If You Dare To Dream . . .

Captivated by the story of a small island we were booked immediately and could not wait for our dream trip to this gem of an island. Carried away I wrote…..

IF YOU DARE TO DREAM…..what would it be?

A desert island, a paradise where you can walk barefoot in the sand…. A feeling of home, it’s where you belong, relaxing under the palms, cocktail in hand….

Gaze at the sparkling ocean from your island home with all of life’s luxuries.

To dream and create magical moments and leave with treasured memories created in this paradise and return to write the next chapter.

We fell in love with the Batheli dhoni boats, truly Maldivian and then the kajan roofs of the villas with the luxurious interiors all brought into the 21st century.

CHAPTER 1 This is where the dream becomes reality. We glide across a blue sparkly ocean and then we are there. We are welcomed and given a glass of chilled Billecart champagne mmm…..

Ibbe walks with us as we feel the warm soft sand between our toes and we arrive at our home which will be our sanctuary for 1 week. We are not disappointed, the room is beautiful, spacious and the light enters the room from floor to ceiling bi-fold doors. The view is mesmerising, the pool and beyond, the beach and the ocean. The bathroom is another delight, enclosed but surrounded by tropical foliage and there is even an outdoor shower! We are transported to another world – this is our sanctuary but we need to go out and explore. We walk around the island…we are the first guests and it is exciting. The planting has to flourish and disguise the walls of some of the buildings, it will not take long. We make our way to The Compass Bar and we see the infinity pool. We take a seat, our view overlooking the infinity pool, and gaze at an ocean of sparkling diamonds. We order a chilled glass of champagne. Are we really here? Yes we are here let the story truly begin….. there are 4 other guests!

Its early evening and we are at the bar for a sun downer. We ask for our favourite cocktail, a sidecar, made with brandy, cointreau and lime. Saji makes the cocktail; we have all that we need at this moment, a sidecar as we watch an amazing sunset. We dine outside at Ocean and we enjoy the most delicious food that we have ever tasted. We stroll back along the sand path and take in the intoxicating perfume released into the night air from the flowers. This is truly magical. It is the end of a truly magical day on the island and then……there are the twinkles on the pool.

We watch the sunrise and it is beautiful and the shadows of the palm trees dance on our pool. Today we are going to enjoy the art of doing nothing. We enjoy a beautiful breakfast sat outside where we watch silver sprinkles of fish being chased and the arrival of a seaplane. What a beautiful day to fly over the Baa Atoll and arrive at Milaidhoo. After breakfast we walk and explore. Along the jetty we see batfish, squid, and a myriad of colourful fish. We walk along the jetty of the water villas and there is a gigantic ray. We return to our island home and dip in the pool. We then take walks along the beach and many dips in the ocean. It is hot and we use the Maldivian swing seat as it provides the right amount of shade and then there is the beautiful daybed which lends itself to being decorated by me for our wedding anniversary. Our day is spent walking, swimming, and enjoying cocktails and then the chef prepares something special for dinner, scallops and black cod.

Another day and we repeat the ritual of watching the sun rise – but today will be a little bit different as we will be going off island before sunset for a sandbank BBQ dinner. Today was different as we saw dolphins out in the distance.

Each day has been like Christmas as we see more and more beautiful crockery and furnishings arrive and dress the island. It is still early days but already we can imagine how it will be when it is completed. We enjoy more champagne and we have been so spoilt! We are ready for sunset and we go by boat across a calm ocean and we see a spectacular sunset from the sandbank. Shaah opens our Rose champagne and we walk around our new island whilst the BBQ dinner is prepared. We stand and enjoy the sky, champagne in hand and two director’s chairs are produced. When dinner is ready we are called to our table which is surrounded by flaming torches around a heart shape and as the bonfire burns brightly we see the writing in the sand HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. We enjoy our lobster, seafood and beef and gaze up at stars as Shah says there are 10000 stars. It is all too soon to leave and, as we brush the sand with our feet, we see the plankton almost like a blue LED light.

We wake to another sunrise and go to breakfast. Today the buffet has opened the quality and presentation a sight to behold. Our usual l table is set with flowers and we are wished happy anniversary by Rabeem (his name means special one) and he is. We even have a cake. We brought an edible cake topper from home with a photo and caption display “our Milaidhoo Story” We share the cake with our newly made friends – the staff they are all so special. This is another Milaidhoo moment. We have many more Milaidhoo moments to come. Even though there is a buffet we choose our favourite from the menu, Eggs Benedict, another favourite is huevos rancheros but now we have a new favourite, omelette with raclette cheese and lobster.

By now we have some more guests and there is a buzz to the island. They have been snorkelling and are not disappointed. Now that we are more than 6 we have a cocktail party and there is a new signature cocktail called Siam sidecar made with brandy, cointreau, lime and the addition of a kaffir lime leaf which gives an added depth of flavour. The cocktail party is a casually elegant affair with canapés and a selection of drinks and champagne. Service is as usual top class and discrete. The staffs training shows through and it is a success for the first Milaidhoo cocktail party. Another Milaidhoo moment!

We finally dine at the Shoreline Grill and, although not complete, we are wowed with the ambience and more importantly the food. It equals our favourite Michelin starred restaurant at our real home. The food, the presentation, the theatre all create another Milaidhoo moment. This food is something so special that it will be hard to recreate anywhere else to this standard in such surroundings.

We have many more Milaidhoo moments to come ……..but we have to return for the signature restaurant Batheli.

It is the staff that help you write your story, they are so friendly but well trained. The attention to detail is astounding and this is what makes it so special. Every waking moment for us was a delight.

We have not told you everything so that it will be a surprise but go and experience barefoot luxury at its best. Create Milaidhoo moments. Each person will create their own unique story and for some it will be all about the sea life and others the Spa treatments and yoga.

This is something special and will not be created at any other island. The small boutique style ensures each guest is made to feel so special and you will feel part of the story of “A Small Island”.

We are ordinary people with a passion for travel and then we fell in love with the Maldives. We fell in love with the Barefoot Luxury that is Milaidhoo and soon we will return to write the next chapter.

Our footprints will have been washed away but our memories and Milaidhoo moments will stay in our hearts forever.

Janice & Mike