A destination that seems out of this world, where impossible waters, movie-like sunsets and the most beautiful seabeds on the planet come together. We tell you why this country bathed by the waters of the Indian Ocean is the destination that all travelers should visit once in their life.
There are no words that can define what it means to land for the first time in the Maldives. From the plane, if you are lucky enough to travel in the window seat, you begin to see the spectacle: islands of impossible shapes surrounded by the bluest blues on the planet, in a kind of country that is spread out over around 1,200 coral islands that float in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Whimsical marine formations that seem out of this world and that are grouped into 26 atolls where some of the most splendid beaches and seabeds in the world are found.
When you set foot for the first time in the Maldives, you do so at one of the most curious airports in the world. A place surrounded by imposing, crystal-clear waters and where you can already breathe the essence of a country where calm and tranquility are part of its culture. Velana International Airport is also one of the most curious we have seen for several reasons: its landing and take-off runway is “floating” in the sea, it has a giant terminal dedicated to seaplanes (the largest in the world) and it has several ports where ships and boats embark and disembark.
There, where you can already breathe a strong smell of sea salt, we will realize that the Maldives draws its essence from its many islands, converted into true paradises in the form of a resort. To get to them, it will not be difficult to find one of the hundreds of stands that are grouped at their doors, where they will tell you the best way to get to your destination. There are two options: speedboat or seaplane. The first destination I visited in the Maldives is one of those places that I will always remember, a charming island of just 300 meters long and 200 meters wide where you will find the OBLU Nature Helengeli by Sentido, which can be reached from Male airport by speedboat, and where I discovered why this is the destination that every traveler should visit once in their life.
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Paradise is 15 meters from the beach
The small coral island of Helengeli is one of those places that stays forever etched in your retina. It is small, secluded and surrounded by the most crystalline waters that my eyes have ever seen. It is one of those places that comes to mind when you imagine paradise and the place where every person would want to spend the rest of their days. There, among palapas, dream beaches, infinity pools, gyms that look out over the Indian Ocean and restaurants that seem to float on the sea, is where you will find one of the most amazing seabeds in the world.
And it is for a simple reason: you don’t need to go far to witness the spectacle of nature that only these waters are capable of illuminating. You will only need some goggles, some fins and a great desire to be amazed by the seabed. And this hotel is lucky enough to be located on an island surrounded by an impressive blanket of corals in which thousands of blue, orange, yellow, green and red fish live, nurse sharks, friendly turtles and, if you are lucky, some beautiful manta rays.
The good work of these hotels allows it to be done in the safest way to preserve their seabed, since you can only swim around their coral reef after a short initiation with a guide who will show you the areas where you can swim and where you cannot. Respect for all marine creatures and reefs is a religion in the Maldives, as this is the only way to preserve the beautiful but fragile marine ecosystem.
Once you dive into the waters, especially from the large wooden walkway in front of the water villas, you will only be amazed after witnessing the abrupt cut to the bottom of the waters made by the coral reef. The snorkeling tour, which lasts approximately 1 hour and a half, will take us through breathtaking corals, large schools of fish with more colors than Monet’s palette, friendly turtles and sharks. And all this without having to go more than 15 meters from the shore. The climax is the end of the tour, which ends on one of the main beaches, next to the bar, where you can have a cold beer while you take in what your eyes have just witnessed.
But this is just one of the countless virtues that you will find on this small island, which also surprises with facilities, restaurants and corners where you will realize why the Maldives is one of the most amazing destinations in the world.
Barefoot in paradise
If there is one thing that makes the Maldives unique in the world, it is its way of life. And one of the most striking things is the fact that you always, absolutely always, go barefoot. Perhaps because it is the perfect way to keep touching the snowy sand throughout the day, or to go to dinner at the most glamorous restaurant. And it is no coincidence, either, that the motto of this country is “no shoes, no news”. Because this small act of living life barefoot, in constant contact with the land and the sea, is what perfectly exemplifies what this puzzle of coral rings almost at the level of the Indian Ocean is.
Arriving at Helengeli is to succumb to taking off your shoes and, also, to hedonism. And in the Maldives there is a clear indicator of this: the smaller the island, the more hedonistic. Helengeli is lucky enough to pack all its charms into just a few hundred metres, where beachfront villas with private pools, perfect for families or friends, are packed together; water villas, perfect for those seeking the most authentic Maldivian experience in rooms floating over the sea; but also restaurants, a lavish gym facing the sea, bars where you can indulge in cocktails served with care and affection or the well-cared for spa where you can have a relaxing massage with the enveloping sound of the waves.
All of them under the premise of the hotel that occupies the island: “Come, relax, enjoy and clear your mind”. It is difficult not to achieve this, especially after spending a morning enjoying water sports such as kayaking, free for all guests, or after spending long days marvelling at its reefs by snorkelling. At night, when the sun sets, you will find peace in its countless corners filled with nets over the sea, comfortable sofas or tables focused on witnessing the most poetic sunsets in the world. Which, by the way, can also be seen aboard the typical Maldivian boats, called Dhoni, on excursions designed to enjoy these orange colors with the clatter of the waves. If you are lucky you can meet some friendly dolphins who, dancing on the waves, will greet you in a friendly way.
The days pass at an overwhelming speed in Helengeli, and that is the clear indicator of when a place manages to capture you with its beauty and serenity. It is one of the few places in the world that I would always want to return to because it is an example of what is considered an earthly paradise. Saying goodbye to it is like when I say goodbye to my mother at a train station whenever I have to leave home: painful, but with the promise that we will soon see each other again.
