Yavor_Andreev
Google
We found out the Maldives have two faces:||||First come the ridiculously overpriced Resorts (approx.120 of them, out of the 1,200 islands). If your dream for paradise is connected with a spa, thai massage and occasional cocktails by the swimming pool, Oceanic Village definitely is not your place.||||After 2009, the Maldivian Government allowed inhabited islands (roughly 200 of them are out there) to benefit from tourism as well. So, small villas appeared in some settlements and that is where the second, much more attractive and humanly face shows out.||||Oceanic Village is actually a set of several small villas (bedroom + rain shower in each), located 50 meters from the beach in a small island with 50-60 inhabitants. The facility is ran by two partners, Abdullah and Shirhaan, with a small team of local boys and a magnificent cook from Bangladesh. ||||The rooms are spacious, clean, a nice mix between traditional architecture and modern appliances and style. BTW, much better looking than some in the 4-star resorts we have been checking. Sea is warm (29 degrees C in the middle of January), beach is literally uninhabited (really, no joke). All meals are served 5 meters from the water. Half of the island is a real jungle, coconuts are right above your head and you can have a fresh one anytime you ask for it ... for free and served with a wide smile :)||||Here comes the main difference with the Resorts, and in two words it is: personal attitude.||||We had the chance to spend the week with Abdullah (BTW, one of the two partners / owners will be there all the time). He and his boys really made us feel as part of the island family. No questions were left unanswered, no requests were neglected. Mind it, these guys were up at 6.00 am in the morning, and went to bed after us.... and they never stopped smiling. We did snorkeling at different neighboring islands and went out fishing for tuna and red snapper, cooked deliciously on our return and served fresh and still steaming... We were surprised with a trip to the neighboring deserted island only to have a small Friday evening traditional snack, food prepared by the mothers of Abdullah's boys. We played volleyball with the local youngsters, and on the last night, they gathered specially for us on the beach in front of the villas and made an improvised concert of local island songs, accompanied by several drums. The concert ended with everybody dancing. It was touching and really emotional.||||Even if there were minor imperfections (and you can find some everywhere), we forgot them. Actually we did not care for them, as for the first time in years we managed to "reset" completely and to forget all our worries and business problems. That place is damn close to Paradise, or at least to our vision for it !||||Thank you Abdullah and company, we will be back !