ISLANDS Magazine February 2011 - Maldives

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MALDIVES
L n r
By landmass it’s considered the smallest country in Asia, even with
1,190 islands. The pool-clear Indian Ocean water makes up more than 99 percent of its territory.
What’s left are sandy swaths of beach that double as private landing strips.
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MALDIVES
Maldives Here’s a tip for when you take your shoes off going through security in
Paris or Munich or wherever you’re connecting to the Maldives capital of Male: Leave
’em untied. From Male, you’ll hop to a private island by speedboat, wooden dhoni or
seaplane. If it’s the latter, your pilot is likely to fly barefoot. Some resorts require guests
to remove footwear before stepping onto their islands. ∏his galaxy of sandy spits, sprinkled over
55,000 square miles of sea, is sensitive. ∏he highest elevation in the Maldives is 7 feet, 10 inches
(the lowest high point for any country in the world), and nearly all of the islands are less than
three feet above sea level. Not good for farming, not much of a buttress against storms, but
perfect for laid-back luxury. Maldives resorts have set the standard for that concept, with
showers in wild fig gardens, bungalows accessible only by boat, daybeds among papaya
trees and the iconic hammock on a private beach. It’s 10 miles between you and the
nearest island. Here’s another tip: Wash your toes before coming. — ROBERT STEPHENS
HOMEGROWN
Most food is imported
because of limited
fertile land. Fish and
coconuts are exceptions,
the former commonly
served on a black
hot rock. Maldivian
chefs, with the help of
curry and banana
blossom, make sure no
two meals taste alike.
SOFT LANDING
Only 50 miles of paved
road exist in the entire
archipelago, most of
them around Male.
The rest are made of
compacted coral. It’s
the same with runways.
Five of the islands have
runways, but only three
are paved. No problem
for the float planes,
which use the shallow
water and sifted-flour
sand to drop off guests.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: R. IAN LLOYD (2); JAMES LYON/LONELY PLANET IMAGES; F. LUKASSECK/
MASTERFILE; DIRSCHERL REINHARD/AGE FOTOSTOCK
NATURAL WELCOME Grassy reeds are woven by hand into intricate
mats known as kunaas. Yet another reason to take off your shoes.
FISH TANK Shallow
lagoons. Protective
reefs. Monsoonal
tides. They draw
more than 1,000 fish
species to these turquoise
waters. The
Maldivian president
even held an underwater
meeting with
his cabinet in 2009.
FIRST FOOT-
PRINTS The inaugural
resort opened
in 1972, when about
1,000 visitors found
the Maldives. Today,
there are now 87
islands (of the 200
inhabited) with bungalows,
villas, white
sand — and Wi-Fi.
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