The road to Maldives was long and eventful. We arrived in Kuala Lumpur at 1am and our connecting flight wasn’t until 8pm, so we checked in a hotel only to find out we’re checked in not until 2pm later that day. Good thing there was a nearby inn that was available. So we checked in, then checked out at 12nn, checked in again at the second hotel (the booking could no longer be cancelled), then checked out at 6pm. We flew to Male, landed at 10pm, stayed overnight at a creepy inn in the middle of nowhere, then finally took a sea plane to Kuredu island a few hours later the next morning at 6am. It was my first time ever to ride sea plane, so it was quite a thrill. A bit scary, especially when we hit the clouds, but way cool, especially with the water landing. After almost 36 hours since we left Manila, we have arrived in Maldives, one of my ultimate bucket list destinations.
But once we landed, almost programmed to be disappointed with such unreasonably high expectations of Maldives, to further abuse a cliche, we were greeted with paradise. The staff was so welcoming (not as festive as when you arrive in the big Palawan resorts where you’re greeted with a throng of singing staff members), and very professional.
We’re spending the first half of our stay in a garden villa, then the other half in the more expensive, but more stunning water villa.
And once we swam near the resort’s trademark sand bar, it turned out to be one of my most memorable beach experiences ever. The sun radiated steadily, the water was luminous turquoise, the temperature was warm and inviting, the cool breeze blew steadily, and big fish swam past you in the crystal clear, shallow water, free of stones or corals. It was, to put it simply, magical. It was one of those moments that you keep safe in your memory bank, pull it out when your feeling low, then put it back in for future use. It was so good I didn’t want it to end.
We booked a manta ray snorkeling expedition for tomorrow (another bucket list entry, if ever), so hopefully all goes well with that. It’s been just a day on the island, and already it’s been worth the money and effort to be here. In my humble opinion, you can’t put a price tag on the memories and insights you gain when traveling.
And I haven’t felt stronger about that opinion as I do now, nestled in this paradise island, a gem in the middle of the Indian ocean.
