Until recently, if you were to ask me where paradise was, I would be unable to answer. Now I have a ready reply: It's in the Maldives.
I was in paradise last month, soaking up the sun in my villa's private pool at the Angsana Velavaru resort.
I was in paradise as I gazed under the resort's jetty and saw shoals of baby sharks swimming in some of the clearest water I've seen. And I was in paradise when I dined one night on the beach of an uninhabited island, with the waves lapping metres from me.
It began with a 4½-hour flight to Male, the capital of the Maldives. The realisation that I was in no ordinary country came soon after I walked out of the plane into the warm Maldivian night: The airport is not connected to the city by land. So, instead of taking a taxi from the airport, you take either a boat or a seaplane to the resort you are booked into.
But chances are you would have flown there on Singapore Airlines, the only airline to have direct flights from Changi Airport, and its daily flight arrives after 10pm when the seaplanes are docked for the night.
So if you are staying in the yearold Angsana Velavaru which is 146km south of Male, a 45-minute flight away, you need to find separate lodgings for the night - the only bummer in your holiday in paradise.
You can do it yourself or book it together with your Angsana package. The chain is owned by the Singapore- listed Banyan Tree Resorts and I stayed at the luxurious Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, 25 minutes by speedboat from the airport. But there are cheaper options in Male city five minutes away.
The next morning, the seaplane takes you into the lagoon in front of the 79-villa Angsana resort, which occupies the 60,000 sq m island. Every villa has its own beachfront, so you can enjoy the white sand, turquoise sea and blue skies from your front porch.
The rooms are in Angsana's signature colours of persimmon orange, lemon yellow or lime green. While there is no television, the housekeeping staff thoughtfully leave a CD of chill-out music from the resort's spa on the player after they clean the room.
It is the perfect soundtrack for a lazy afternoon of reading or napping. But you do not go to the Maldives to stay in the room: There is plenty to do around the resort.
Wedding ceremonies can be held Angsana Velavaru's beach pavilion
Landlubbers can laze away on the beach, drinking in the beautiful view of sea, sky and verdant isles dotting the horizon as well as an interesting sight out on the water: a row of villas on stilts being built.
These are the Angsana's new water villas. To open next July, they are a source of pride as these will be the first water villas in the Maldives that are totally isolated in the sea.
Dine like a star
Other activities include free yoga sessions in a beach pavilion. Or spend an afternoon at a cooking class (US$35 or S$53) learning to make Maldivian curries and snacks such as tuna balls.
But unless you cannot swim, how can you resist going into that alluring water? Just snorkelling around the house reef of the beach, which is free, opens up a seaworld of colourful fish. Or venture further out on a three-hour snorkelling safari (US$50) by boat or take a diving trip (from US$54) to the outlying coral reefs.
For water sports, sign up at the Water Sports Centre for free activities such as windsurfing and wakeboarding. But don't expect to waterski: Paradise cannot be disturbed by the noise of motorised water sports.
Or indulge yourself at the Angsana Spa, with treatments that range from 90-minute facials to 210-minute top-to-toe treats.
The therapists are trained at Banyan Tree Spa Academies in Thailand and China and provide the gentle service the Banyan Tree spas are known for.
Dine under the stars with your own chef by the beach on an uninhabited island
Buffet breakfast and lunch of a selection of Western dishes and curries are served at the beachfront Kaani Restaurant. A la carte and set dinners are served either at Kaani or the intimate, 14-seat Funa Restaurant, a seafood grill and Western eatery built on stilts over the lagoon and connected to the island via the pier.
If money is no issue, you can have a special dinner on the beach or a Castaway Dinner (US$450 a couple), where you sail to an uninhabited island 20 minutes away, chef in tow, for a beach barbecue.
That was one of the most romantic dinners I had experienced: a table set for a candlelight dinner, stars twinkling above, waves lapping nearby and the aroma of steaks and lobsters sizzling on the grill.
And when the food arrived, it was good. The seafood was fresh and the steak juicy, tender and so tasty that the sauces on the table were ignored.
It was an enchanting experience in a weekend filled with magical moments. Moments found only in paradise
5 things to do
1 Do go for a yoga class before breakfast or dinner. The free sessions are for beginners but you get to work up a sweat too.
2 Do take a book along for moments when you want to laze by the beach or pool.
3 Do book during the off-peak season (Jan 16 to March 29 and April 24 to Dec 23) for the Conrad Maldives - it can shave more than 40% off your total bill.
4 Do take along US dollars, the currency used in the resorts and widely accepted in Male.
5 Do leave your spa sessions till the end of your stay.
2 Don'ts
1 Don't step on or remove the live coral. They sustain the waters' abundant marine life. Once they're gone, so will the fish and livelihood of the Maldivians.
2 Don't head out to the open sea unless you have a strong stomach. The waters can get choppy.
This article was first published in The Straits Times on Dec 2, 2008.
