Amazing white sandy beaches, azure-blue, crystalclear waters, green swaying palms and dozens of ultra-luxury resorts that are amongst the favourite jaunts of the global celebrities.
To most international travellers, including your correspondent, Maldives was just that. Nothing more, nothingless.
But, at least your correspondent is much the wiser, after returning recently from the Storytellers' Conference, hosted by Visit Maldives.
Maldives is much more than a pristine and prestigious destination, it is a land of thousand tales. It seems that each of the nearly 1200 islands here has several stories to recount, about the land, its people, its verdant nature and its rich terrestrial and marine biodiversity.
But first the tale about my own journey there. I had already been mesmerised by the beauty of Maldives from the numerous reels and images that I had been seeing on the Instagram accounts of numerous celebrities. Yet, I was little prepared for how much more beautiful the country actually is.
Even as my aircraft made its final turn before it began its approach towards the Malé airport, the sight below left me stunned. Even from a relatively high altitude, I could see the clear waters, the beaches and the vibrant greenery all around. The seduction was complete by the time the plane touched down on tarmac and I kept my eyes glued to the pretty sights zipping past me. In hindsight, it would have to be perhaps the most beautiful landing that I have ever made.
But there was more to come. After collecting my baggage, as I boarded the speedboat to take me to my hotel, Hard Rock Hotel in Akasdhoo, South Male Atoll, which is the first integrated resort in the country, over the next 15 minutes, I was completely hypnotised, not just by the incredibly beautiful sights all around me, but also by the exceptional warmth and the grace of the Maldivian people.
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