Maldives - Conquering the Sea

These are my last photos from the Maldives. It was nice to slowly upload them over the last few weeks and enjoy the moments all over again. The Maldives is an extremely beautiful and unique place... and I hope to visit again. Thank you to The Perfect Wave for helping me to book the trip and thank you to the Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Island for providing luxurious accommodations.

I took these photos from a sandbar that formed between the surrounding islands. During low tide, you could almost walk to the sandbar (just had a deep section surrounding the island)... and during high tide, it was completely covered. The easiest method of navigating to the sliver of sand was by kayak or stand up paddle board (I tried both methods). The feeling of being surrounded by water with only a spec of dry land to rest was a surreal experience.

On this particular afternoon, I decided to paddle out right after lunch. I could see some dark clouds forming in the distance, but was hoping that they would pass to the north. The squalls in the Maldives move incredibly fast... and can form at any minute. If you're caught in the middle of one, you will be drenched in just a few moments and the vast amount of wind makes it difficult to traverse by water (I basically would have been stuck hiding under the kayak until the squall passed). When I started paddling, the sky was bright blue... but as I made it to the sand bar, the dark clouds were getting closer and closer. It turned out that the squall was headed in my direction. So after relaxing for a short time, I decided to pack up and head back to the safety of the lagoon. As I made it back to the shore, I could feel the first few gusts of wind on my back as the torrential downpour followed shortly after.

Maldives - Last Light

An ocean bird enjoying the last few moments of the day as the sun begins set.

Maldives - The Villa

Located on the Eastern edge of Kandoomaa Fushi was the villa I stayed in (while at the Holiday Inn Resort). It was situated directly in front of an amazing surf spot, Kandooma Right.... and provided a beautiful ocean view. The villa was 2 stories... the bottom floor was an open air living space and the top of was an (air conditioned) bedroom. This is the view from the water (just outside of the surf break). 

Maldives - The Lagoon

Located on the western edge of Kandoomaa Fushi was a beautiful lagoon that connected three islands... the island I stayed on (Kandoomaa Fushi), the local island of Guraidhoo, and the uninhabited island of Lhosfushi. The average depth of the lagoon was only a couple of feet and the water was crystal clear. It was very relaxing to sit at the water's edge and just gaze into the water.

The people living on the local island of Guraidhoo were predominantly Muslim and strictly followed the traditions of that religion. Many of the women were fully covered in black, no alcohol was allowed on the island, and we could hear the call to prayer five times per day. I thought it was interesting to see such a different and unique culture separated by only a shallow lagoon. It was unexpected to look across and see women on the beach that were covered in black robes and veils.

Maldives - Beautiful Sunrises

When I went to sleep each night in the Maldives, I purposely left the curtains undone. The villa I stayed in had a great view of the surf spot (Kandooma Right)... but it had an even more beautiful view of the morning sunrise. The light naturally woke me up each morning and the excitement of the great waves encouraged me to get out of bed. These are a few photos I took of those sunrises.

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset IV

I took these photos on the beach front of Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort as I was waiting for the boat for the airport. It was a beautiful place!

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset III

Photographs taken from the same spot as my previous post... just a different night (same beauty).

Maldives - Foxy's Left

Across the lagoon and over an exposed coral reef was "Foxy's Left". When I first arrived on the island, I asked about this spot... and the boat captains told me that it needed a really big swell to be rideable (otherwise, it would just break on top of very shallow coral). Each day, I looked at the spot (never anyone out surfing)... and each day the boat captains would say "not big enough, too shallow, dangerous." However, the surf kept getting bigger each day... and by the 5th day of the trip, it was definitely rideable by anyone's standards. These are a few photos I took while gazing upon it from the other side of the lagoon.

I actually never made it out to surf Foxy's Left. The boat captains didn't seem to want to take us here... and there were plenty of other uncrowded/perfect waves (that didn't break over extremely shallow coral). Maybe I will try surfing it next time... until then, I can enjoy the pictures.

Maldives - Kandooma Right

Situated directly in front of my beach front villa (at the Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma) was a surf spot called "Kandooma Right". Kandooma Right is a fast/barreling reef break and offers adrenaline pumping rides. When I first arrived at the resort, I was mentally preparing myself for some beatings (the wave had quite a bit of power). However, after gliding into my first few waves, I was surprised at how easy the takeoff was. It helps having perfect waves to ride... but I think the lack of people and warm water were a bigger boost to my surfing ability. For some reason, waves are just easier to surf in warm water.

The Perfect Wave set me up with this amazing villa. However, as much as I loved the view, it was difficult to relax. Watching perfect/empty waves go unridden made me a bit restless (and caused me to surf 3-4 times per day). Luckily, there was a talented massage therapist at the spa!

Maldives - Like No Place On Earth

It's difficult to describe the Maldives to someone that has never been. I can't provide an analogy or say that it's "like somewhere else". The truth is that it is really like no place I've ever been. Imagine a country that consists of over 1,100 tiny islands (no bigger than a large parking lot) spread out over 35,000 square miles of ocean. The islands are grouped together by 26 atolls... and they have an average ground elevation of only 1.4 meters above sea level (which makes it the lowest country in the world). As you can imagine, the locals are a bit concerned about global warming.

Just arriving in the Maldives is a bit of an adventure (especially if you're coming from the US). If you include total transit time, it can take about 30-40 hours just to get there. Do not bring alcohol or pork into the country (as they are Muslim). The resorts have special licenses to serve liquor... but you can get into some trouble if caught in the airport (also recommend that women cover up if going to a "local island"). The airport is located on an island close to the capital city of Malé. Upon arrival, there are no taxis, limos, or buses to take you where you are going... you need to hitch a ride on one a boat or sea plane. The island I stayed on was about an hour speed boat ride from the airport.

Life in the Maldives depends on the ocean. It provides food, transportation, and supports the huge tourism industry (diving, fishing, snorkeling, surfing, etc). The water is the clearest that I've ever seen. When sitting in 20+ feet of water, you can see straight down to the bottom. Because it is so clear, your depth perception gets messed up (looks much shallower than it is)... and this creates some confusion when surfing.

Anyways, this was one of the most memorable holidays that I've been on. The resort was very nice (Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort). I was situated on a tiny island surrounded by coral reefs. The food was delicious (endless fresh seafood buffets!!), sunsets were breathtaking, and there was a barreling right hand reef break directly in front of my villa. I couldn't ask for much more! I would like to thank The Perfect Wave for making this a reality.

More photos to come later!