The seaplane that picked me up from Male’s airport to take me to the W Maldives resort had to stop at another resort to drop off some passengers. As it descended, the staff at the arrival jetty waved vigorously with their left hands, smiles plastered on their faces. It reminded me of the opening scene of the satirical TV series The White Lotus.
We descended again to my destination after 10 minutes. I observed the crew waving to the seaplane passengers again. An uninhibited female member of the W staff even jumped with both hands in the air. Little did I know that this was merely an introduction to the affable hospitality I would experience at the W Maldives.
Photo: W Maldives.
With cold towels in hand, we settled into the arrival plaza. My husband was delighted to see beer and champagne among the welcome drinks. I selected the welcome mocktail.
Upon arrival at our Wonderful Beach Oasis villa in one of a fleet of buggies with license plates such as GAGA and ELVIS, we immediately toured the property. The biggest highlight was the immediate private access to the beach and the ocean via the softest Maldivian sand. True to all the photos I’d seen on social media, those translucent blue waters were real, unfiltered and staring right back at me.
We woke up at 5am the following morning to go big-game fishing. We set off with the chefs from Singapore’s acclaimed open-fire grill restaurant Revolver, who were at the W Maldives for a showcase dinner collaboration.
I highly recommend this adrenaline-filled half-day trip if you have the stomach for it. In addition to offering fishing tips, the W Maldives crew educates guests on sea life. Because sustainability is important to them, they do not use live bait.
It took us an hour of riding to the right spots and watching the sunrise to reel in our first catch: a king mackerel about 90cm long. The excitement was palpable as everyone gathered to catch the first glimpse of its size. After another 30 minutes, the excitement began as more king mackerels were caught about every 15 minutes.
There were yells, yelps and fist bumps all around. As each catch was made, the fish grew bigger, varying between 1.3m and 1.6m in length.
We called it quits at 9am after catching four large king mackerels. After we gathered at the jetty with our catches, adolescent sharks began hovering around our boat after sensing the mackerels’ blood, much to the delight of this city girl. It was my first sight of real sharks!
Breakfast was next. I couldn’t resist indulging in multiple treats from the pastry selection. Of course, the all-day restaurant also offers açaí and yogurt bowls, freshly squeezed juices, and seasonal fruits for those looking for healthier options.
My husband loves Indian cuisine, so he was thrilled to find traditional Maldivian curries on the breakfast menu. Chef Suresh, dropped by our table to share an in-depth conversation on curries and noted my husband’s preferences for the next morning.
Photo: Ng Yilian.
Four hours of rest later, we were back in a speedboat once again, this time bound for the W Maldives’ small private island Gaathafushi. Our morning catch of king mackerels was the subject of a cook-off. As the signature hip W soundtracks and the smell of grilled meat filled the air, beanbags were placed on the sand right in front of the idyllic waters. At this precise moment, I thought to myself, “What a life!”
At sunset, we returned to the main island for dinner at Fish, a charming seafood restaurant with a wooden boardwalk overlooking the sea. An endless parade of sharks can be seen from its overwater tables.
Next morning, I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast (yes, I had the amazing croissants again). As our tummies were full and happy, we headed out on a guided snorkelling trip. Initially, I was apprehensive. Despite my inability to swim, I am extremely fascinated by the ocean. In addition, it was that time of the month for me—the most untimely period to be vacationing in the Maldives. Upon requesting a tampon, housekeeping sent me two boxes containing 32 tampons. Talk about legendary service.
Photo: W Maldives.
The snorkelling guide, formerly a Maldivian national runner, had an amazingly calm energy. A crash course in breathing through snorkel goggles followed, and I strapped my life vest and flippers on. As it turned out, my fears were unfounded; this experience was the highlight of my trip.
W Maldives sits on one of the Maldives’ best house reefs and is home to a wide range of marine species. Within 10 minutes of the snorkelling above colourful corals, I spied a turtle nibbling at a coral only arm’s length away. Our snorkelling guide immediately alerted us to a small group of sharks. The sight of the turtle captivated me for a few more minutes as I lingered in the spot next to it.
We snorkelled for another 30 minutes before I laughed as I had bitten through my snorkel tube. The underwater world at the W Maldives seems like a comedic act with fish pooping in the water, chasing each other at high speeds, and even vomiting after nibbling on corals.
Photo: W Maldives.
In preparation for the much-anticipated dinner by Revolver’s chef Saurabh Udinia, I booked a 60-minute massage at Away Spa. It provides great respite as it sits peacefully over the coral reefs at sunset. Most of the therapists were talent-scouted from Bali and knew precisely which muscles to concentrate on and which to avoid. I usually dismiss hotel spa treatments as overpriced and ineffective, but after just an hour of kneading at Away, I felt deeply rested.
I was treated to Chef Saurabh’s Indian cooking sensibilities with an international flair during the showcase dinner by Revolver at W Maldives’ Fire restaurant. In the opening course, Saurabh served white asparagus in curry leaf butter and fresh paneer in tomato espuma. I was blown away by the flavour of the grill in contrast with the creamy paneer.
I also loved the hearty and nostalgic duck chettinad gruyere kulcha. Dessert, a lava cake with coconut ice cream and gold flakes dessert, had notable spice influences.
The next morning, after our last breakfast, we had one more amazing snorkel from the beach in front of Kitchen right to our beachfront villa before we began packing for the journey home.
The crew of the W greeted us again as we boarded the seaplane one last time. There was less enthusiasm this time, but a more emphatic smile, as if they were sad to see us go.
It was a mutual feeling.
