Friends who have never been to Maldives are always asking us, why are you going there AGAIN?! Don't you get bored? Don't you want to see different places? Yes, we like to experience other countries too but Maldives always pulls us back, and we're not the only ones. The islands cast such a spell that lots of people return year after year, having succumbed to the little-known but extremely contagious and incurable condition of Maldivitis. We'll try to explain why we love it so much, and why you will too...

 

It's even more beautiful than the pictures... 

We have been lucky enough to travel to many tropical places including Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Bali and the Caribbean. But nowhere has given us that 'wow' feeling we had on our first sight of Maldives, and which never fades however many times we visit.

From that first, mesmerising glimpse of the atolls from the plane, with their brilliant turquoise ovals set against the deeper blue around them, the unforgettable moments just keep coming. Stepping on to what looks like a postcard of a desert island and taking your shoes off, not to be put on again until you leave. Your toes sinking into impossibly white, icing sugar sand. The incredible range of blues stretching as far as you can see. And those first steps into the crystal clear water, which envelops you like a warm bath. Then you'll notice tiny, brightly coloured fish flit through the water, coming to investigate you, or a baby shark practising his swimming in the shallows, and you  think, this really must be the most beautiful place on the planet. 

 

Utter relaxation...

One of the first things that strikes you is the stillness, the peace, the tranquility of the island, with the only sound the gentle lapping of the waves on the sand. Soon your shoulders seem to drop several inches and you develop a slower strolling pace as you relax into island life, with no sightseeing to do, no crowds, no rushing to claim sunbeds, no traipsing down to the beach laden with all you need for the day. You don't even need to carry money around as everything, from drinks to items purchased in the island shop, is simply signed for and charged to your final bill. The only choices to be made are, shall we wander to the beach bar for a cocktail? Shall we grab our snorkels and walk the few steps to the sea? Shall we book a boat to take us dolphin-spotting? Bliss!

 

Where is everyone?

On a Maldives island, it often feels that you have it almost to yourselves. There are no beach sellers to hassle you and seemingly hardly any guests! Stroll around the beach or through the palm tree-shaded interior, and you may come across just a couple of other people. Then you go to dinner and wonder, where have these people been all day? Somehow, everyone seems to have their own private paradise. And with no building allowed that's higher than a palm tree, from the beach you can hardly see that there are villas hidden amongst the vegetation lining the shore, let alone dozens of staff to cater to your every need or professional kitchens producing incredible food.

 

Discover another world underwater...

We had never dived and only done a little snorkelling before going to Maldives, and never even really thought about it until we were several days into our first holiday there. Then another guest we'd got chatting to lent Steve his snorkelling gear and insisted he go take a look at the reef. Wow. It was jaw-droppingly beautiful and the number and variety of fish was dazzling. The same day we had both bought our own masks, snorkels and fins and we were both hooked on the underwater world of Maldives. Ever seen the film Finding Nemo? The reefs of Maldives are even better than that! 

 

Simply magical...

In our opinion, there really is nowhere like Maldives on Earth. Even the nights are like nowhere else, with inky skies ablaze with more stars than you ever knew existed, thanks to the islands' remote location away from light pollution.

 

Come and experience it for yourselves and we think you'll love Maldives as much as we do.