Exploring Maldives: Things todo in Maafushi
The Maldives was an unplanned trip last December. It was the end of the year and I was in a celebration mood. One night, I started exploring destinations for vacation. On top of the list was Mauritius. I knew it would be difficult to find hotels and flight bookings at the last moment and I had to pay a slightly higher amount but I was ready for it like a fool.
But thank god, soon I came to my senses as the prices were far higher than my expectations. So naturally, the next options were Maldives, Andaman, etc. After seeing stunning pictures of colorful, shining beaches in the Maldives at night, we decided on the Maldives.
Flight and hotel bookings were also available at decent prices. My husband also convinced me saying that rather than indulging in a lot of traveling and adventures for which Mauritius is famous for, we can be on one island and relax. I somehow agreed with this idea and thought to give it a try. Now I can say that it was a leisure trip and the best experience so far.
The Maldives is a country with several beautiful sets of islands. The next question that arose was which islands to visit. Some islands are run by 7/5 stars resorts and other options for stay are not available. If you want total privacy and want to stay in luxurious over-water bungalows, you can visit islands such as Viligili, Vadhoo etc.
We chose Mafushi, where the tourist flow is high and all kinds of hotels are available. Hotel Kaani Village and Aranca organize one-day excursions. There are many activities such as night fishing, scuba, snorkeling, dolphin watching, sand bank trip, candlelight dinner on the beach etc.
They also take you to a nearby island for a day trip where you can again do many things. Let me assure non-swimmers that you can easily do snorkeling without knowing swimming. Just get used to the sea for some time and you are good to go deep. It’s a lovely world inside the ocean and I enjoyed thoroughly.
We also used to hang out on the beach early morning and until late at night. Maafushi is a safe island in the Maldives but it is unsafe to be alone in any area. Ladies can wear swimwear only on certain beaches in the Maldives. It is a must to keep a bottle of sunscreen lotion in the bag else you may get tanned for a long period of time like I did. On a sandbank, it is very helpful to wear sunglasses and a cap as the sun rays are too strong.
I saw couples giving a sweet surprise to their partner by organizing candlelight dinner for him/her on the beach with the help of hotel staff.
We used to have our dinner early in the evening and love spending time going on a troll on the beach and sitting on the pier on the beach. There we found ourselves having long conversations or singing songs at times or simply sitting quietly, getting lost in fantasy. It gives immense pleasure to be on the beach in the night. We agreed to visit such places at least once a year.
My most memorable evening was when we went on night fishing, we and the speedboat in the middle of the sea, the sun is setting, stars start to appear in the sky, cool breeze, some members already started competing for poor fishes which would be served for dinner.
They parked the boat and stopped the engine, no noise from the speedboat now, only wind and waves, up I saw the sky full of stars, 7 star Anantara resort shining on a small nearby island, speedy waves crossing the pier over there, giving little fearful moments but I felt secure in the company of confident fishermen.
After catching one fish when others were patiently waiting for their catch, I chose to give up fishing. For so long I have been ignoring nature’s attempts to romance with me. I kept staring at stars, could feel the breeze, the movements of the ocean. I was very peaceful yet bursting with excitement. It was a stunning evening. I came back with a heavy heart, promising my dear nature to meet again in the middle of the ocean, at the same time, maybe in a different place next time.
Featured Image PC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_Maldives
Maafushi island PC: http://budgetmaldives.co/en/maafushi/
Underwater PC: https://unsplash.com/photos/AX4IP3j8cB0
Candlelight dinner PC: http://www.sheratonmaldives.com/private-dining
Night fishing PC: https://steemit.com/fishing/@jrcornel/an-essential-guide-to-night-fishing