ΑΝ OCEAN OF ZEN

At Ozen Reserve Bolifushi, days are coloured with surreal sunsets, fantastic feasts, and underwater adventures

- POOJA NAIK

The sky is a zingy mocktail of orange, peach and pineapple, and the Indian Ocean is awash in shades of cyan and cobalt blue. A flock of white tern, locally called kiru dhooni, is swarming the sea's surface for fresh catch. The wind and water current pick up pace, shoving the pigeon-sized birds aside, but they persevere against nature's odds, triumphantly scooping up their day's hunt. I watch the chase in time for sunset from the overwater hammock of my two-storey villa at Ozen Reserve Bolifushi. Malé's skyline is visible in the distance, standing as the only proof of civilisation outside the island. My intentions to step out for an evening stroll are put on hold as the scenery tightens its grip on me. The Maldives is a wonderful cliché.

A half-hour ride aboard the property's luxury catamaran from the capital city leads me to my destination in Kaafu Atoll. If first impressions are telling, Ozen Reserve Bolifushi blends island extravaganza and local traditions. The sound of bodu beru drumming and the sight of an aquamarine house reef welcome me to the number 8-shaped island, whose length and breadth I will explore on foot, bicycle and buggies over the next three days.

Samir, my hiyani (butler), escorts me to my swanky accommodation perched in seclusion at the tail end of a stilted track. After we drive past sandy labyrinths, restaurants, art and retail shops, private beaches, and villas with pointy, slanting roofs come into view. "Before it became Ozen, in 2020, this place was called Jumeirah," Samir proffers while revealing that the architecture draws influences from the Arabian belt. It comes as little surprise that the address is widely popular among holidaymakers from the Middle East.