Maldives: The Blue and the Beautiful

Where in the world can you swim with the blacktip sharks in crystal-clear, blue waters? Only in Maldives.

My perception of island destinations has undergone a sea change thanks to my time in Maldives. The thrill associated with being on an island where marine life comes to you while you are in the middle of the Indian Ocean – often a 45 minute seaplane ride away from any human habitation – is just the tip of the…well, atoll. It has ensured that I can never go to another island without drawing comparison to Maldives.

One Island – One Resort
A 35 minute domestic flight from Male to Kudahuvadhoo on Dhaalu Atoll, followed by a 20 minute speed boat ride brought me to my destination, the Kandima Maldives.

The Resort sat there, on a crescent shaped island nearly 3 km long, surrounded by waters that could only have been painted blue. As I approached the jetty, the concept of one island – one resort hit me. Here, one remains until a seaplane or a speed boat is available for your return. What if I could never leave? But the fear of being marooned washed away when a sea of smiling faces appeared on the jetty, welcoming the guests.  

The Water Villa
I had just settled into a yellow chair placed on soft white sand, ready to experience the type of holiday I had never dreamed of when sounds of children splashing about reached me. Somewhere to my left, a path lead to a restaurant, and a board announced a coffee shop. Well, it was like a small town after all.

A buggy drove me down a shaded, sandy lane and deposited me at the pier stretching into the ocean from the main island. I walked the remainder of the way to the Water Villa, a Maldivian specialty, past several others standing on stilts on the baby-blue coral reefs, the bottom of which was clearly visible. I was as if the sunlight went straight down to meet the corals and never left.

My door opened to paradise. I saw through the glass-wall separating the bedroom from the deck, the vastness of the ocean that was accessible via a sea ladder. The jacuzzi looked as if it was stacked on the ocean itself as the water rippled over the coral reefs seductively.

The minutes ticked away as the water changed colour, going from a stunning aquamarine blue to royal blue before rising ever so slightly with the tide. The spectacle of the changing colours of the water in contrast to the sunny blue sky was like being in a painting.

Later in the evening after the sun went down, I walked down the pier. The strategically placed low lighting turned my walk into a magical experience. The moon was full, the white sands sparkled, and the music of the sea resounded in my soul. Even in my imagination, no better place existed. It was pure magic.

Dolphin Quest

The next day, I signed up for some adventure in the sea, i.e. dolphin ‘quest’. There is something relaxing about sailing, in spite of the yacht’s inability to stay still as we cut through the azure waters past small uninhabited islands to where these friendly mammals abounded. There was a lot of excitement on board. Teenagers were among the most curious. Their eyes danced with expectation and excitement. Taking the cue, the captain cut speed and let the big boat bob around a little and joined the search for dolphins, his eyes scanning the waters expertly. Maldives is home to a varied species of dolphins, including spinners, bottlenose dolphins and Atlantic white-sided dolphins.

Someone screamed in delight. A pod of bottle-nosed dolphins had suddenly appeared. Some of them were putting up a show, jumping over the waves playfully.

The quest had been successful. Later in the evening, as I stood staring into the blue while watching the sun go down, three white baby sharks came in sight. Here, one didn’t even have to go snorkeling to see the marine life. They literally came right up to you.

Seaplane Experience
Next on my list of adventures was a seaplane ride, which had been reserved for the day of departure. When the day came, a small boat brought us to the seaplane that stood bobbing in the sea. The sight of Manta Air filled me with the excitement of flying in the DHC-6 Twin Otters seaplane. On the advice of the captain, we put on our seatbelts and waited to take off.

After a soul-stirring roar of the twin-engines, the Manta Air gathered speed, barely skimmed the water, and took off. These small planes have short take-off and landing on water, seat around 12-14 passengers, and operate in all weather. We flew at a low height, and spread out before me were incredible views of the reefs and blue waters and green islands.  It was impossible to tell how and where the sky merged with the sea. Those incredible colours were reminders of how fragile nature was and yet how strong.

History of Dhaalu
Dhaalu Atoll encompasses 56 islands in the atoll, with seven being inhabited. The capital island is Kudahuvadhoo located on its southern tip. Many of the islands are believed to contains remains from the Buddhist period, while the old mosque of Kudahuvadhoo possesses some of the finest masonry in the country.

Today, Dhaalu Atoll is home to several luxury resorts and is a popular place for scuba diving.

Know a little about Maldives

• The Maldives is made up of more than 1,000 islands, some artificial.
• You can’t bring alcohol or pork into the country. (You can consume alcohol at the resort you are staying. Most resorts serve pork).
• You cannot take away seashells, coral and tortoise shells.
• The Maldives isn’t too far from Sri Lanka or India. The UAE is a four-hour flight away.
• December to April are the most expensive months.
• It is among the top diving destinations. 
• Some resorts have their own time zone.
• You will need a high factor sun cream.
• There are bioluminescent beaches in Maldives.

Best time to visit
The dry season in the Maldives is from mid-December to April and the wet season begins in May and lasts through November. December to March is the high season, and often the most expensive time to visit.

There is water everywhere!
To experience Maldives, you must love water because Maldives is 99% water and 1% land. So, it goes without saying that everything here is related to water in some way or the other. For the water-loving tourist there are plenty of options to explore the blue waters – traditional wooden boats (or dhoni), speedboats or sailboats, but no matter how you choose to do it – you cannot get away from the charm of the blue. It’s an experience you will cherish forever.

Useful Info
The Maldivian language, Divehi has its roots in Sanskrit. However, a majority of the population speak English. The currency is Rufiyaa, but dollar is the accepted mode of currency at the resorts. All the resorts have wi-fi connectivity all over the island, so making wi-fi calls are not a problem unless one is in the middle of the ocean.

Island Time
Some of the islands operate in their own time zones. So, please make sure you check with your resort for the right time for checkouts or scheduled flights or boats. Many resorts move their clocks one hour ahead of the country’s time zone.