With 26 atolls and over 11oo islands, the Maldives scatter across the Indian Ocean like cabochon gems flung upon a blue sea. Sweeping in for a landing after a long flight, the view from above enchants.
One cannot help but think of bubbles. I think of blood cells, actually, and find over the course of ten days that the analogy is not so far off. While each island looks isolated, like a closed system, these beautiful reef and sand girt isles are constantly changing shape, appearing and disappearing, living, dying and breathing, as ocean and its inhabitants wash in and out. I travelled to four different atolls, traversing the surprisingly large distances in between by seaplane and speedboat. I was there to visit hotels, feel out the islands’ personalities, speak to marine biologists and discuss the many creative sustainability initiatives that makes this nation of islands so interesting.
Coco Chanel, an Olive Ridley turtle, in rehab. She lost a flipper to a ghost net dumped by fishermen in the ocean