Island of Love

OBLU SELECT LOBIGILI IS WHERE CUPID CAN STRIKE ANY TIME OF THE YEAR

- Namita Gupta

Nothing stirs the heart more than the waves of the sea that not just inspires the imagination but also brings eternal joy to the soul. Ever since I set foot in The Republic of Maldives, I've left a part of my heart and soul somewhere on those stunning shores. The archipelago of the Maldives, with about 1,200 islands in the Indian Ocean, each more gorgeous than the other, is always a treat to the senses. Out of these, 220 islands are inhabited by the local population, while 100 islands are developed for tourism. Visiting atleast one of them must be on your itinerary, f you have even a teeny weeny bit of wanderlust and a taste for a few good things that life has to offer.

We arrived at the Velena International Airport, located on the island of Hulhulé, in the capital Malé. Maldives offers free visa for 90 days to all the ravelers which is free on arrival. After our passport was stamped, we were escorted to the speedboat jetty for 15-minute speedboat ride to the enchanting Lobigili island. With some chilled water, refreshing face towels and a boat hostess we arrive at OBLU SELECT Lobigili, even before we start o admire the deep blue water splashing n the ocean with the speed of the jetty. The Island Hostess, the Island Chief and a live saxophonist were waiting o welcome us at this dazzling adultsexclusive resort with open arms. After all Maldives is Lobigili the island of love and the saxophone welcome rings in just that kind of an epiphany. In the Maldivian dialect of Dhivehi, 'Lobi' means love and 'Gili' means island. As we step into the Swing Bar which is where the reception area is, a champagne bottle is popped up and a bubbly is served, followed by a quick check-in directly at our private ocean villa. It's almost like landing from the earth straight into heaven at the blink of an eye.