Between Blue azzure sky and white sandy beach.... The green turquoise sea....
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Jakarta, Dec 2007
Before entering the year 2008 we are planning to go somewhere for vacation for just a few days, because hubby can only sneaked out a few days from work. Of course, a place where is not too far away, but it should be beautiful, quiet, and it had to be awesome too :). It was in December, where in half of the world is being hit by the winter, and we have no desire at all to wear those thick winter clothes (which we dont have :D)
And we got some clue:
- Due to the short holiday, just a few days.
- Should not be far away which is takes a few hours plane, to a nice and quiet place, hmmmm.
My hubby asked, "What do you think about Maldives?" I looked blankly, "Wow... Maldives.." I really didn't thought about that. Then, we began to discuss things. According to the books that say "Do not die first if you dont see Maldives" or "1000 places to visit before you die" in which Maldives is in its high position, and also we've been wanting to see the beautiful Maldives for a long time and they said that Maldives is almost as beautiful as paradise, and the location is also not too far from Indonesia, so I said: "Hell yeaahhh"! That same day we look for tickets information and lodging and other expenses in Maldives, I was so busy with the browsing and was difficult to get a hotel because there are so many of them on the list, it got me a headache.
- Should not be far away which is takes a few hours plane, to a nice and quiet place, hmmmm.
My hubby asked, "What do you think about Maldives?" I looked blankly, "Wow... Maldives.." I really didn't thought about that. Then, we began to discuss things. According to the books that say "Do not die first if you dont see Maldives" or "1000 places to visit before you die" in which Maldives is in its high position, and also we've been wanting to see the beautiful Maldives for a long time and they said that Maldives is almost as beautiful as paradise, and the location is also not too far from Indonesia, so I said: "Hell yeaahhh"! That same day we look for tickets information and lodging and other expenses in Maldives, I was so busy with the browsing and was difficult to get a hotel because there are so many of them on the list, it got me a headache.
I Had also called travel agents in Jakarta to get the right information given flight and hotels in Maldives, with the thought of that the travel agents usually have a lot of tour programs. Unfortunately travel agents in Jakarta have no online programs among travel agents and with the resorts there in Maldives. Agents that I contacted was very slow and sounds does not understand anything when I asked about the resorts in maldives, I was wondering if there are not many Indonesian people that go to Maldives. So I have to do all by myself, looking for the hotels, flights, etc via Internet. Until finally I got the Anantara Resort which is located in South Male Atoll. Approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour by speed boat from Male, capital of Maldives. It was also with the help of a friend who was working there.
To travel to the Maldives from Jakarta we pick up our favorite airline, Singapore airlines. From Jakarta layover in Singapore, then from Singapore we fly direct to Male (Maldives) for 3 hours. Tickets are pretty expensive, for the three of us, 2 adult and 1 child for nearly 3500 USD.
Arrived in Male, almost 12 o'clock at night, at the airport in Male, we get picked up by an employee of the resort and then we were ushered to the island by a speedboat, there are several other passengers on the speed boat that will also stay at the Anantara resort with us. The boat trip took about 40 minutes. Unfortunately, that month of december was not really good weather in Maldives, its been raining and even the storm in Maldives, at that time our speedboat do a great shaken, its scared me to death! According to information, at the time was raining a lot in the last few days. Geez, I hope it will not rain when we are there, we've paid a heavy price for the hotel. Which then fortunately, after 5 days of being there, only the last day that was very cloudy day and by the time we are going to the airport then the rain pouring down, hard.. as if only the rain would fall as we were not there.
In addition to the speed boat ride from Male to the resort can also be reached by small plane, but because we are arriving at night so we had to use a speed boat. Costs ranged USD100/person speed boat, small plane while it charged USD300 to USD500 per person. All prices in Maldives using USD, give any tip we use USD, Euro or other strong currencies. I heard from a friend who lived there, in Male people used to use American Dollar in trade in the fish market.
Our fishing boat
We chose Deluxe Sunset Beach Villa, because we intend to take the beach house rather than the water villa which is not recommended for children, we have our 4 years old boy with us.
Prices for holidays in Maldives is not cheap, in one night we paid nearly $700/night for our room (on a rainy season) it is NOT includes lunch and dinner, as well as the price for the fishing boat (if you want in the future). If taking watervilla, price range around USD 1500/night, and even then only room rates, even not including food. Anantara Resort Maldives, a 5 star Resort located in South Male Atoll, the resort is newly opened on August 1, 2006 convincing every guest who comes to get a completely new service. Anantara Resort Maldives offers luxury, perfection of style and warmth typical of Anantara. Opposite the island we have a 6-star resort whose owners are still the same, Naladhu resort, All the villas in Naladhu resort are all water villas and ocean villas, prices start from USD 1800 / night, room only.
