Love Affair To Remember

Cut to three months ago. In December, escaping the festive fervor, traffic jams and the biting cold of Delhi, I took a three-day vacation to Maldives. It wasn’t my first time to this beautiful archipelago made up of 26 atolls and more than 1200 islands, so I knew exactly what to expect and just what to pack.

It helps when it is a short haul flight and even better when you are flying Sri Lankan Airlines business class that has flat beds and secluded cabins. When you are going to an uber chic holiday destination, you have to do everything in style, flying included. A stopover at Colombo ( since its a via flight) just meant sipping some nice wine at the Serendip Lounge and getting a quick head and shoulder massage.

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From Male International Airport depending how close or far your resort is you have an option of taking resort’s speed boat, a connecting flight to another atoll or zoom in on your seaplane. Luxury is at your feet.

We took a connecting flight - a Maldivian Air turbo prop- that propelled us to the Gaafu Alifu Atoll. A short boat ride and we were home. The Residence, is a luxury resort tucked on the Falhumaafushi island and has 94 charming villas that come with private butlers for every room and everything you would need for a rejuvenating holiday.

The Residence - was our home for next three days, not a humble abode though. An experiential resort, The Residence likes to do things in a non-hotel way and that’s always my preferred stay option. Hotels can be so clinical and assembly line at times, boutique . The resort has both beach villas and over water bungalows. Personally for me, the charm and excitement of a Maldivian holiday lies in a water villa, one from where you can jump right into the sea from your balcony. My water villa had a living room, bedroom with a view to the sea and a plush bathroom that had a jacuzzi and open shower. If you have a hydrophobic companion or kids, you might want to rethink staying at a villa that is in middle of an ocean! Thankfully, I wasn’t accompanied by my husband or toddler on this holiday.

Maldives is not your run-of-the-mill vacation for a simple reason that the itinerary does not include sightseeing, shopping or pub crawls. But what it does include is breakfast on the beach, invigorating spa sessions, snorkeling, sipping cocktails at the infinity pool and dinner against the sound of the waves. Water and sky are so clear that you will have to pinch yourself to believe you are not staring at a popular travel account’s Instagram feed!

If discovering oneself is the goal, the endeavor stands utmost chance of accomplishment. And, that too in the mighty lap of luxury.

At a typical resort in Maldives, it is not important what you are eating but where you are eating. It could be a bar-be-que dinner on the beach or pool side breakfast or a romantic dinner on a machan in the midst of sea.

After lazy long breakfasts, I would spend time just relaxing by the pool, staring at the turquoise waters merging with blue sky. The Residence is the only resort in the Maldives that houses a spa by international beauty brand Clarins. The setting of the spa is breathtakingly beautiful- sitting pretty at the end of a jetty, overlooking the calm waters of a lagoon and a rainbow of coral reefs. There is a large open deck where early risers can start their day with yoga and meditation classes.

Of the six secluded pavilions, one became my wellness sanctuary for next 60 minutes, with trained beauty therapist working on my worn-out body. I dozed off, as the view of the sea cast a spell on me. God gave us problems, man invented spa.

Every villa had a bicycle parked outside, so I could cycle around the resort burning all the calories that were result of the day-long gluttony. The thought is utopian but a mere thought leaves you with a sense of complete holiday where you are burning what you are eating.

Evenings were mostly spent on the resort boat as we would venture out for dolphin watching or angling. While we didn’t get to see any dolphins, watching the sun go down while you have wind in your hair and azure waters around you is worth your time.

Hotels that go the extra mile to curate an experience for you are my favorite kinds. The Residence, organized a short tour to a local island village so that we could get a taste of the authentic Maldivian culture. A 20-minute boat ride and the island- G.A Nilandhoo- welcomed us. Set within a radius of 2 kilometer and inhabited by 800 people, this tiny island had a school, few shops, an abandoned telephone booth and a factory where cruise ships are built. Children playing football in muddy fields, fishermen sitting in a corner whiling away time, laborers working in the factory- life at this island was a total contrast from the luxurious resort life, however turquoise waters, powdery sand beaches and clear blue sky are a constant wherever you go in Maldives, because nature doesn’t discriminate.

I clicked some pictures with village kids that made to my insta story that day, spent time talking to the hijab-clad teenager at the local shop selling daily need items, including many Indian brands and sipping water from life size coconuts.

Back to our resort, it was time to chuck the day hats and flip flops and dress up in LBDs with high heels for a formal dinner at Falhumaa. The over-water dining venue is located at the end of a 230-metre-long jetty above the reef. The menu featured fresh seafood (seemed as if sourced from under my feet), meats and best of wines and the background music was the regular sound of waves crashing against rocks.

Even before I knew, my butler was there in his golf cart at 4 am next morning to take us to the jetty. Flight to India and Delhi’s high PM levels were waiting.

Maldives is indulgent, it spoils you, it pampers you- go have a fling with this one. Have the fling before the sea engulfs this heavenly set-up. As global warming experts predict Maldives demise, you would be at your wits end not to visit Maldives before it ends.