Maldives

There are a few overseas destinations that I wish to visit - Egypt, Maldives, Srilanka, Cambodia, Nepal, Bhutan, Peru, Columbia, Cuba, Indonesia…not necessarily in the same order. In January 2003, we got 5 days off….and we thought it would be perfect for Bali in Indonesia or Maldives. There are a bomb blast in Bali at that time, people advised us not to venture there, and hence Maldives was the obvious choice.

Truly a natural wonder, the islands rarely exceed two meters in height. The 1,190 islands, consisting of 26 atoll formations, are spread over an area of some 90,000 square kilometers.There is historial and archeological evidence that the islands were first inhabited over 5,000 years ago. Maldives, being on an important trade route, was settled by people from all over the world, therefore the actual origins is not known.

Divehi is the language of he locals and is a mix of Sinhala, Tamil & Urdu and is written in Thaana script, which looks like a cross between shorthand and Urdu.

If one wishes to go to Maldives, a 3 N / 4 D package is optimal. There are no budget vacations possible in Maldives, coz all the hotels and resorts are run on the islands, and they provide 5 star or 7 star facilites, at 5 or 7 star rates. But the spending is worth it, as there is no place like Maldives in the world. There may be others like Seychelles, Tahiti and in the Caribbean islands, but, Maldives’ proximity to India makes it the obvious choice.

There are 2 flight operators to Maldives. Air Lanka and Air India. Air Lanka operates flights from Chennai and Delhi via Colombo. Air India operates flights out of Trivandrum. Air Lanka gives the best flight rates, and we were in Chennai, so we flew Air Lanka.

We were welcomed by the pleasant smile of the Sinhalese Airhostess with ‘Ai Bowan’. It means welcome. The travel time to Colombo from Chennai is about 1 hr. We left Chennai at 8 pm and reached Columbo at 9 pm. The flight to Male was at 7 am the next morning. The best option was in stay in the Colombo airport. The airport gives rooms for US$ 10 per night, and they charge US$ 3 for a bathroom with shower facilities. The Colombo airport is extremely comfortable and it is possible to spend the night there, if you wish to wait till the morning in the waiting area. The duty free shops sell a wide range of articles liquors, wines, alcohol, chocolates, soft toys etc. One can also go out of Colombo airport and spend a night in a hotel outside. It would cost anywhere between US$ 35 to 40 per night. The airport is about 1 and half hrs drive from the City, and hence we thought we would have to wake up really early to get the 7 am flight to Male. Hence using the Airport accommodation was the wise option, plus it is cheaper.

The flight took off at 7 am the next morning as per the schedule. We flew over crystal blue waters. The travel tome to Male is about 1 hr. About 30 mins into the journey, we could see several tiny islands on the surface of the sea. They seemed to be a chain of pearls studded together with a string. There were several of these that appeared. As were got closer to Male, the flight was at lower altitude now, and we could see larger islands, but, none too large.

Male is the capital of Maldives. The airport runway is very uniquely constructed. On both sides of the runway, you will find the sea and rough waves dashing against the constructed walls. This tiny single runway makes up for the airport. It is a marvelous sight to see the flight landing in the runway with the sea on all sides, it is almost like landing at sea.

As we stepped out of the airport, we were at a jetty where there are speedboats waiting to transfer us to our respective Resorts. We had booked Kurumba Village for our stay at Maldives on Vihamanafushi Island. Kurumba is close to Male, and takes about 20 mins to reach in a speed boat. Our former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vaypayeeje had spend a few days here. The ferry trip to the island and back is also included in the package. So, we had to report at the Kurumba Village stall. After all the guests to Kurumba came in, were taken to Kurumba.

The color of the sea water here is unique. It is bright aquamarine blue throughout the day and it is most beautiful. We reached Kurumba in 20 mins. Kurumba resort has its very own dock, where the ferry stops. We have to take about 50 steps to reach the actual island.

