The Stars at Night are Big and Bright in the Maldives
Any Texan can finish that song but few have seen a Maldivian night sky. Not only are the stars big and bright on a clear night, but they are out in abundance. This was just one of the highlights of the tiny island nation south of India. I’d looked at my island screensaver long enough, dreaming of actually being there, and after a year of the pandemic I didn’t want to dream it any longer.
I’d seen pictures of Maldivian islands, with their turquoise waters and picture perfect sand. So, if I was going to go anywhere during a pandemic, a remote tropical island was calling my name. It would take 8 flights and 4 covid tests to get there and back, but I would do it all again.
Everyday we explored different beach spots on the island. Except at the restaurants, it always felt like you had the island to yourself. Some beach spots had swings or hammocks in the water, or covered lounge chairs to enjoy the afternoon away. The restaurants, each with a different cuisine, were also spaced along the island, with shuttles always running to give you a lift.
One of the most amazing aspects of these resorts are the over water bungalows. The rooms were amazing, but this isn’t a place you spend much time inside. The bungalows have their own private pools, but another perk was just being able to snorkel right off the back deck. We swam, snorkeled, biked, ate, drank and woke up everyday being thankful. Not only did everything look like paradise, it felt like it too.
The hardest part of this trip was deciding which island resort to stay at. Each island has it’s own resort, as the islands are quite small, and they all looked amazing. For me, my search criteria boiled down to distance from Mali, price and resort activities. After all those flight hours just to get to the capital island of Mali, I didn’t want to spend more time on a boat or plane to get to the resort. I was also concerned that spending a week on an island that’s only a mile long and not very wide wouldn’t offer much to do, but I was very wrong because spending hours lying on the beach drinking cocktails is a very important activity!
Distance from Mali
Once at the capital island’s international airport, most resorts offer a faster, more expensive seaplane ride or a slower, cheaper speed boat. So, I decided on a 25 minute seaplane ride. The process was very easy – we were picked up immediately after departing the international flight, it didn’t take long to get to the seaplane terminal, there was a really nice lounge with snacks and coffee, and covid tests were administered right there. It immediately felt like we were on vacation. When we arrived at the Lux resort on the South Ari Atoll, it was everything I dreamed. Flying over from Mali was a stunning glimpse of the crystal waters and many tiny islands that dotted the ocean. Our concierge told us only about 6% of their guests are Americans, probably because the Maldives are literally on the other side of the world, but I’ll tell everyone that it was absolutely worth the travel hours.
Price
It’s gonna be expensive. But I felt it was definitely worth it. You won’t have any options to eat outside of the resort you choose, especially during the pandemic but the all-inclusive package included a coffee bar, snacks and an ice cream shop. Besides food and drink, non-motorized sports were available and daily activities (more on that below).
Resort Activities
As for the activities, well a week definitely wasn’t long enough. Ten days probably would have been better, although we met people that had been there two weeks. We rented bikes for $5 a day, even though the island wasn’t that big, it was fun to cruise around. There were different daily activities like painting, yoga and meditation, as well as a gym, a gorgeous glass enclosed library, paddle boards, kayaks, and a daily message in a bottle hidden with prizes, which we called the hidden immunity idol.
Although there was rain in the forecast everyday, it only rained once. Even so we still biked and snorkeled right through it. We could see each storm on the horizon but we were rarely affected. Really the sun is the biggest threat to side line your trip, so reef-safe sunscreen is imperative.
The highlight of the trip though was snorkeling with a whale shark, manta rays and turtles. The size of these beauties was breathtaking. We booked the three hour speed boat, but I could have done it all day.
Right off the seaplane dock, blacktip reef sharks, manta rays and large fish would feed at night. We could sit on the dock and watch the show beneath the dock lights, but this is not the time to swim! During the day you would watch various colorful fish, turtles and rays swim beneath the wooden walkways, from your breakfast table or when lounging in the over-water hammocks.
The Maldives is an island nation not to be missed. In the best of travel times, I’d visit and in the worst of times, it rejuvenated my soul.
Tips:
- Bring water floats to lounge in the shallow water.
- Do the snorkel trip on the speed boat if you aren’t a scuba diver.
- Bring aloe, lots of sunscreen, a hat, a rash guard; all the sun protection because you’ll need it.
- Drinks are hit or miss, bring the recipe for your favorite to help the bartenders out.
Cabo: Tacos, Beaches and Beer
I didn’t know what to expect when we headed to Cabo San Lucas with my adult family. All I knew was it’s a spring break favorite with great beaches, and we soon learned why. Although, I’d been to Mexico many times, this was a first to Cabo for all seven of us.
