Remote Lands

Maldives

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 &ndash Male

VIP arrival at the Male International Airport. Catch a fast launch to Sonevagili Resort, where you check into your opulent villa built on stilts over the water just off the tiny coral island in a lovely lagoon.

In the evening, take a fast launch to Male, the capital, for a sumptuous dinner with a Maldives government minister or Maldivian business baron. He will entertain you with local lore and give you an insider's view of the country, how it is run and what makes the Maldives such an intriguing place.

Day 2 &ndash Male

In the morning visit a local school and have a seafood lunch with some of the charming children on the beach. In the afternoon go diving, snorkeling, water skiing, sailing, or play tennis.

In the evening, be a private guest at a traditional Maldives Islamic wedding. The Maldives has the highest divorce rate in the world (85%) but couples divorce and re-marry each other repeatedly — up to nine times by law, and many more times in practice (up to eighty times in some cases). This so-called marriage game is said to be important entertainment in some of the more isolated island communities.

Day 3 — Addu Gan

Take a fast launch after breakfast to the airport and a private charter flight to the southernmost atoll, Addu Gan. Drive across the causeway to the next island, Feydhoo, to be guests of a retired professional chef and his wife in their beautiful home. The charismatic couple will give you an informal cooking course of the superb local cuisine (fresh seafood curries, rice, salads, fruit) as they prepare your gourmet lunch.

In the afternoon they will give you a tour of the island, where the British fought off the Japanese in World War II, and the base and gun emplacements are still there for you to investigate.

Finish the day with a lavish dinner given in your honor by your hosts, and meet some of their interesting local friends.

Day 4 &ndash Island Hideaway

Take a private charter flight to the northernmost atoll, then fast launch to Island Hideaway. This is an exclusive resort island far removed from any other tourists in the heart of the rich fishing lands.

Have a champagne lunch followed by deep-sea fishing for barracuda and marlin with local fishermen.

Finish your day with a sunset beach barbecue featuring the fish you caught earlier in the day, together with your new fishermen friends and their families. Communication should not be a problem because the Maldives was a British Protectorate from 1887 to 1965 and English is widely spoken. Dhivehi, the native language, has a gorgeous written script resembling languages from Sri Lanka and India, and contains many Arabic, Hindi and English words.

Day 5 – Island Hideaway

Join a commercial tuna fishing boat catching yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack.

Visit a fish factory and have lunch at the home of the Island Chief with his family and other distinguished Maldivian locals.

In the afternoon go sailing, water skiing, diving, snorkeling, or just relax.

Day 6 – Soneva Fushi

Transfer by chartered seaplane to Sonevafushi - a Robinson Crusoe Island with luxurious chalets with private pools hidden in the jungle.

Sit back with sunset cocktails and dinner under the stars on a remote sandbank in the middle of the ocean, where your private chef will prepare a fabulous barbecue dinner of traditional Maldives fare.

Day 7 – Soneva Fushi

Take a boat to your own private island for a day of pure hedonism. Indulge in a long massage with your private masseuse. Swim and snorkel in pristine waters in complete privacy. Savor a champagne lunch on the beach of the uninhabited island, discreetly served by your own private waiters.

Have a dinner at the hotel with the owners of Sonevafushi and their most colorful Maldivian friends.

Day 8 – Male

Return to Male by seaplane. Have a final farewell lunch with another congenial baron or minister before departing for home.

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