Nobody goes to the Maldives for culture. Nor do they go for hills, lakes or rivers – there aren’t any. But for people who love water, there is no place on earth quite like it. You wake to the hypnotic sound of oceanic waves. When you step into the water, it is like being in your own private aquarium. Imagine a designer like Kenzo or Missoni being let loose on fish: those ravishing catwalk colours and patterns are exactly what you see when you look under the waters of the Indian Ocean.
The curious mixture of honeymooners and scuba divers drawn to this island nation stay in luxurious water villas built over lagoons and connected to the land by narrow jetties. So compelling is the ocean that it is very difficult to get anything done. Isolated in your own little slice of hotel heaven, you can either retreat into blissful, self-imposed purdah, gazing for hours at the ocean, or spy, Rear Window-style, on other guests. Normally this kind of undercover people-watching is one of the quiet joys of hotel life, but here it is the fish that are the greatest distraction. Who wants to look at love-struck couples downing margaritas in the hotel bar when you could be swimming with the fishes in a warm, deserted lagoon with no jet skis or speedboats to spoil things? Read >>
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