dxb to mle
Finally flying! From Dubai to Male in May 2021
we’re going away, away!
It’s May 2021. We haven’t left Dubai since coming back from the UK in August 2019, and with summer 2021’s plans looking dicey, thanks to unclear travel corridor status, Andrew and I decided to book a last minute trip to the Maldives, travelling the week after Eid al-Fitr so we’d be away over a school week (strategically timed to minimise the fury/guilt - delete as appropriate - of not bringing the kids with us.)
Convincing ourselves that it’s a belated 10th anniversary getaway (10 months after our actual anniversary, which we spent in the Dubai heat), we booked Covid tests (we’re both fully vaccinated) and gleefully used all those languishing Skywards miles to spring for upgrades to business class on Emirates, feeling every inch the honeymooners.
At the time of writing economy class return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Male start at Dhs3,845 (incl all taxes)
* extra extra * maldives packing
Tie-dye, feathers, simple cotton shirts
packing on-point
Part of the fun of a holiday is planning the wardrobe, right? Given that I spend 50 per cent of my time in Lycra for teaching or taking indoor cycling classes and the rest in whatever disintegrated old T-shirt and trackie pants are closest to hand, I leapt at the opportunity to do a Zara sweep. Tip: Zara in The Dubai Mall at 10am on a Friday is bliss. Any later than 11.30am though and I’ll stick to online.
Here’s what I got:
Button down shirt in white and fuchsia cotton for travelling in and for chucking over swimmers. They are huge, I bought size XS.
Tie-dye camisole, perfect with high waisted denim shorts. Size S.
Tie-dye skirt, because, holiday. Size S.
Satin camisole dress in mustard and ivory. Looks super-fancy and yet is totally machine washable and I won’t cry if it ends up in the pool/sea. Size S.
Satin camisole top in ivory. Super-versatile and (essentially) with adjustable straps. Size M.
Ribbed knit top in camel. To wear with high waisted denim shorts (again). Size M.
Additionally, I packed a couple of fancy dresses I had been saving for weddings/events that got postponed in 2020. There is literally no need for fancy dresses on a desert island but I wasn’t about to wear them anywhere else, so figured I may as well take them for a spin in paradise. I also had a willpower fail and splurged on this Olivia Rubin dress from Revolve when they had a sale on. Coupla pairs of denim shorts: these from Zara (size 38) and AGOLDE’s Dee shorts (size 28). Plus Havaianas and, for slightly more elevated moments, my Ancient Greek Sandals. A few changes of gym kit, plus a miniature bottle of laundry detergent to save on hotel laundering, and the rest was swimwear. My all-time favourite swimwear brand is Karla Colletto, it’s pricey but the quality is unrivalled and its silent underwire styles will give you support without frumpiness. No one else does this. Close behind is Melissa Odabash, whose designs I adore. They’re not madly supportive but the colours and cuts are divine.
FLYING IN COVID TIMES
The flight from Dubai was seamless; the airport was pretty quiet and once onboard the crew were excellent at ensuring everyone kept the masks on. We flew at 4am so I made the most of that business class flatbed and grabbed a few hours of sleep. There is additional paperwork to tick off before flying but the Emirates website guides you through the necessary declarations and QR code creation.
Arriving at Velana International Airport we were met by Shaan, the wonderful rep from Amilla, the resort we’d booked which is in Baa Atoll. He whisked us through to the. check-in for our Manta Air seaplane and once our luggage had been weighed (20kg limit for checked bags and 5kgs for hand luggage) we were taken by car to the seaplane lounge in another terminal just five minutes away. There, we had a short wait of around 90 minutes, but the lounge had refreshments and pastries and a killer view of seaplanes landing and taking off. After a year of empty skies, the sight of the cute planes bouncing along the water was especially joyous. Once onboard, be prepared to shelve social distancing expectations, these planes are small and cosy. But with all passengers and crew wearing masks, it never felt unsafe. That said, if you’re concerned about being in close proximity to others in a tight space you might be better off choosing a resort that’s accessible by boat from Male. I was also grateful that we didn’t have the kids with us for the 30 minute flight, which can be hot, filled with petrol fumes and bumpy (my kids always need the loo at the most inopportune moments and a Twin Otter is not the place to be when nature calls). Tip: the emergency exit seats, which were the second row back on the plane we took, seem to have less tinting on the windows than the regular seats, which makes those gorgeous aerial shots of the islands more vibrant. Big thanks to the crew on our plane and Misbah, our khateeb, or butler, at Amilla who somehow found the sunglasses I left behind on the plane and got them back to me the following day before I had even noticed they were missing!
