Rob and Anna's travel adventure

Maldives - the local way (Malé & Vaavu Atoll)

 

Up till recently, the Maldives had been known as a playground for the rich and the super rich.  The stereotypical images were predictable - private island resorts, silky white sand beaches, and private planes landing in the water...  As luxurious as it might sound, it sounds quite sterile and boring, frankly...  So, when I found out there was actually another way to explore this vast archipelago of islands independently, I most definitely jumped into my research. 

 

The country of Maldives consists of almost 1,200 coral islands which stretch about 90,000 square kilometers!  The islands are grouped into 26 natural atolls stretching across the equator.  The Maldives are also the lowest-lying country on Earth, with only just 1.5 meters above the sea level.  I'm used to collecting a lot of information about a new destination, but I have to be honest - when I looked at the map of the islands in an attempt to narrow down the direction of travel - I was absolutely overwhelmed...  Out of 200 officially inhabited Islands, some were so tiny that it was almost impossible to even locate them on the map.  My principal approach to any destination is the independence of travel and self-reliability - no tour packages and no organized groups.  And so off I dove into my research, but the more I was trying to build my route, the more I got frustrated.  Public ferries between islands seemed feasible, but their routes map looked like a convoluted web of random directions and seemingly inconsistent departures.  The easily accessible islands were not enticing - I wanted to stay away from the mass tourism.  At one point I tore into pieces all my written notes and even considered giving this destination a pass...  But, my stubbornness prevailed - I narrowed down my research to the most remote, but still accessible by public ferry islands, and started to see a more clear picture and the direction I wanted to take us.  And, little by little though, the mystery began unraveling.  I knew there was a possibility I would enjoy the islands and the journey, but I did not expect at the time how much I would fall in love with this unusual destination and wonderful people that will cross the path with us.  Here is our story of the Maldives the local way...

 

 

 

 

MALÉ (North Malé Atoll) 

Majority of tourists completely bypass Malé - the Capital of the Maldives, and pick up their pre-arranged boats at the airport taking them directly to their private resorts.  I would even venture a guess that the majority of tourists are simply unaware that the Maldives actually have a Capital.  That's too bad because spending time in Malé is an excellent opportunity to see the REAL Maldives where local people live, work, and go about their business like any normal city.  The contrast between life in Malé  and on the islands is striking.  The city pace is intense, it can be loud and overwhelming, especially with a labyrinth of narrow alleyways that at first glance seem almost impossible to navigate safely with all the traffic and activities.  But, it is a REAL city with REAL people, and it does have a charm of its own.  Plethora of eateries and multitude of ethnic origins is apparent, and experiencing it first hand is an excellent introduction to Maldives - it created an understanding and awareness of the culture and the origin.  

The location of the Velana International Airport was unusual and scenic - it was built right on the ocean.  There are a few places in the world that have such exotic surroundings, and as we were exiting the airport, it brought some memories and associations for us about landing in the Galapagos Islands a while back...  We  jumped into a public ferry (wooden boat with an engine) and within minutes crossed the harbour to the city center.  Walking with our large backpacks along narrow streets was a bit challenging, but local people were respectful, and we safely reached and settled in our hotel.  Right upon arrival there, we were offered a complimentary upgrade to a super comfortable (and I would even say "posh") accommodation with included local breakfast.  We also were within a short walking distance to a super tasty and popular local eatery where we made friends with a kind jolly manager who gave us special deals and complimentary treats.  Having access to the guests' kitchen also gave an excellent opportunity for tasty budget take-outs, so pretty much on the second day of arrival we got  quite comfortable with our routine.  

Walking around the narrow alleys in the city center was a bit challenging due to the constant motorbike traffic, but the locals were doing it and so did we.  We explored a local harbour, beach by the mosque, waterfront park, old square, historical cemetery, and oceanfront market with many wild stingrays being fed by the local fishermen at sunset.  We observed local scenes, scents, sounds and even explored a near-by island by a public commuter ferry.  

Having spent some time in Malé established a great introduction prior to us proceeding to the more remote islands.  I confirmed my prior research findings regarding their public ferry connection at a local harbour, and a few days later we headed out to the Vaavu atoll.  Our island would be the very last stop on the public ferry route towards the inhabited southern islands...

