Dive right into the Maldives
THE BAGGAGE handler at Malé Airport said we’d just missed Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin. That’s a shame, we replied, but secretly we couldn’t have been happier.
Our eyes glazed over as he listed other celebrities who’d recently visited the Maldives. He’d got us wrong, though. One of the reasons we’d come here was to escape from celebrity-obsessed Britain. We were far more interested in the celebs of the underwater world: turtles, manta rays, dolphins, whale sharks and the stunning variety of tropical fish.
Within just a few hours of landing at Malé, we were snorkelling with a dancing array of brightly coloured fi sh in warm, crystal-clear waters. It was like starring in your own version of Finding Nemo.
The luxury six-cabin yacht Velaa, belonging to the Banyan Tree Maldives Vabbinfaru resort, was our home for a couple of unforgettable nights as we sailed in search of top dive and snorkel spots.
As we boarded the vessel, which is moored a few hundred metres off the crew bearing chilled scented face towels and refreshing ginger and lemongrass tea.
As a first-time snorkeller, I was anxious about feeling claustrophobic using a mask underwater but thanks to the helpful staff and calm waters, I felt relaxed. If there was an offence of stalking fish, I would have been charged; their colours were amazing.
Some of the world’s most beautiful places are also the most vulnerable, as we were reminded once back on Vabbinfaru. We learned how the 2004 tsunami and 1998’s El Nino wiped out 80 per cent of the island’s rainbow-coloured reefs.
We met Dr Azeez Abdul Hakeem, who told us about the resort’s eco projects, including a green sea turtle conservation programme, reef shark tagging project and coral growth regeneration.
Via sea plane, we headed off to explore the Maldivian capital, Malé. Almost immediately we missed the warm, white sand, palm trees and aquamarine waters.
Malé’s concrete jungle was a shock to the system; despite the fun of watching local fishermen bringing in their catch to the buzzing fish market, one day proved more than enough.
Next morning, we caught a boat to the Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort, home to the only certified kite-boarding school in the Maldives, run by Watersports World. However, a non-existent breeze meant the only action came from a pod of dolphins jumping and somersaulting by our catamaran. In shallower waters, manta rays swam along the shoreline.
The Maldives enjoys a fantastic reputation for surfing. As novices, we headed to the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, for a beginner’s course with tropicsurf.
Our bronzed Aussie instructor Nathan was inspiring. After learning basic movements on the beach, I was ready to let rip on the water.
My first few attempts were hopeless as I fumbled to get upright on the board before collapsing into the foam. It’s difficult to get frustrated in such idyllic surroundings, however, and soon I was making progress.
By the time we checked into Coco Palm Bodu Hithi, we were thoroughly chilled out. We spent our last couple of days here unwinding still further. Just staring at the horizon and listening to the sea had never been so much fun. What's more, we actually felt our presence wasn't doing too much damage.
It's hard to ignore the fragility of the Maldives; if global warming predictions are correct, the archipelago's 1,200 coral reef islands could vanish by the end of the century. Coco Palm’s green-friendly policies, ranging from water recycling to waste management, are setting the standard, however, and we were more than happy to comply with the resort’s request to take home our plastic rubbish and batteries.
After a Balinese massage, it was time to return to the water. There was plenty to see. We dived a little deeper in the balmy blue water and found ourselves among shoals of tiny fish. A stingray, as wide as Russell Grant, slowly glided past us.
That evening, an electric golf buggy delivered us back to our wooden villa, a beautiful stilted hideaway perched three feet above the azure sea. It featured a king-size bed, a gorgeous bathroom and a private sundeck boasting an infinity pool.
After drying off we enjoyed a candle-lit beach barbecue, dining on freshly grilled lobster under a clear night sky with a low crescent moon and shooting stars.
On our last morning we reluctantly boarded our speedboat back to Malé. Opposite us sat two stony-faced Italian newlyweds who had clearly just had a row. The wife turned and opened a celebrity gossip magazine for comfort. You can keep J-Lo and Madonna, I thought. the real stars in the Maldives are definitely under the water.
