YOU know you’ve gone on holiday somewhere posh when a man at the airport says you’ve just missed J-Lo and Ricky Martin.
The Maldives scream luxury – Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes honeymooned here – and the islands do have their fair share of newlyweds gazing at each other with glazed expressions.
But if you want to do something other than laze in the sun, don’t dismiss it as a destination. If water sports, nature and conservation are your thing, then the Maldives are a must.
The warm, crystal-clear waters are home to turtles, manta rays, dolphins, whale sharks and a dancing array of neon-bright fish.
Following our flight from Britain to Male, a speedboat whipped us away to our first stop – Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru. The tiny island’s white sand, palm trees and aquamarine waters put a huge grin on my face and those of my travelling companions – four single girls and one man.
We were spending a couple of nights on the resort’s 30-metre yacht, Velaa, which offers passengers luxury “sea safaris” to top dive or snorkel spots. But first we headed to the island’s marine biology centre, run by Dr Azeez Abdul Hakeem, whose work includes rearing green sea turtles, reef shark conservation and crucial coral spawning. The doc and his team have their work cut out following 1998’s El Nino, which wiped out 80 per cent of the island’s rainbow-coloured reefs, turning them into white “skeletons”. This ecological disaster shows that while the Maldives may be one of the most mind-bogglingly beautiful places on the planet, they are also among the most vulnerable. Made up of 1,190 coral islands sitting only three metres above sea level, the Maldives could disappear by the end of the century if global warming predictions come true. But the reefs still boast one of the world’s richest ecosystems, and the Maldivians, the resorts and their tourists are all playing their part in ensuring future generations can enjoy this turquoise patch of paradise through a number of green conservation initiatives.
Back on board Velaa, we conserved our own energy with champagne and canapes as the sky turned from red to black. Then it was back to the resort for dinner by candlelight – gazpacho, tuna sashima, grilled fish and peach crepe. As we returned to our floating palace, three large sharks curled around the pier as shooting stars sparked overhead.
Our next couple of days were glorious as we sailed around the Indian Ocean on the six-cabin Velaa.
Next stop was the pristine island of Veligandu – a 30-minute ride away by sea plane.
There we jumped on a boat and headed off to a deserted island for a picnic of coconut juice, spicy pastries and fresh fruit. Red and yellow hermit crabs scuttled over the sand, as baby sharks and manta rays swam along the shoreline.
Back on the sea plane and we headed off to Male and a tour around the buzzing fish market.
Next day – after an overnight stay at Male’s Nasandhura Palace Hotel – we grabbed a boat to Olhuveli, which has the only certified kiteboarding school in the Maldives, run by Watersports World.
But you can’t do much kiteboarding without a decent breeze, so we chilled out instead on a catamaran trip, where dolphins somersaulted past us. Then we were picked up by a traditional boat, a dhoni, for a fun night at sea. These vessels are a more economical way to get around the islands for personalised surfing, diving or sightseeing trips.
After a tasty dinner on board the Gahaa, we had a go at line fishing. “I’ve got a huge one – it’s really tugging,” one of the girls screamed. “Reel it in,” we shouted back. A lot of squealing later, a soggy scarf popped out of the water – she’d been stitched up by the giggling crew.
In the morning, as I snoozed in my cabin, early-bird Natalie was treated to 120 dolphins heading under the boat. “It was like commuter hour on the Tube,” she said as I cursed my laziness. Stuffing my face with fresh pancakes, we chugged along to the Four Seasons at Kuda Huraa for a day of surfing. The Maldives has earned a fantastic reputation for its waves, and some of the world’s best surfers competed for a #60,000 prize last month.
A two-day beginners’ course with Tropicsurf costs from #150. Our bronzed instructor was 100 per cent smiling Aussie brawn. If any torso – sorry, teacher – could inspire you to stand up on a surfboard, he would be it. “How do you recognise a dangerous wave?” he asked, as we stared blankly back. “It’s carrying a gun.”
OK, his jokes may have been ropey but Nathan was a real safety-conscious pro and the lesson was relaxed, comprehensive and fun. After learning basic skills in the lagoon I was raring to go. My first few attempts were hopeless but then I found myself riding a four-footer, hollering with joy, before I collapsed into the foam. What a rush... and what a crush as Nathan signed my surf booklet: “Keep ripping!”
Our last couple of days were spent at the newly-opened Coco Palm on Bodu Hithi. Strolling along a sandy walkway edged by coconut palms, we were greeted with refreshing lemongrass tea and face towels.
My wooden villa, built over the water, was gobsmackingly gorgeous with a king-size bed, exquisite bathroom and private outdoor decking with infinity pool and double bed. A stairway led down to the transparent water where you can swim among blue parrotfish. Following a great dinner on a private deck by the sea, we retreated to sit by the infinity pool for cocktails.
If you’ve got the energy, Dive Ocean offer a range of courses, including a discovery package for non-certified divers at #40. But we swapped exercise for a soothing #35 Balinese massage at the spa, which tantalisingly overlooks the water.
Another day, another impeccable torso – in the form of Dam Rasheed, officially Mr Maldives 1999. The girls all discreetly tried not to look at his muscles as he recounted his childhood days swimming with manta rays, spearfishing lobsters and hitching a ride with whale sharks.
Dam, a water sports expert, showed us some of the best snorkelling spots next to isolated sandbanks, where couples can enjoy a private meal at sunset cooked by their own chef. On our final evening, we had a barbecue on the beach. There’s nothing like eating freshly-grilled lobster as the sand runs between your toes and fruit bats zip across a crescent moon.
Some guidebooks recommend you don’t eat too much lobster and only stick to big ones.
Similarly, all good dive operations in the Maldives will ask you to take care when you’re snorkelling to ensure you don’t kill the fragile coral by scraping it with your fins.
On our last morning, we reluctantly boarded our boat back to Male. A huge shark fin flicked out of the water as the morning sun blazed across the sky.
Time for these four girls to fly back to Britain in search of another endangered species, the lesser-spotted single male.
What’s the deal?
ONE night’s half-board at the Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru ( www.banyantree.com ) costs #181.25pp. Coco Palm Bodu Hithi ( www.cocopalm.com ) have villas from #245 per night. Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa ( www.fourseasons.com ) have beach pavilion from #295. For more information on Maldivan Air Taxi journey visit www.mataxi.com
TRAILFINDERS have tailor-made itineraries to the Maldives. Call 0845 054 1010 or visit www.trailfinders.co.uk . SriLankan Airlines (www.srilankan.aero) fly to Male from #450 return plus taxes. See www.visitmaldives.com