RAKEEDHOO (Vaavu Atoll)

Early in the morning a local ferry arrived - it was a large wooden boat with an engine and rows of seats.  The center of the boat was reserved for the supplies that were loaded by hand at the Malé harbour - a reminder how crucial this connection is for the locals living hundreds miles away in the middle of the ocean.  I took a seat right next to the window next to the Sri Lankan guys that were heading to the islands as seasonal workers.  The route was super picturesque - the ocean colour was stunning and almost surreal, we passed by so many submerged tiny coral atolls, and made several stops along various locally inhabited islands.  Towards the latter part of the journey the waves picked up and our boat started to rock more while being sprayed by the ocean waters.  Five hours into the journey we finally made it to the tiny inhabited island of Rakeedhoo.   

The owner of our local accommodation met us right at the dock, and we walked together via a sandy lane to our place which we would call home for the next fifteen days.  Right away I had a great connection with his wife who throughout our stay introduced us to their local customs, invited us over to their family for an authentic Maldivian curry, and taught me a traditional Ohvalhu Gondi game skillfully played with cowrie shelves.  We talked, laughed, compared our cultures and traditions, and felt very welcome and included.  Every morning we enjoyed a wonderful and filling local breakfast buffet - among many other things our favourite was mas huni - shredded cooked tuna mixed with grated coconut, onions, chili, and lime.  We would scoop it up with roshi (freshly made flatbread).  In the evening we would have our dinners right on the beach, enjoying the sunsets and ocean breeze.  Freshly caught fish was always an option along with other variety of ethnic dishes.  

On a daily basis we spent hours in the ocean looking for marine life along the coral reef that extended all over the island.  It was a bit challenging to swim out to the reef from the shore, but we did it.  The owner pointed out the area with minimal currents, and even during the higher waves, it was still possible to reach the reef.  I myself would head out exploring the ocean twice a day - in the morning and afternoon, and Rob usually joined me for the morning exploration.  In the later part of the afternoon I would also borrow a kayak and continue my marine life discoveries.  This is how I met my new friends and my newly ocean faves - adorable and shy baby sharks who were plentiful in shallow waters right in front of our beach; the water was crystal clear, and I would encounter dozens of them on a daily basis.   As the evening would arrive, there was regularly a group of large nurse sharks and giant stingrays who would come to the dock or the island's habrour in search of the seafood scraps - the fishermen and our restaurant guys were giving them the treats after making their meals. 

Though the corals were dramatically affected by the climate change and human activities, on a daily basis we had close and multiple encounters with black and white tip sharks, graceful eagle rays (my personal fave!), giant stingrays, turtles and hundreds of tropical fish (just to name a few - Napoleon wrasse, parrotfish, groupers, batfish, butterflyfish, bannerfish, angelfish, trevallies, black durgons, clown triggerfish, titan triggerfish, porcupine pufferfish, sweet lips, angel fish, needlefish, filefish, anemone fish, unicorn fish, etc. etc.).  There were so many memorable interactions, especially considering that the ocean visibility was excellent and frequently was exceeding 25-35 meters!  I kept a detailed daily diary of marine life encounters (too long of a list to publish here), and by the end of the 15th day, the number of encounters with sharks and rays was in the hundreds!

We also participated with local villagers in island clean-up and removing those notorious plastic bottles carried over by the ocean from various parts of the world - please-please stop using those plastic disastrous water bottles and plastic bags, they are killing the ocean and marine inhabitants!.  While swimming in the ocean, I even retrieved a perfectly preserved bag of Nestle Milo mix and a carton of apple juice drifted here all the way from the Malay peninsula!  

A tiny island of Rakeedhoo was definitely the right choice to explore one of the remote locally inhabited islands.  It was very rewarding - the stunning ocean, laid-back nature of the island and its local residents, a wonderful attitude of our accommodation owners, remoteness from mass tourism, tranquility of nature - it was that kind of a place where both your body and soul find true peace.  I doubt highly that the private overpriced sterile hyped-up touristy resort could come even close to giving that genuine feeling of peace and acceptance.

FULIDHOO (Vaavu Atoll)

The local island of Fulidhoo has a multiple personality, and it manifests itself as the good, the bad, and the ugly.  This particular island in the Vaavu Atoll left me puzzled - it was painful to see such a magical place transitioning right in front of our eyes into something it had never intended to become...  Let me put it this way - I am so glad we got to experience what is left NOW, and not any time later.  Let me explain.

