ZNMD 2.0 in The Maldives

It took a dive into the cerulean ocean in The Maldives to overcome my biggest fear For the longest time I have believed that I suffer from thalassophobiamdashthe dread of large water bodies It has prevented me from swimming in the deep end of the pool for as long as I can rememberMy visit to the Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort and Spa strangely replaced this fear with love for deep waters Itrsquos true that The Maldives the archipelago state in the Indian Ocean has waters so blue and sands so white you wonder whatrsquos even real Located on the North Maleacute Atoll the property is home to 109 villas Rs 74000 a night upwards each with a private swimming pool and bar As if immediate access to the waters wasnrsquot enough a rectangular glass in the floor offers a 247 glimpse into the marine wonders that live below Your very own unique oceanariumJust as I was soaking in the newfound luxury in the heart of Maleacute the announcement of a snorkelling trip burst my bubble In house expert and marine biologist Sam Whiting told me he has spotted 1000 species of fish and 250 types of coral ldquoItrsquos going to be one of a kindrdquo he assured me of the experience His estimate the very real possibility of spotting close to 100 species of marine life in a single dive on the house reef ldquoAssuming you keep track and know what you were looking forrdquoZindagi Na Milegi Dobararsquos ZNMD Arjun Saluja and his 2011 road trip was playing in my head Hrithik Roshanrsquos fear of water vanished when he went underneath Would I be as luckyLuxury amp adventureTOUR amp TasteRelaxingEducationAncient amp HistoricalMy snorkelling trainer Hassan Beyya snapped me out of my day dream sliding a floater my way I was happy to grab it with both hands With that I followed the man who at least at that moment seemed to be the master of my life Before I could think any more Beyya drifted me into the sea Getting rid of the floaters I went right down Whoever said that heaven was above and hell down under has never snorkelled Marine life played hide and seek before me as angelfish butterflyfish and parrotfish brushed past me in a whirl of blue pink and green The word that came to my mind was cinematicI was so engrossed in this theatre of graceful movement that when I caught my first breath back on the surface of the water it had been 15 minutes I was a cool half kilometre away from the shore Had my fear abandoned me for another weaker mindWhen Beyya began directing me towards the shore I was disappointed I requested that he let me venture into the waters on my own ldquoGo for itrdquo Beyya egged me on This time around I noticed the corals which I had missed during my first diveThe property located on the North Male Atoll is home to 109 villas each with a private swimming pool and barThe only thing that could tempt me out from the wonders underwater was a meal Returning after nearly three hours out on sea I feasted on chicken curry coconut sambol and potato tempeh with Sri Lankan prawns curry and rice prepared by Chef Indika at one of the resorts six restaurants AuraFor most part of my stay I didnrsquot feel the need to leave the property When you arenrsquot relaxing by the sea you are tempted by the water sports or hunger carries you to their restaurantsI understand why they say surrender is a beautiful thingThis writerrsquos first attempt at snorkellingYou are the mixologistAt the Cocktail Lab you can fashion your own cocktail with a little help from mixologist Jati Kuncoro Adi They can rustle up a range of gin and rumbased cocktails and Adi says he is open to experimentation ldquoIf someone suggests a drink that is not on the menu we chat with them about their taste preference and make something special to surprise themrdquo claims JatiWe liked the idea of the mocktail bar that hosts underage ldquodrinkersrdquo The kidrsquos club is a great place to keep the little ones busy while you relaxMuseum thatrsquos a hop awayThe resortrsquos art gallery lets you try your hand at painting a canvas Else you can go fishing or set off on a sunset cruise and watch the dolphins Off the resort you can make a trip to the National Museum and Sultan Park barely 18 minutes away Both are part of the restored Royal Palace demolished in the late 16th century One of the wings was rebuilt and is now the museum that was inaugurated in 1952 by then Prime Minister Mohamed Amin Didi It houses an elaborate collection that speaks of the heritage and history of The Maldives Outside well paid out gardens beckon you for a strollDifferent kind of omeletteldquoThis is barefoot luxuryrdquo said Executive Chef Praveen Shetty about Beach Shack which is among six others that the property hosts ldquoWe grill everything from salad to dessertrdquo The pineapple that Shettyrsquos team uses in an ice cream is burnt on coal The berries in the cheesecake are roasted You can customise an evening here the candlelight dinner date is popular with visitors The menu is characterised by Maldivian dishes flavoured with coconut chilli and herbs We recommend you try the mas huni shredded smoked tuna with onion chilli and coconut the tuna or vegetable curries with roshi chapati or the Maldivian omelette with drumstick leaves and chilli our personal favouriteGetting there IndiGo operates daily flights from Mumbai to The Maldives The resort is accessible via a 20minute premium speedboat transfer from Velana International AirportWant to hear from youWe are looking to visit and write about interesting places of stay and travel near and far If you wish to host us for a fair engaging experience review write to us at smdmailmiddaycom