So here, you are. If you’re anything like us, you love travelling, seeing happy people eagerly awaiting their destinations buzzing about and streaming through and all the exciting stimuli one is exposed to en route to their chosen destination. Yes, as we were saying. Here you are, cozy, slightly restless and looking out through your window, in the flight, because the captain said ‘’we’ll be landing shortly’’.

You look out and you can hardly believe your eyes. Never in your wildest dreams did you think the ocean under god’s heavens was so infinite and so blue. You squint and you think you can make out the curvature of the globe, (Ha- flat earth theorists!) but there are sights even more bewildering. The currents of the ocean, and the patterns at work in the mysterious blue, the imagined whale or two and the littlest fishing boat cutting across the ocean, leaving nothing but a streak of white foam in its path. Birds, sure are lucky.

And this is when you see, Male. Almost Lego-like at first sight, but with a far more pastel colour pallet with more buildings, seemingly rising out of the ocean, stubbed closer together than you can count– any hardly deserving of being called a skyscraper because up until very recent, it was legally forbidden for any building to exceed ten floors in the Male as Maldives is the lowest country in the world, not one of its coral islands exceeding more than six feet, and it was a wide spread belief that tall buildings might sink the very land it stands on…. And this is when you feel the rampant excitement finally taking full throttle, while the narrow stripping land gets closer and closer.

’we’re here! We’re here! ‘’

One thing is for certain. You’re in a new place, and the holiday of a life time is about to lavishly roll itself out and greet you in the form of swaying coconut palms and salty-sea breezes which you’re going to breathe in, in gulps, the minute the airplane door hinges unlock ! But what-first?

Allright, let us and try and break it down for you. The moment you step out of Velana International Airport, you’ll be met with blue skies (on an ideal day), soothing views of coconut trees lined up along the road, ferries docked up on the jetty and pristine blue waters that’ll have you asking yourself, ‘’is Maldives playing a trick on my senses or is the ocean water really as clear as it’d be in an insanely gigantic swim pool?’’ But pools don’t have little ‘’nemo’’ fishes, we’ll tell you that much. Now, depending on your travel arrangements and distance, you’ll be transported off to a magical private island with its own hotel in a connecting flight or launch. Oh, by the way. Did we tell you? If you’d allow us a moment to gloat; Maldives is one of the few places in the world that embraces the unique concept where the Hotel of your choosing is located in its own private island. ‘One-hotel, one-island’. How fantastic does that sound?

But yes, before we stray off topic too much. We’d like to voice our opinion about an easily overlooked, enormously important point. If the resort you’re staying at is not too far away, you’ll be going there on a launch. Thank your lucky stars and count yourself to be lucky, because being out on the infinite ocean for 45 minutes, listening to nothing but the hum of the engine, and the waves swashing against the boat is in itself; an incomparable experience! It’s likely to be your first proper tour of the Maldives and plays out as a meditation on the beauty of Maldives which is just so mind-soothingly tranquil.

Now in an alternative scenario, imagine your connecting transportation was a couple of hours later. What do you do? You immediately mope your forehead. Take a few healthy gulps of sea-blown air and tell yourself ‘’Revitalize your adventure spirit. Because it’s exploring time!’’ Immediately proceed to putting your luggage in the cloak room, exchanged some USD for the local currency, Maldivian Rufiyaa and get on the ferry to Male! Oh yeah, the airport and the capital is divided by a 5 minute’s ride, of ocean. That just goes on to show, how unique the Maldives really is.

Now Male being only 289 miles from the equator, experiences year-round tropical weather and the island is 1.7 km long and 1.0 km wide, but with over 100,000 living on it, meaning Male is by some measures, one of the world’s densest cites. However if you’re anything like us, you live for those encapsulating moments that set butterflies in your stomach, and sets on your soul on fire. There’s such a purity, in exploring a never-before explored place and appointing your own narrative to it, glistened with all the authenticity of being a stranger in a strange place. There is nothing quite like it, is there ?

You’re now in Male. Even if some travelers dismiss Male as nothing more than a transit-stop with no night life (alcohol, by the way, is strictly forbidden in the capitals) there is certainly more to it than meets the eye; with its own distinctive character, decorated with narrow streets that get more enigmatic the deeper and deeper you walk in, colorful houses that haven’t quite transited from the yester-years to the modern eras and occasional politically-charged graffiti and a strong communal feel. It definitely will be interesting to stop a little longer and soak in the electric atmosphere if you’ve got time on your hands and in the name of adventure, trust us and strike up a conversation with a stranger. Did you know that the adult literacy rate of Maldives is 99.3 %, and though native islanders, Maldivians are customarily very hospitable, talented, opinionated and more than prepped to offer a uniquely insightful intelligent conversation in English, that’s going to be eagerly jotted down as one of the many inspiring high-lights of ‘the best trip you’ve ever had’.

With as much certainty as there is a sun in the sky, we assure you. Your trip to the Maldives, is going to be one of the very best of your life and you’re going to pick up some imperishable memories along the way, and you’re going to know the completely sober feeling of having your heart become overjoyed, and simply flood over. To think, your holiday hasn’t even started yet. Come experience the beauty of Maldives for yourself and live to create your own tale.