Maldives - Paradise on Earth

The first long journey... and straight to the Maldives... wow!

That's what many friends and relatives said back then when we publicly announced our vacation plans for 2012.

Actually, this vacation came about unexpectedly: At the time, we were at our trusted travel agency to book a trip for September/October. Initially, destinations like Spain, Greece, or Portugal were on our minds. But our travel agent showed us some suggestions that matched our initial expectations, and that's when the following reaction set in... 'Really, spend so much money on a week in Spain...?!'

The lady from the travel agency then replied that there were, of course, alternatives and explained that the longer the vacation, the better the value. Half-jokingly, my friend replied: 'Great, then we might as well go to the Caribbean or the Maldives!' The travel agent said that it was no problem and quickly put together one or two proposals on her computer - and there it was - the first all-inclusive package to the Maldives on our screen... and our eyes sparkled as we envisioned ourselves lying in a hammock between two coconut trees. So the decision was not difficult: 16 days in the Maldives, all-inclusive, including flights from Frankfurt - all for about 800 EUR more than a week in Mallorca. We were happy!

It was supposed to start in early October - the days until departure were counted, the suitcases finally packed, and we started our journey to Frankfurt Airport with a Rail&Fly ticket. What we hadn't considered was that the Stuttgart Volksfest was still taking place in Cannstatt at the time, so we found ourselves sitting in the train compartment with festive traditional costume wearers while already being in the Maldives mood. It was funny, but also a bit exhausting :-) But this journey also passed, and finally, we arrived at Frankfurt Airport.

The flight with Oman Air was supposed to take about 16 hours, with a layover around the midpoint in the Omani capital Muscat. Long-haul flights are really comfortable nowadays, and with the entertainment system, time flies quickly. We also tried to sleep in the meantime - unfortunately, it was impossible for me in the upright seat position, but I managed to doze off for a few seconds. :-)

Therefore, we were very happy when after about 7 hours we finally had our layover in Muscat, also to stretch our legs and see something other than the headrest of the person in front of us. We were a bit surprised to see many people with hiking equipment at the airport - but I was told that Oman is one of the most popular countries for hiking and trekking. The landscape looked accordingly during the approach - many mountain ranges and endless expanses of undeveloped land. Certainly also a great destination!!!

But let's stick with our Maldives vacation for now :-)

The flight to the main island of the Maldives, called Male, went smoothly and quietly, and just before landing, we could already see the first light brown spots in the bright blue water - the small islands of the Maldives, which are divided into different atolls, appeared below us - a really beautiful sight, and we heard many cameras and mobile phones clicking for the photo motif.

The landing was exciting - the airport in Male is, of course, also on a small island... and let me put it this way - you hope that the brakes of the airplane work properly because the runway eventually ends in the water :-) But our pilot knew what he was doing and safely brought the bird to the runway... finally arrived. 16 hours of flight time finally over!!! Freedom!!!! Vacation!!! Maldives!!!

We happily disembarked from the plane, and warmth and sunshine welcomed us - what could be better.

We were then driven by shuttle bus to a smaller airport in Male - after all, we had booked the transfer to the island of Kuredu with a seaplane... we were very excited about this experience. First, we were taken to an air-conditioned terminal, where we were given mint-infused towels for cooling down and freshening up - we could then make ourselves comfortable on a sofa until departure.

A seaplane can transport up to 14 people, flies only about 100-150 meters above the water, and then lands, as the name suggests, also in the water... the propeller aircraft is incredibly loud, and you are given earplugs before departure.

The pilot team greeted us with a wide smile at boarding and, of course, barefoot, Maldives style :-) Yes, a lot of things are done barefoot in the Maldives - I didn't wear shoes for 14 days... a dream. And the pilots also fly barefoot - that was a new experience, but cool!

Under rumbling and roaring noise, the plane took off. There was no luggage compartment - the suitcases were simply placed in the rear part of the plane, covered with a net as protection, and a crew member, who was also responsible for opening the door, took care of the safety :-)

And then, after about 45 minutes of flight time, it finally happened - our island appeared in the sunset, an island that we would not really leave for the next 14 days: KUREDU.

During the approach, we could see a long wooden jetty leading to the island - here we were warmly welcomed by an employee, and our luggage was taken. The further we walked on the wooden jetty towards the island, the louder the drums of the welcoming ceremony became. Sorry, but that was too much for me - tears ran down my face because it was just such a perfect moment that I still think back to today with a lump in my throat. Sunset, dream island, barefoot, and such a nice welcome... unbelievable - I had arrived in paradise.

After the first formalities were taken care of, we were taken by an electric golf cart to our beach bungalow. As I said, we were staying on a barefoot island, which means we moved around barefoot for 14 days. Even for meals at the restaurant - it was a feeling of pure freedom!

