Veligandu, a Ticket to Paradise (Maldives)

I and Roberto woke up very early; we can feel the excitement of our first trip to the Maldives! At 10:30 we set off from Altedo (BO) towards S. Martino (FE), where we go to pick up our travel companions Donatella and Cesare! As soon as we arrive at Malpensa we discover that the plane (EUROFLY) IS 4 HOURS LATE!!! At 11.00 they board us on the plane, at 11.40 we leave. The plane is big but the seats are close together and we're not very comfortable. The only good thing is that we have a screen for every seat and can watch films, listen to music and play games. The journey, between one nap and another, lasts 8 hours. We arrive at Male' at 11.40 local time. We hurry to get off because we can't take any more and above all we're curious to see what the Maldives offer us.

As soon as we step off the gangway, in the airport forecourt, we are immediately greeted by a terrible muggy heat! We look around and see the incredible colours of the water of these islands, ranging from white to deep blue. We are enchanted. We go through the usual formalities and take the bus that brings us to the port. We're ready to take the seaplane. It's madly hot, on the seaplane there's no air to breathe and on top of that it makes a deafening noise! It climbs into the air and the landscape seen from up there is enchanting… no story, no photo can describe it… we are left speechless! Below us are all these atolls in the deepest shades of blue, scattered here and there. It's a dream, and we don't miss the chance to capture this marvel with various photos! The flight lasts 20 minutes. I'm glad I experienced this thrill too.

From above we finally spot our island, which is just as we had seen it in the catalogue photos. We get off and what we see doesn't seem real. We see water as far as the eye can see, wherever you look… it's magnificent… I still remember the "bewilderment" I felt as I looked around, I didn't understand where I was, how the island was laid out…. I COULDN'T BELIEVE I WAS FINALLY IN THE MALDIVES!! White sand as fine as talc, lush vegetation, heady scent. We arrive in the lobby and they welcome us with snacks, a cocktail and a very fresh lemon towel that we wipe over our faces. We're dazed, tired from the journey but at the same time thrilled to have arrived in Paradise! The bar is very beautiful, it has a circular counter and a room with rattan chairs, glass tables and, best of all, the floor is made of sand. Everything is very well cared for.

We reach the bungalows and notice that outside there's a terracotta basin full of water for washing your feet before going in. We open the rooms and they're lovely! Very spacious with 3 beds, a built-in wardrobe and an open-air masonry bathroom, typically Maldivian! All with sea views, with a private beach and sun loungers. FOOD The cuisine, as in all the resorts, is international. We can say we ate very well. The food was always plentiful; no sooner had a container or tray emptied than the waiters were ready to refill it. I don't think I ever ate the same thing twice; there was great variety. The desserts are not to be missed, they're simply fantastic! The Maldivian dinner is typical and very special, carefully prepared, and above all spicy and flavourful (included in the package).

We recommend not missing the lobster dinner, which, besides tasting the lobster itself, is special for the setting prepared for the occasion: the table is laid on the terrace over the sea with extreme care: oil lamps for lighting, a tropical flower arrangement in the centre, a red tablecloth matching the hibiscus. The lobster was very good, accompanied by rice and typical sauces. EXCURSIONS The "All inclusive" package included 2 excursions. The first we took was a visit to Rasdhoo, the main island of the atoll. The trip by dhoni lasts 15 minutes, enough to admire the landscape around us. A very long strip of pale blue water accompanies us to the horizon for kilometres until we arrive. We're in the middle of an atoll made up of 4 islands: Veligandu-Madivaru-Rasdhoo-Kuramathi.

Madivaru is deserted and has a very long tongue of white sand surrounded by crystal-clear water that contrasts with the blue sea around it. Kuramathi is an island where 3 separate hotels stand; it's very big. We arrive at Rasdhoo and the heat is suffocating, there's no air and they advise us to drink a lot so as not to get dehydrated. We take a tour with the guide, who shows us the essential things on the island: school, police, pharmacy, hospital, town hall, mosque…... Most of the houses are shacks and they make you very sad. There are a myriad of little shops for shopping and we all take a bit of advantage. I think it's a useful excursion to understand that the Maldives doesn't only mean fun and relaxation but also poverty. You can see their houses, some quite well kept but others truly dilapidated. The people are very welcoming and the children have smiles that open your heart.

I recommend buying souvenirs on this island, not only because they cost less than in the shop in the Veligandu resort but also to give something back to these inhabitants. The second excursion we took, also included in the all inclusive, was the half-day "snorkelling safari" that touches 3 spots of the Rasdhoo atoll. We set off by Dhoni with the guy from Gastaldi, who stayed in the water with us the whole time and explained the names of the fish. Without taking anything away from the excursion, I'd recommend the second only if it's included in the package, because I assure you the spectacle you can see around our island is the same if not more beautiful, since we saw the same fish, the turtle and the sharks at Veligandu too, and above all it's full of dolphins.

On that note I want to tell you about an incredible thing that happened to us: that morning we head to the usual jetty…..and who's there a little further on?? Why, our dolphin friends! There are lots of them. There are 3 groups of about 5-6 each. We start joking among ourselves and ask Robby to call them, to whistle. He plays along, whistles, blows bubbles in the water making as much noise as possible. We jump in and start swimming. Meanwhile the dolphins were still far away. As we swam, Cesare said he could hear whistles in his ears and we all blamed the water pressure, but actually we could all hear them. At a certain point the whistles get more intense, the dolphins were coming closer, and Roberto suddenly starts shouting that they were beneath him.

I and Dona, who had stayed further back, start swimming with all the strength we had to get to them, and beneath us a spectacle opens up that leaves us speechless…. The dolphins came to meet us and are swimming under our bellies…..two of them jumped a metre from me…..we are all speechless and we enjoy this miracle of nature, thanking Roberto for the "little words" he had said to them during their conversation made of whistles and underwater shouts!!!! It was incredible that wild animals would let humans come close, and it was happening to us. They were most elegant and gleaming in the sunlight. An unforgettable experience! I feel I should recommend this island to anyone who wants to enjoy a week of relaxation, completely switching off their brain, and to anyone who loves nature and animals.

The underwater world that can be admired just a few metres from the beach is unique and unforgettable. It feels like being in another dimension, in a world of many years ago. A feeling of peace and calm that we Europeans are not used to. The memory of these emotions will cradle you for a long time after you return.