"Fulidhoo the Good"

The Ocean

Undisputed beauty of the ocean surrounding the island of Fulidhoo is probably what put this island on the map.  The island has two very different ocean personalities, both are striking but in very different ways.  One side of the island is dedicated to tourism, with sandy beaches, calm azure waters, protected natural coves - this is the "tamed" side.  The other is quite opposite - it is more secluded, has a wilderness feel to it, with rougher waves, stronger currents and almost no tourists, just a couple of locals in the simple swings watching the waves breaking over the reef walls.  We spent time at both (especially me exploring for hours on both sides), and I have to say that it is the "wilder" side of the island that won our hearts.  The ocean actually reminded from a distance a bit of the Pacific Northwest images - except, of course, a lot warmer.  It had a raw look and feel, and felt very unpretentious and free.  This is the side of the island where it was possible to see in the water transiting graceful eagle rays and large schools of fish.   The stunning translucent water colours were ever changing on both sides of the island, and always had an exotic feel to it.

The Beaches

Beautiful, peaceful (most of the time), exotic, and if you are into beach lounging - this is THE place.  If you are not - walking along the beaches was very HOT - hot sand, hot temperatures, and frequently no shade. Some parts of the island were secluded though, and it was possible to find a relaxing spot under the palm trees.  In either case - beaches are incredibly impressive here, and being surrounded by stunning surreal water colours only adds to the picture perfect effect.

The Sunsets

Walking along the beach and watching the sun setting over the ocean was simply magical.  We would also find a spot on the boulders along the beach and watch large nurse sharks settling for the night.  The stingrays were also making their routes along the shore shallower waters, and occasionally we would watch the giant herons spreading their wings and forming silhouettes against the sunset.  It was incredibly therapeutic to finish the day with such natural beauty around us.  One night we walked along the beach on the less populated side of the islands and found a family of graceful eagle rays soaring in the clear ocean waters in front of us - it was our last night on the island, and that farewell felt incredibly rewarding and symbolic... 

Wildlife Inhabitants

Very controversial, in my opinion.  On one side of the island (a wilder more isolated side), it was possible to see the transiting through eagles rays, and on the developed side of the island at night a large number of nurse sharks and occasional turtles would come to the ferry dock.  Local fishermen fed them with food scraps at sunset, so the animals got used to being around.  Unfortunately, independent snorkeling or free diving was not that great - so much boat traffic all day long, reef drop offs were too far from the shore to swim out to, strong currents, etc.  

There was a special area though where theoretically it was possible to get in the water with large nurse sharks and stingrays.  Once I was standing hips-deep in the water and a large nurse shark decided to rub her body against my leg, just like a cat would.  I think the shark wanted me to scratch her side, but I let the animal do her thing.  Unusual experience, but obviously the sharks in that area were used to people.  We also were able to pet stingrays on a daily basis - they would come to the shore in groups.  I did a special write up about this controversial phenomena further below.

One of my memorable experiences was "taking a shark for a walk".  I was walking along the shore at sunrise, and a large nurse shark was paralleling me close-by in shallow waters.  Then both of us would turn around and continue our walk-swim companionship in the other direction.  People walk their dogs on the beach, why can't I walk with a shark?  Rob did a cute video of the event, but the file size is too huge to post here.

So, lots of unusual encounters here, but there is a good reason I am a bit reserved about praising those (see my write up further below).

The Village (or whatever is left of it)

We are getting closer to my negative observation about Fulidhoo.  On one hand I was able to find a true gem - a local village with nostalgically familiar narrow sandy lanes and local peoples' homes covered in blossoming trees, with a few elders sitting in front of their coral-built huts...  There was also a school and a mosque - the prayer singing would provide an exotic sound carried by the wind...  

But, there was also another sound that would come from all directions - construction noise!  It was everywhere, and was the most discouraging sight to see.  People's modest homes were erased to the ground and in their places obnoxiously looking hotels were being built in all directions.  I am horrified to imagine what this island would look and feel like in a couple of years.  I am even more terrified to fathom what would become of the marine wildlife around the island.  That brings me to the next part of this chapter...

 

"Fulidhoo the Bad"

The local character of the island is imminently due to disappear.  It is to be replaced with over-built hotels complexes and vacationing tour groups.  The marine life is imminently due to disappear.  It is to be replaced with boats, overfishing, and Instagram-faking tourists.  The peace and tranquility of the island is imminently due to disappear.  It is to be replaced with over-built hotels complexes, vacationing tour groups, and Instagram-faking tourists. You are getting the picture - a stunning peaceful authentic island of Fulidhoo as we know is over.

 

"Fulidhoo the Ugly"

This is the most painful and frustrating part to write.  

The island cartel and obnoxious tour guides made an unethical circus out of stingrays and sharks coming to shore.  Starting from sunrise until sundown they tell people staying on the island to leave the beach area because the cartel wants to make money on tour groups brought from other resort islands to be photographed with the rays.  We personally were told to leave the beach area by the tour guides on a number of occasions because, apparently, the "animals liked us better and followed us in the water" and thus the paying visiting tourists were left without good pictures...  Are you kidding me?!  Because we chose to be spending our days on this island, and because the animals come to us without any food bribes makes us a target of resentment?  F.ck you, f.ck your tourists and your greedy opportunistic soul-less attitude!

