Travel
THE MALDIVES
Portrait of paradise
are the Maldives, with their insistent
beauty and insouciant sexiness, the
most romantic place on earth?
suspended in daydream, it is a sunny,
spectral place that bobs over the
computer screen, floats in the spume of
the sink, shimmers in the exhaust fumes
of the rush hour. some of the smaller
islands also come and go with the
seasons. Thor heyerdahl, the Norwegian
explorer who studied the Maldives
claimed to have seen three islands
emerge after a storm in 1955.
Because the islands are so small,
they offer a beach holiday experience
Portrait of Paradise
stripped to its most tantalising bare
Are the Maldives, with their insitent
essentials. The price you pay for
beauty and insouciant sexiness, the
this perfection is isolation – you are
effectively a prisoner in a gilded cage.
most romantic place on earth?
everything that is required for sybaritic
existence is flown in; everything that
might intrude on lounging about in
5 things to do
paradise lies conveniently beyond the Earth’s tiniest capital
turquoise seas and the blue lagoons. Those who tire of island life may
Deep blue sea of the surrounding islands
want to head to Malé. at one square
A scuba diver’s paradise, in The Seychelles or
the snorkelling and Maldives during
Live the life of Robinson mile, it’s the world’s smallest capital
diving opportunities on your stay. Check out
The coral-fringed Maldivian island of city. start at the waterfront where
these tropical isles are
www.seychelles.travel/en/ vabbinfaru is the idyllic backdrop for dhonis unload their catch for the
second to none. With home/index.php
the Banyan Tree resort (Tel. +960 664 colourful fish market nearby. seek out
crystal clear water, and www.tourismin
magnificent coral reefs
maldives.com
3147,
www.banyantree.com/maldives). the National Museum in the former
and masses of exotic A song and dance
lying 20 minutes’ boat ride from Malé, sultan’s palace, which has 11th-century
fish, scuba diving is If you’re honeymooning vabbinfaru’s waters are accessible only stone figures excavated by adventurer
an absolute must for in Fiji take part in a
to guests of the hotel. spread out in the Thor heyerdahl and rifles used to
all visitors. meke, a traditional
Surf’s up! Fijian dance. The locals
shape of a sea shell, its 38 thatched fight against the portuguese in the
Sailing, windsurfing, dress in the national
villas offer the ultimate sand-between- 16th century.
waterskiing, canoeing, costume of flower leis, your-toes experience, as each one is gold-lacquered grand Friday Mosque
kayaking, swimming grass skirts and tapa
right on the beach. all the villas have a dominates the city’s skyline, but hukuru
and parasailing are all cloth. The men perform
popular activities across warrior dances while
four-poster bed, open-air Jacuzzi and a Miskiiy (Old Friday Mosque) is the city’s
the islands. Check with the women sing.
reclining sofa – the perfect place from oldest, dating from the 17th century.
your tour provider or Shop ‘til you drop which to gaze out over the sparkling Built by sultan ibrahim iskandhar, it
hotel for packages that Pick up some unique
waters of the indian Ocean. Those in served as Malé’s main place of worship
include activities. gifts and souvenirs in the
Island hopping many Fijian shops and
search of some action can avail of the for almost four centuries. The coral-
Take a day trip (by sea or markets and have fun
resort’s comprehensive water sports walled inner sanctums are hung with
by air) and explore some haggling with the locals. or, on a more soporific theme, its lamps and panels engraved with ornate
extensive spa facilities. arabic writing.
The WhiTe pages 201
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