World Traveller December 2019

Blue crush
In the deep blues of the Maldives, Habiba Azab finds enchantment
and serenity alongside the majestic gentle giants of the ocean
Above the surface, the sea
was dark and moody with
drops of rain beating down
upon its glassy exterior. Beneath the
surface, there was a stillness, vastness
and silence. I could feel my legs lose
their fiery momentum as I pushed
through wave after wave. Tick, tock.
tick, tock. Still no sighting. Eyes wide
open, I scanned the waters but all I
could see was an endless expanse
of lapping waves reverberating,
drowning out my last hope.
It was two days ago that I made my
first journey to the Maldives. Flying
east over the Indian Ocean, I peered
through the plane windows and
marvelled at how quickly the clouds
gave way to vast sparkling blues.
As the island loomed into view, my
mind reeled at the plethora of shades
underneath; aquamarine in parts,
azure in others, maybe even cerulean?
The ocean was a tapestry of peaks
and dips, dotted with white-sandy
patches and distinct outlines of vivid
coral reefs. A few hours in and I was
already scrapbooking this country.
Just as I re-hinged my dropped
jaw, the seaplane started its swift
descent with everyone "ooh-ing",
"ahh-ing" and snapping away until
we glided to a graceful stop at the
jetty. I could hear the faint sound of
drums in the distance and, a short
boat ride later, I arrived to beaming
smiles and charming Maldivian chants
at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas.
This was one time in life to embrace
clichés, because the resort was
everything I’d imagined the Maldives
to be; an endless sweep of blindingly
white sand, cotton-swirled blue
skies and rows of stilted bungalows
enveloped by water that is such a
perfect shade of turquoise. It looked
like an Instagram filter in real life. With
a swinging daybed, marble-clad infinity
pool and an outdoor bathroom that
puts all other bathrooms to shame, it
was easy to understand why people
spent entire holidays cocooned in this
cosy sanctuary. After a few lingering
moments, I managed to tear myself
away from its comforting claws and
made my way down to the beach as the
dipping sun set the sea ablaze with its
spectacular shades of orange, snapping
a mental postcard for years to come.
I’d been told earlier that the best
thing about the Maldives is its people.
Friendly, kind and naturally hospitable,
it was easy to be swayed by their
genuine charm. And when my new
friend Maldives (yes, his name was
actually Maldives) called out a cheery
“Haalu kihineh?” (how are you?) every
morning as I rode my bike to breakfast,
I couldn’t help but glow with glee.
Never have I ever encountered an entire
hotel staff so completely enamoured
with their jobs as that at Anantara
Kihavah. They lived in paradise and
they sure acted like it. Whistling while
they worked, and easily remembering
every guest's name, and even my
preference for an early morning orange
juice. So, as the waiter at Sea poured
me a freshly-squeezed glass, a cheesy
smile nearly broke my face. But, to be
honest, the rainbow-striped parrotfish
playfully bumping his nose against my
window may have been the reason why
I was in such lively spirits. Voted as the
World’s Best Underwater Restaurant
for four years running, the aquariumlike
restaurant offered a one-of-a-kind
dining experience where it was unclear
whether the fish swimming by were
on display for you or the other way
around. As I waited for my sumptuous
meal to arrive, I spotted an unlikely
alliance between a sea turtle and a
baby lemon shark following by its side.
We all watched in amazement as they
put on a show of teasing each other
behind the curved glass wall. “You’re
very lucky, it’s a rare occasion to spot
a sea turtle and a shark at the same
58 worldtravellermagazine.com