Maldivian paradise

This was my first visit to the Maldives, it is a destination I book a lot but it would not have been somewhere I would choose to go on my holiday as I prefer sightseeing and culture so I was glad to be able to visit on an Educational and experience it with my ‘professional head on‘.

We travelled with Qatar Airways from Manchester with a quick transit through Doha. The flights were on time and before we knew it, we had landed in Male airport which was very busy. The airport is currently being extended and will soon be able to cope with greater volumes of travellers. After meeting our Representative, we were escorted to a lounge to wait for our Speedboat transfer. For those travelling by Seaplane, the terminal is a short 10-minute transfer. The speedboat transfer to our first island, Oblu Nature Helengeli Sentido, was 50 minutes. We were given water and sat back and enjoyed the view, passing other islands en route and admiring the stunning colour of the ocean. On reaching Helengeli, our welcome was Royal! The hotel staff lined the jetty, clapping and welcoming us with a drink and big smiles, I learned this is traditional and how all guests are welcomed, it was a lovely touch. My first impressions were WOW... the backdrop of the pure white sand; against the the blue of the ocean and green of the palms and flora was stunning. The island was beautiful with a friendly and laid-back vibe, exactly what I expected...We stayed in a spectacular water villa and would recommend it to them if the budget allows it. Sitting and watching the Indian Ocean and marine life was extremely relaxing. The fact that there were fewer mosquitos too was a huge bonus. This is something I will recommend to my clients.

Oblu Helengeli set the bar high, our next island Oblu Sangeli exceeded expectations. The ocean is a stunning aquamarine and the purest sandy beach I have ever seen. It was evident from our arrival that this was a 5* resort, standards of accommodation and facilities were very slick, and I loved the modern feel of the resort. Sangeli had everything that Helengeli had (apart from a house reef) but was a little more polished. My favourite place was the Rock Sunset Bar, sitting drinking cocktails and watching the sunset whilst listening to a very cool saxophonist, this set the tone perfectly.

For our next stay at Ozen Maadhoo, I was curious to see how this compares to Sangeli as both are rated as 5* but at different price points. Well, I understand... starting with the warmest of welcomes with a glass of champagne or sparkling non-alcoholic drink and then a traditional Maldivian welcome of a soothing foot bath... The Manager 'Welcomed us home' which was a lovely touch! He explained that he wanted guests to feel like they had come home to a special place, a sanctuary where they could relax and unwind! I could tell instantly that this place was special, sometimes you just can't describe why some places make you feel a certain way and Ozen Maadhoo is my kind of place. Pristine white sands, purest glass blue ocean; swish modern accommodation; but built to blend in with the environment; fabulous food (and gin tasting!) but best of all the staff and service they give their guests is unreal... just leave me here! I was sad to leave Maadhoo and thought, how can this get any better... well arriving at Ozen Reserve Bolifushi I understood - this is pure unadulterated luxury, it felt like our own private island. The palms and greenery were manicured, the accommodation was some of the largest I have ever seen and the food and beverage were really for those who like the finest things in life. Our experience in Cuvee, with a wine pairing tasting menu, worthy of a Michelin Star (or three!) was something else. Every guest whim is taken care of here and with a staff-to-guest ratio of 1 to 3, it is easy to understand why.

I feel so lucky to have been able to experience four islands, all very different and wonderful in their way!