The Maldives
- Jean-Paul Courville
- May 31, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
By: Jean-Paul Courville
If you’re looking for isolation, beach solitude, crystal-clear water, and an ambiance that looks like it belongs on a screensaver, the Maldives delivers exactly that.
I flew into Malé, but the Maldives is really a constellation—roughly 1,200 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean. Some islands host a single resort. Others have a handful. You arrive, then transfer by seaplane or boat to the island you’ve chosen, and from that point on, the pace slows dramatically.
There are no motorized jet skis buzzing around. No traffic. No noise. Just serenity. Swimming. Snorkeling. Diving. Rest.
The island I stayed on took less than six minutes to walk around. The sea life was magical—clear water, vibrant reefs, fish everywhere you looked. It was quiet in a way that feels intentional, almost protected.
I traveled alone.
Here’s the honest part.
I met a lot of people afterward who were jealous of my time there, and I get it—it’s beautiful. But for me, after about two days, I was ready to go. There just isn’t much to do. And I’m not wired to lounge endlessly. I need movement. I need exploration. I need some friction—culture, cuisine, interaction—before the beach, food, and luxury feel earned as a reward at the end of the day.
That rhythm didn’t exist for me there.
The Maldives, in my view, is ideal for couples, for people who work remotely and want to escape the grind while staying connected, or for anyone who can truly check out—sit on the beach, read a book, enjoy silence, and let the days blur together. If you can do that for more than two days, bravo. It might be your place.
For me, I loved seeing it. I’m glad I went. But I also learned something about myself: I don’t just want beauty—I want experience first, reward second.
And that’s a lesson worth traveling for.
