My Veligandu Sojourn

It is my second day at Veligandu island in Maldives, and I am already falling in love with this tiny piece of land. A narrow and not-so-long strip of pristine white sand dotted with beach villas and water villas on its circumference, the whole island has got an air of tranquility about it. Rightly so, as the clear greenish blue waters around this land mass are also so very peaceful that their occasional roaring comes to your ears as a lullaby being sung the Mother Nature. No wonder I find so many European travellers having a great time here. Europeans, I have always found, love to stay at places where they can not only have a peaceful environment and privacy, but also can get some sun and a rush of adrenaline whenever they wish to do so. Well, I am also similar to Europeans as far as their preferences are concerned, and so I am loving it out here.

The moment I stepped on the island, what immediately attracted me was a sense of serenity about it. It did not come to me as a tourist place at all. A long strip of open sand at the southern end of it and a broad beach extending northward. A not so overly crowded place as I must have imagined. Despite it being a narrow island, it has enough space to roam about idly. It felt as if I am going to stay for the next few days at a place that has been eagerly awaiting me. A home, yes, yet far removed from the daily chores and activities of home! For, its rustic charm and a calm and undisturbed atmosphere, Veligandu presents itself as a tropical Maldivian island in its truest sense where there is enough sun and sand to soak in, and where one can unburden oneself and feel rejuvenated by the time it is time to go back (if, at all, one wishes to go back). 

I arrived at Veligandu Island Resort yesterday before noon after a 20-minute seaplane ride from Hulhule terminal and then a scintillating 5-minute motorboat ride from somewhere in the middle of the sea. But wait! Did I say 'before noon'? Or was it 'after noon'? It was before noon by my watch, but it was after noon at Veligandu. Okay, let me clear the mystery. The resort at Veligandu keeps itself one hour ahead of Malé time. Why? Just to save on daylight time. Good!! It means an early start for your day and longer day hours to spend lying idle on the long stretches of sand.

Well, not just the daylight, the resort people seem committed to save everything around them - the corals, the waters, the environment! For, they have got a water treatment plant, a sewage treatment facility and a greenhouse on the island itself. So, don't be surprised when you find two long glass bottles lying on the top of the kitchenette bureau when your butler ushers you into the cosy atmosphere of your mildly but beautifully decorated abode. Water in these bottles is a product of the local water treatment plant and is called the Veligandu Water. But before you step into that cosy villa of yours for the next few days, have you made sure that you have set your watches right to keep pace with the environment-loving people at Veligandu Island Resort?

posted by
AJAY K GARG

www.terrahopper.com