Maldives - Feast For The Senses

If you’re looking for an idyllic escape, head to the Maldives, the island nation of white sandy beaches, soothing ocean breezes, pristine waters, and expanses of blue to rival any view.

- Charlene Flanagan

As I sat on the wooden deck of my overwater villa, I embraced the solitude and gazed into a star-light sky. The voices of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling singing ‘City of stars, are you shining just for me’ were the only company I had that evening. Lulled by the gentle vibration of the waves hitting against the stilts, my exhaustion from the day melted away, and I was filled with a sense of calm.

After a three-hour flight from Mumbai to Malé via GoAir, I waited in a lounge at the Velana International Airport before my departure to the island of Koodoo (an hour-long flight from Malé arranged by the hotel). Fortunately, the seamless check-in at the resort (complete with the sweetest tender coconut water I’d tasted in a while) and the quick buggy ride from the lobby to my room, made up for the hours of travel. As I stepped on to the deck, I was met by silhouettes of palm trees against a blackboard of glitter, complemented by the silver ripples of the lagoon. I was finally in the Maldives, a place I’d only ever seen in photographs.