The timing of our arrival flight meant we had to stayover in either Male City or Hulhumale itself. Male City was a 20 minute ferry ride from the airport and Hulhumale would be the island where the airport is situated. And thank goodness we decided on staying on the island which alleviated the disappointment of arriving amidst a rainy night.
The lodge provided complimentary airport transfers and we were greeted by a friendly man who turned out to be one of the owners of the property. The ride was 15 minutes long and when we reached at close to 11pm Maldivian time (2am Singapore time), our smiley hosts were ready to welcome us with cold towels and a welcome drink. Orange juice tasted very different though freshly squeezed as compared to the ones we have at home.
A welcoming start to our one night stay.
Spacious living room.
Our room was adequate, almost like a chalet room with a comfy bed, reasonably sized toilet and amenities. It was only the next morning that we realised the room was right above greenery and near the Hulhumale Beach.
Adequate and comfy.
I had a restful sleep despite being in foreign land.
Basic amenities.
Reasonably sized toilet.
Even the towels are branded under Makaana Lodge!
At its full occupancy, there are probably a maximum of 20 people and the breakfast area was kept mostly small tables like these.
My first taste of intercontinental breakfast in Maldives. Somewhat lacking but each country interprets it differently unless we are talking about hotel chains.
The hot food section comprising of just four items and fruit.
Breakfast was a simple affair - eggs cooked on demand, sausages, baked beans and potatoes with coffee.
My omelette and fried eggs, I wanted to be cheeky and ask for poached eggs but decided against the mischief.
We began our vacay on a simple meal note, this sparked off a whole train of thoughts on perspective, did a trip to Maldives only mean luxury? Food for thought.
A walk around the lodge saw us running into the white sandy beach only to be greeted by a random couple. Caught in the action?
Our hosts were so thoughtful to teach us how to get to our desired ferry terminal on Male city, they even went to the extent of offering to take the ferry with us and show us to the right place. Maldivian hospitality at its finest.
The view outside our room. Somewhat misty.
The clear blue skies we so badly need for the next couple of days. July and August are their rainy months unfortunately.
50 years of independence they are also celebrating!
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