Asia, Maldives


Maldives: Small Islands of Big Dreams

Asia Maldives

This year, we wanted to choose a destination where we could relax. The years before, we had adventure holidays but we have always wanted to see a dreamy beach. We thought of powdered sugar white sand, turquoise, clear, warm sea and coconut palms. Of course, the Maldives came to mind!  In the beginning, we doubted the trip because the winter would be the better travel time for it and we had time only in the summer. Secondly, the price was a lot, as the Maldives are known to be a pretty expensive destination.

The best time to visit the Maldives are the months of November to April. Rainy season is actually summer there. In this low season, you get cheaper deals. We are very glad that we decided to visit the Maldives for 8 days in July because we only had rain for one day and it was for exactly half an hour! Otherwise, the weather was gorgeous and it was always about 30 degrees celsius. The Angaga Island Resort and Spa was also a fantastic choice! Price and performance from the staff was excellent.

On arrival we were speechless as we had landed in paradise! The little island is located in the center of South Ari Atoll. You can reach it in 25 minutes by plane from the airport in Malé. Alone, the flight by seaplane was beautiful! The island is only 350x150m, but it is not crowded at all. The visitors are well distributed, it’s usually like being alone on the beach. It is a barefoot island; we never had shoes on during our stay, which feels really good!

It has a total of 50 single bungalows right on the beach, 20 water bungalows and 20 superior water bungalows on stilts in the lagoon. We had a nice, large beach bungalow. We found it convenient, as you had the beach at your doorstep. Angaga is very good for novice swimmers and snorkelers, as the water is not deep down to the reef. You can go from the beach with a snorkel mask into the water, immerse yourself and immediately see the house reef with many, many colorful fish. One day we lay on the beach, as we suddenly saw 2 dolphins. We immediately went into the water and watched them; they were only about 60 meters away from us. A wonderful experience!

There are snorkeling trips from the hotel. A highlight was the snorkeling with a whale shark. We decided to book that before the trip began and I could not wait. At first, I had an uncertain feeling, especially because I’ve never snorkeled before. But that was over quickly! I heard my boyfriend, who jumped into the water shortly before me:,”Look, here’s one!” I held my head under the water and there he was, this gentle giant of the ocean! It was breathtaking! I am so glad that I did this.

On the return trip by boat, we had the next fantastic experience. A lot of dolphins suddenly appeared and swam alongside our boat. Some jumped out of the water again and again. They showed us the most beautiful tricks. That was really an unforgettable day!

In the Maldives you can enjoy a romantic time together, completely isolated from the outside world. That’s why the Maldives are so popular for a honeymoon. The warm, crystal-clear, turquoise Indian Ocean is perfect for swimming and snorkeling. I’ve never seen such a beautiful sea before and felt a white, soft sand like this under my feet! We will definitely visit the Maldives again!

Contributed by Natascha Pein