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There
are lush screw pine thickets with gangly roots like a monster in a
cartoon movie, sandbanks with a single palm tree framed against indigo
skies, miles and miles of pristine, blue waters, bristling with a
variety of marine life. There are at least 1,192 islands spread over
800 km, where the highest point is less than 8 feet high! The lowest,
the flattest country in the world... a country with 99 per cent of its
area covered by water, the Maldives were once called the 'money isles'
referring to the cowry shells which were found there, and used as
currency at that time. It was in 1,153 that Islam came to the islands,
when, as a legend goes, an Islamic scholar defeated a sea monster by
reading the Koran. Today, the Maldives is a devoutly Muslim country
with a capital studded with mosques and a population which abstains
from alcohol.
From the air, the
ring-shaped coral atolls called faroes, in every shade of blue, look
like a Paul Gauguin painting….a world of rainbow colours with
patterns and striations. It was in 1971 that an intrepid Italian
traveller reached Maldives and set off a wave of tourism. A UN report
at that point had said there was no point in pursuing tourism in the
Maldives because of the lack of infrastructure — there were no
banks, airports, or drinking water. In 1972, the first simple resort
called Kurumba Village was built with sandy floors, thatched roofs,
coral walls and two small generators. Today, more than one third of
the country's GDP comes from tourism. There are more than 100 resorts
ranging from simple to over-the-top ones frequented by the rich and
famous. But still a holiday in the Maldives is mostly about the water
and sand.
The world of the resorts is unparallel luxury from the swish Reeti Rah with its jet set clientele to the eco-friendly and back-to-nature Soneva Gili. It's a great experience to watch a frenzied performance of the Bodu beru drummers beating drums made of coconut wood covered with goat hide. This is honeymoon republic as well as family paradise. Every island looks like a botanical garden with lush vegetation, the fragrance of jasmine and frangipani, hermit crabs and fruit bats. There is a world underneath the clear waters with a parade of clownfish, wrasses, angelfish and parrotfish. One can take a dolphin excursion to watch these playful creatures or indulge in water sports such as diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, water skiing and surfing. Each island has its own personality fashioned by its history. To get a glimpse of local life outside the resorts, step into a village — there is a football court, a modern mosque, and a row of spotless houses. Bread fruit and almond trees line the spotless sandy streets. Every village has a small boat building yard, a local store and a small school. Maldivian cuisine has influences of the Malabar Coast as well as Sri Lankan cuisine. Tuna and coconut is omnipresent. Garudhiya or fish stew is a local staple. Bajias — tuna fish samosas and mas roshi — a fish and coconut patty are common snacks on the menu. Vegetarians have a range of offerings like bread fruit curry, banana fruit sambal and kiru garu dhiya made of drumsticks and coconut milk. To the Indian palate there is the familiar chapatis called roshis and to indulge the sweet tooth there are desserts like old-fashioned bread pudding and screw pine pudding.
A holiday in the Maldives is a return to life in the slow lane. When the sheer luxury of doing almost nothing recharges your batteries and rejuvenates you for life in the urban jungle once again. FACT FILE HOW TO GET THERE: Fly Sri Lankan Airlines to Colombo and connect to Male international airport from there. Every resort arranges a pick-up. WHERE TO STAY: Stay at Dusit Thani in Baa Atoll or the swish Anantara Dhigu in the South Male Atoll, which offers beach villas to over-the water villas. For those seeking entertainment, musical performances and activities try Kuramathi Resorts located in North Ari Atoll. WHAT TO DO: Snorkelling, diving, parasailing, jet skiing. Visit a local village. Take a dolphin watching trip or sunset fishing. BUY: Locally made mats, lacquer work. WHEN TO GO: Maldives has a tropical climate, warm throughout the year. In mid-December to early January rooms come at a premium. WARNING TIPS: This is a Muslim country, dress modestly. Avoid touching or walking on live corals as it is damaging. Don’t buy souvenirs made from endangered animals or coral jewellery. Do not bring back shells
or coral pieces.
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The country has a strong
green conscience and tries to reduce its carbon footprint. Each resort
attempts to do its bit towards green initiatives.The Dusit Thani
Resort has LED lighting, solar water heaters, recycling of waste water
and even a turtle conservation program. At the Anantara Dhigu, you can
accompany a marine biologist and watch as he carefully replants broken
bits of coral in neat beds in the ocean- a coral adoption program. The
Kuramathi Resort has an award-winning eco centre with a reconstructed
sperm whale skeleton and many nature appreciation programs like a
botanical walk, hermit crab walk and a hydroponics garden. Many hotels
support local villages as well as run conservation programs.
