Maldivian Mornings
By: Ananya Krishnan
Unpopular opinion: I hate the beach. I don’t like sweating, tanning, humidity, sand, or saltwater in my hair, so it’s easy to understand why you’ll rarely find me on a tropical getaway. I know this is a “hot-take,” but I prefer a museum or cafe and love wearing coats and jeans.
Last December, we planned a trip to visit my paternal side of the family in Bangalore, India. As a Christmas present for us all, my parents planned a little beach getaway for a few days in the Maldives. While this might seem crazy, I felt conflicted about this trip. On one hand, it’s the destination of a lifetime. On the other one hand, my aversion to beaches made me doubt I would enjoy my time there. However, I was grateful it was even an option to go, so I convinced myself to get excited.
The Maldives are a tiny chain of islands just southwest of India, and only a two hour flight from Bangalore. Because they are usually very difficult and expensive to get to from the U.S., it was the perfect opportunity for a visit. We stayed on a tiny island that was entirely taken up by our hotel, which appeared to be the norm in the Maldives.
Some destinations don’t look nearly as beautiful as the pictures you see online, but the Maldives exceed all expectations. Bright turquoise water laps peacefully on soft white beaches. Tall palm trees sway in a gentle breeze that does little to relieve the humidity. If you like the heat, the heavy warmth feels like an enveloping hug. There was a natural harbor on one side of the island where a calm lagoon had become a swimming hole, protected by a sandbank from the rougher ocean. Thatched cottages line the island’s manicured pathways, and some even rise out of the water on stilts. It is the epitome of paradise.
Despite the beauty we were surrounded by, I faced some personal struggles. I was constantly sweating, my usually smooth wavy hair became a halo of frizz, and there was sand on everything. My discomfort culminates in a morning spent snorkeling. In choppy waters, we unexpectedly swam a few sharks. The combination of the bobbing motion from the rough seas and the sharks being so close led to me nauseously clutching onto my father for dear life–even though I’m a very strong swimmer–and eventually throwing up while we swam. All things considered, I’d had better moments in my life. Still, I really didn’t want to ruin everyone else’s time, so I tried to make the most of it. Luckily, there were Maldivian mornings. These pockets of peace were nothing short of perfect and made everything better.
We were all quite jet lagged, so we got to see the spectacular sunrise every day. It seemed like we were the only ones awake as we walked to the east side of the island in near silence. A stony platform was the perfect perch to watch the sun emerge. The waves on this side were strong unlike the natural harbor side, and cool sprays of water misted us every few seconds. Without the heat of the sun, the humidity was barely noticeable, and a cool breeze wafted in from the ocean. Crabs scuttled up the rocks, exploring their surroundings for a few seconds before disappearing again.
Around the corner from the sunrise lookout, a fifty-yard bridge extended across the water towards another island. From the middle of it, the whole ocean could be seen rays of sun peeking through cotton candy clouds. Schools of tiny, translucent fish dart beneath the bridge in the pristine clear water and are sometimes joined by slightly larger teal fish. The wind is stronger out on the water and blows your hair in a mane around your face. The smell of flowers floats in the breeze, and no one talks for fear of destroying the peace.
I spent the rest of that day dreaming about the tranquility of the morning as I fought off the heat and sunshine.
Enjoying the sunrise became part of my routine, and we had surprise visitors on one occasion. That morning, my brother was the first to meet our unexpected guests after venturing out for a sunrise swim. A few moments later, he came running back exclaiming there were sharks in the lagoon. We rushed out, barefoot in our excitement, to see a school of 8–12 sharks coming as close as 10 feet to the shore. From a raised stone jetty, we got as near as we dared. Seemingly harmless, they slowly glided the waters just beside our platform, but at 7 feet in length there was no doubt they could take on anyone who got too close. We happily kept our distance. For almost 20 minutes, we peacefully enjoyed our unexpected guests while the rest of the island slept.
Thanks to Maldivian mornings, I’m a reformed beach-hater. You won’t hear me say I love a sandy retreat to a humid destination, but I won’t flat-out reject it anymore. Though I might prefer to stay indoors on another beach vacation, you can bet I’ll always seek out more sunrises like the perfect ones we had in the Maldives.
Ananya Krishnan is a senior from Saratoga, California majoring in Environment and Sustainability and minoring in Business and History. One of her favorite travel destinations is Pokhara, Nepal, because of the stunning Himalayan scenery, delicious food, and unique architecture.