The Kurumba resort is spread out on a 30-acre circular island. It’s surprisingly green and my cottage had a small stretch of private beach. We were tired of exhausting as we had not slept well the previous night, but a private beach meant that we absolutely have to go for a quick swim. This sets the tone for the rest of the trip. When we were not eating or were not on a boat, we had to remain in the water. There are several coral reefs inside the bund area, each reef is a ecosystem by itself, it has beautiful colorful fish swimming around it. One can keep walking into the sea and you are always in about 3 to 5 feet of water. If you know to swin, you can have a great time. We carried our chairs, placed it in the water, and sat there throughout the day. So, we got soo tanned in the Maldivian sun shine that I took about a year and half to get back to my original skin tone. And, we walked around the island in just 15 mins, Kurumba is that small.

The facilities on the island are world class. There are single room cottages and pent houses for larger families. All the cottages / penthouses are on the coast and hence you have a private beach. All around the island, there is huge bund constructed to prevent the sea water to get in during the high tides, also to prevent the predatory fishes. The Resort has about 200 cottages / penthouses, and also water houses ( houses in the water ), a multi-cuisine restaurant which serves variety of food starting from Rice gruel to Vada, Sambar, Upma, corn flakes, American breakfast, Continental , Chinese..every cuisine and every other cuisine possible. The Maldivian fish curry is tasty and is worth a try. There is a bar, a gym, a few tennis courts, 2 swimming pools, beach side barbeque restaurant, beach side bar, open air hall for live band, pool side restaurant, and it has other adventure sports facilities for snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, wind surfing etc. One can learn snorkeling or scuba diving here. Submarine rides are available in Male and there are several operators. The duration of the dive is about 1 hr, and it costs about US$ 100 per head. Very steep eh !

Kurumba also arranges a whole lot of activities at extra cost. Dolphin cruises, Male Excursion, Glass boat ride, Island hopping, Snokelling etc. The cost for all of these is about US$ 15 per person. There is usually a board at the reception. You need to write your name across the activity. The resort requires a minimum of 8 people in all to be able to organize it for you. We could go to Male coz a lot of people opted for it. We had to cancel the rest as there were not many people who wanted to do the same thing, or the waters were choppy and hence it was advised that we do not venture into the sea.

The nights at Kurumba are full of fun. You can decide to dance to the tunes of the local pop performer. They sing the most popular dance hits and you can have a great time dancing. Or you can order the most exotic meal at the beach side grill / barbeque.

One afternoon we went to Male. Male is a very small island of about 2 kms lengh and is packed with an odd mix of old and new buildings. You will find that the people here have the trendiest of sports cars and bikes, but the speed limit here is just 20 kms per hr. There is restriction on constructions beyond 2 floors. It is said that the island cannot take the weight.

The only wide-open space is the main Republic or Jumhoori Square. Within an hour you can walk through all the sights you need to catch. The Golden Domed old Hukuru Miski mosque with its coral gravestones is across the corner from the brand-new Grand Friday mosque. If you went to National Museum, Sultan Park and the fish and fruit market, then it means you’ve seen all of Male’. In the fruit market, pick up the coconut and jaggery sweet that is packed in a unique traditional coconut leaf packaging.

Island Hopping is another excursion that can be undertaken. You will be taken in a Sea Plane and will be dropped on a island. You will be left alone on the island with a fruit basket and some wine. You will be picked up in the evening. Most honeymooners try this. The high cost of the sea plane and the island is prohibitive.

Kuda Bandos, is a deserted island popular with local kids and tourists.

We wanted to pick up a few gift items for our friends, but they were too expensive. A bottle of mineral water costs US$ 2.

For the two of us, we had spend INR 75,000. The charges per day was US$ 199 inclusive of breakfast and dinner alone. We spend separately for the lunch, Male trip and the other aquatic sports. Over all it was a great experience.

I am told that the Maldives island are going to go under water in another 10 years. I wish to go back to this place once again.

Getting there : Air Lanka from Chennai and Delhi to Male via Colombo. Air India flight to Male from Trivandrum

Visa : Its easy. A valid passport with do. Visa is given in Maldives on arrival.
Best time : December to April. But the entire trip will cost to less than half during the off season.

