TOP TIPS:
- Don't forget sunscreen and hats.
- Beware of the moss growing on the wooden staircases (slippery when wet :p).
- Fancy outfits for the photo shoot.
- Bring extra snacks, especially if you don't like seafood.
- Underwater camera for water activities (SJCam if you're on a budget).
- Bring your scuba diving license if you want to dive.
OUR FAVORITES:
- Sunset at Chill Bar.
- Blacktip Sharks near the shore.
- Keep an eye out for stingrays.
- Shooting stars (after rainfall, luckily we saw three!).
- Surround-sound system inside the Water Villa (Easy bluetooth phone connection).
- The sound of waves during nighttime.
- Nespresso Coffee Machine in the room.
- Colorful coral reef surrounded by fish life.
Maldives certainly brought our dreams to life. After arriving at Male International Airport, we were escorted to our own personal speedboat to take us to Velassaru Island. We enjoyed the sparkling turquoise water on our jumpy boat ride which was about 35 minutes long. Jailum, along with his other colleagues were standing at the dock for our arrival. We were welcomed with minty fresh lemonades while we waited for the keys to our Water Villa.
After a three minutes walk, we arrived at the last hut on the trail we could call home for the next five days. Stepping into the hut was magical. Jailum offered to take a few pictures of us before he gave a quick introductory tour of the island and recommendations of where to catch the best sunrise/sunsets.
Our king size bed faced a gigantic window with an open view of the bright blue Indian Ocean. There was a non-alcoholic champagne chilling in a cold tin-bucket on the center table. The bathroom was quite big with a separate bathtub in the center of the room. All the toiletries were from L'occitaine. The balcony had a beautiful outdoor arrangement that was too hot to sit on during the summer afternoons, however at night time it was perfect for cuddles as we counted the stars.
Everything was going great for the first hour of our arrival. M decided to sit outside on the stairs while B was getting ready to dive into the ocean to capture the colorful coral reef that was right in front of our hut. As M took her first steps down the stairs, she slipped on the green moss growing on the wooden staircase and went straight into the ocean. It was only a matter of seconds, but the moment felt too long. Although the water is about four feet deep, M doesn't know how to swim which made it a scary event. B jumped into the water and brought her into the room to check for any injuries.
Unfortunately, she hurt her left foot and with each step she took there were a few drops of blood making a print on the floor. She had cuts on her arms, and the worst part was the immediate jolt of pain that shot up her spine because her pelvis hit the edge of the staircase.
We washed the wounds with mineral water and went to Dr.Hassan, the local physician on the island. He was an exceptional man. He cleared the wound with alcohol and gave us free medicine for a week. M had daily checkups with him to bandage her foot before soaking her feet in the salty water.
The manager gave a swift response to the incident. He regularly asked how M was doing and sent two workers the very next day to replace the broken staircase. We were offered cart ride service all around the island so M didn't have to walk around so much.
The food was fairly good, but very few non-seafood options. All the meals served at Velassaru were halal, Thankgod! The price was a bit steep for what they served, however the presentation was outstanding. They take USD currency and the bill is paid when you check out.
One of the things we appreciated most, were the smiling faces we saw each day as we took our morning/evening walks on the sandy beach. It didn't seem to matter how busy the staff members were, the moment they saw you, they gave a courteous nod and a warm smile.
We had a free 30 minutes photo shoot on the third day. The young photographer was very skilled and took beautiful shots all around the island. If we had known that the pictures would come out this nice, we would've brought better outfits to wear! haha. We definitely recommend to have this experience and the best part is, they give you a free picture from the shoot. The entire album costs around $350USD.
On our last day there, we were supposed to check out at 2:00pm and explore Male city until our flight at 9:00pm. However, M was still in a lot of pain and couldn't walk around too much. We requested to stay at the island until later, and the manager was generous enough to give us a few extra hours in the villa, free of charge.
We returned home with an experience of a lifetime! Velassaru island is truly a paradise filled with breathtaking sunsets, romantic arrangements and people that are willing to help in any way they can.
