Postcard From the Maldives

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Postcard From the Maldives - August 05

IT'S USUALLY a four engine jet that takes you across the Indian ocean to the Maldives. It’s so reassuring for, as the pilot announces “cabin crew prepare for landing”, all you can see is sea - deep blue to palest aquamarine - and then a spit of sand, and then the greenery of the coconut palms on scattered small islands. Then the big flaps go down and you’re landing on the ocean and wondering, maybe, just where did that hostess say the life jacket was stowed.

The friendliness of the Maldivians is legendary. They are by nature the product of a melting pot of nationalities, as these small islands, stretching for hundreds of miles across the equator, have been home for people from Africa, Arabia and Sri Lanka for generations. They abide by the Moslem faith and

they think that we are wonderful as, in the past when Britain was ‘Great’, we helped them to survive (remember those coconut mats so prevalent after WW2?) and they have been our friends ever since.

The islands are made from coral and have edged out of the ocean on the tops of underwater mountains over the past millions of years. As you clamber from the jet you see the capital, Male, set on an adjacent island . It looks as it is, now prosperous with all the tourism, with mini skyscrapers even - which are necessary as it’s only one mile long and at it’s highest point is six feet above the ocean.

The resort islands, as they are called, are all owned by Maldivians and let to both local and international companies to develop. This time we ended up, after another flight in the De Havilland Twin Otter seaplane, at the refurbished Rangali Hilton Maldives, where we were proud to be welcomed back as long lost friends. Our home for the week was a Palace (as was everyone else’s). Salim, one of the Maldivian owners, had a vision of building eastern-style temples as accommodation, capping this off with an underwater restaurant. Despite all the logistical difficulties, his dream is now a reality

But you don’t go thousands of miles to swan around in a palace. The reef was alive with thousands of underwater creatures, and so most of the week was spent snorkelling around the island, swimming with the thousands of curious tame fish and photographing the huge turtles and even huger, but fortunately timid, black and white tipped reef sharks.

Bob Arthy