Trip duration : 3 N / 4 days

Where to stay :

The Maldives tourism model isn’t geared towards backpackers or budget travellers. Your best, and usually only, options are resorts which are on Islands. The official tourism website www.visitmaldives.com has useful information. In Male’ contact the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board on 12, Boduthakurufaanu Magu or call 0960-323228.

North Male’ Atoll: This atoll is closest to the airport and has the highest concentration of resorts.

Kurumba, is 15km from the airport, transfers take 15 minutes by speedboat. Rates are US$ 160 to 2000. Baros Resort is 15 kms from airpot, transfers take 20 mins by speedboat. Rates : US$ $180.

Contact : Both properties owned by Universal Resorts. Contact: 0960-323080 or www.unisurf.com/village/intro.htm

South Male’ Atoll:
Laguna Beach Resort – Transfer from airport takes 20 mins, Rates US$ 130. Contact: 0960-445906, lgr@dhivehinet.net.mv.

Taj Exotica Resort & Spa is also a 20-minute speedboat ride away. Rates begin at $397.
Contact +0960-442200, www.tajhotels.com

Ari Atoll:
Kuramathi Village : 1.5km Kurumathi Island, 70km from Male’ airport.
Rates are $130-270

Blue Lagoon : US$ 155
Kuramathi Cottage : US$ 155

Contact: 0960-450527 or www.unisurf.com/village/intro.htm

It is not really advisable to stay at Male, and the trips to the islands ie the ferry charges are high.

Allepy

Kerala has beaches, back waters, forests & wild life parks. Keralas network of navigable backwaters stretches to over 900km. These serene waterways are fringed by palm grove and paddy fields and offer a striking spectacle of the rustic life.

That’s why, we decided to hit Alappuzha or Allepy for our 1st wedding anniversary in Nov 2000. Allepy Express leaves Chennai at 8.30 pm and reaches Allepy at 11.30 AM. This train cross Palghat at about 4 am. You will see how Geography plays havoc with Tamilnadu, its flora, fauna and its people. To the right of Western Ghats is Tamil Nadu in the rain shadow region and is dry for most part of the year, except for the occasional showers during the SW and NE monsoons. To the left of the Ghats is Kerala that gets all the rain, and therefore is blessed. As the train moves from the right to the left the dry lands transforms into lush green coverage. And as we get closer to Alappuzha, we cross a lot of canals, and the soil is different here, its like beach sand.

On reaching Alappuzha, we checked into our hotel. We chose a hotel that was close to the backwaters, so that we could walk to the backwaters whenever we felt like. The mainland Alappuzha has a vast network of lakes, lagoons and fresh water rivers criss crossing it and is a district of immense natural beauty.

After freshening up, we ate white rice with the most sumptuous Currymeen preparation. Then we headed to Allapuzha Tourism Development Corporation ( ATDC ) to book a Kettuvellam ( which means boat made of logs of wood). There are several types of them to choose from - Single bed, Double bed, with electicity ( ie with TV, lights, fan ), without electricity ( with petromax lamp, and natural sea breeze ), with terrace, without terrace etc. Trust me, the one without electricity is the best. But, please carry your mosquito coil or Odomos.

We chose a single bed Kettuvellam. It cost us Rs. 3500 for a 24 hrs cruise. This Kettuvellam had a sit out with diwan & bolsters, open to the sky , a covered verandah with a center table and 2 chairs, the bed room is about 8 X 10 feet wide, is open on both the sides, and you can treat yourself with the view outside. It has a bed with mosquito net and a small cupboard too. The bathroom is well equipped with Wash basin, showers and a Western Toilet. Along with the boat, you get 3 people in all. 2 to row the boat, and one to cook. This cook will make the most exquisite food in Kerala style. He will also arrange for local toddy if you wish to get a little adventurous.

