Playing Robinson Crusoe in Maldives
If brochures and blogs are anything to go by, then the low-lying coral islands of Maldives in the Indian Ocean are nothing short of paradise. On a map, the country looks like someone took a pinch of palm fringed islands and sprinkled them in the emerald waters. The 1000 odd islands are divided into 26 atolls where luxury resorts are addressed.
My sister and I were off to a beach holiday early February. Two non-swimmers. But ready to play Robinson Crusoe at Olhuveli Island Resort, a luxury pad propped on a sandy island in the warm embrace of lagoons. There was just one agenda in mind. Get over the fear of water so we could spend maximum time under it than over.
Travelling between the islands requires hour-long ferry rides or shorter seaplane journeys. We hopped onto ours from the pint-sized capital Male, where we landed in the morning. In no mood to explore the densely packed streets of the capital, we were eager to get to the bone-white beaches, shallow lagoons and reefs, where marine life roams in colossal numbers. Our boat bumped along the afternoon choppy sea for an hour, before depositing us at the jetty of the resort.
The next few days were a lesson in laziness and adventure both – exactly what Crusoe might have done on his island. The perfect crescent of white sand dotted with beanbags and sun beds to sink in was the motivation to get up each morning. As non-swimmers, the cool blue pool near our favourite bar was resolutely used only to wade around the shallowest portions. We firmly followed the ‘book-nap-beer’ routine in the mornings and strolled to the frangipani-strewn spa later.
Muscles relaxed and mood upbeat, our eyes were also set on the profoundly stunning aquamarine water. The Maldivian part of the ocean is well known for entire forests of coral reefs and is a veritable diving and snorkelling destination. Both nervous at the idea of mask dependent underwater experience, we decided to warm up with a dolphin-watching evening at sea. An hour into the journey on a plush yacht, the crew spotted a flip in the ocean and started clapping loudly. Soon, we were racing a school of friendly dolphins, which apparently love getting encouraged. Launching themselves mid-air and splashing down in the water was a familiar game to them. It was 15 whole minutes of camera shutters clicking and the dolphins showing off their love for attention.
After a heartening flavour of the ocean treasures, we were ready for snorkelling the next afternoon. The beauty of what lies below the waters is betrayed by mere pictures on the Internet. In truth, to swim with scores of fish of unimaginable colours is something otherworldly. An hour into the water, we decided that the fear of the ocean was a thing of the past. We were the first to arrive for a dive next morning.
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