Maldives resort goes all out, sets clocks 1 hour ahead

The island nation of Maldives is famous for its paradise-like beauty.

The Maldives is a famous tourist paradise with many of the most luxurious resorts in the world. The interesting thing about the resorts here is that they even set up their own time zone for tourists.

Specifically, according to CNN, some resorts in the Maldives often set their clocks one hour ahead of the local time zone. Explaining this action, Mohit Dembla, general manager of JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa, said: "We adjust the time earlier to enhance the guest experience, and at the same time meet the diverse needs of international guests."

This special time system is called "island time".

The JW Marriott is one of four resorts in the Maldives that operates “island time.” The others are the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli, the Westin Maldives Miriandhoo, and the Ritz-Carlton Maldives - Fari Islands.

Extend the visitor experience

Some Maldives resorts set their clocks one hour ahead of local time.

“Since most resorts in the Maldives are located on private islands and are often miles from the mainland, they can operate on their own rules, namely ‘island time’ to give guests an extra hour of daylight,” explains Zhilah Vego, director of sales and marketing at the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort.

This makes a big difference for holidaymakers who need to work during the day. The time adjustment means the sun rises at resorts at 7am instead of 6am.

Charles Morris, manager of Soneva Jani - a luxury resort group with properties in the Maldives - enthusiastically shares the benefits of setting the clocks forward an hour.

Guests can enjoy the daylight at the right time, such as jogging or playing sports during the coolest part of the day. Many resorts even arrange special activities for guests to experience at times like 7am and 7pm.

"Island Time" does not apply at all resorts

Some resorts set their own time zones to give guests more enjoyment.

While the idea of ​​setting “island time” is fun, it can still be a shock for first-time visitors to the Maldives. It’s easy to run late or miss out on your own plans because you’re using the resort’s clock, and not all resorts provide advance notice of “island time.”

Not all resorts follow “island time,” though. Take Kurumba, the island nation’s first resort. “They don’t use island time,” says resort manager Ali Farooq.

The reason is that many of the resort’s staff come from the capital Malé and commute back and forth during the day. The resort wants to respect the work-life balance of its staff. Furthermore, they believe that guests will find it more convenient to have the same time zone.

Recently, many resorts around the world have created their own time zones for guests. In the reception halls of these resorts, there are 3-5 clocks hanging. Each clock shows a different time along with the names of major cities in the world.

The clock that shows the time at the destination is usually hung in the middle. They explain that using multiple clocks with different time zones helps tourists know the time at the destination as well as the time at home.