After we booked the Kettuvellam for the next day, we had a lot of time. We went around the place. Allepy is a small town. As your go around, you will find that all the streets are filled with aroma of chips made in coconut oil. There are a lot of shops that sell articles made of coir. Coir making is the primary industry. Since there was a lot of time, we walked to the back waters. It was an amazing scene, vast stretches of water, lined by coconut trees…and you see several small islands full of coconut trees. Each of these small islands have houses where people live. We took a small snake boat in which only 2 people would fit in…we sat in one of them, and went for a small round in the back waters. Out boat man was old and had loads of experience in rowing the boat. He had a long stick, he immerses the stick into water…and then pushes hard so that the boat moves. The boat moves really slow, slow enough for you to look around and enjoy and wonder why God made this place so beautiful. You will find a lot of birds in these back waters. There are a lot of water plants also. This was just a prelude to our 24 hrs Kettuvellam Cruise scheduled for the next day.

We were to report at 11 AM at the ATDC office. ATDC has about 10 kettuvellams. So, all the boats leave at the same time ( with a gap of about 10 mins between each boat), with the guests. Each boat takes its own route to the destination, so you feel that you are the only one in the place.

You get a welcome drink to start with. As the boat moves along the narrow canals of the back waters and through the villages you will find that this is a completely unique ecosystem. There are no roads here. No traffic jams. The only means of transport are the canals. Each family has its own boat. Children go to school in boats. Some families have boats that can accommodate 2 to 3 kids, so that all can go to school together. The women go to the market on their boats. So, outside each house ( which is usually on a small island ), you find one or two boats tied at the entrance. We passed through a school, which was on a island. We were surprised to find about 50 boats tied outside…a boat stand like how there are cycle stands in our cities.

We found lots of kids in uniforms rowing to school. There are several private ferry operators ferrying people. Like bus stops and railway stations, here, there were several jettys. When a steamer or a large ferry crossed, there was a alert and hence all the small individual boats ( in which the kids went to school and women went to shop ) stopped. The small boats stop as the large ferry causes huge waves and this could topple the small boats. When the ferry is gone, there is a whistle again, after which the kids start rowing again. You also find fish vendors, vegetable vendors and a whole lot of other people trying to sell their stuff in their boats. Truly amazing.

Coming back to my Kettuvellam, the climate and the scenery was so good, we sat on the diwan with masala chai which Rajan, our own private cook for the day, made for us. He gave us Pazham Puri to eat. This is made of ripe banana dipped in besan dough and cooked in Coconut oil. Cannot get more authentic than this.

We passed through lush green fields and we liked the place. Our oarsman stopped by the banks and told us that we could go to the fields and play. So, we got out of the boat and had a great time in the fields. We had become kids. It was a great place for photography. Rajan called us back as our lunch was ready.

Boiled rice, with delicious currymeen fry, fish curry, curd, chips and pappadam ( local lingo for papad ) was on the menu. The Kerala menu is never complete without the pappadam. We had carried Red wine with us. We enjoyed the meal and started our journey again.
We passed through several villages, one of them was a village where coir mats and ropes are made. We passed through Kuttanad, which is the singular characteristic of this land. A land of lush paddy fields, Kuttanad is called the Rice Bowl of Kerala and is one of the few places in the world where farming is done 4 to 10 feet below sea level. For this purpose extensive land has been reclaimed from the backwaters and is protected by dikes built around it. It is here that most of the snake boat races are conducted and a majority of the rice boat & houseboat cruises are scheduled.

It was evening, and the kettuvellam was anchored in the middle of the Vembanad lake. This lake is huge…every side you look you stare at a vast expanse of water. It seems this lake meets the sea on one side. I was told that the lake can be upto 100 feet deep in some places. The water seemed clear but it seems there are dangerous weeds about 3 feet below the surface. Me and hubby, don’t know to swim. It became dark. I slept on the diwan, was starring at the star studded sky. The kettuvellam was moving slowly in the water, the cool breeze was heavenly, it was like a lullaby. As the kettuvellam did not have electricity we had to use the petromax lamps and mosquito coils. It was great fun.

We saw that all other Kettuvellams that left along with us has also anchored. We had a early dinner at about 7 pm, again amazing fish fry of a different kind and toddy. The day was superb. After this, we were starring at the sky and did not know when we fell asleep.

