TRAVEL:Maldives!!! A Paradise On The Earth!!!!!!!!

While checking the Maldives off my list of beach retreats, I felt an inexplicable sense of pride and joy. Pride for pulling off my second international travel seamlessly, and joy for discovering a place I'd love to keep going back to.

A holiday in the Maldives is like entering the world in a picture postcard where a turquoise sea gently laps the virgin sands as warm sunlight peeks through dense coconut groves, and everything is happy as the day is long. One full-fledged flight from colombo and a seaplane ride from Male (capital of the Maldives), and you are in an island like Robinson Crusoe's where the sea dazzles you with its brilliance like its tropical sun, and the verdant wilderness comes into its own.

If you are arriving at an odd hour in Colombo and halting the night at the airport transit hotel like us, the anticipation for the onward journey can kill you especially if you haven't flown in a seaplane before, and that too, over a gorgeous reef-dotted ocean that changes colours as often as the clock time. Scheduled for an early morning flight from Colombo to Male, we could hardly sleep the night and landed up several hours early at the departure terminal only to discover that there were more like us, even those who chose to snuggle up and catch a wink instead on the waiting chairs. Finally, a little after sunrise we were aboard the SriLankan sailing among the clouds in the faint orange light of dawn enjoying as we did even the not so savoury vegetable burger and tea, musing about dreamy beaches and translucent waters.
Be glued to your window when landing in Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, Male, for you don't want to miss the vista to probably one of world's most scenic airports surrounded by a cobalt blue sea dotted with white speed boats and a strip of tarmac running through its center. But once you arrive, the immigration clearance can be a bit of a dampener as the procedure is lengthy and you find yourself standing in a long queue that barely moves. About an hour later you'll be on the little red bus to the air taxi terminal, or if you please, the speed boat jetty. Now since our resort Adaaran Select Meedhupparu is on an island about 132 kilometers off the Male coast, we thought it best to fly and enjoy themagnificent aerial views. To not carry a good camera on a trip like this is sacrilege as you'll hover over a string of islands, sometimes from up close, sometimes from far behind. And you'll fly overbrilliant patches of corals in colours unimaginable the whole time you are airborne.

Forty-five minutes hence we were careering across the bay towards a picturesque wooden pier. As we emerged the last monsoon shower came down sending the resort staff in a tizzy over equipping us with an umbrella and towel each. What a welcome! But none complained. There was so much to behold, the livid sky, the relentless downpour over a colourful sea, the tropical vegetation sapling green in the rain, a white beach, the endangered Maldivian Fruit Bats flying for cover, and divers scampering to the head of the pier. It was surreal, and I couldn't wait to explore the whole 42 acres of this rain and sun drenched wilderness.

In time for lunch, our host led us through a path among overhanging vines and creepers that opened up to a thatched gazebo-style dining area. The rain had let up by then, the birds were singing again, and we were sitting down to a buffet meal of lobsters, crabs, sauteed vegetables and curries to go with a glass of chilled white wine. It was the beginning of our tropical experience.
We walked around the island a little more before we thought it best to confirm with a staff member the way to our beach villa. The property has on it an array of beach villas scattered around the island affording brilliant sea views. Ours had its deck almost jutting into the sea with a watchtower adjacent to it. First I walked into the sea to get a closer view of the corals, a stone's throw away from the shore. The sand is so soft that it sinks under your feet and can hence be slippery. Don't be surprised to see snorkellers lurking around the shore, for marine life abounds right from there. Simply swim up to your nearest reef and watch the magic unfold as baby Angel fish, Tiger fish and Parrot fish swim out of its crevices.
For fish spotting and some refreshing sea breeze, we walked up the pier on the other end of the island that straddles the reef all the way to the deep blue sea. You'll spot Angel fish in royal blue with yellow strips, the yellow and black striped Tiger fish, the aqua blue Parrot fish with dark blue fins and stingrays swim around with gay abandon. You can sit on the pier for hours and watch the gorgeous marine life. Divers love to launch into the waters from this point. Besides, the pier is a vantage point to get a panaromic view of the beach, the island and its luxurious water villas that stand on stilts over the water in perfect symmetry. Their decks have a private pool and a staircase that goes down to the sea, a happy arrangement for diving enthusiasts. Dark clouds were gathering once again, and we decided to head to the poolside bar for a good sundowner. Evenings here are usually about guzzling beer over a game of cards, a quick table tennis match before settling down with a drink or reading in solitude, though the bar gets a lot of action by way of karaoke nights and some live orchestra.
The highpoint of a stay here is certainly the fish feeding session in the night at the pier when the dainty, colourful ones are replaced by predators like Jack fish, Barracudas, Tunas that invade the waters in shoals in search of food. You need to finish dinner early and find yourself a spot on the busy pier to witness this fascinating feeding session where portions of raw fish and crabs are hurled at the shoals of big fish by the hotel staff. My heart went out to the lonely yellow-necked turtle who tried in vain to get through the labyrinth of powerful fish.

Sunset cruise, jet skiing and dolphin spotting, bird watching are among other activities you can pursue at the resort. Else you can pull your sunbed onto the beach and spend hours reading and soaking up the sun. When making your way from one end of the island to the other through the jungle, remember to mind your head as the Fruit Bats hang quite low from the branches and give amused glances if you ran into them.

If unwinding is your idea of a holiday, you shouldn't miss out a nice, rejuvenating therapy at the spa. Typically the spa therapies offered here are avant-garde. After a sauna and steam bath, we went in for a traditional Balinese full body massage with hibiscus aroma oil followed by a refreshing cucumber facial performed by expert masseurs from Bali. Though a tad expensive, you get good bang for your buck. So much so that I went back the next day for a foot massage and manicure!

Seafood lovers, this is your place. From tunas, crabs, prawns, squids, lobsters, cuttlefish, to oysters your options are aplenty. Added to your rice, your broth, grills and curries, they are a core ingredient in every meal. But just as wonderful is sipping the nectar from fresh fruits anytime of the day you please.

At the end of our fourth and last night in the Maldives we still hadn't had our fill of its unpredictable showers, the bright morning sunshine, swimming with fish, the striking colours of the sea reflected in the open sky, the large meals and endless swigs of wine. Like in answer to our prayers it began to rain without ceremony as we took our seats in the little aircraft ready to fly out of paradise.