Our next point was the inhabited island of Guraidhoo. There is a famous surfing spot here, created by two strong currents that meet and form long rolling waves, known as Bomboras. The locals famously paddle far to surf these perfect breaks. We cruised by, admiring them from a distance, as they took full advantage of the “gnarly” swells.
We turned back towards the last island on our trip, Vilivaru, the smallest of the trio and deserted. We jumped the waves as we circled it, heading back up to the water villas in the distance. As the sea grew shallow towards the reef, the bikes appeared to be flying over thin air. The landscape around us was incomparably magnificent. Just the vast open glassy sea, with little islands dotted in the distance. A solitary, tiny cloud wafted past, a speck of white highlighting the saturated turquoise sky.
Our next water sport was Flyboarding. If you’ve never seen these, they are boots with a hose connected to a Jet Ski. Think Iron Man with water jets exploding from the boots. It took around ten minutes to get the hang of it. I glided five to six metres above the water, soaring forward, spinning and practising small dives towards the sea. The view from up there is terrific, you soar over the Jet Ski, looking down on the beach, villas and dive shop. This is the closest to flying like a bird, except perhaps for skydiving with a wingsuit, but so much safer. You do feel like a superhero. My instructor Ahmed then showed me how
view took my breath away. Only the sound of the wind whistling through the panelled silk disturbed the utter tranquillity of the scene. The sea stretched forever, lit in dark contrast by the waning light. A pod of dolphins gambolled below us near the boat. Though we could barely see either them or the crew, just the ripples formed in the waves as they cavorted. Another precious memory shared on our anniversary.
an expert does it. He soared straight up, then twisted and spun three to four times at speed. He then dived from six metres, down into the water, staying submerged for 10-12 seconds, before emerging like a dolphin. Truly magnificent acrobatics.
Monday was Parasailing day. We boarded the swish speedboat at sunset and headed towards the setting sun, past the reef. Emily and I geared up in the harness at the back of the boat, with the parachute tucked neatly behind us. Once we were comfortable, Bakku pushed the throttle forward. His colleague released the folds of material, which swiftly caught the wind and ever so gently lifted us off the boards. We rose seemingly forever, as the sun and Maadhoo Island dropped ever lower beneath our dangling feet. The height and
After another dive to a different reef where we saw another two pairs of mantas, it was time for some mono-skiing. You have to get the right time, which is either early morning or late in the afternoon. The chop is better with little or no wind. You can kitesurf, wakeboard, kneeboard, ski or mono-ski. My favourite sport of all-time is mono-ski. The sheer aggression of being pulled at 30-40 mph, skidding over the waves, slaloming back and forth behind the boat is unbeatable. Plus it’s safe.
Fall and you bounce a few times before sinking into the soft, warm water. Adventure sport with little risk. Perfect for a wedding to remember, honeymoon or anniversary.
Of course, you don’t have to do any sports, you can relax by the pool, indulge at the spa, or lie on the beach with the crystal waters lapping at your feet. The privacy is exceptional and we had entire beaches to ourselves every time. If one of you likes to lounge and the other throw themselves into an adventure, this island has it all. They even arrange heart shaped flowers to frame your dinner on the beach, or a bath with foam and rose petals, anything you can think of, your butler will make it happen. They hold the wedding ceremonies on a private beach, by the water lily pond and open-air temple, filled with flowers and scented candles. There is no more stunning spot on earth.
If you hanker after a wedding or honeymoon that is unique and infinitely different from anything else, with adventure thrown in, this is the place. The butler service is the best I have ever come across. The island is unbeatable for its service, beauty, food, luxury living and sports facilities. There is also an underwater restaurant, the M6m, where sharks glide past as you dine, that will make your wedding dinner sensational.
Yves de Contades
www.ozen-maadhoo.com Dolphin Base dive rates
www.ozen-maadhoo.com/ documents/dive-rates
www.facebook.com/DolphinBaseNextGen
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