We started moving at about 6.30 am, the next day. We went through more villages more schools more market areas and reached the ATDC office. I was wondering how come the entire thing came to an end so soon. It was time to leave.

Referred to as the Venice of the East, Alappuzha has always enjoyed a unique place in the maritime history of Kerala. Today, it is famous for its boat races, backwater holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry. There are lot of places in and around Alappuzha. Alappuzha is on the coast and has its very own beach. It is beautiful and is worth a visit. You will see lots of fishermens boats on the shore with nets. The pier, which extends into the sea here, is over 137 years old. There is also an old lighthouse nearby which is greatly fascinating to visitors. There is canal close by and those interested can take a boat and row themselves. Canoe’s and kayaks are also available.

There is a place called the The Krishnapuram Palace which is a rare specimen of the Kerala style of architecture - complete with gabled roofs, narrow corridors and dormer windows. Residence of the rulers of Kayamkulam kingdom, the age of the palace is unknown. Renovated some time in the 18th century, the palace is today a protected monument under the Archaeology department. The palace houses a archaeological museum, and the most fascinating exhibit here is the 49 sq.m - Gajendra Moksham - the largest single band of mural painting so far discovered in Kerala. Literally, the salvation ( Moksha) of the elephant king ( Gajendra), the theme of the mural is mythological and depicts an elephant saluting Lord Vishnu in devotion while the other gods, goddesses and saints look on. It is said that Lord Vishnu was the family deity of the Kayamkulam rajas. This mural was placed at the entrance to the palace from the pond to enable the rajas to worship the deity after their bath.

Kayamkulam has another credit to itself that is worth mentioning. This is the only place where double edged swords are made, where both the sides are sharp. These swords are called Kayamkulam Vaal which means Kayamkulam swords. Kayamkulam is 47 KMs from Alappuzha and one can take a auto to get there. A trip to Kayamkulam and back to Alappuzha should not cost more than Rs. 250. The palace is open from 9 AM to 5 PM on all days except Mondays.

1 1/2 hours drive by motor boat or 30 minutes by speed boat from Alappuzha, is Pathiramanal. A small island on the backwaters of Alappuzha, it is a haven for hundreds of rare birds migrating from different parts of the world. Surrounded by the Vembanad Lake, stretching from Alappuzha to Kochi and the Kayamkulam lake, Pathiramanal is accessible only by boat. The green island thus forms an ideal place for a break in the journey while on a backwater cruise.

Now, about the food. The Keralites eat boiled rice and they drink water that is boiled with a herb, which turns the water red in colour and taste like Waterburys compound. You know, this is for your own good. Currymeen is the local fish and tastes yummy. In restaurants in Cochin and in all other places in Kerala, you can choose your Currymeen, and then it is cooked for you. The other delicacies of Kerala are Puttu, Adaprathaman, Appam, Stew and the banana chips fried in coconut oil.

Getting there :

Nearest railway station : Alappuzha

Nearest airports : Cochin International Airport, about 85 km north of Alappuzha Thiruvananthapuram,about 150 km towards the south.

Local Transport : Kettuvellam, small boats, Autos.

Best time : November to March. If you visit during the 2nd week of August, you can see the Nehru Cup Snake boat race.

Where to stay :

Alappuzha BackWaters Resort
Punchiri Building, Jetty Road, PIN : 688 011
Tel : 0477 – 260573
Fax : 0477 - 252918

Kayaloram Lake Resort
Alappuzha Backwater Resorts Pvt Ltd
Near Punnamada Jetty, PIN : 688 006
Tel : 0477 – 232040 / 231 573
Fax : 0477 – 252918

Prince Hotel
A S Road, PIN : 688 007
Tel : 0477 – 243752 / 243753

Keraleeyam Ayurvedic Lake Resort
Heritage Home and Ayurvedic Resort, PIN : 688 006
Tel : 0477 – 242468
Fax : 0477 - 251068

Coir Village Lake Resort
Tel : 0477 – 243462
Fax : 0477 -241693