There was a variety of Western dishes available, but I had to try the traditional Maldivian egg curry, tuna sambal and roti, which was delicious. We decided to explore the ocean off our back porch as our first adventure. Not long after sliding into the warm, turquoise water, I saw a slender grey torpedo about six feet long with a grey tip hurtling towards me. I wish I had known I would see a reef shark so early on, as I would have reacted more calmly to the situation. Part of me was thrilled, but the rest of me just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. Undeterred, I continued snorkelling. Watching the less-scary parrot fish, of which there are over 20 different kinds, was more relaxing. While it was enjoyable exploring the inhabited islands, I preferred to spend my days finding empty atolls and watching the light change throughout the day. It was the magic hour at dusk that I remember most vividly, and feeling so far away from the rest of the world. The natural beauty of this place is what makes it such a treasure; there is an abundance of marine life and it is warm all year round. One day you will see a pod of dolphins, the next day, a stingray. The huge variety of tropical fish makes it hard for the untrained eye to master all the different names of the many species. I was very tired each night after dinner from a long day spent under the intense Maldivian sun exploring underwater worlds. Island life doesn’t follow a rigid timeframe and the activities revolve around when the sun comes up and goes down. Leave your real-world problems behind as you arrive at this tropical paradise. The Maldives offer the perfect combination of relaxation and adventure, making it the best place in the world to truly unwind. MERCEDES-BENZ PARRAMATTA 16 DESTINATION