Mindfulness In The Maldives

ABI CAMPBELL passed on a Maldives honeymoon in favour of a road trip through northern California. Now, she feels it’s time to make amends

I know it’s a generalisation to say the Maldives topmost people’s wish lists (apparently, there are some people who can’t stomach beach holidays in paradise), but once I'd made the decision to take my children to the St RegisMaldives Vommuli for half-term, the groans of jealousy and disgust from friends and acquaintances confirmed this. All I could do to minimise fallout was warn people to quieten our feeds on social media.

But first I had to address my paranoia about tsunamis, seaplanes and shark attacks. If you have preteens, you may be familiar with the YouTube comedy animation Dumb Ways to Die – well, this destination made a few methods spring to mind. So, I researched ‘dangers in the Maldives’ and discovered that, short of death by falling coconuts, there were surprisingly few threats compared to other tropical destinations. Armed with this information, therefore, I booked our flights and packed our bike helmets.

When we were greeted by the friendly face of the St Regis ambassador atMalé airport, all residual long-haul stress melted away. Our bags were whisked off and we were chauffeured to the luxury seaplane terminal to await our transfer to the Dhaalu Atoll 80 miles to the south.

Flying over turquoise-fringed coral islands is the beginning of our Maldivian experience. We’ve all seen screensavers of this natural phenomenon, but to witness it with your own eyes is something else. Once we’d reconciled the disconcerting feeling of taking off from water with a pilot in flip-flops and an open cockpit window, we relaxed, the kids’ noses pressed against the glass for the 40-minute journey, mouths open in an distinct O shape.