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Wearing: 1/ Asos maxi skirt, Asos blouse. 2/ BCBGMAXAZRIA maxi dress, Celine sunglasses 3/ Cos stripe top, J Brand leather pants, Chloe boots, Givenchy bag, Samsonite carry on luggage case 4/ Asos swimsuit 5/ Zimmermann dress 6/ Victoria’s Secret bikini 7/ Victoria’s Secret swimsuit 8/ Alice McCall romper
My second destination as part of my Life Well Travelled campaign with Cathay Pacific was Maldives. Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. The country is made up of over 1,190 coral islands formed around 26 natural ring-like atolls off the southwest coast of India.
This is a dream destination for obvious reasons of the sun and sea, but I didn’t anticipate just how surreal its beauty would be. A lot of the time while travelling locations can either be more photogenic than in real life, or impossible to capture. But my first time in Maldives made me feel like I was walking through the screen saver I’d saved years ago. The whitest sand, clearest azure seas and amazing coral reefs.
I flew straight to Male after my few days in Hong Kong, which was a great contrast of two destinations on the one trip. Hong Kong was cold with bustling crowds, cramped authentic eateries and exploring the tourist sights, whereas the Maldives were hot, quiet and a world away from everything. I had my last fix of dumplings in Hong Kong Airport while experiencing Cathay Pacific’s First Class lounge The Wing. Unfortunately due to a tight layover I wasn’t able to use the full size tub in the private cabana’s but can imagine how rejuvenating it would be between long haul flights.
As a traveller I am used to being on the go, often not knowing how or allowing myself to slow down or switch off (you may have noticed that I’m awake to see the sunrise every morning) in fear of missing out on experiencing or exploring. This is also why I’m never sunbathing or laying low, instead roaming every inch of the islands as I possibly could. The islands are small but only the beginning… the true beauty lies under the surface with a healthy reef teeming with wildlife.
Where to stay: I stayed at the W Retreat & Spa Maldives and Sheraton Maldives Resort and Spa. Both were idyllic but the W Maldives surpassed every expectation I could have had. If possible, I recommend a lagoon villa to appreciate the sunrise and shelter from the wind.
How to get there: I flew return with Cathay Pacific from Hong Kong to Male. Cathay Pacific flies to The Maldives four times weekly, and from a hub like Hong Kong means easy access from anywhere in the world.
I arrived in the evening and got a speed boat to the first hotel, then flew by sea plane to the next and when returning to the airport for departure. The sea plane is the best way to see the chains of islands and coral reefs from above, attempting to gauge how much ocean they are spread across (90,000 square kilometres actually).
What to eat: Traditional Maldivian food consists of a lot of coconuts, and fresh seafood. I was a little too addicted to the flat Coconut Bread for breakfast.
What to see and do: Apart from soaking up the sunshine and fresh air, you should explore underwater as much as possible. Each hotel should have snorkelling on their house or neighbouring coral reefs, and diving for those interested (I cannot due to bad ear pressure). I heard that swimming with Whale Sharks was available too late on our last day, but will make sure to do it if I ever visit again.
I was also able to experience a sail boat at sunset with a few other hotel guests. Speaking to them I learnt that all being newlyweds on honeymoons was just my preconceived idea, with a wonderful woman in her 60’s telling me she simply “always wanted to come” so she came by herself. My kind of woman!
I flew out of Male late in the evening, arriving to see another gorgeous sunrise in Hong Kong. After a short layover and large coffee, I was back on my Cathay Pacific flight home to Sydney without a worry as it was the first time I had stopped to rest properly that week.
An enormous thank you to Cathay Pacific for engaging me to share my Life Well Travelled. Working alongside such an awarded airline, and their inspiring campaign that is true to my blog has been a dream of mine for a long time. I hope to continue sharing my Life Well Travelled experiences, and seeing all of my readers share their’s at #lifewelltravelled too!
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