Holidaying safely during the Covid-19 pandemic
When we landed offshore at Amilla, we were whisked by speedboat to the resort’s main jetty and after a warm greeting from the team, driven by buggy to our room for the complimentary PCR test. Guests are requested to stay put until the test results come back (an on-site machine means this takes about 90 minutes), during which time in-room dining is available on a complimentary basis. Andrew’s burger came laden with egg, bacon and cheese, while I opted to kick things off on a slightly more healthy foot with poached eggs and avo on homemade almond flour and flaxseed toast (so good I begged the recipe) and almond milk porridge. Because all guests are tested on arrival and effectively quarantined until the results come back, and with 95 per cent of staff vaccinated plus on-going weekly staff testing, the resort can operate mask-free for both guests and staff, which makes an enormous difference to the overall experience. Before we left Dubai the team from Amilla sent very clear policies covering Covid that outlined all scenarios from positive tests to flight cancellations and border closures so we were never unsure of procedures. The day before departure we took another PCR test (for this one we paid $150 each). Again, we completed various declarations online before heading to the airport to return to Dubai. On landing in Dubai the entire flight was sent for another PCR test (complimentary), despite the Maldives not being listed on Emirates’ website as requiring one. That said, it was very quick and efficient, taking no more than 20 minutes and an SMS with the negative results came through about 12 hours later.
The seaplane transfer with Manta Air costs $752 return per person (incl taxes) and is arranged via the resort. It’s best to arrive in Male as early as possible in the morning (international flights arriving after 3pm will be transferred via domestic flight and speedboat for the same price)
vaycay, yay!
Poised between pool and ocean
We booked a sunset water pool villa at Amilla, and had emailed ahead asking for the most private one if possible. They are laid out along a jetty in a slight V-shape and we had room 207 right at the point of the V which gave uninterrupted views across the ocean. The 200sq m rooms are gorgeous with a massive minibar that was always well-provisioned with complimentary tea and coffee and had plenty of room to house all the snacks I had packed to avoid paying desert island minibar prices (remember that everything is subject to 10% service charge and 12% goods and service tax). There’s tons of wardrobe space (more, I am sure, than 20kgs of luggage could ever require) and the bathroom is sleek and chic. There are actually three showers - two outdoors (one at the front and one by the pool on the terrace) and one inside. I only ever used the outside one by the pool during our five day stay. There’s also a bath positioned by the window to offer sunset views while you soak. Outside on the terrace we had a perfect-sized pool, sun-loungers, arm chairs and a table with director’s chairs - loads of space, basically! With its sunset views it’s the perfect place to open a bottle of the resort’s Babich Sauvignnon Blanc ($68 a bottle, incl taxes) around 5pm and settle in for a couple of hours before heading over to the main island for dinner.
Amilla’s Sunset Water Pool villa (we had number 207)
In May 2021, a Sunset Water Pool Villa with half board for two adults at Amilla costs $1,065 per night (including all taxes)
explore more
Finding paradise on two wheels in the Maldives
Amilla is 1.7km around and 27 hectares in total, so it’s easily navigated by bike. Admittedly without kids we never needed to carry much more than snorkelling gear, camera and suncream so the resort’s bicycle baskets were more than adequate (a beach bag is provided in your room). I imagine that if you come with kids you might need to rely on the buggy service, although we saw loads of kid-sized bikes around so the island is well-provisioned if you come as a family. The bikes are cruiser-style so you pedal backwards to brake, which took me a bit of getting used to.
