After our last big (and admittedly, stressful) overseas trip, I told my partner, Tim, that wherever we travelled to next for an extended holiday, it needed to be relaxing. The Maldives had never crossed my mind as a potential destination, but that was exactly where I found myself a little over a year later.
The journey
As we touched down in Malé (the country’s capital) on December 29, we were greeted by bleak grey skies and droplets of rain against the plane windows. “This isn’t what I signed up for,” I said to Tim. We were in the Maldives for seven days, and according to my weather app, we weren’t going to have a single fine day during our trip. I parked my anxiety for the time being and turned my focus towards getting to our accommodation — after nearly 18 hours of travel, the fatigue was definitely starting to set in. As we made the 45-minute journey from the airport to our resort (in a pint-sized 12-seater seaplane, no less), I was reminded of exactly how remote our location was. Situated just north of the equator in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives are made up of roughly 1200 small islands, approximately 130 of which are home to luxury private resorts. Our destination of choice — the Niyama Private Islands resort— is among them, and as it slowly came into view through my tiny plane window, I quickly realised why this is such a sought-after travel spot.
Lodging in luxury
Arriving at Niyama feels like you’re traversing into another universe. There’s white sand lining the shores, lush vegetation all around, and vibrant blue water as far as the eye can see. Postcard perfect, as it were. The resort is split into two islands: “chill” and “play”, and like their names suggest, you can choose exactly how you want to spend your time while you’re staying. Our villa was of the deluxe over-water variety, featuring a spacious interior and its own private infinity pool with direct lagoon access. Despite having neighbouring villas either side of us, there was a feeling of absolute privacy and solitude.
The people
You go for the views and stay for the hospitality in the Maldives. Checking into our villa, we soon realised the kind of service to expect during our stay; waiting for us in our room was a handcrafted welcome message, a bottle of bubbles, and some gourmet treats that had been freshly made at the resort. Each villa is also cared for by its own dedicated thakuru (host). Kind, attentive and knowledgeable, our thakuru, Imthy, made our time in the Maldives all the more special, tending to our every beck and call, and ensuring we weren’t caught by surprise in one of the Maldives’ signature tropical downpours. The rest of the team proved just as impressive. From the friendly faces we’d see each day at breakfast, and the restaurant staff who remembered Tim’s dietary restrictions after just one visit, to the personable house-keeping team who tended to our villa twice daily for cleaning and turndown service, the kindness and care we received was unparalleled.
Sunny with a chance of storms
Despite my pre-arrival worries, we awoke to the sight of rainbow skies on the second day of our trip — a promising sign that brought more good weather with it. The thing about visiting the tropics is that you never quite know what sort of weather you are going to get. It can be pouring one minute, then perfectly clear the next — even if you’re visiting during the dry season, like we were. Over the course of our stay, we experienced it all, and bore witness to several of the most awe-inspiring sunsets I’ve ever seen in my life.
Decadence awaits
It’s impossible to go hungry while staying at Niyama. The resort has eight dining spots and one dedicated bar, though finding a delicious cocktail is always easy. While every restaurant has its own unique pull factor, the resort’s culinary pièce de résistance is an underwater restaurant called Subsix, which we had the pleasure of dining at on our second day. Having done my due diligence prior to arrival, I knew that it was perhaps the most photogenic spot we would come across during our trip. And I was right. Situated six metres below sea level, the entire restaurant has a panoramic view into the ocean, and as you dine on an expertly prepared set menu, you watch schools of fish hurrying right past you in quick succession. Another standout was Nest, a treehouse-themed restaurant perched amongst a labyrinth of trees, vines and wooden poles. We dined twice there on a range of gourmet Asian dishes, leaving each time feeling sufficiently stuffed and ready for a long slumber.
Get moving
Whether it’s a restorative retreat or an adrenaline rush you’re in search of, you can find it all in the Maldives. Offering a range of deeply luxurious massages, facials and IV drips, Niyama’s Drift Spa was always a good option after a morning of snorkelling or cycling around the resort. I sampled both their signature massage and a Codage Paris facial throughout our stay and felt as though I was on cloud nine after each treatment. While much of our visit consisted of sipping cocktails poolside or lazing on one of the resort’s beaches, we could not leave without trying some of the more adventurous activities. Towards the end of our stay, we booked an evening dolphin cruise with the hope of seeing a few dolphins against the background of a radiant Maldivian sunset, but
what we saw was much more spectacular. After cruising out a few kilometres from the resort, a pod of approximately 500 spinner dolphins joined us, swimming excitedly alongside the boat and entertaining us with the occasional acrobatic flip they’re so well known for. Our cruise guide told us it’s customary to clap for the dolphins as a form of encouragement so, naturally, we obliged.
The final farewell
When our last morning in the Maldives rolled around, it felt bittersweet. On the one hand, I looked forward to reestablishing a routine; but having lost all sense of time due to the level of relaxation
we had experienced (the signifier of a good holiday), the thought of returning back to regular programming was not a welcome one. After savouring our final buffet breakfast overlooking blue sky and pristine sand, we made our way to the seaplane dock where we were met by the now familiar faces of Niyama’s team. Thanked and farewelled by name, we boarded our seaplane and, as we watched the resort sink slowly into the distance, we knew that somehow, sometime, we needed to make a return.
Words: Amberley Colby.
Images: Amberley Colby, Supplied.
