Male, Maldives

Let’s Go Maldives… If you’re going to escape rain and bad weather there is no better place to do it than the Maldives… or at least that’s what we decided!  While we sat in the dive shop in Khoa Lak dreaming of sunny skies and beautiful beaches nothing could prepare us for the pristine beauty we were about to experience at the Karumba Resort in the Maldives.

We arrived at the Maldives airport at 3 a.m. and since we weren’t checking into our resort until later that morning we took up on a bench in the airport in Male and tried to catch some sleep before our transfer to our 5 star private island. Luckily for us we didn’t have to wait long.  The staff picked us up first thing in the morning… and while most islands require a float plane transfer… we were picked up in a yacht and taken to the paradise that would be our home for the next 4 days.  Clearly they had us at yacht!

As we pulled up to the island the crystal clear water revealed what can only be described as aquarium-like marine life.  Never before have we seen anything like it.  Schools of fish surround the pier and even at 20 or so meters are easily visible.  At further inspection we spotted unicorn fish, reef sharks and sting rays all easily spotted from the pier.  Further exploration of the tiny island (only about 100m by 200m) revealed more than we could have ever expected.  The beaches are white as snow which lay in perfect contrast to the turquoise clear waters.  The whole island is surrounded by reefs and man-made wave breaks ensure that the waters are always calm.  When our room was revealed to us, complete with veranda over-looking the water and surrounded by cascading palm trees and the most amazing bathroom we’ve ever seen, we were so delighted with our choice to splurge we did a little dance the second the concierge closed the door!

The next few days would be nothing short of heaven, truly.  We’ve often looked at pictures of the Maldives on-line and wondered if any place could truly be that amazing.  Now that we’re here, it’s even more pristine than we could have ever thought.   

Most mornings we start our day with the most delicious breakfast complete with fresh tropical fruits, all the beautiful cheese we can eat and Stijn has taken particular interest in the waffles served with real whip cream and fresh blueberries.  I on the other hand, can’t get enough of the creamy feta cheese and fresh tomatoes.  After we eat, we head right to our private beach chairs and set up for the day.  We head out for snorkelling adventures a few times a day and thus far we’ve spotted more sting rays, nemo fish, eels and plenty more of beautiful and amazing marine life.  I cannot get over the bright colors and complex patterns of the fish.  The reef that is only 50 meters from the beach where the water steeply drops from 6 feet to more than 50 house all of these amazing creatures.  We are so lucky and thankful to be able to have such an amazing experience- this is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.

We spent the next few days sunning and swimming in complete luxury and had the best weather we could have hoped for.  Stijn went on daily adventures to the various reefs around the island in search of sharks, eels, turtles and all things dodgy while I took refuge on the luminous beaches and stayed much closer to shore.  I did venture out from time to time but the 80 foot drop into dark waters and the looming unknown only reinforced the comfort of the beach lounger and the book of the day!  Our experience at our resort has been nothing short of fabulous… the people are so warm and genuine here, a stark yet refreshing contrast toomuch of the Asia we’ve experienced thus far.  Every afternoon men come around and bring fruit kabobs to us on the beach and glasses of pineapple juice for refreshment.  It is truly an experience of a life time.

  As our last day comes to an end and we await a very late transfer to the airport for our flight back to Bangkok, we are pleasantly surprised by a cocktail party for the island’s guests complete with a bar and delicious appetizers of fresh fish and other Maldivian delights.  As I sit here typing away in a lounge chair overlooking the ocean while yachts cruise by, Stijn diligently ensures our drinks are filled- further proving his genuine and deep understanding of me.  We are delighted by our time here and already talk of coming back.  A few days of genuine luxury have treated us well and are now ready and excited for the next leg of our journey… Indonesia here we come!