The villas are on the same side of the island as the restaurants and bars, while the gym and spa are on the other side. In the centre there are treetop villas, which look beautiful but given that I’ve never met a mosquito that didn’t want to bite me, I would prefer to avoid all that dense tropical greenery. Hidden in the centre of the island are plenty of delights such as gorgeous tennis courts, a giant chess board, an artist’s studio (activities while we visited included making recycled paper and coconut painting), organic gardens, banana plantation and chicken residence ‘Cluckingham Palace’ serving up fresh eggs. During Covid, the eight-or-so restaurants operate on rotation with a weekly schedule informing you where is open at what time of day. Amilla is right at the cutting edge of nutritional provision and caters to paleo, keto and low lectin dishes under its ‘Wellness Your Way’ offer, While I don’t follow any of those regimes, I do try to avoid processed grains and sugar and it was fantastic to have such a variety of delicious food always available without giving in to the white carbs and sugar spiral of doom. So at breakfast I enjoyed the almond flour rolls and design-your-own breakfast bowls selecting from a choice of fruits, acai, chia seeds etc. I still felt like I was spoiling myself, without actually spoiling myself! My favourite meals were the simple Maldivian reef fish and vegetables on offer at the Italian beachside eatery Barolo, while Andrew loved the Japanese at overwater restaurant Feeling Koi. In Dubai we have so many luxurious restaurants, that for me the real treat is to eat outside with the sand under my feet, and enjoy an abundance of fresh fish and fruit, on which Amilla more than delivered.
Amilla offers the option of upgrading to its ‘Dine Around’ package, which covers breakfast, two-course lunch, three-course dinner and the resort’s beverage package as well as discounts on non-inclusive drinks plus extra complimentary excursions at a cost of $234 per person, per night (incl taxes)
active recovery
We arrived in the Maldives the day after tropical cyclone Tauktae passed through. While we were incredibly lucky to miss the torrential rain and winds of the cyclone, the sea remained choppy throughout our stay which meant watersports were sadly off the cards. With a husband who can’t sit still, and no chance of paddleboarding or waterskiiing to distract him I was thrilled that Amilla’s gym is superbly equipped for cardio and weights, and with gorgeous ocean views it was a pleasure to sweat it out there for an hour before breakfast each day. Uniquely, Amilla also has an outdoor jungle gym, crafted from natural materials for a Flintstones-esque workout using logs as weights and scramble nets to climb over. I haven’t dared show the kids pics of this as they would LOVE it. While we were there, there were complimentary sessions of Qigong, jungle gym training, Tai Chi, social tennis, snorkelling, self-defence, yoga and beach volleyball although I bypassed these and took the opportunity to hit the treadmill (so much more pleasurable when you are gazing out over a deserted beach). I rarely run nowadays so it was actually a nice change to clock up the kms by foot rather than on a spin bike back in Dubai.
star gazing
An elevated take on glamping in a bubble under the stars on your own private beach (with the spa to yourselves after dark)
The beauty of the Maldives doesn’t fade when the sun goes down. The night sky is hypnotising in its celestial splendour. To maintain the wonder round-the-clock, opt for a night in Amilla’s beach bubble, a glamping experience that starts with sunset champagne on your own private beach and ends by drifting off under stars in a magical bubble tent. It’s fully air-conditioned, has great wifi and comes with bluetooth speakers. There is also a rustic outdoors sink and shower or you can opt to pop to the adjacent spa and have the five-star facilities to yourself overnight. Unfortunately the night we stayed saw heavy rain, which was very loud on the plastic bubble, so it wasn’t the most restful experience, but definitely one that we won’t forget. Perhaps most memorably, a nest of turtles decided to hatch on the night we stayed in the bubble and we returned from dinner to see the baby turtles making their way to the sea. The sustainability team at the resort had already prepped us for this, explaining that the turtles will follow light, assuming it’s the moon, so we were able to turn off the lights around the bubble and use the torch on our phones to help guide them to the water.
Amilla’s glamping experiences start at $554 (incl taxes)
splendid isolation
Socially distanced, yet incredibly intimate
It’s hard to imagine a more pandemic-friendly destination than the Maldives, and resorts such as Amilla that balance effective testing and quarantine procedures with the freedom of a mask-free environment to be both safe and escapist, and we felt incredibly lucky to escape ‘the new normal’ for a few days. The only time we spent inside during our five-day stay was to sleep and gym; the abundance of fresh air, clear skies and salt water is endlessly restorative after long periods of confinement and restrictions. Here’s a final glimpse of our magical Maldivian May stay. We’re already planning our return!
take me (back)
to
the beach
Andrew and Louise signing out from the Maldives in May 2021 (we’ll be back!)