought a lot of changes to the industry across the Indian Ocean island nation.
“I remember once in the early days, I went to a meeting with the leadership team. I was the only Maldivian in the room. Not only that, but I was the only Asian in the room. I couldn’t quite believe the proposals these men were making,” recalls Naeem. “Workers were to get one month off after every three months of working and a flight home every few months, and more. I wrote it all down, but in my head, I was thinking this will never happen.”
But happen it did as Banyan Tree brought international hotelier standards to what was then a tourism industry very much in its infancy.
Hands-on conservation
Three decades on and more than a million visitors now flock annually to the Maldives. While this rapid tourism development has brought economic benefits to the archipelago, it has not come without cost.
Coastal areas and marine ecosystems face degradation, often due to waste from densely populated resort islands. At Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, a commitment to preserving the natural environment is evident. As the first resort in the Maldives to establish an on-site marine laboratory, conservation and education have been core components of the story for many years.
“We’re doing all sorts of conservation with the guests. It is included in the stay price as it’s not something that Banyan Tree wants guests to have to pay extra for,” head marine biologist Nick tells me while I glue a piece of coral onto a concrete marine cookie. The activity is the newest conservation focused project to launch at the resort, aiming to let guests be part of the efforts to help resort the island’s surrounding corals.
Travellers are welcome to visit the newly launched purpose-built marine lab where a colourful classroom setup is adorned with accurate fish representations of the sea life found in the nearby ocean. Glowing fish tanks filled with planted corals line one side of the lab, which has an overhead gallery where visitors can partake in educational discussions and conservation lessons. A new coral spawning programme is under development, a pioneering method that could repopulate the hotel’s house reef in just a few years, much faster than using conventional conservation methods, explains Nick. Of course, more traditional conservation methods remain, and I get the chance to see some in action the next day while scuba diving.
About 15 metres below the surface of the Indian Ocean, surrounded by colourful parrot fish-tailed trigger fish, my dive buddy and I pass a metal cage-like structure covered in corals. These synthetic electric reefs emit low-level electric currents, which trigger a process that deposits calcium carbonate onto the structure, essentially providing a growth boost for the corals.
"When planted on these reefs, corals are not only safer from predators," explains Henry, the resort’s assistant marine biologist, "but they also grow significantly faster."
A small island and a big impact
Conservation efforts extend beyond the water at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru. Guest rooms utilise refillable toiletry bottles and glass water bottles, eliminating single-use plastics.
As one of the region's pioneering holiday islands, Banyan Tree also balances its long-standing hospitality with updates. Villa renovations include modern amenities like USB charging ports, new artwork and upgraded balcony furniture. The resort maintains a rustic and natural atmosphere, intentionally avoiding overwater villas and constructing buildings around existing topiary.
"The owners made a choice to prioritise unobstructed ocean views and to preserve the natural environment wherever possible,” explains Naeem. This choice puts the natural beauty of the island first, although it does result in some unique villa layouts including irregular-shaped bathrooms and swimming pools located in the rear of the villas, far away from the million-dollar ocean views.
Walking around the sand-covered island takes all of six minutes – I time it as I go. While that is a drop in the ocean compared to many newer resorts in this popular holiday destination, these 48,000 square metres represent three decades of hospitality and a foundational approach to preserving nature alongside the Maldives modern tourism development.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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