It has been somewhat of a family tradition to travel to a new and exotic place, once a year, for as long as I can remember. From the beaches of the Caribbean to watching wild elephants and giraffes in the bush of South Africa, we always do something different.
While my parents and brother seek the adventures, I for one, prefer to sit back, relax and tan on a perfect, white sand beach with a glass of rosé in hand. As you can probably imagine, when my father informed us that we were headed to the Maldives I was beside myself with excitement.
The Maldives is a tropical nation in the Indian Ocean comprised of 26 atolls, each made up of 1,000 coral islands. The sand is clean white, the ocean is crystal clear and the weather is perfect (most of the time). Essentially, my name was written all over it.
After a 10 hour flight from London to Male, we arrived at the capital’s airport and transferred to our hotel’s sea plane lounge. After a quick drink, we hopped on the luxurious sea plane for a 45 minute flight down to our island with breathtaking views throughout.
When we approached landing, I looked out the window and it was as if my eyes were deceiving me. I had never known that such a perfect place existed. We were in complete awe of Iru Fushi. The private Island was made up of beach villas and water villas which were on stilts, out at sea.
The water villas are worth every penny through the infinity pools, the private deck, the shower that flows into the sea and the clear glass flooring panels around the villa, allowing you to watch the sea creatures swim freely beneath. I would have jumped at the chance to move in.
The Island is very small and you could walk around it in 20 minutes but despite the close proximity, it still feels like you are tucked away from the world and the island is entirely yours. The Maldives is typically a honeymoon destination but the islands cater for all types of tourists.
Take a day trip snorkeling around the coral reefs, get your PADI license, take out a kayak or a sail boat or search for dolphins during a sunset cruise, there’s something for everyone.
I spent my days relaxing on my private deck, swimming in the peaceful sea and tanning with a cocktail, blissfully happy. Every which way you turn is the perfect kodak moment and your Instagram certainly needs no filter.
The island boasts a number of restaurants, all with different cuisines, but sampling the fresh fish is an absolute must. For tuna tartare fans like me, it is totally worth rising mercury levels for that melt in your mouth taste, every single day.
The breakfast was a full buffet and despite the Maldives being a Muslim country, the hotels do not abide by the Sharia laws, meaning you are free to eat bacon and wear bikinis all you like.
It will forever be the vacation I will never forget. My family fell in love with the island, so much so that we returned the following year. We couldn’t help but shed a tear when waving goodbye to paradise, but we knew that the memories we made would last a lifetime. The Maldives will always hold a special place in my heart but the pictures don’t even do it justice.