At Travel Associates, we specialise in bespoke itineraries designed to suit your needs. The Platinum Challenge showcases an interesting trip one of our travel advisors has put together for a client, to give an insight into the unforgettable trips we can create.
Meaghan Wolf, Wolf & Turner Travel Associates, created a personalised itinerary through the Maldives, Dubai and Sri Lanka that combined romance, family fun and her client’s nostalgic childhood memories.
The Challenge:
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The client wanted to experience three very different countries in the Indian Ocean.
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The itinerary needed to offer indulgence for the adults and excitement for the children.
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One stop had to be Sri Lanka, so the client could retrace steps of a childhood journey.
The Itinerary:
Romance & Indulgence
Where better to start their trip than at an all-inclusive resort in the Maldives? I booked my clients five nights at the 5-star Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa in a Beach Suite with seaplane transfers – a thrilling way to view the islands and reefs. Located on South Ari Atoll, the resort offers the ultimate in barefoot luxury. Sunset cocktails, romantic beach dinners and an indulgent spa ticked all the boxes for the adults. For the kids, there was a clear swimmable lagoon, perfect for snorkelling with the colourful sea life, including turtles and a kids club.
Desert & Luxury
For their next stop, I suggested Dubai, which offers luxury accommodation and endless opportunities for fun and adventure. I booked three nights at Atlantis The Palm, an ocean-themed destination resort that offers unlimited access to 17 hectares of water park amusement at Aquaventure, as well as one of the largest open-air marine habitats in the world, which makes it perfect for anyone with kids.
For mum and dad, there were 2-for-1 massages at the spa and award-winning dining. I also booked two nights at the Taj Dubai, in the heart downtown, an ideal base for a Desert Safari and Dune Bashing tour, complete with camel rides and a day at Legoworld.
Retracing Childhood Steps
Sri Lanka was an important stop for my client, as she wanted to share the experiences of a childhood journey with her children. I organised a private tour that included a car and driver, two nights in Galle with a tour of the city, a night in Yala so they could enjoy a wildlife safari in the national park and a night in Nuwara Eliya, home to vast tea plantations.
The next stop was a night in Kandy, to visit the markets and see a cultural show at the Temple of the Tooth Museum. From there is was on to Sigirya for a night, so the family could climb the rock fortress and take a photo in the same spot my client had 35 years earlier. I also organised a visit to the Pnnawala Elephant orphanage en route to Negombo for their final night.
