Maldives, a sovereign archipelagic country in the middle of the Indian Ocean, may resemble a tiny speck of dust, especially from the perspective of its giant neighbour, India; but don’t be fooled by its size. This chain of 26 atolls – ring-shaped coral reefs, islands or islets, each surrounding a body of water called a lagoon – sure packs a punch!

This gorgeous island nation is blessed with pristine white beaches, gorgeous weather and friendly locals who provide hospitality that is straight from the heart. In 2014, my family and I spent 4 amazing days in Maldives, enjoying the sunshine and the blissful warm waters of the Ocean right at the doorstep of our hotel: The Residence, Maldives

This gorgeous resort oasis offers a perfect mix of discreet luxury and unspoiled natural beauty, plus access to a number of water sports like scuba diving, snorkelling and kayaking. So whether you’re looking for a perfect couple’s getaway or an unforgettable family holiday, then look no further than Maldives and The Residence.

ARRIVAL AT MALE

We landed at Male at 2.00 PM where we were met by a representative from The Residence resort. With a smile as white as the sands we were soon to be intimately acquainted with, Mr Saeed  escorted us to the airport’s exclusive lounge where we enjoyed a sumptuous lunch and refreshing drinks, both compliments of the resort.

Our connecting domestic flight to Koodoo was scheduled to leave at 5.30 PM. We finished lunch around 2.30 so we had several hours to kill. Male airport is beautiful (do check out the view of the stunning blue waters of the Indian Ocean and take some selfies for your friends back home!)

Mr Saeed came to our rescue once again! He offered to be our tour guide for a Male city tour, a suggestion we experience-hungry gypsies snapped up with a flash! Although this little city is one of the most densely-populated cities in the world and can be a turn-off to battle-hardened city-dwellers but if you’re in Male aiting for a connecting flight, don’t spend the next few hours staring at other passengers. Instead check out some of the main attractions of Male instead. We took the ferry to main town, around and spent some time at the beach.

JOURNEY FROM MALE & ARRIVAL AT FALHUMAAFUSHI

The flight from Male to Koodoo was a quick 1.50 hours with a quick stop at Kadhdhoo airport (I love these names!)

The views from the flight were stunning. The main atolls below made the flight very interesting.

On arrival at Koodoo, we were met by some more representatives from The Residence resort. At the dock, we climbed into a sleek speedboat where we were given bottled water – just in time because we were all parched! The ride on the speedboat took a scarce 10 minutes and we finally reached our destination, Falhumaafushi Island where The Residence, Maldives is located. Falhumaafushi – which reminded me of Robinson Crusoe and even Tom Hanks in Castaway – is a pristine island covered with lush green vegetation in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, one of the world’s deepest and largest atolls.

Before this holiday, I don’t think I had ever experienced truly straight-from-the-heart hospitality, and this is what I remember most about this trip to Maldives. These friendly locals and their broad smiles made our fatigue completely disappear.

On arrival at the resort, we were welcomed with champagne (yep, the real deal!). The resort covers a fairly broad area of the island so a resort attendant took us to our rooms in a golf cart. At this point, I had not seen my luggage since I landed at Male airport, but I was not worried, and with good reason! The resort took care of everything luggage-related so all we had to do was enjoy ourselves.

This little gem of an island is surrounded by the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean that looks turquoise when you see it from one angle, but green and aqua from others. The best optical illusions that nature has to offer! And it’s small single walkway will take you from one end of the island to the other in under 15 minutes.

We had booked a sunset view 1 bedroom water villa perfectly located near the house reef. The spacious living room provided direct access to a private terrace that offers a panoramic view of the vast ocean and open skies just beyond.. The bedroom is comfortable, clean and beautifully maintained and the bathroom was heavenly.

The attendant told us that the resort consisted of a grouping of 94 villas. With their thatched roofs and high ceilings, the villas may look rustic from the outside, but they are anything but! These airy, light-filled ‘water villas’ (so called because they are standing directly above water) are beautifully laid out and stylishly decorated, offering every modern creature comfort – from multi-socket electrical plugs and iPhone docking stations, to outdoor and indoor showers and sea-facing bathtubs. Each villa has steps leading down directly to the lagoon from a sundeck – the higlight of the villa.

The sundeck itself includes two sun beds shaded by a huge umbrella (and I mean huge!). The abundance of marine life just beneath the water villas (which are constructed on stilts) is absolutely stunning. At night, we would lie on our sundecks with torches in hand, and alternately gaze at the gorgeously-coloured schools of fish below and the brightly-lit stars above. Bliss!

I loved the fact that I could just open the sliding doors of the sundeck, put on snorkelling gear provided by the resort and simply dive into the crystal-clear turquoise waters of the ocean.

We went for snorkelling and Prati/Maxi completed a beginner-level scuba diving course. The dive master Mustafa was very friendly and well-informed, and ensured that we didn’t do anything dangerous (or plain stupid). J The resort provided us with personal bicycles so we could explore the island to our hearts’ content. What amazed me the most was the constant clean-up, both of the pathways and the beach. The resort staff levelled the sand constantly to remove footprints and make it look as pristine as nature intended it.

At The Residence, you can enjoy shimmering seashores, soothing greenery and expansive ocean views, plus no crowds jostling for sun, sand and space. Immerse yourself in the gorgeous scenery surrounding you and take unforgettable photos without irritating photo-bombers. Now if that doesn’t promote peace and relaxation, what will?!

The resort has two restaurants. One offers all-day dining. The other, Falhumaa is right in the middle of the ocean and typifies ‘outdoor dining’!The food was delicious and the passion fruit cocktails lip smacking.

Walking back to the room after yummy dinner at Falhumaa.

The all day dining retaurant also has super views. Breakfast became more interesting with the accompanying views. The below pic shows Falhumaa in the middle of ocean.

Coming to the pool the infinity pool is stunning. The different shades of blues that you could see would surely take all your blues away. There are private sitouts in the pool where you could sit with your feet dipped in the swimming pool.

Besides swimming there are many other water activities you can choose. We enjoyed kayaking and Prati even tried flat water sailing. We even kayaked to a small island opposite the main resort island. That experience was fun.

Sun, sand, nature, family, music, food – our holiday in Maldives was truly memorable, and in more ways than one. And we were totally entranced by our villa at the Residence. Nothing can compare to that feeling of sleeping in a house knowing that you’re surrounded by the bounties of nature – gentle water, clear skies and shimmering stars – unforgettable! Highly recommended!

Check my hotel review about Residence here. To book your stay at The Residence, check out this page.

Share your Maldives experiences on the page below. I love to hear from my readers!