GABRIELLE LIPTON

Wrote “Out of the Blue,”

Former DestinAsian editor Gabrielle Lipton was admittedly surprised at just how diverse the Maldives proved to be when she flew in from Jakarta to check out a quartet of new resorts. “Each island is like its own little world, with a very distinct energy and personality about it—the sounds, the smells, the general demeanor of people staying there. I found it fascinating to talk to the different managers and get into how the DNA of each place was created.” Generally prone to covering more unsung adventures and stories during her three years working as a journalist in Southeast Asia, she was further charmed by the amount of unexpected activities found on the islands, from kickboxing in palm groves to catching sharks with nothing more than a spool of fishing line. She just might have to revise her preconceived once-in-a-lifetime notion about the Maldives and return one day.