When we reached our room was in the middle of the night, it was completely dark outside, I couldn't imagine where the sea is, and I could not wait to see the sea water at the beach which they said its color like the color of turquoise stone. That night I could not sleep well. In the morning when the sun begins to shine I awoke, and there I realized that I am in Maldives, my son and my husband were still sleeping, I immediately opened the window blinds. Oh my goodness, the sights that I saw right there in front of me, just few meters from our bedroom, its the most beautiful sight I've ever seen, it really happened what they are saying ... Azzure sky blue, turquoise green water and white sandy beach ....
I immediately shouted and shouted happily, waken up everybody, jumping up and down in front of the window so that my husband and my son get up in haste. We were having breakfast in a hurry and put our swimsuits on, then we were running towards the beach. On the beach that the water just above the ankle, there is a sting ray that was swimming quietly on the edge of the beach, after a long stare at the sting ray we also made a motion that startled the sting ray so he went away. Apparently there are a lot of small sting ray around there and there are also baby sharks. It's so beautiful, clear water color as transparant as glass, lots of small fishes swimming near my feet, and my son was busy chasing fish. Moreover, baby sharks, longish shape makes it very easy to see.
Obviously, this beach is the best beach in the world. Located in Maldives, which lays on corals! Maldives is a small country located in the Indian Ocean, exactly on the equator south of Sri Lanka has 1,190 islands scattered into 26 islands of the atoll. To issue a visa, you do not need to worry because it can be obtained upon arrival. So, anyone can just come there and given visa-free for 30 days. With white sandy beaches, the resort is luxurious and sparkling water filled with awesome sea life, Maldives offers a relaxing holiday and free from any noise, appropriate for beach lovers and city dwellers.
Maldives dubbed as the last paradise on earth because of its tropical islands are natural, clean, beautiful, with palm trees swaying leaves, water colors beautiful blue sea and white sand and smooth like icing sugar, not to mention the beautiful underwater natural . Taking pictures wherever in the island will never go wrong with a beautiful scenic backdrop like that. Amazingly, the sea water is so calm because it was blocked by the atolls, and I somehow think the water is not so salty, so swim early in the afternoon-evening-night is not a problem. For scuba divers, Maldives is an ideal place - there are beautiful coral reefs, sea caves, wreck, Napoleon fish, Manta Ray, Eagle Ray, turtles, White Tip and Hammerhead Sharks are spread over more than 250 dive sites. Lodging in Maldives are usually located on scattered islands. There is also the island has only one resort alone.
To enjoy paradise in Maldives, you may not seem to come up with a budget-style backpackers. Because of all the facilities at the resorts renowned five-star hotel. In addition to standard amenities such as swimming pools, restaurants, discos, karaoke, lounges, shops, and sports facilities, you can also enjoy water sports. Ranging from snorkeling, scuba dving, canoeing, banana boat and jet ski. If you are interested, the hotel can also arrange for a fishing trip, like a submarine ride, to the surrounding islands are uninhabited, to the fishing village, to a romantic dinner on the ship, essentially no money no quality.
Most tourists are normally couples who are enjoying the honeymoon, or many also do the weddings there. Rarely bring small children. The first day we swam all day. Swimming, sunbathing, eating lunch, then swim again, tracing the resort, along the beach in the island, enjoying the sunset, dinner, just enjoy of doing nothing. The second day we filled with snorkeling and fishing activities. That night we departed from the resort, towards the sea, and a stop at some point. USD50/person price for the fishing trip, and got a discount for children, inside the ship there are also 5 other couples.
That night was only us in the boat that gets a lot of fish, but I have heard from other guests who did fishing trip the night before that actually it is so easy to fish there in the atoll, just hook the fish were immediately lowered its bait. So that night other guests on the boat got nothing. So what I heard was not true about how easy to fish there. By the way I was 7 months pregnant with our second baby, so my pregnancy might bring us luck. That night I got one Red coral fish (fish is similar to Grouper / groper / red grouper but having colourful dots in their flesh, the meat is white and super tender) is quite large, and my husband can another three groupers.
The fish then we give to the restaurant to be grilled for us, and we can choose how we want our fish to be cooked, we chose Maldivian grill recipe, cooked by the chef of the restaurant, but we had to pay $80 fee to get our fish to be cooked the next day for lunch. The next day we also had our lunch dishes, grilled fish of our own, complete with the rice, breads, salads and so on. Yummy!
We also plan to do the dolphin safari, after we book for safari trip, turned out that the weather is not friendly, it was clouded, so it will not be a lot of dolphin that can be seen they said. Even if we were lucky, we could only see two or three dolphins, and even then if we were lucky. Otherwise, could be nothing at all. The cost of dolphin safari was not cheap and the we decided not to do it, so the trip is canceled.
It seemed that those five days passing so fast in Maldives, after a solitary and isolated at the beautiful resort in the beautiful island, who want to return back to Jakarta with its traffic jams and pollution. Clearly, once you are in Maldives, you will feel all the other beaches into mediocrity. Imagine if you spent New Year's Eve or honeymoon on the island, it would be a moment that you cant forget. So if you are looking for heaven on earth, Maldives is the place.
* My collection of other photos of Maldives can be found at: http://yullysebayang.smugmug.com/Travel/Maldives/13527506_VA77g
