There’s something to be said about islands providing inspiration for writers. Islands are often the backdrops for James Bond’s adventures in Ian Fleming’s novels. Mark Twain even spent several months on a journey of discovery in the Hawaiian Islands. Islands have long proven to be a cure for writer’s block (that is, when an author loses their inability to produce work).
I can’t say this is precisely what I experienced prior to booking my trip to the Maldives, but it is fair to say that I was certainly lacking inspiration. At the time I happened to be working an exhausting day job, running a host of projects, producing a play I’d co-written and working on my debut novel. That didn’t leave much head space for an indulgence such as creativity. What better excuse to visit this archipelago of jewels in the Indian Ocean than to find some solace and author inspiration?
My adventure indeed starts like a James Bond novel, boarding a seaplane bound for Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort. I delight in the possibility of weaving the experience into my story (could I sneak it into an action scene?); I was yet to arrive on the island and already my writer’s soul was awakening from its slumber. Flying over what looked like a photoshopped view of the Indian Ocean — a collage of aquamarines dotted with emerald green and sandy islands — I soon find myself joining my fellow passengers in their extended gasps and camera clicks.
What seems like a short time later, we arrive at the island paradise, where we’re promptly greeted by a line of smiling staff and a fresh coconut juice before being handed over to the care of our personal hosts. I could feel my stress wash away with the gentle tide of the serene ocean before me. One is clearly left with no choice but to relax and enjoy the blissful rhythm of Maldivian island life.
I open the door to my Beach Suite, home for the next five days, where the open-plan space, a chilled bottle of champagne and fruit basket all create a warm welcome. With views of the serene ocean, the private terrace is the ideal place to sit back, soak up the sun and seek inspiration. The sounds of the ocean crashing against the natural reef, the majestic views of the evening sun hitting the islands and the taste of the salty sea air has already supplied me with a vigour I never anticipated. I feed this into my writing and sit for hours perched on my sun lounger penning words until the sun sinks into the ocean.
It only takes a day or two before I feel settled into island life. Reconnecting with my writing is one objective during my stay, but rejuvenating is the other. My mornings are spent doing laps in the main infinity pool; snorkelling alongside manta-rays, reef sharks and a host of tropical fish; and embarking on the resort’s organised dolphin cruises, which also give me a chance to meet some of the island’s other temporary inhabitants. There is no better stimulation than good conversation and the backdrop of natural beauty at its finest.
Despite the Maldives being long considered a couples and families hideaway, solitary travellers are certainly not forgotten in paradise. A favourite spot of mine on the island is The Quiet Zone, an adult-only beach lounge where chill-out beats mingle with the sound of the ocean lapping against the island’s surrounding coral reef. Many of my afternoons are spent sunk into a lounge, pen and journal in hand, trying to remember the words of American contemporary spiritual teacher, Ram Dass: “The quieter you become, the more you hear.”
Of course, it isn’t all serene views in paradise. Whether you’re penning words or taking to the water, you’re going to work up an appetite. Luckily, there is a wide selection of restaurants spread across the resort’s two islands. I enjoy casual lunches and reading sessions by the pool at the Rangali Bar. For dinner, there is no more memorable experience than a meal in Ithaa, which sits five metres below the surface and offers 180-degree views of the island’s coral gardens and marine life.
The restaurant was designed in New Zealand, assembled in Singapore and shipped to the Maldives more than a decade ago, where it now serves up European cuisine via set menus featuring the likes of caviar, lobster carpaccio and short loin of lamb. Ithaa can even be booked exclusively for special celebrations.
Of course, the ‘relaxation’ part of the trip wouldn’t be complete without a treatment at the offshore Spa Retreat, which offers an experience a little more exclusive than one would find at the Over Water Spa on the main island. The silent and pristine setting is ideally paired with a range of holistic therapies based on the five elements of earth, air, fire, water and plant life. I also book myself in for a Reiki and ear acupuncture session with the on-site naturopath, Christelle, who listens to any grievances I have
and manages my mental blockage swiftly, sending me away with a tincture of herbal and flower remedies — and feeling noticeably lighter.
Before too long, my five days are up. I feel re-energised, bursting with ideas and motivation, and armed with some additional chapters in my novel as a souvenir. Boarding the seaplane back to Malé and glancing one last time at the sun casting its light over the crystal waters, I see where writers of yesteryear were coming from. Anyone in need of inspiration and rejuvenation need only look to this Indian Ocean island paradise — it offers bucketloads of both.
