If you can see a forest and mountains from a window of your house, chances are, you don’t need anything more. It is another matter if your window shows you only the big, modern, and never sleeping city, living its life. Sooner or later, you will feel the need to hear the sound of ocean waves, and not car horns. I admit that walking around the ingenius Neuschwanstein castle is a great pleasure for me, but the best medicine to cure the mad rhythm of any megalopolis is a flight to the Maldives.
A several-hour flight is a mere trifle if you fly to the Maldives. For these islands, I am ready to go to the ends of the Earth. It is year-round summer here. The Indian Ocean outside the window is whispering something again, and the rains are so warm.
We are in Male again. A small funny plane is waiting for us. Sure enough you may easily reach many of the Maldives Islands hotels with a high-speed powerboat, but to fly tо an island in a tiny hydroplane is something amazing. A dozen small, winged friends are waiting for their passengers in the emerald-green harbour. A short takeoff, and the quick little fellow will bring you to one of the lost-in-the-ocean Maldives Islands/hotels in thirty minutes.
We are flying quite low so we can easily see numerous atolls. It might be the most interesting part of the route.
There are only thirteen seats in the cabin of this miracle of the aircraft industry, and often it is run by only two–sometimes barefoot–pilots. One of them is nearly always a European. I wonder, whether this Italian or Belgian ever regretted that he runs this tiny plane rather than a huge Boeing? Or is living in a paradise completely worth it?
Water landing! Flight to the Maldives is over. Welcome to paradise. We have only seven days of the year to enjoy such an idyll. The Maldives’ pictures will express the beauty of the overwater and underwater worlds of these coral islands better than any words.
The pathway leads to the Reception under the thatched roof. A fresh coconut as a welcome cocktail, and everybody disperses on the island. It sounds rather strange but we almost never see each other on this tiny piece of land, except in the restaurant. People come here for isolation, and the island surprisingly manages to provide this isolation on the 300×700 meter territory. Hello, our new house, outdoor bathroom, open terrace with chaise-lounges in the case of a tropical rain, and seesaw under a palm tree.
This earthly paradise is worth visiting at least for a while. Sunrises and sunsets are unbelievably wonderful here. It is not astonishing that just-married couples from all over the world fly here for their honeymoon. We are not “just married” a very long time already, but all the feelings take on an unusual sharpness on these tiny islands. Seems, happiness lives here always. Everybody walks hand in hand here with no regard for age. The islands of lifelong newlyweds.
We are equipped with all five of our amateur photo cameras. Each has its own mission, but at the same time all of them are focused on one goal: Maldives’ pictures have to express the whole beauty of such a miraculous place on this planet.
It’s time to go underwater. Unfortunately underwater pictures of the Maldives’ Baa Atoll are not as good as those from Vilamendhoo Island. The warm current El Niño killed local corals—only a few survived. But we managed to shoot something new and interesting.
This is a yellow fish/boxe, whose grey relatives are well represented at Vilamendhoo
I could show you our underwater photos forever. We went ashore only to change batteries or memory cards. The first day on Reethi Island presented us with the opportunity to swim with a big turtle, and a day later we met it again. It is such a pleasure watching them in their native habitat!
However, the trademark of the Reethe Island beach is an evening feeding of giant stingrays, when a servant fearlessly goes into the water—to everybody’s amazement—feeds the animals, and periodically pats them, like kittens.
Well, Irina is also fearless, as long as it’s not about the insects, of course. We’ve chosen Reethi Island for the sake of that show. We flew to the Maldives dreaming of returning with our own pictures with the giant stingrays. I go first.
Oh, German tourists, you will scare all our fishes away!
I can’t believe it, but we patted a stingray!!!
Fly to the Maldives at least once, maybe not for long. Whatever beautiful views you have seen at home, all the same you will like these islands in the ocean.
More about the Maldives:
Two Parts of Paradise – Vilamendhoo and Reethi
Eternal Challenge on Fihalhohi Island, the Maldives
Underwater Photos from the Maldives. Fishes: Small, Big and Very Big.
January 21, 2014 at 9:46 am
Beautiful photos of the Maldives! I would love to go back.
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January 21, 2014 at 10:57 am
Which Maldives’ island you visited, Debra?
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January 21, 2014 at 10:23 am
Victor your post and photos are absolutely incredible. I believe you have found heaven on earth. The video of feeding the stingrays makes me think of little puppies gathering at one’s feet. Amazing!
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January 21, 2014 at 11:05 am
That was not me, Sue. 🙂
Mohamed Umar Maniku, Universal Enterprises’ Chairman, recalls: “In 1972, we had nothing in the Maldives then, nothing. No Banks, no airport, no telephones only radio or Morse code contact with Colombo. Even the UNDP experts said that tourism would never succeed because there were no facilities, no infrastructure.”
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January 21, 2014 at 10:29 am
Wish be there!!!! Incredible subaquatic life for diving… And the last photo is amazing
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January 21, 2014 at 11:06 am
Yes, but no cars for rent 🙂
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January 21, 2014 at 11:09 am
A perfect holiday of you like beaches! This is a place that is close to India, but one that I have never visited!
