When: September 8-12, 12-19, and 19, 2010
Why: Proper honeymoon and post-bar exam trip
On Tuesday, September 7th, we flew to Male, Maldives via Singapore for the main part of our trip. We landed quite late in the evening and stayed at an airport hotel. On Wednesday morning, we woke up to absolute beauty - even at the hotel airport.
As soon as we were ready, we went back to the international airport where we were transported to the float plane airport and Soneva's lounge. After an hour or so wait, we were on a float plane bound for Soneva Fushi. The flight was one of the most memorable parts of the trip because we had a bird's eye view of paradise. The colors were more vivid than I have ever seen in my life, and maybe even more rich than I could have imagined. Sure, the islands are gorgeous, but I thought the color variations in the water around the numerous reefs were even more stunning. It was also amusing to be in a plane with a barefoot pilot and no cockpit door.
We had a fantastic time at the resort once we arrived. Every detail was considered in advance, and it was nearly effortless to forget about reality in such beautiful surroundings. We did a fair bit of reading, sunbathing, wandering around the island, snorkeling, and patronizing the over-water bar. The food was absolutely spectacular: fresh, complex, varied, well-prepared, and in perfect proportion. I loved that we had an espresso machine in our room because it allowed us to have morning and after coffee without going the least bit out of the way. Most people we ran into at Soneva Fushi said that it was not their first time, and I can definitely see why someone would want to return there.
After about 5 days at the resort, it was time to fly back to Male and pick up the Maldives Aggressor for a week of non-stop diving. You can read the crew's log of our trip here. While aboard the Aggressor, we did three to four dives a day and saw some incredible wildlife. We saw, snorkeled with, and dove with whale sharks, but I actually thought the manta rays were more impressive. It was really very special to be hovering just a few feet below a cluster of magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. We also saw more moray eels that I'd seen in my entire life combined. There was one particular night dive where we saw probably 20 moray eels out hunting - amazing. Of course, we also saw hawksbill turtles, green turtles, and more fish than I can even begin to describe. It really was a diver's paradise.
In addition to the diving, we made new friends aboard the Aggressor, meeting people from all over the world who have had some really interesting life and dive experiences. In this day and age of social media, I'm hopeful that we'll be able to stay in touch with many of them.
One of the most memorable parts of the Aggressor week was our visit to an island. About halfway through the week, we pulled up to an island that appeared deserted. As sunset approached, several of us took one of the smaller boats to the island to have a walk around it. The sand was incredibly soft, and it was a spectacular sunset. We really enjoyed our hour or so lingering on the island, exploring, and enjoying each others' company. In hind sight, it was particularly special because that sunset was the last we saw of the sun in the Maldives as it rained the remaining days on the boat and our final day in country at Soneva Gili.
George and I really enjoyed ourselves in the Maldives, and I would not be surprised if we eventually make a return trip. For now, it remains a very special trip and one we won't soon be able to duplicate or supersede.
Photos of the Aggressor: here
1 comment:
If there truly is paradise on earth, I think you found it. Whew! These are beautiful, fantastic, wonderful, and ever-so-amazing!
Mama
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