The beach bungalow also impressed us - a beautiful room with a canopy bed, wall closet, and a small desk with a kettle, a veranda with 2 loungers, and an outdoor bathroom with a small garden. A dream, I don't need anything more to live, really! We quickly settled in and slept like logs in the first night because we had to process the long journey and the first impressions.

The next morning, we were awakened by the wildlife on Kuredu with loud chirping. But in vacation, you never perceive that as annoying, rather as relaxation. With a grumbling stomach, we (barefoot!!!) made our way to the main restaurant, where breakfast and all-inclusive meals were served. Since we hadn't seen the restaurant the night before, we were amazed - many small beautiful wooden tables and an impressive breakfast buffet with everything your heart desires awaited us.

The staff and the chefs available at the different stations were very friendly and spread good vibes.

Really, there was everything to eat that you can imagine - for breakfast, you could have any type of egg dish you wanted; a huge sausage and cheese counter, sweet dishes, and even curry for breakfast. Paradise :-)

I think I easily gained 5 kg on this vacation (as you can maybe see in the pictures :-)), but I just had to try everything - especially with exotic dishes and fresh fish, which was served every evening, I couldn't resist. And the curries were heavenly... there were different dishes every evening, and everything was always fresh, delicious, and lovingly prepared. The local cuisine is influenced by Indian and Sri Lankan flavors. Lots of fish, lots of fruit, and sometimes a bit spicy... absolutely delicious! Of course, international cuisine is also offered on such resort islands - honestly, I always boycott that a bit, even in other countries. I want to get to know the country, the food, and the culture and not eat schnitzel with fries there. But there are many tourists who need that - to each their own :-) I am completely satisfied with local dishes.

Yes, and what do you do in the Maldives when you're not eating ?! I can actually describe it in one word: Enjoyment!

Whether you're simply lying in a hammock or on a lounge chair, or taking a walk (you can walk around the island in less than an hour :-)) - you have arrived in absolute paradise here, nothing stresses you, no one annoys you, you can let your soul dangle. Definitely pure relaxation. But adventurers won't get bored here either, there is a diving and snorkeling school on Kuredu that offers daily trips to beautiful diving spots - for example, a trip to one of the neighboring islands, where you can dive and snorkel with manta rays, is absolutely worth seeing. If you don't have a diving certificate yet, you can get it in the crystal-clear, warm water at Kuredu's house reef! Small trips, for example to Malé or to an inhabited island, can be booked through the hotel or through the corresponding tour operator at your travel destination - so you see, there is something for everyone. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the golf and soccer field - they can be used at any time. Table tennis and table soccer are also available, as far as I can remember. There is also a regular soccer tournament where the resort staff competes against other teams from other resort islands, or even against hotel guests :-)

There is something for everyone, I would say - personally, I enjoyed snorkeling at the impressive house reef and tried to be a sun worshipper while lying on the lounger - I think it worked pretty well. Taking a stroll around the island once a day, and the vacation sports program was perfect :-)

The house reef is home to many different fish species and also many corals and turtles. An absolute variety of colors and the well-known tranquility underwater invite you to linger and admire. Just be a little cautious with the 'triggerfish' - this fish defends its nest on the seabed and can be quite aggressive. With its two teeth, it can give quite a bite and sometimes even cause flesh wounds. However, you will receive detailed instructions upon arrival, so there is no need to panic. He followed us once while snorkeling but turned back when we left his 'comfort zone'. You can also see sharks and rays here - they are harmless as long as you leave them alone - I'll put it this way, don't touch anything you don't know and treat it with due respect, then everything is fine, and you can enjoy and admire everything in peace.

The hotel itself also offers nice activities during the day so that some guests can escape the possible island fever: they offer craft classes, cooking classes, and movie afternoons. In the evening, there is often a themed party, such as a 'White Party' with good music and delicious cocktails. If you don't want the hustle and bustle, simply retreat to the other side of the island - here, for example, you can also beautifully observe the legendary sunset at the Sunset Bar. You can also have a nice cocktail made from a freshly picked coconut.

Of course, wellness and spa are not neglected here either. I had the best aroma massage here in the spa area... and drank the best ginger tea of my life in the relaxation area.

As you have surely noticed, such a vacation is primarily a pure relaxation and beach vacation, so if you are looking for an adventure-action vacation, you should maybe look elsewhere...

If you are looking for relaxation, peace, a snorkeling paradise, and good food, you have come to the right place! You can really shape everyday life a little differently every day, so that it never got boring for us or the people we met there! I can definitely recommend this island - everything was great for me, and it was simply a dream vacation in paradise. I would love to come back!!!