Maldives: Heaven on Earth

Everything you heard about the Maldives is TRUE.  It has the bluest skies, clearest seas, softest sand, biggest coral and most gorgeous marine life!  Just a little piece of heaven on Earth!!

Maldives is a brilliant country that consists of over one thousand islands!  You heard me, right.  This nation of islands has over 200 resorts on 89 of its habitable islands.  The main mode of transport is by cruiser.  Once you are on one of the island resorts, time stands still.  Literally.

During our four days on the island resort, Vivanta by Taj, time became irrelevant. We ate when we felt hungry, slept when we were tired, swam when we felt hot and lounged when we got tired of being in the sea or pool.  Clocks and watches disappeared from sight and like they say, out of sight, out of mind.  Life was idyllic, peaceful and good! 

A hotspot for honeymooners and celebrities, Maldives is ideal for those who crave for some peace, quiet and privacy. I met local celebrity comedienne, Irene Ang yesterday at the Trend Micro event and she told me she just came back from Maldives too! Check out her lovely tan and how fresh she looks!

Is Maldives family friendly?

Absolutely!!  How can you go wrong with sun, sea and sand with the children?  While Vivanta by Taj did not have a kids club like some of the other resorts, the staff was very hospitable, understanding and helpful when it came to catering for the children.  For example, one morning my 2 kids were fighting over who should have the single yummy chocolate donut in the breakfast basket. Even before, we (the parents) could step in to stop the bickering, Amol, one of the waiters walked over with an extra chocolate donut.  Conflict resolved.

Later that evening, we wanted to dine Al fresco at The Grill.  As we scanned the menu, we noticed that there wasn't anything on the menu for the kids. We were about to get up and returned to our rooms to order room service when again, by his own initiative, the waiter serving us immediately offered to put together some spaghetti bolognaise for the kids. He even served them in separate pasta bowls so there'll be no messy division on my part. How thoughtful !

And one evening, we returned 'home' - that's what the kids were beginning to call our hotel room - to find a manually printed scroll addressed to my 5-year-old girl.  It was a storybook that the housekeeping had thoughtfully printed out 'just for her'.

This dream vacation was a delight in so many ways.  We enjoyed the island tremendously from the food, the activities to the friendly people we met on the island.   

Rowan with her mom (England)

The honeymooners (France)

And yes, Maldives is expensive.  Very expensive! Getting to the mainland, Male cost us US$70 per person.  But I tell ya,  the joy of experiencing Mother Nature's pure creations at such close proximity and all the first-memories I gained with my children?

• Our first midnight cruise ride to our island resort (50 minutes away from the main island of Male)
• Our kids' first snorkelling experience - the water in the lagoon is so clear you can see all sorts of Marine life!  
• Sharing our first glimpse of the famous natural, unsullied coral reef of Maldives together as a family  
• Feeding stingrays and seeing sharks and eels in their natural environment for the first time.

These memories are priceless! So, my husband and I will have to work harder and smarter for the next few years.  But at least we can say, we've been to Heaven, enjoyed it and came back to share with our friends.  

A picture can say a thousand words, we hope you enjoy our memories as much as we do.