Maldives

Seaplane to Shaviyani Atoll: Barefoot Pilots and the Finest Commute on Earth

1300 years ago the Maldives was called "Dvipa Laksham" or a hundred thousand islands. It was later referred to as Treasure Island by Arab and Persian traders who came for the pearls, agate, spices, fish and coconuts. For me, these names conjure up visions of islands drifting in such clear water that they appear to float in the sky. Start with that image in your mind's eye to visualise this paradise. 

Lunch at The House Lounge at Heathrow was the perfect way to start our trip to Ozen By Atmosphere At Maadhoo Island in the Maldives. We had wisely picked our flight times to make the trip as comfortable as possible and to get the maximum time in the Maldives. The outbound flight to Male with Qatar Airways was at 15.05 with a 55-minute stopover in Doha. This meant we would arrive at 9.00 in the morning at Male and have the whole day to get over the jet lag and get acclimatised.

There are few places in the world that capture the imagination quite like the Maldives. This scintillating sea of a thousand islands encapsulates a mythical memory of a past Garden of Eden.

The next day started early on the balcony overlooking the sea, feeding the fishes and swimming amongst the resulting dense shoals that appeared, as if by magic. Again not a soul to be seen, just the infinite clear water stretching out in all directions, from this utterly private retreat.

The trampoline that hovers six feet above the sea takes some getting used to, but once in, is relaxing and peaceful, just the splash of the soft waves against the wooden pillars lulling you into a daytime reverie.