Youth Incorporated Magazine

After a trip to the Maldives with my friends, I can say with surety that it is much more than a destination for couples and honeymooners. We were staying at Kandima Maldives, a resort which is located in Kudahuvadhoo, and trust me, nothing has ever been so fun. 

In the last two years, I have explored Goa five times, Bali twice, Seychelles once and various other water destinations. My squad was thinking of a quick getaway from Mumbai when we decided to pack our suitcases and take the quick 2 hours 55-minute flight to Male (a great deal which costs INR 30K for round tickets). From the flight itself, I could notice the beautiful small islands with turquoise blue water around it which entranced me right from the beginning. 

Kandima Maldives, a 40-minute seaplane ride from Male airport was the best decision for me and my friends. It was a squad goals trip and nothing could be more exotic than our aqua villa located on the sea, with a ladder right outside our room to help us dive into the sea whenever we wanted. We also had a sprawling jacuzzi right outside our aqua villa by the sea, in which we would sit in the evenings, enjoy the sunset, while we held a glass of Prosecco in our hands. Lights in the jacuzzi almost made it look like a disco party in the room itself at night. What topped us up, even more, was the live music by a local Maldivian brand and a DJ who played some of our favourite music (Hindi songs too!) It was a hell of a party on the 3.2-kilometer island. 

Water babies

Kandima had a water activities center called Aquaholics where we learned various water activities like kitesurfing, scuba diving, wakeboarding, monoskiing and topcat sailing. We all took lessons for these activities together and felt like the trip was more meaningful because we had made the most of our time by learning a new skill together. We also took a dolphin cruise and spotted more dolphins than we had ever imagined. Watching dolphins jump completely out of the sea, do air flips and fall back was one of the most satisfying things. We also snorkelled with sea turtles and stingrays. Baby sharks could be seen from our aquavilla itself. Amidst the purple haze of the Maldivian skies, I had found my calm and my home. There is no real water party without some alcohol. I enjoyed Prosecco as I sat by the jacuzzi and watched the sun go down. 

Fit squad

Since our entire group loves to stay fit, we explored a fusion between the Balinese style of health-oriented living and the Maldivian style of luxury. As soon as we woke up, we prepared to cycle around the property to get to BURN, the fitness area at the property. The morning yoga had a very calming effect on us because we could see the glistening waves of the sea as we heard the waves crash from our yoga mats. It was interesting to ride our bicycles on the wooden panel between our aquavillas and the beach because the path was right in the middle of the sea. While walking on the path various times, we could watch baby sharks, stingrays, pencil fishes, catfishes and a few other species. Gluten-free and lactose-free food was something we thoroughly enjoyed at Azure. Being vegetarian, the food there was a relief from everything I had experienced in the Maldives on my other trips. 

Instagram worthy trip

We spent the majority of our time walking around the property and getting pictures in several different outfits because the resort was so Instagrammable. They had a beautiful Gilli style swing in the middle of the sea which you could climb on along with your friends. A life-sized sign titled “Kandima” at the beach makes for a great photoshoot during the sunset. My personal favourite was a cave shaped entrance to the beach which was made of natural trees, leaves and bushes. I loved how we got amazing opportunities to get pictures together around the hotel. Aroma cafe had lush beautiful fountains in their natural lake which looked stunning during sunset. We enjoyed some delicious pastries and wine while looking at the sunset from outdoor seating. 

Our trip to the Maldives was the best decision. It’s closeness to Mumbai, natural beauty, variety of experiences, luxurious privacy and next-level parties make it an ideal destination for everyone looking for a quick getaway. Sand away, bask in the sun, enjoy a margarita, swing away in the sea, snorkel with stingrays, jet ski into the deep sea, you don’t need anything more. It’s a fulfilling living.