Unattainable. A word I try to eradicate from my vocabulary as often as possible, whether it be in terms of my personal, professional or travel life. Why put a ceiling on what we can achieve in one lifetime? However, for a very long time, I did have three destinations on a list of places that seemed unattainable. I considered these destinations unattainable due to their unique beauty, high cost and general “out of my league” aura and reputation that I believed I would never be able to afford to get to such places let alone stay in them. The locations I had placed in this bracket were: The Maldives, Bora Bora and The Galapagos Islands. Gorgeous, white sand islands surrounded by crystal blue waters and an abundance of diverse aquatic marine life waiting to be explored. But as I’ve learnt, no destination is unattainable, nor should it be. I made inroads to prove this to myself and others when I made my way to The Maldives in December 2019.
The Maldives’ expensive, high class reputation comes largely due to its exotic bungalows that allow people to stay, not just on, but in some cases, under the sea. Like SpongeBob in his pineapple, some resorts have bungalows with glass windows under the water, immersing its inhabitants in the underwater world without having to leave their bed. With the opportunity to dive and snorkel with not just whale sharks and manta rays, but turtles, octopi and 1000s of species of fish as well, it is easy to understand how, to some people, the Maldives is a place they will never be able to afford to visit in their lifetime. Having said that, there is more to the Maldives and more ways to see them than what the 5-star resort advertisements suggest. The resorts of the Maldives attempted to create an upper-class tourism monopoly that the government wasn’t going to allow to happen. In 2011, the Maldivian law restricting residents from allowing tourists to stay in guesthouses around the country was lifted. Lifting this law opened the door to budget tourism led by residents eager to build hotel-like properties with multiple rooms to rent, catering to tourists with lighter wallets. It was through these “guesthouses” that I was able to see and experience what are, quite possibly, the most beautiful, tranquil and isolated islands I’ve ever laid my eyes upon.
MALE' and HULLAMALE'
The Maldivian capital city of Male’ is the most densely populated city in the world, with around 180,000 people on 9 square kms of land. It’s so pressed for space that a man-made island of reclaimed land had to be created next to Male’ to accommodate the population. This island, called Hullamale’ or Male’ extension, is connected by the recently opened ‘Chinese Friendship Bridge’. It’s this island that tourists fly into as it is home to the only international airport in the Maldives. The journey begins before landing at that airport however, when you are still above the islands. In fact, my very first Maldivian “pinch me moment” happened at least 15 minutes before the plane touched land. As you begin to descend from the heavens the atolls below become clear. Coral rings forming islands scattered throughout the sea paint a picture that can’t be perfected by editing. It’s simply that beautiful. To describe an emotion induced by such a sight isn’t an easy feat. With a mixture of a smile and a genuine jaw-drop I was overcome by a powerful sense of giddiness I hadn’t felt in a long time. All those overhead drone shots of a country I didn’t think I would get to see in this lifetime underrate the view from above. It is not a feeling you can capture in a photo or describe in words effectively. It’s something you must experience. For once in my life I was hoping to be stuck in a holding pattern above this enigmatic eyesore. Making things even more enjoyable is the painless and welcoming immigration process. I can confidently say that I was greeted into the Maldives by the politest officers I’ve ever met over my many years of travel. No other country even goes close. So after a stamp and a smile I was through the airport doors and faced with a choice of taxi or boat to take me to the capital or beyond.
Male’ and its extension aren’t what most people think of when they hear the name Maldives. Between the two islands they share only one natural beach. Buildings dominate the skyline, but the traffic is slow moving and most of it is motorbikes and scooters. Male’ itself feels like a small seaside city at most, unlike any other capital city I’ve been to. Contrasting mosques throughout the island intrigue the tradesman in me. From traditional mosques of white and gold, to a fascinating ultra-modern mosque of royal blue. Its unique colour and jagged architecture have created controversy among the locals who don’t seem to appreciate the change as much as I did, but see it as ugly and unnecessary. With only one natural beach over in Hullamale’ and none in Male’ itself, two artificial beaches have been built to keep the residents cool and give them a slice of the islands that surround them. Having a capital city as small as Male’ means that there is no chance for agriculture so naturally everything has to be imported either from the sea, other islands, or as in the case of motor fuel, other countries like Dubai. The fish markets are always bustling as it is the main source of food for the residents with fruit and vegetable markets lining the streets outside. A large portion of these fruits and vegetables come from an agricultural island that I would visit and very shortly, fall in love with.
