Last time we came to the Maldives was 1989. Back then, we started three months of travelling, in between jobs, and on our honeymoon, here in the Maldives.
But after 2 days of eye wateringly expensive drinks and food we took an early flight back to Sri Lanka and started the real adventure of our lifetime. That was 35 years ago.
(1989 - Vilingili island Maldives)
Now, years later we had wanted to return and enjoy the reported comforts and delights of the full luxury Maldivian experience.
The flight with BA was interesting. As was the case 35 years ago, we prefer to fly as cheaply as we can, knowing that the extra £5,000 saved on business class flat bed comfort will pay for our next trip.
So historically, we are accustomed to being with the vast majority of travellers at the back of the plane "slumming it". Not on BA61.
Now, the vast majority of the plane is business class with a few seats at the back reserved for those of us unhappy or unable to find the £1,300 upgrade to business per person each way. Wine by the plastic beaker only was a downside. When did BA pull the plug on individual bottles in cattle class, 'would you like two or three bottles?' Merlot based sleep
medication for the uncomfortable, cramped, and upright seated peasant.
Despite the lack of ethanol we slept quite well, and then absolutely loved the sea plane journey northwards to our chosen island Sun Siyam Iru Fushi.
We were accompanied ashore by our butler (Nasif) and the exquisitely attentive island staff to the sound of a local Conch player.
Our villa was an upgrade from BA Holidays to deluxe beach villa with pool. Private gardens and beautiful pool with covered circular day bed and secluded beach access straight out into the water and reef. The package upgrade in the BA sale also included 40% discount, sea plane flights and all inclusive.
The resort has every conceivable restaurant and at the time of writing we have tried Italian, seafood grill, Oriental, Indian, French and two of the pool bars with extensive and varied menus. I can honestly say that I am yet to have any food I wouldn't be happy with in a five star restaurant in the UK. Readers will know this is not at all to my liking. I love a good rant, but so far I cannot fault anything from my first breakfast of Congee to our delicious rare tuna steaks at dinner it's been perfect. I understand it's the only Maldives resort to serve food twenty four seven. Disgusting.
The inclusive wine package is also extensive with genuine champagne served, and 34 wine choices that have not disappointed and so far we haven't been the least bit tempted by the upgraded wine packages. And we are quite fussy. Now considering ourselves veterans of the all inclusive there is something else that distinguishes this place, the cocktails. From superb margaritas to a negroni I would be happy to have made myself. There is no sign of the sickly sweet syrup bases so beloved of the American palate in the Caribbean and Mexico.
We've enjoyed our complimentary sunset yoga, and the morning pilates. I've been in the gym equipped with weights suitable for men of another, more Hirculean species. Louise has had the complimentary facial. I could have expanded the fact that we are only allowed one per heterosexual couple into an complaining anecdote. But I suspect in reality, if I asked our butler he would happily give me one himself.
We have asked for service from the pillow menu, they are it turns out, completely inedible. I had feather, which is soft. Louise had silk, just because she could, and that turns out to be hard.
We've swum in our private pool, and lounged on the almost deserted beach. We have circumnavigated the island on foot. We've seen and been watched by fruit bats with the most enormous wingspan.
Louise is celebrating a birthday so we've also negotiated a move to an overwater villa with pool and horizon views, for our final three nights. Unabashed luxury, with a section of glass floor to allow direct bed to seabed view. It's to be expected.
We've locked ourselves out of our room at least twice and been let back in by smiling staff and the stinging repremand , "it happens". It certainly does if you allow me access to a minibar like this.
Downsides, include the noisy child in our next door villa, for one day only. The rain on an almost daily basis would normally have been a negative but with so much to do and protective high cloud, the only real downside to this was not having to use a sun shade on the beach and avoiding catastrophic shoulder burn when snorkelling.
My initial sadness at the state of the corals and the notable reduction in the brilliant colours of the fish, as a direct result, was temporary. We were definitely surrounded by the most fabulous home reef and the restoration work regrowing corals was plain to see. The Tsunami, and global climate change with rise in sea temperature with bleaching effect are squarely to blame.
The Maldivian people genuinely deserve to benefit from the commercial beauty of their islands, and they appear to be doing so. Our island is owned by a local of apparently humble origins. Hopefully investment at the local level will gradually help them avoid disappearing under the sea as waters rise?
The out and out winner was the marine life. We swam with turtles, were accompanied ashore by black tipped reef Sharks, came across stingray of at least three meters in length just basking in the sand next to our water villa. I nearly soiled myself swimming away. A vast Moray eel lounged in amongst the coral, and we watched as an array of tiny beautiful fish darted in and out of its mouth cleaning the remaining food from its dagger like teeth. We found hundreds of corals teaming with manta, elephant and ghost ray, parrot fish, moorish idol, clown fish, powder blue Surgeonfish, Picasso trigger fish, sea snake, stone fish, rainbow clams and anemone. You will have to take my word for all of this because I forgot to buy a micro SD card for the GoPro!
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