Return to Paradise 🐚🌺: Maldives Through My Eyes Ten Years Later!

Ten years ago, tiny six-year-old touched down in the Maldives for the very first time and totally fell in love—with the ocean, the sunshine, and that feeling of stepping into a real-life postcard. Fast forward to March 2025, and guess what? We went back! This time, it was for my mum’s birthday—and honestly, it was beyond special.

The Maldives has always had my heart (like, if I could actually live in the ocean, I 100% would), and when my parents told me we were going again, I nearly screamed. Okay, fine—I did scream. We stayed for six dreamy nights: three at Soneva Jani and three at Soneva Fushi, and it honestly felt like living inside a Pinterest board.

A few days before the trip, both resorts emailed us with these super detailed forms asking for our preferences. I’m talking everything—our favourite activities, bar snacks, even what kind of pillow we wanted. I just sat there thinking, how is this real life?

We started our journey with a four-hour flight from Mumbai to Malé (cue all the excitement!), and then hopped onto a seaplane to Soneva Jani—yes, a seaplane. The views from up there? Absolutely insane. Imagine flying over a scatter of emerald-green gems floating in turquoise glass. Unreal. And that was only the beginning.

Soneva Jani 🌊

When we arrived at Soneva Jani, the seaplane landed right in the middle of the ocean, and a speedboat came to pick us up. I was buzzing with excitement—surrounded by nothing but crystal-clear water.

At the resort, we were greeted by our barefoot guardian, Shafana, who gave us a tour of the whole island. She showed us the restaurants, the activities, and all the little corners of paradise waiting for us. And then… we reached our villa.

It was one of the overwater villas, and honestly? I was speechless. It looked exactly like the pictures, but better. A huge slide spiraled straight into the lagoon, there was a living room, office, kitchen, an outdoor seating area upstairs, a gorgeous bedroom, a walk-in wardrobe, and the most massive bathroom ever (complete with an outdoor section). My favourite feature? A section of the roof above the bed that opened up for stargazing. Like, come on.

Stepping outside was just as dreamy: the pool deck had an infinity pool overlooking the lagoon, sunken seating, and hammock-style catamaran nets suspended over the water. It was the definition of luxury, and honestly, probably my favourite part of the whole trip.

That first evening, we decided to just stay in and soak it all up. We swam in the infinity pool with music blasting from the in-built speakers, sang loudly and badly, danced on the pool deck, and laughed until we were out of breath. Later, Dad and I went biking around the island (which was both fun and kind of exhausting—we even managed to get lost despite following the signs and had to get rescued by staff). Dinner was at So Primitive, a beachside restaurant just two minutes from our villa. Seafood, lamb chops, and a glowing sunset right in front of us. Pure magic. We headed back to the villa afterward, stargazing on the catamaran nets with soft music playing, waves lapping beneath us, and the sky glowing above.

The next morning, I woke up to delicious pancakes and then went straight down the slide into the lagoon. The water was perfect, the slide was fast and fun, and honestly? It was the best part of the villa. Later, Mum and I (it was supposed to be Dad, but he hurt his toe—don’t ask) went for a massage at the wellness centre. Even though we picked just a regular massage, they offered everything from hydrotherapy to Ayurveda to full skin analyses. Afterward, we had lunch in the villa and I went for a swim.

That evening, before dinner, I went zip-lining (yes, they actually have that). There were so many activities on the island—everything from soft toy making to water sports. My parents went to a pre-dinner party for snacks and drinks while I stayed back, watching the sunset from the pool with music playing. It was so peaceful.

Dinner that night was a feast. There were so many cuisines to choose from, and I had ravioli that was literally the best I’ve ever tasted in my life. So good, in fact, that I ordered it twice. No regrets.

Soneva Fushi 🌴

After weather delays, we finally made it to Soneva Fushi. Compared to Jani’s open-air ocean vibe, this island was more tropical jungle-meets-beach. Our barefoot guardian led us to our villa, which was nestled right by the beach.

The villa had two floors: on the ground floor, a cozy sofa-and-TV setup, plus a door leading to an outdoor bathroom with a bathtub, rock steps leading to a waterfall shower, and even a swing chair. The whole space felt like a spa. Upstairs was another bathroom, a huge bed, and a balcony with views of the island. I stayed on the ground floor while my parents claimed the top.

That evening, as I was getting ready, I spotted a baby lizard in the bathtub. Total freak-out moment. I called housekeeping, and they showed up like it was no big deal, just scooping it up like it was their pet. Meanwhile, I was frozen in disgust. Thankfully, lizard gone, I got ready and we headed to Out of the Blue.

This event was next-level: food stalls with fresh coconuts, island-made crafts on display, and so many treats. The chocolate room was the highlight—walls and tables covered in unique chocolate combos. And even though the whole room was edible heaven, I weirdly became obsessed with the meringues. Then came the wine cellar: endless cheeses and cured meats. Dinner that night was just as amazing—my favourites were the sushi, chicken satay, and this spirulina drink I got hooked on instantly.

The next day, we got upgraded to another overwater villa. And this one? HUMONGOUS. Two bedrooms, two floors, two living rooms, four bathrooms, a kitchen, and of course, a pool deck with a slide into the ocean. It rained most of the day, so we couldn’t spend much time outside, but I still braved the pool in the rain just for the experience.

Dinner that night was at Fresh in the Garden, a treetop vegetarian restaurant. Fun fact: I had a “steak” there that was so good, I forgot it was vegetarian. Afterward, we went up to the observatory and saw the moon through a telescope—it looked impossibly close, like I could almost touch it. Back at the villa, we ended the night with a movie projected in our living room, waves as the soundtrack in the background. Unreal.

Wrapping Up 🌺

Our last morning came way too soon, but my parents had one last surprise: breakfast in the pool. Floating trays filled with tropical fruit, fresh juice, pancakes, the works. It was such a fun way to end the trip. After a last swim, our barefoot guardian came to take us to the airport, and just like that, paradise was in the rearview.

The Maldives has this way of making you feel like you’re in another world, and this trip? It wasn’t just about villas and views—it was about moments. Singing with my parents in the pool, stargazing on the nets, screaming down a slide, or even laughing over a baby lizard incident.

And since this trip was right before my IGCSE exams, it ended up being the perfect dose of peace and tranquility before three months of non-stop studying and work.

Hopefully it doesn’t take another decade for me to go back 😂.

Until next time, Maldives. You’ll always be my paradise. 🐚

Before you leave this page, hit play on my Maldives playlist — your passport to soft waves, sun kissed mornings, and that endless island feeling:

https://music.apple.com/in/playlist/maldives-x-rh/pl.u-76oNPvBsvG1egW5

Snorkelling

Villa 2 Tour