All the ridiculous artificial drone footage of tourists laying on the beach surrounded by "wild" stingrays while fish heads and blood were thrown all over next to them by tour guides to chum the waters and attract the animals is UNACCEPTABLE and UNETHICAL!  We were disgusted with how the wild animals were treated in order to make profit, and I blame both tourists and their tour guides for that.  In order to make money on the Instagrammable shot, the animals were fed every 15 minutes  from 7a.m. until 5p.m. non-stop every single day!  Stingrays were grossly overweight and addicted, they were incapable of continuing their lives in the ocean as normal wild animals - they forgot how to hunt for themselves, and certainly did not know how to teach their young ones.  Some local residents protested, but their voices were drowned in the stream of incoming tourist money. And, those tourists who take advantage of these animals and the entire ugly scene to post some fake pictures of themselves on Instagram - you know what you did to get that picture, so don't pretend to be otherwise.  

 

BACK TO NORTH MALÉ ATOLL

We boarded a large local ferry boat and departed the island of Fulidhoo for North Malé Atoll.  The Captain navigating the boat was the same guy we'd met on the way to Vaavu Atoll, and now we had the notes to compare.  A couple of hours into the journey, the Captain abandoned his post and joined us in our seats for a chat.  He and his family lived in North Ari Atoll - a different part of the country altogether and hundreds kilometers away from this ferry route.  He was very passionate about his part of the archipelago and the marine life in the waters there, and he proudly shared with us all the recent photos he had taken - giant manta rays, turtles, sharks, etc.  We talked about our experience traveling around Maldives and he gave us inspiring suggestions about our next journey.  It was so nice to connect with a local part of the Maldives - the rare notion that Western tourists are completely deprived of by staying on private islands and their sterile resorts.  By the way - the latter notion was confirmed by a lovely American couple that we met weeks ago while staying on a local Rakeedhoo island.  Their stories were almost anecdotal about their experience on a super over-priced private island where they felt like over-pampered hostages.  

In either case, upon arrival in Malé, the city, narrow alleys, and our favourite local eatery were waiting for us.  It was cozy and familiar despite the traffic and chaos.  Our previously visited accommodation warmly welcomed us back, and presented us yet again with a complimentary room upgrade.  It was also a holiday, and our local eatery manager insisted to give us a variety of local desserts for free - another genuine gesture of local hospitality. 

 

 

VILLINGILI

We had the time and took another local commuter ferry from Malé to a neighbouring local island of Villingili.  The latter was like an antidote to the chaotic Capital -  it was super quiet, green, with almost non-existent traffic.  Wandering along the sandy lanes and beaches was effortless, and we even spotted a giant stingray in the harbour with abandoned boats.  Local ladies were shaking a tree right in the middle of the road and collecting some local tiny fruits.  They offered to share the fruits with us, which was very kind.  There were also baskets of other harvest drying out in the sun and placed along the roads.  

We took a couple of public lounging chairs and watched the ocean for a while.  Local residents were swimming at a local beach, some were fully dressed in their Muslim robes - which always makes an exotic unusual image - imagine swimming in your full length gown with a veil wrapped up around your hair, and still have an agility and fun in the water!  I could imagine this is yet another scene that would be unimaginable on the private islands resorts.  Like it or not, but imagination stimulation is a must and is an inevitable part of travelling.

Finale - Conclusions

Was it worth exploring the Maldives by slow public ferries and staying only on local islands?  I'd say this is the only way to experience the Maldives.  In an ever-changing modern world when manipulated Instagram images replace the true beauty and authenticity, and over-built sterile resorts push out the fragile local habitat, it is a privilege to still have an opportunity to connect with places and people in the most uncorrupt ways...  Yes, the Maldives are a truly beautiful country, but it is also one of the most vulnerable places on Earth - it is estimated that by the year 2050 about 80% of the country would be uninhabitable due to the rising sea levels.  Packaged mass tourism, overbuilding, disrespectful attitude towards the coral reefs and marine wildlife are all contributing factors to the demise.  We can't stop it, it is too late.  But, we can certainly slow it down.  By making more responsible decisions about the mode of transportation, places we choose to visit and stay at, choosing an ethical approach to our activities and interactions with the ocean and wildlife - all of it contributes to the impact on this incredible destination.  Keep it REAL. 

posted by Rob and Anna @ 9:46 AM