Why The Maldives is more than just Romance and Regulators
Cloudless skies, azure blue seas and water villas that conveniently lead directly into the tropical Indian Ocean. Despite all of this, The Maldives never particularly appealed to me. No, I’m not crazy. It’s just, as an active person, the thought of going somewhere where you literally have no choice but to breathe out, stop and relax for a couple of days always seemed to be at odds with my general outlook on life and go-getting nature.
However, living in Dubai is probably as close as I’m going to get to these atolls that my friends all rave about. So surely, it makes sense to visit this island paradise and see if they live up to their hype? After all, it’s pretty rare to find yourself living only a 4-hour flight away from such an otherwise remote location.
Don’t get me wrong, whenever I browsed articles about The Maldives, I was blown away by their beauty. Looking back, I don’t quite know what put me off visiting them sooner. I guess it was their clichéd appeal as a stereotypical ‘honeymoon’ destination, and the fact that there seemed to be very little to do apart from sit around doing, well…nothing.
Located in the Indian Ocean to the southwest of Sri Lanka, this island nation is the smallest country in Asia, both in terms of land mass and population. It’s actually a vertical chain of 26 atolls that were formed by prehistoric volcanoes which eventually became extinct and sank to the ocean floor, creating the fringed reefs and corals that make the islands so popular today.
The formation of the islands created the perfect ecosystem for an abundance of marine life, as well as one of the most idyllic tourist destinations in the world.
After looking at (and balking at the price of) a range of different accommodation, I eventually settled on Drift Thelu Veliga Retreat, situated on an incredibly small island that was located in the south Ari Atoll. A relatively new resort, I was lured in by the promise of an all inclusive package (apart from beverages). I also liked the fact that it was small. For me, the sound of jetting off to somewhere so remote, yet spending it at a popular resort, full of people, seemed counter-intuitive. And so it was that we took the short flight from Dubai, and then a quick hop via sea plane, to our island paradise.
Upon landing on our remote island, I was immediately drawn in by the vivid shades of blue, and the fact that, despite being surrounded by smaller islands, we were seemingly in the middle of nowhere; somewhere in the Indian Ocean, in between Africa and Asia. It was at this point that my preconceived ideas about The Maldives began to change.
Being the Eid break, we had four nights in this much desired holiday hotspot. I was originally concerned that this amount of time would seem far too long, and that I would be more than ready to get back to ‘reality’ (i.e. Dubai) much sooner. However, as it turned out, I could have actually spent longer immersed in this tropical bliss. Despite my original reservations, and in spite of the fact that I didn’t manage to do any diving during my stay (which I had fully intended to do), I fell in love with the Maldives, despite myself. Here are the reasons for the shift in my attitude:
The vivid colours of nature
In an age where images are cleverly manipulated by Photoshop and Instagram filters, I never really believed those beautiful colours shining out at me from the page of a magazine, almost blinding me with their depth and clarity. It was only when I saw this for myself, with my own eyes, that I realised nature’s role in creating this stunning array of contrasts. From the bright turquoise blue of the shallow water to the darker tones of the deep sea, I have honestly never seen such a range of just one colour. The changing sky, from a bright, unreal blue to a moody grey, only added to this palette, and truly took my breath away every time I stopped to embrace my surroundings, which was pretty often.
Pure relaxation
There’s something about the sound of the sea that can calm even the most active mind. Those four days were spent doing little, and I came to the realisation that we all need to take time out every now and again; it’s just that we don’t notice that we need to until we actually do it. I didn’t check my emails, and for once, felt that it was ok not to do so – almost as if a mere cursory glance at my growing inbox would be to disrespect this tropical island hideaway. In fact, apart from taking pictures, I barely used my phone at all, spending the days reading and paddle boarding, with the odd bit of snorkelling thrown in too. Bringing it back to basics, the day was punctuated with simple necessities, such as meal times (and perhaps the odd sundowner!). I slept when I felt like it, and it seemed that, maybe due to disconnecting my phone, I slept a lot deeper and had rest that was of a much better quality. I also abandoned my usual training and eventually returned from the trip fully feeling the benefit of doing very little indeed.
Marine life…right outside your bungalow
We all know that The Maldives is famous for its diving, and a multitude of articles have been written on the best spots to see some of the planet’s most intriguing creatures. Although I do dive, I opted not to on this trip, but still saw many species of fish, including a stingray, from the comfort of my water bungalow. Perfect for snorkelers and families with children, there is an abundance of marine life only a couple of steps away.
Realising how fragile our planet is
The devastating 2004 Tsunami wreaked havoc on The Maldives and its tourism industry, and when you visit you really do get an appreciation of how fragile this archipelago is. With an average elevation of 1.5 metres above sea level, The Maldives is the world’s lowest country. With its highest point, Mount Villingili, standing at a less than staggering two meters above sea level, it’s actually the lowest ‘highest point’ in the world.
How to get there
Daily flights with both Emirates and FlyDubai will take you to the capital, Male’, and from there you will need to either take a boat or a sea plane to your island resort. This is usually arranged by your resort, and the cost does vary. The flight time is around four hours, with an additional 30-60 minutes traveling time to get to your hotel. This makes The Maldives an ideal location for a long weekend especially for those fond of accommodating in villas
When to go
The summer months of May to November are referred to as the ‘low season’ because the chance of rain is greater and the higher winds make for slightly rougher seas. However, prices tend to drop because of this, and the rain does not tend to last all day. Conversely, the ‘high season’ runs from December to February and brings with it lower humidity and better weather…but higher prices.
Words + Photos by: Rachael Bruford
