The Westin Maldives
If you’re looking for a healing retreat where you can take a breather outside of your everyday routine, the Maldives offer a peaceful home away from home.
As 2021 came to a close, and we prepared to start another year with busy schedules, we decided that a short retreat away with a friend would be a perfect buffer after months of running after deadlines in bustling Cairo. It's said that traveling either strengthens the bond you have with your friends or brings out the worst in you. When we set out on our little adventure to the Maldives, we didn't expect this journey to bring us even closer, but that's exactly what it did.
The journey
Our journey started at Cairo airport, three hours before we caught a connecting flight in Abu Dhabi to the Maldives and our home far away from home at The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort.
The island resort is a 30-minute flight away from the capital of the Maldives, Malé. Overall, it was a long trip from Egypt, but the breathtaking view of the ocean and the welcoming staff who accompanied us the moment we hit Malé made it worth the distance.
In Malé, we were asked to stay in a lounge area for 30 minutes until our seaplane arrived, where we were offered coffee, assorted pastries, and free Wi-Fi. It was our first time on a seaplane, and it was an experience like no other. For almost 30 minutes, we were flying above the Maldivian islands, with resorts sprawled over pristine golden beaches, lush greeneries, and the gentle blue shades of the sea. If you suffer from seasickness, then it's best to take an antivertigo medicine an hour before you board the plane to enjoy this straight-out-of-a-movie experience to the fullest.
Amidst the picturesque, almost surreal, view of the never-ending quartz blue water and the distinctive atolls, we landed on the Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort island, where a team from The Westin was awaiting our arrival with warm welcomes and waving hands. We were offered a heavenly welcoming tropical drink of fresh oranges and mangos, giving us an instant refreshing energy boost after the 12-hour journey.
Accommodation
After our warm welcome, a member of the team showed us around the island. Everything was within walking distance, and you could walk around the whole island in almost 10 minutes. Through a sandy pathway lined up along both sides with lush greenery, we arrived at our beach villa,
nestled between palm-fringed shores with direct access to the shore.
It was spacious with a king-size bed and a bathroom with an outdoor shower stocked with natural White Tea Aloe products. Through a glass door we could reach a private moderately-sized swimming pool that was big enough for two, along with a cozy seating area overlooking the ocean that makes a perfect spot for afternoon reading. The sandy beach is a few steps away from the villa through a narrow path hidden by lush trees from both sides.
Built with a contemporary Japanese style in mind, the whole resort had a unique character, from the solid wooden furniture giving a warm homely feel to the intricate decor hinting to the rich Japanese culture—all inspired by the rich marine life of sharks and whales and the dynamic shape of the rolling waves.
With a focus on wellness and healthy lifestyles, the resort offers fresh oranges daily. You can make yourself a fresh glass of orange juice using the manual hand press juicer provided in the villa, along with an assortment of coffee, green teas, and freshly baked “Pandan” cakes.
The resort offers specially designed heavenly bedding with assorted soft pillows that you can choose from and lavender essential oils to guarantee that guests have as much deep and rejuvenating sleep as possible during the night. One of the best moments for us was waking up early in the morning surrounded by the softest plush pillows with the view of the ocean through the glass door.
Activities
The resort is famous for its focus on luxurious wellness, but it's not all about resting. We got to indulge in various exciting activities.
The resort offers free snorkeling gear that you can use anytime you want to take a look at the underwater life surrounding the resort. The island itself is located in Baa Atoll, known for being a divers' paradise with a plethora of ancient coral reefs boasting over 250 species, and it is home to one of the largest concentrations of manta rays and whale sharks. The water sports center is staffed with expert instructors, so even if you are not that good at swimming, there will be an instructor nearby that can guide you and make sure you are always safe. If you are lucky enough, you might even get a chance to see some baby reef sharks around the shallow waters early in the morning. One day we snorkeled around the coral reef of a nearby uninhabited island and saw sea turtles.
On another day, we went for a short kayaking trip but neither of us knew how to steer the boat well, so we went back to the island and enjoyed the sea view from the beach. At the end of our trip, we went on a dolphin cruise where we got to see families of dolphins in the middle of the Indian ocean racing along with the speedboat.
We also got to enjoy some relaxing wellness activities. Yoga on the beach in the early morning was a new experience where we got to feel at one with the ocean and the waves. An hour of calming yoga ended with a Shanti
prayer recited by the yoga instructor. We also visited the panoramic ocean view spa where we got to enjoy a full sensory and recharging experience.
At the Ocean Spa, built over water with a glass floor, we were asked to choose a positive affirmation stone (love, hope, or gratitude). The stone is placed on the transparent glass floor so when we faced down we got to focus on this one word. With the serene sound of the rolling waves and the calming scent of the essential oils, we were told we could manifest the positive energy of the stone while we enjoyed an hour of heavenly massage. We found out later that we both chose the same “hope” stone, which made this experience more special to us and strengthened our bond a little more.
The resort also offers a kids club and a beach movie experience, where you get to choose a movie from the resort's library to be played on a projector screen on the beach.
Dining
The island offers various cuisines from all over the world. The chefs can dish up any special requests or traditional meals to make you feel at home. You can also adjust any dish to your preferences or if you have any allergies or can't handle spicy food.
We mostly had our breakfast and lunch at the Island Kitchen restaurant, which offers a wide range of dishes. The menu is more on the international side, and the chefs are very flexible to suit a guest's preferences. The restaurant overlooking the resort's main pool also offers a special “Eat Well” menu, including a variety of healthy dishes and drinks. Needless to say, everything we tried was heavenly.
On another day, we got to enjoy some fresh sushi that we made ourselves at the Pearl restaurant, courtesy of the restaurant's chef, as he taught us the secret to making a perfect sushi roll with the freshest ingredients. The Japanese overwater jetty restaurant doesn't have a fixed set menu; the chef prepares a new three-course meal each night for a finedining experience, which we got to enjoy under the fading sunset, overlooking the ocean.
There is also the outdoor Hawker restaurant, which has more of an easy-going street vibe, with a focus on the most delicious Asian Fusion spicy foods. We got to try some Pinoy, Thai and Indian dishes and the most famous Pandan Sago and Halo-Halo desserts. If I could go back just to try another colorful dish at Hawker I definitely would.
We also got to enjoy some alcohol-free drinks at the Sunset bar, which is more of a rooftop lounge overlooking the ocean, where you can enjoy the most beautiful sunset sceneries.
Final thoughts
Throughout the trip, we were able to stop time and create wonderful memories. If you are feeling close to burnout and are searching for a spot to recharge your batteries and reset your senses, the Maldives has a lot to offer with its genuinely welcoming staff and unique experiences. We were more than lucky with our choice and returned home rested and ready for the year.