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January 21, 2014 at 11:11 am
Sometimes we don’t know that a paradise is so close to us, and seek it somewhere far.
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January 21, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Thisis very true!
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January 21, 2014 at 12:01 pm
These islands are like a gift from heaven. Hard to believe such a beautiful place exists. They are quite low in elevation though, aren’t they? I wouldn’t want to be standing on the beach in a storm surge. The whole island might disappear. But that probably never happens there. Wonderful photos, Victor, and entertaining descriptions.
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January 21, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Their height is about a couple meters. Yes, it is scary, but the relief of the Maldives doesn’t allow the waves rise high even in case of tsunami.
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January 21, 2014 at 12:25 pm
When I imagine being there, it kind of gives me the feeling of floating on an air mattress in a huge ocean. Very beautiful place though.
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January 21, 2014 at 12:33 pm
This is a very good comparison. It is not surprising. You are a novelist.
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January 21, 2014 at 1:42 pm
😉
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January 21, 2014 at 2:06 pm
Looks wonderful Victor – great pictures!
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January 21, 2014 at 6:25 pm
Thank you, Andrew.
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January 21, 2014 at 11:29 pm
I have never been but it is a dream destination for me. For now your amazing photos will have to do 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
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January 22, 2014 at 4:43 am
Thanks for reading.
When you will visit these islands, let me know, and we’ll compare our impressions.
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January 22, 2014 at 10:08 am
Hi Victor, great post! I am visiting both Reethi and Vilamendhoo this summer, it will be my 6th visit to this magical country 🙂 Have you been to any other islands? Irene
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January 22, 2014 at 11:52 am
No, Irene. We were only on these two islands, but it is enough to fall in love with this place. We plan the next trip in October. What island you recommend?
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January 22, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Well it depends on your budget, but it looks like you’re into snorkeling – for outstanding house reefs I would recommend Mirihi (my favorite) or Athuruga. Angsana Ihuru and Robinson Club also have excellent house reefs, we are visiting these two islands in the summer. Filitheyo is a bit cheaper and has a bleached reef but lots and lots of fish!
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January 22, 2014 at 1:05 pm
Thank you, Irena. It is a very useful information for me.
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January 24, 2014 at 2:21 pm
Awesome post!! Loved the pix and details. Hope I will be blessed to visit one day. I enjoyed reading your post and I think others will too so that’s why I used one of ur pic on my blog, List of Living (http://wp.me/p4fLip-4Q). I ensure that proper credit was given but if you would like me to remove the content, I totally understand. Again, thanks for the awesome post and keep being an inspiration!
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January 24, 2014 at 11:05 pm
Oh, thank you very much.
It’s an honor for me.
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January 27, 2014 at 1:27 pm
how amazing…..
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January 28, 2014 at 9:49 pm
Thank you, M.
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January 28, 2014 at 4:32 pm
Amazing photos! Great read – Thanks
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January 28, 2014 at 9:48 pm
Thank you.
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February 3, 2014 at 11:28 am
Beautiful photos – it looks idyllic!
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February 3, 2014 at 11:35 am
Yes. It looks and is.
Thank you.
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February 6, 2014 at 9:12 am
Maldives has been my dream place and I can visit the island country this May! Thanks Victor for this wonderful post. I love everything in the island.
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February 6, 2014 at 11:32 am
Kara, you so lucky. I am very glad for you. Enjoy the Maldives and share your impressions with me.
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February 10, 2014 at 10:53 am
This looks so amazing Victor – I would love to scuba dive and try out the food on offer here!
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February 10, 2014 at 12:05 pm
OK. What stops you?
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February 10, 2014 at 12:12 pm
At the moment and if I am honest the ability to finance this myself, balancing out my needs to build a business and those of taking care of a family.
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March 14, 2014 at 3:16 am
OMG Victor! How did I miss this post? Gorgeous! What about kids though? Would such a place be of interest to a pre-teenager or would you recommend to leave it for adults time?
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March 14, 2014 at 12:54 pm
I think it is for adults and love. Children will die of boredom there. 🙂
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March 20, 2014 at 10:34 am
Wow! I never tire to see the wonder that is the Maldives, fabulous photos and script 😀
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March 20, 2014 at 12:50 pm
Thank you, Shabnam. The Maldives are not so far from you.
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October 15, 2014 at 10:17 am
Hi, I didn’t know that a Maldives post is already on, my bad! But, you write very well Victor. I cracked with patting the stingrays like kittens. Would definitely try that, I’ve got enough time to save audacity to do so.
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October 15, 2014 at 10:15 pm
Thank you, Fritzie. The Maldives is one of my favorite places on Earth.
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October 21, 2014 at 7:24 pm
I spent 10 days off the Sun Island in the Maldives and … part of my heart remains there. 🙂
Fantastic places!
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October 21, 2014 at 10:37 pm
It is the unique place.
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December 3, 2015 at 10:20 am
Wow-looks like Paradiso….except for the stingrays. Beautiful photos, cristina
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December 3, 2015 at 11:35 pm
Stingrays are very peaceful and calm animals, of course if you don’t touch them.
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