What can I say about The Maldives that has not been said already!
We stayed in the Grand Centara resort, Maafushivaru Atoll Island and 5 big stars to them for their service.
Initially we had been back to Brisbane for a week and to take in ANZAC Day then we departed for Male via Singapore. Our island required a small light aircraft flight of 25 minutes and then a speedboat for the last 30 minute ride out to the island. A great welcome on arrival with cold towels and cocktails before the 5 minute stroll to our beach front villa.
Being such a small island [only 350m in length] the place offers real small island / community charm but combines this seamlessly with modern architecture and facilities. Grand Centara Maafushivaru would have to be the best luxury and 5 star place we have ever stayed in.
When you think about and/or picture The Maldives, it is probably bejeweled remote islands of sandy beaches so white it is almost transparent and as soft as talcum powder, surrounded by turquoise lagoons and lazily swaying palm trees. That is exactly what Maafushivaru is. It is everything you dream of The Maldives being.
Lush green vegetation throughout the island provides welcome relief and shade from the sun and the beach if you want it.
The Maldives has now taken its place at the top of my ‘the most beautiful place I have ever been to’ list. You can walk round, bike round and swim round the entire island. I did all 3.
ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation was luxury, but the whole island is luxury really. Although there are villas available over the water, we didn’t get one as I am a renowned somnambulist [I sleepwalk]. Although I would wake up immediately on hitting the water, I could bang my head on the way down and if I knock myself out, then the rest is history. We don’t do over water villas. Our Deluxe Beach Villa was a few minutes stroll from everywhere because nowhere is far. It was actually quite nice to retreat into our own little sanctuary away from the craziness of the job I was then on.
There was a flat screen TV, DVD player and iPod docking station. We didn’t use any of them, never have.
We were invited to the Resort Managers sunset cocktail party one evening which was yet another 5 star experience.
I have to remind myself that when people are being so nice and so helpful so often [ie, all the time] they aren’t being sycophantic – they’re just nice people. One evening we had booked a dinner on the beach and they set up a table just for the two of you in a private area. Just the two of you, the best seafood in the Indian Ocean and only the noise of the waves lapping at the edge of the beach. The Maldives knows how to do it in style. No matter what your style is!
The staff we probably the most attentive we have ever experienced and were personal to us without being overly familiar or intrusive. They have the combination perfect.
Every meal we had was excellent, like the final of one of those cooking shows but without the ego and tantrums. The staff always enquired if everything was OK and to our liking without being invasive. The bar stayed open as long as you wanted it to. I pulled an all-nighter, just me the barman and the sunrise.
Maafushivaru is a quiet island with a quiet laid back way of life, it’s not the place to go if you want action and adventure. There are both sun and sea activities, basically lie in the sun and swim in the sea.
DINING
There is a la carte and buffet. Western, Asian, Mediterranean and if it’s not on the menu, ask for it and they make it. I could ramble on and make it sound like a cooking show [which I loathe] but the food is great, all of it, all the time. Choose from Ocean Café, Tapas Bar, Moodhu Grill, Oishii and the Water Bar.
GYM
Built on the edge of the resort over the water. That view alone was worth an hour on the stepper and however many calories I burned.
It’s well equipped for a holiday gym on a small island. Like most gyms in holiday resorts it was never full.
I also hired a pedalo for a more sedate journey around the island.
AD HOC ENTERTAINMENT
I had an early night once and my wife stayed out and got talking to some other residents. They turned out to be Russian speaking Chinese blokes who had – in all honesty – brought some prostitutes on holiday with them – to The Maldives! [Who does that?] A fairly sort of bizarre evenings conversation was had [just let your imagine run riot and you probably won’t be even close.]
MALDIVING
If you want to chill out, unwind, relax and do nothing then this is the ideal place for that. However, there are also plenty of water activities. The scuba diving was great and included black-tipped and white-tipped sharks, huge rays, turtles and multitudes of shoals of brightly coloured tropical fish. Whilst I was submerged at a few metres on a bright sunny day, suddenly it went darker around me like when a cloud goes across the sun whilst you are stood outside. I rolled over onto my back and some huge rays were effortlessly gliding over the top of me, blocking out the sun. A truly mesmerising and breath-taking experience. When I circumnavigated the island snorkelling I was passed by sharks and rays and many shoals of fish.
DHANGETHI ISLAND
Whilst my wife was having a day of pampering, I took a boat trip to Dhangethi Island about 3.5km away. At 0.9km x .035km this island is slightly bigger than Maaf’ and with a local population and a school, shops and more than just tourism in existence. In addition to the local made traditional crafts,
There is plenty of accommodation available on the island, even if some of it does have unorthodox names and colour schemes.
The island – just like all its neighbours is surrounded by baking flour like sand [which apparently is cleaned daily] and the sapphire blue waters of the Indian Ocean. There are multiple sandbanks around Dhangethi and at low tide when they are above the waterline, it is possible to picnic out there and use it as a day base [for approximately 6 hours] for other water sports and there are multiple activities available such as jet skiing, water skiing, wake boarding and wind and kite surfing.
The Maldives had it all and was not found wanting one iota. I couldn’t fault this resort, this holiday, this experience. Definitely on the ‘places to return’ list.