Maldives calling

Maldives is a marvel in the Indian Ocean. Located at a distance of more than 2,700 kilometres from Muscat, the group of islands has become a hotspot of tourism. With a travel time of almost four hours, it is a go-to destination for the Eid holidays.

The picturesque Velana international airport is located at the edge of the sea. You exit the airport, walk across the road, and your speed boat will be waiting for your departure for your choicest destination. Though the airport is quite small by international standards, the footfall of tourists is huge and the efficient immigration officials make it a point that there is no long queue of passengers.

As you step on the boat after wearing your life vests, the boat crew greet you with an open heart. Travelling at a speed of 54 nautical miles per hour, the boat slides on the sea surface frictionless amid roaring waves and landing with a thud, creating a moment of anxiety among travellers. Apart from speed boats and yachts, people also use hovercrafts for travelling to their booked islands destinations. It cuts the travel time as well as gives an astonishing experience.

Sun Siyam Olhuveli, located almost 45 minutes travel time from the Velana airport, is the place where traditional Maldivian heritage meets modern design, with accommodations ranging from Maldivian-inspired suites to sleek contemporary villas.

The guests are warmly welcomed at the Sun Diving centre amidst the sound of drums while also offering a garland made of coconut palm or a replica of Manta fish which normally comes out in the evenings.

After the welcome drink at the Lagoon bar, the guests are shifted to their resort as per the bookings on buggies. The winding routes among the thick hedges of green trees and bushes present an astonishing view.

The palm trees and other kinds of trees lined on both sides of the road create an arc, protecting pedestrians from the sun rays. The foliage is so thick that even sun rays can’t penetrate their foliage. The biggest advantage of the greenery is that one can walk easily along the sandy roads even during the afternoon. Many can be seen walking barefoot on the white and soft sands.

Roads made of white sand soak rainwater and help in recharging the underground freshwater reservoir. It’s an amazing sight that development can be made without harming or disturbing the natural ecosystem. For any potholes during rains, the road rollers come to the rescue by levelling the loose sands.

 It is quite an easy task and at no extra cost. Even the floor of all the restaurants are filled with white sands, where one can walk barefoot, enjoy their food while their kids are busy building castles on the floor, glued to their own world.

And after every breakfast, lunch or dinner, the entire floor is levelled so it looks fresh again. The turquoise water of the sea is a treat to watch which changes its colour with the sun rays. It turns from blue to green and then to golden yellow. The all-white sandy beaches look amazing during a moon-lit sky. However, the sea grass spoils the beauty of the beaches when they get accumulated along the shores.

Island gardeners have to clean them in the morning and transfer on boats to other islands for processing and then bring them back to be used as natural fertilizers. A worker said that the sea grass turns the colour of water dark but they are vital for marine life as fish feed on them. Being rich in the source of minerals, they are very important for plantations on the island and are natural fertilizers for the plant.

Living in perfect harmony with nature, only electric and battery operated vehicles are used for transport on the island with no trace of pollution or exhaust from the petrol or diesel vehicles. Being an environment-friendly hotspot, architects have used tree branches to light the roads during evenings, rather than using metal lamp-posts.

The villas and restaurants are steeped into the cave of greenery across the islands. Spread across three islands, the Main Olhuveli Island, Dream Island and Romance Island, the property provides 481 villas with accommodations for more than 900 guests, said Florante Abuton, Assistant PR and Communications Manager of Sun Siyam Olhuveli.

During a guided tour of the islands, he explained that Romance Island is meant only for adults and is a perfect place for young couples or the elderly who want to reminisce about their good old days. While on a guided tour to the island, Florante said that November to March is the peak season with a high rate of occupancy and, of course, higher charges.

He added that the newly opened pool near the Sunset Restaurant is 210 metres long, the longest in the Maldives and the rooms on the refurbished Beach Pavillion on the ground floor can be connected for the convenience of families. The water villas are a little smaller with a small pool, Grand beach suites are perfect for a family of four with a bigger pool and adjoining beaches.

It all begins on the water, and whether it’s parasailing, kite-surfing or diving, there’s countless ways to stay active.

With restaurants and spas, water sports activities spread across the island, it’s not only that you add on your calories, you also burn calories as you move around for food and other activities. The restaurants also have plenty of vegetarian options apart from the usual continental and Mediterranean foods.

Outstanding cuisine holds the ocean at its heart, too, with creative menus served across our selection of food joints, all prepared by world-class chefs. As options galore, one can dine at Siyam Orchid for Thai food, Malaafaiy and Sunset restaurants offer a variety of global cuisines with many options available for vegetarians and vegans too. Foods spread on a platter or à la carte cooked by celebrity chefs can tickle the taste buds of every foodie.

The most surprising part of dining at the Malaafaiy restaurant is an African chef making dosa for customers. But for Indian travellers, Namaste is the go-to place where one can savour malaai kofta, paneer tikka masala, rogan josh, mutton and chicken biryanis with garlic and chilli nans. Rasmali and Kulfi faluda is the best way to top up your calorie-rich dinner on a moon-lit sky under the stars on a white sandy beach.

You can just take a stroll and watch small sharks swimming around, attracted by the glowing lights. For the night-out, you can enjoy the Fire show or DJ night at one of the bars nearby with a choice of beverages.

Apart from adventure sports where you can try your skills on the jet car ride, the excursion is akin to a James Bond thriller where the hero drives his car on water in the movie. But the most interesting part is snorkeling and scuba diving where one gets an opportunity to see the rich marine life.

With a trained team of divers, even a novice can enjoy watching the rich and thriving marine life of Maldives. Shah, a snorkeling expert, who normally takes a guided trip twice or thrice a day, said: “The corals are losing their natural colours due to the climate change and rising sea water temperatures. A diving expert for the past 12 years, he said that the corals are getting bleached. So many of them have turned grey due to warmer water, but it still remains a treat to watch while exploring marine life.”

And finally for the departure, the schedule is delivered in advance and everyone has to be present at the departure point on the designated time. As one steps into the boat, a group of Maldivians give a warm send off, capping off a memorable adventurous visit to the Maldives.