BEFORE SUNSET
National Geographic Traveller India|September - October 2022
A first-timer to the Maldives finds unexpected R&R and much to do, even as a nonswimmer visiting in the off-season, at Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa-one of the archipelago's stylish new island resorts
PRANNAY PATHAK
BEFORE SUNSET

I'm at Riviera, the beachside, adults-only bar. My cocktail is a cucumber green, just like the parasols out front. They wear beachside stripes that never seem to go out of fashion, and are cinched in the centre so they don't keel over in the evening breeze. My new loafers ate some sand, but I like it that way. Derrick, the affable Balinese barman I've struck up a friendship with without him suspecting, wants to know if my London Green & Tonic is the way I had expected it. It is, I answer without thinking, before repeating that it is, this time sure that this may be the first thing that is the way I expected it in the Maldives.

I remember being the eyesore of the flight and then the seaplane that brought me to Thilamaafushi island. If honeymoon destinations had stags and marine biology hotspots had unlettered loiterers, I would fit both descriptions. Hell, I don't even swim. I've always found that the appellations of mountain boy and city bird go with my persona, and the mere thought of seaside sunshine has me sweating in discomfort. Then one afternoon, I find myself sipping a welcome drink at the arrival lounge at Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa.

Situated in the southeast of the archipelago's Lhaviyani Atoll, which is regarded as an extraordinary diving destination, the settled serenity and understated glamour of the resort belies its newness. My hosts quickly have me hop on the buggy, a giant ant that takes me around the island, and finally emerges at the other end of it, where the resort's overwater villas sit like buttons on both sides of a placket. A leggy seabird patrols the beach for lunch options and a woman in a wedding dress poses for her photographer husband as we ascend the wooden bridge, pushing on noisily towards Villa 208.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September - October 2022-Ausgabe von National Geographic Traveller India.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September - October 2022-Ausgabe von National Geographic Traveller India.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIAAlle anzeigen
Best Of The World 2023
National Geographic Traveller India

Best Of The World 2023

Travel inspiration is everywhere. The question is where to go next. Here's our annual list of enlightened destinations for the year aheadplaces filled with wonder, rewarding to travellers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems. Framed by five categories (Community, Nature, Culture, Family, Adventure), these destinations are under the radar, ahead of the curve, and ready for you to start exploring.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
November - December 2022
Α ΗΟΜΕ IN THE HILLS
National Geographic Traveller India

Α ΗΟΜΕ IN THE HILLS

Skyview by Empyrean is a onestop destination for adventure and leisure in Jammu

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November - December 2022
ENTER THE PICTURE POSTCARD
National Geographic Traveller India

ENTER THE PICTURE POSTCARD

A stylish luxury hotel in Thimphu's northern outskirts is where illustrious Bhutanese and travellers alike are finding their happy place

time-read
6 Minuten  |
November - December 2022
48 Hours : Seattle Leads The Way
National Geographic Traveller India

48 Hours : Seattle Leads The Way

The jewel of the Pacific Northwest is one of America’s greenest and grooviest culture capitals

time-read
8 Minuten  |
November - December 2022
BIG BINGE: DUBAI FOR THE JET-SETTING GOURMAND
National Geographic Traveller India

BIG BINGE: DUBAI FOR THE JET-SETTING GOURMAND

Delightful degustation menus, French brasseries with art-inspired menus and Japanese diners excelling at nostalgia—the Dubai Food Festival 2022 justified the city’s status as one of the world’s premier food capitals

time-read
4 Minuten  |
November - December 2022
CULTURE COOL - UNDER THE EMIRATI SUN
National Geographic Traveller India

CULTURE COOL - UNDER THE EMIRATI SUN

Home to one of the world’s grandest mosques, an exciting emerging arts district on Saadiyat Island and an entertainment hub promising genuine thrills, Abu Dhabi has arrived in the league of extraordinary family destinations

time-read
4 Minuten  |
November - December 2022
ONLY IN OTTAWA
National Geographic Traveller India

ONLY IN OTTAWA

ACTIVE ADVENTURES, BUZZY BREWERIES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS THRIVING WITH BARS AND BOUTIQUES— CANADA'S BIJOU CAPITAL HAS PLENTY TO DISCOVER BEYOND THE HALLS OF PARLIAMENT

time-read
2 Minuten  |
November - December 2022
OF FRENCH FINESSE
National Geographic Traveller India

OF FRENCH FINESSE

QUENELLE DE BROCHET IS A REGIONAL LEGACY DISH HAILING FROM LYON. THE OVAL, POACHED PIKE DUMPLINGS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INVENTED BY A PASTRY CHEF TO REGULATE FISH OVERPOPULATION

time-read
2 Minuten  |
November - December 2022
Coorg: A WILD ROAST
National Geographic Traveller India

Coorg: A WILD ROAST

Back in another timber den of Karnataka, native wildlife and humble stories surprise Suhas Dwarkanath as he sips on a bold cup of robusta.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
November - December 2022
DIVING INTO RAS AL KHAIMAH
National Geographic Traveller India

DIVING INTO RAS AL KHAIMAH

THE U.A.E'S NORTHERNMOST EMIRATE IS ALL ABOUT ENJOYING NATURAL TREASURES, FROM SOARING OVER THE AL-HAJAR MOUNTAINS ON THE WORLD'S LONGEST ZIPLINE TO PERUSING PRECIOUS PEARLS BY THE SEASHORE

time-read
6 Minuten  |
September - October 2022