Viewed from above and beyond, the hundreds of islands that make up the Maldives are loosely like an upside-down night sky.
Countless islands, sandbars, atolls and turquoise reefs scattered across the deepest blue ocean, gleaming like stars, burning brightly, suspended in the endless night of our universe.
In the vastness of nature, it’s easy to feel insignificant, tiny, tiny gears.
This is perhaps why many seek out this remote destination and have the opportunity to leave a million petty worries and responsibilities behind, however fleeting.
After two plane trips, a seaplane and a speedboat, with my toes on the beach, I was welcomed to Miladhoo, hydrated with a jug of ice-cold coconut water, and quickly sipped a glass of champagne ,
I’m here to experience a new stargazing destination that allows guests to discover the beauty of our galaxy from the paradise of the Indian Ocean.
Milky Way from Maldives
As a country that is 99% water, the Maldives is ideal for stargazing, with excellent dark sky quality and light pollution between islands.
From spring 2023, Milaidhoo will offer a number of astronomy retreats to maximize the chances of clear skies.
This will be outside the traditional rainy season, which runs approximately from May to October, with dates based on an analysis of the native Maldivian calendar system known as nakaiy, lunar cycles and astronomical events.
The retreat includes an opportunity to name a star, guided stargazing, lectures on Maldivian night sky history and culture, and dinner under the stars on a secluded sandbar.
Guests will receive a “Healing Space” treatment, starting with a vibrating singing bowl, followed by a Balinese massage using rose aromatherapy – inspired by roses sent into space in the late 1990s, as an experiment in creating new scents.
They will also have the opportunity to set sail on a traditional Maldivian dhoni and learn the ancient technique of wayfinding – using the sun, stars and waves to steer course.
Guests will have the opportunity to see winter constellations in the northern hemisphere, including Orion, Taurus and Auriga, as well as stars such as Sirius – the brightest star in our night sky.
Miladhoo lies a few degrees north of the equator, so it’s also possible to see constellations in the southern hemisphere, such as the Southern Cross.
Astronomy expert Valerie Stimac, who will lead the retreat, said stargazing while on vacation was “a great opportunity to further escape the stress of everyday life” and learn more about the destination through the skies Information.
The 35-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, said: “During normal stargazing, the eye adjusts to be able to see the formation of our Milky Way in the night sky — something that most people don’t see in cities where most people live. of.” .
“So when you realize we’re part of something bigger than a planet or a solar system, when you realize we’re in a galaxy and there’s more, that’s what I love to instruct about people. pass.”
Stimac, who wanted to be an astronaut as a child, said the pandemic has helped astrotourism — where people go to stargazing — because it’s a great activity “to get away from others and to be outdoors.”
She uses a powerful laser beam to help us identify Sagittarius, which roughly resembles a teapot, and Scorpio, which looks like a scorpion’s tail.
She’s patient as our group asks basic questions—”What is a galaxy?”—and gets to the bottom of my mind—”Are we more likely to find alien life in the universe, or will it find us?”
The resort has turned off the outdoor lighting to help us with night vision, and unless we have a red filter that doesn’t interfere, we’re slightly scolded for looking at our phones.
be the outcast of the night
For a truly special experience, guests can take a few minutes’ boat ride from the island to a secluded sandbar that changes shape as the sand moves at different times of the year.
As the waves rolled gently from all directions, we enjoyed snacks and champagne, followed by a three-course meal of sushi, grilled meat, fish and vegetables, and fresh fruit, surrounded by dozens of candles and lanterns.
Dinner and stargazing are part of the astronomical retreat, but for an additional fee, guests can arrange an overnight stay, sleeping in a four-poster bed with only the stars for company, while a nearby moored yacht provides facilities.
Since stargazing is always weather-dependent, if the sky is overcast and there are other nocturnal activities such as nighttime snorkeling, guests may be lucky enough to spot blue plankton shimmering in the water.
What else is there on the island?
Milaidhoo is part of the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, so snorkeling in the azure shallows is not to be missed.
Along the reefs that surround the island, I spotted yellow and blue surgeon fish, parrot fish, clown fish and incredible coral formations.
Guests can also arrange to swim with manta rays in Hanifaru Bay, a protected marine area just a 12-minute speedboat ride away.
Back on land, it’s a resort that encourages barefoot luxury, but I stick to flip-flops and keep an eye out for little crabs zipping across the sand and lizards galloping down the island’s trails.
Sitting with a cocktail (or mocktail), doing nothing, watching the sunset, is a must in the Maldives.
Miladhoo Bay sunsets are the perfect sunsets. The fiery orange juice mixes two gins – one has chili peppers added to give it a spiciness – fresh mango, and is served with half a red pepper.
As the sun dropped below the horizon, we sipped ours in the Compass Bar’s infinity pool, and as the sky darkened, the delicate pool lights began to twinkle in homage to the stars above.
The sand on the floor gives this bar a relaxed beach vibe, while the hanging egg chairs are perfect for curling up and reading a book.
Milaidhoo is one of the few Maldivian-owned resorts, and its 50 villas are all locally influenced.
Doors and windows are painted pink or blue to reflect the colors used by the locals of the nearby islands, while the ceilings are vaulted to mimic an upside-down hull.
Privacy coconuts – for guests to keep outside the door when they don’t want to be disturbed – are hand-painted by one of the island’s housekeepers.
My Beach Villa is bright and spacious, with double-sided floor-to-ceiling windows, and I can see a stretch of beach and ocean from my queen bed, across the private freshwater pool.
Overwater villas are set above the ocean with infinity pools and steps leading directly to the water.
Tiny personal touches made Milaidhoo truly memorable – fresh aloe was delivered to my villa after I sunburned my English leg, staff remembered how I drank coffee, pleasant surprise after snorkeling Flower baths and spelling “goodbye” I lay on the leaves on my bed last night.
I ended my stay feeling like a VIP knowing that I would soon be yearning for the beauty and serenity of the Maldivian night sky.
Abercrombie & Kent (abercrombiekent.co.uk; 03301 734 712) offers a 7-night trip to the Maldives in water villas at Milaidhoo with private pools from £5,500, shared as a B&B for two. Flights and seaplane transfers are included.
The “Galaxy from Maldives” retreat will start in Spring 2023, for more information please contact [email protected]