THODDOO
The island of Thoddoo takes an hour and half to reach by speed boat from Male’. The ride to the island is an adventure within itself. I always expected that the seas between the islands would be smooth, but I couldn’t have been more wrong, at times it felt like an amusement park ride. I found the journey across to be quite fun, having gone into it with an excited mindset, but it could be a tough commute for those prone to seasickness. This isn’t something to worry about though, as the visuals in front of your eyes on arrival create a short-term memory loss for those who didn’t find the ride so enjoyable. The thick foliage of tropical trees sitting above the white sand base of Thoddoo creates an instant relaxation. The island is silent. Waves can be heard folding over themselves next to the protected “harbour”. A soft breeze dulls the sting of the sun shining relentlessly from a cloudless sky. This is what it is all about. With a diameter of 6km the best way to explore the island is by bike. With a golf buggy taking my bags from the dock to my guesthouse my eagerness to explore had reached its peak. The first beach I visited was sunrise beach. Whether it is sunrise at the time or not it is a beautiful jungle walk to the deserted tranquility. Turning from the jungle and getting my first glimpse at the beach is something I’ll never forget. My first real Maldivian beach I’d laid my eyes upon gave me a pure “wow” moment. Armed with an Instagram-worthy beach swing, beach lounges and palm trees for shade, I originally thought it couldn’t get any better than this. I was wrong. Back on the bike I began to see evidence of why Thoddoo is responsible for so much of the agriculture in the Maldives. I found myself surrounded by trees with papaya and coconuts growing above me, watermelon and pineapple growing below me and a firm dirt road guiding me to my next stop. I tried to imagine what I must look like on this old retro bicycle, sitting tall, smiling broadly and swivelling my head left and right. It makes me think of a cheesy 1990s romance film. I found it hard not to giggle to myself at how fortunate I was just to be alive. Then I found myself on sunset beach. A long, wide sandy beach with refreshing, yet comfortable water and snorkelling to enjoy only few meters from the shore. The best was still yet to come. Once the sun started to set, a catalogue of colours began to stretch across the sky. Rays of pink, orange and yellow spanned across the blue. Digging my toes into the sand only heightened my senses further, all of which were going ballistic in a feast of fascination. I will attempt to summarise the experience: beautiful sunset for your eyes, the sound of small waves lapping in your ears, the feel of fine sand grains between your fingers and toes, the smell of palm trees and sea water in your nose. Thoddoo’s sunset beach had set a new benchmark for the term bliss in my vocabulary.
DHIFFUSHI
Hopping between locations gave a good first-hand look at the different islands and what makes them tick, though it wasn’t as simple as I originally thought. It is rare for ferries and passenger speed boats to run between specific islands, so in most cases, to get from one island to another there is a transfer in Male. Along the pier road are a few cafes and cash machines to help pass the time and prepare for the next island. Forty-five minutes on the much calmer speed boat from Male and I was on the more developed, more populated island of Dhiffushi. The dirt roads were flatter. The main streets had shops and non-alcoholic bars on either side. Guesthouses were rapidly popping up throughout the island. I saw it as a place that was quick to embrace cheaper tourism and swiftly began capitalising on the change. The giveaway of Dhiffushi’s adaptability was their multiple “bikini beaches”. The Maldives is a strictly Islamic country where modest clothing must always be worn, even in the sea. But Dhiffushi has multiple areas set aside for people who don’t follow Islamic dress code, to holiday as they please. Not only does it make tourists more comfortable, but it also drastically reduces the chances of accidentally offending the local people by showing an offensive amount of skin or shape. This shows they are prepared to embrace a change in the economy and negotiate ways that make both locals and tourists happy. It was quite a contrast from the island of Thoddoo, which was clearly still very much focused on agriculture, but is slowly moving towards accommodating an imminent tourism boom. A walk through the town of Dhiffushi is short but sweet. With artwork on walls, a school, futsal and football grounds there is much more happening on the smaller island than the one I was on previously. Adventures to picnic island offer tourists the chance to have their Jack Sparrow moment. All alone on a deserted island with nothing but water as far as the eye can see. This is because an uninhabited island with trees but no buildings in the Maldives is what classifies as a “picnic island”. If there are no trees, they refer to it as a sandbar. Seems simple enough. Picnic islands and sandbars are where people tend to go if they want a few hours away or want to do water sports. Anything from jet skis and wakeboarding to snorkelling and scuba diving are all popular options. Some 5 star resorts do offer all-inclusive day passes to their facilities for people who are craving a drink at their all-inclusive bar. They allow use of their pools, services and even an opportunity to check out those ever so famous sea bungalows we see so much of. The options are plentiful for those that want to keep busy. But with beaches like the ones on offer, it’s easy to understand how even the most restless adventurer can decide to resort to the simplicity of chilling out at the beach.
BUDGET FRIENDLY TOURS
Throughout my journey I had the pleasure of meeting a Maldivian man who I soon became friends with. I was curious as to why there weren’t more tours in the Maldives aimed at people with a more friendly budget. After lengthy discussions we concluded that it's the image created by the 5-star resorts to the high-end market that keeps people away. This unattainable aura keeps the world from realising they can very easily come and live the dream in this South Asian paradise on a budget. Having experienced it myself it felt like an injustice not to help my new friend work toward his dream of creating a tour. After crunching the numbers, we were able to put a figure on the cost of 8 days of Island hopping in the Maldives. If someone were to tell me beforehand that I could bounce between 4 Maldivian Islands, with all accommodation and meals covered, along with transfers, for 1000 USD, I would’ve told them they were dreaming. I had to experience it to believe it. But it’s true. The Maldives is very much attainable.
If the idea of a cheap hassle-free holiday in the Maldives excites you. Don’t hesitate to contact me for details. This is a place that you should experience at least once in their life, and you can!