A Guide to the Maldive Islands by Leo Bear
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The string of tiny paradise-like islands that make up the Maldives have long been considered the world’s most romantic destination, serving honeymooners and the super-rich alike. But can they possibly be as heavenly as the brochures procure?
With several airlines launching routes to Malé (BA and Qatar recently) and increasingly tempting package deals thanks to the recession, I am finally able to fulfil a lifelong desire to down towels on these precious paradise isles and see what the fuss is about.
Sitting side-by-side in a 15-seater plane, my husband and I are visibly excited, pointing (him) and squeaking (me) at strings of coral-fringed islands scattered across the vast Indian Ocean. It feels like a dream.
In Resort
One of the (many, many) beauties of the Maldives is that it boasts year-round hot weather. When we travel, it is December at home in the UK and reports of filthy sludgy cold are all over the news. During our 12 days in the Maldives however, the temperature rarely strays outside the range of 28-31degrees.
On arrival at Vilu Reef Beach Resort and Spa, the first thing we do is tear off our creased winter clothes and sprint for the ocean just a few steps from our double bed decorated with hibiscus flowers. We are staying in a charming over-water villa and as we climb down the steps from our wooden deck and immerse ourselves in the tepid water, words cannot describe the feeling. The clarity of the water is staggering.
Aside from the odd sea cucumber, there is literally nothing but baby-soft sand underfoot. And the temperature of the ocean is perfect: it doesn’t make you wince, but is just cool enough to be refreshing. After a couple of hours of splashing about and striding smilingly up and down the beach, we feel completely at home on our desert island – our hectic city lives seem utterly surreal.
Although most resorts offer beach or jungle villas, the pretty thatched villas on stilts that have become a trademark for the Maldives are worth booking, even if it’s just for a few nights. They offer privacy and the opportunity to swim or snorkel straight from your porch and it is thrilling to peek over the top of your book and see dozens of colourful fish and the odd stingray or baby black-tip shark swim past.
Out & About
One of the most interesting things you can do in the Maldives is get an insight into traditional island living by visiting a local island. From Vilu Reef, we took a short cruise over to a neighbouring island called Bandidhoo where little has changed in 300 years. The island consisted of a mosque, a school and an electricity plant, but little more. There were no cars, motorbikes nor traffic lights. It was serene and quiet: just two sandy streets lined with small ramshackle homes and the odd shop. We discovered that some of the oldest houses on the island had in fact been built from coral – something that would be illegal these days. Groups of fishermen sat around tinkering with fishhooks or keeping cool swaying in makeshift swings under trees.
We checked out some boats being constructed from palm trees and admired gardens bursting with gourdes and guavas. All around, frangipani, bougainvillea and passion fruit trees added bursts of colour.
Some resorts offer day trips further afield, to Malé, the capital of the Maldives. Providing a major contrast to traditional islands, Malé is like a cartoon Manhattan, bursting at the seams with pastel-coloured tower blocks and kooky administrative buildings. Roads are abuzz with motorbikes, hawkers and children in school uniform. You can grab a bite to eat at one of the many alcohol-free bars and restaurants (it is a Muslim country) or explore its lively markets selling all sorts of knick-knacks from sarongs to potato graters, but I wouldn’t recommend staying overnight.
In The Water
The Maldives is all about natural beauty and the glistening cobalt-blue ocean in this part of the world is nothing short of spectacular. As such, there is no shortage of watersports on offer including diving, snorkelling, kayaking, sailing, water-skiing, glass-bottom boat trips, kite surfing, surfing, paragliding, you name it really. Most of them you can do all year round, but surfing is limited to a couple of months a year, so check before you book.
Most resorts offer a plethora of excursions too. You can take a cruise to see dolphins or whale sharks, to visit deserted islands and sand banks, or to try a spot of line-fishing.
It’s great to get off the islands and enjoy the freedom of the opens seas – plus you never know what you might see (pirouetting pods of dolphins, anyone?). We chartered a catamaran with a skipper one day and came across a frisky manta ray, which swam right up to the hull of the cat to say hello. Apparently it was a rare, out-of-season sighting, so we were doubly thrilled.
But equally, my husband and I found paddling around the islands in kayaks side by side – watching the water turn from Listerine green to dark inky blue – one of our biggest pleasures.
Most fun of all, was a watersport we tried called ‘sea bobbing’ at Anantara Dhigu. This involved clinging onto battery-powered ‘rockets’ that propel you along like a dolphin at speeds of up to 20kmph. Ducking and weaving around the lagoon, we haven’t laughed that hard in years. For keen divers, the islands north of Malé have the best sites.
Out at Sea
At Olhuveli Beach and Spa Resort in the South Malé Atoll, we boldly signed up for a ‘Catch it and Cook it’ fishing excursion in a traditional sailing dhoni. Cold beer in hand, we learned how to toss a weighted line into the depths and reel it in until the bait (raw tuna) dangled a few metres from the seabed. Our catch was impressive: a large red mullet, an emperor fish and a dozen other nippers.
On dry sand, we helped scale the fish with guidance from Hassan Didi, a broad-smiling Maldivian chef from the resort. We also received a cookery lesson in how to gut and marinade the fish with garlic, ginger, chilli and lime juice before skewering them with palm leaves and roasting them on an open fire. By the time the fish were ready, the night sky was heaving with stars and dozens of crabs had started to scamper around the flame torches which decorated the beach. Fish has never tasted better.
We spent our last night in the Maldives at Anantara Naladhu, a tiny exclusive resort with 19 villas, where Kate Moss takes her daughter. We opted for a sunset cruise in a traditional sailing dhoni. As the cotton sail caught the wind and led us out towards the horizon, there was not a sound to be heard, except for the gentle fizzing of our chilled champagne, that is. The Maldives definitely proved to be the trip of a lifetime for us.
Don’t Miss:
- A picnic on your own desert island – Robinson Crusoe eat your heart out. It doesn’t get any more romantic than this.
- Dinner a deux on the beach – Lots of resorts offer ‘Dining by Design’ where you can tailor the menu to your preferences and choose the a location for your table anywhere on the island.
- Snorkelling on a coral reef – an eye-opening experience that is equally fun for first-timers and experienced divers.
-Catch it and Cook it fishing trip – It’s great to learn how to scale and gut your very own fish, you never know when you might need the skills!
- Lying on a sunlounger with a book and a cocktail in a coconut with a straw. Classic.
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