As we touched down, we were informed my sister and her husband’s luggage did not arrive. Not a good start, but about five hours later the bags were delivered to the resort. After putting the bags through security, we thought we were exiting the airport, only to be “helped” by what we thought were airport workers who would tell us where to go and give us maps. In fact, they were trying to sell excursion packages. So just keep walking and as soon as you exit to the outside you’ll see rental car companies and taxis. It’s a quick shuttle ride to Alamo rent a car. However booking through a third party travel site, doesn’t tell you the real price of the rental. I even called and it was no help, so I had no idea how much the weekly rental for a Nissan Sentra would be – it was about $175, and they require you to buy a bunch of insurance. We had no issues with the car, but I’d prefer to know what I’m getting into ahead of time.
Beaches
So we are finally on our way to the beach! We booked an AirBnB close to Medano beach and just a 10 minute walk to the Marina. The location was great, walkable to many excellent restaurants, bars and shopping. But vendors, tourists, jet skis and boat taxi traffic packed Medano beach (my only complaint). And I was looking for somewhere my siesta wouldn’t be interrupted. So we took a short drive to Playa Chileno, where the snorkeling was excellent, there were few people, it was clean, free and no vendors. Playa Santa Maria cove was similar, but wear water shoes for all the small rocks. The public beaches were really awesome, so I’d highly recommend checking them out. Easy free parking lots, with bathrooms and did I say “No vendors”?
We did take the water taxi to the very popular Lover’s Beach (no, you can’t drive there). My husband perfectly described getting off the boat as a ‘rodeo’ (we’re from Texas, after all). We jumped off the boat in waist deep water that had significant waves that pushed you into giant rock towers. Beware of the rough water exit if you have small children. The taxi cost $10-20/person plus tips (but negotiate before you get on – it took one second to get $150 down to $100). The glass bottom taxi ride was nice though, and we saw fish, sea lions, and really cool jumping stingrays.
The snorkeling in the area was good, but I also really wanted to surf. There’s a few good surf spots near Cabo, but we decided to take the 45 minute drive north to the Pacific side. We stopped at Los Cerritos for some good beginner surf. We rented boards on the beach for $25 for the day, plus $10 for a wetsuit. Yes, it was that cold. After surfing, I opted for an hour massage for another $25. Vendors are allowed here, but there weren’t many. At some point that day we lost our AirBnb key somewhere on that beach, but some angel turned it into the lifeguard! So, pretty much best day ever!
Good Eats
The food was the best surprise ever! We tried cheap taco places and expensive lobster places and all of them were amazing. The Office had great food and presentation, but don’t sit right on the beach to avoid the vendors hovering over you while you eat. Go to Taco Gus, probably my favorite place, for cheap tacos. A shrimp taco will set you back about $2.50 with five different salsas. Gardenia tacos was a close second. For something more romantic go to Roasted, Baja brewery for a great view, and Tres Gallos for the ambiance.
Cabo had a lot of offer for our family, and was a memorable trip I know we’ll tell stories about for years to come.
Tips:
- Click here for $40 off your first stay with Airbnb.
- Rent a car. From the airport, it’s 35 minutes and $5 on toll (they take USD), or 50 minutes for the free scenic route along the coast.
- There’s a Walmart close to Playa Medano, stop there for snacks, drinks, and extra sunscreen.
Singapore slings and Bali beaches
Singapore
I have to confess I almost didn’t go to Singapore. My friend, Lynda, got a stellar deal on this specific itinerary, but since I didn’t know anything about Singapore I contemplated spending a couple more days in Tokyo. I’m so glad I changed my mind, despite the seven hour flight.
I didn’t really know what to expect in Singapore, except that they spoke English. Our two days there were jam packed and perfect. The first day we walked around the Botanical Gardens and then paid to enter the rightfully famous orchid garden. The orchids were some of the most colorful I’d ever seen, and worth the $3USD entry fee.
Chili crab is best eaten with friends and while wearing plastic food service gloves.
This was probably the most time all six of us were together, so we went looking for chili crab, one of Singapore’s national dishes. We knew it was going to be messy when we saw food prep gloves on the table, and it was. I also enjoyed a Tiger prawn and Tiger beer before I headed to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel; after two nights in capsule hotels, I splurged. The threatening rain clouds couldn’t even keep me out of the hotel’s infinity pool that overlooked the city 50 floors up.
Met A Space Pod – Capsule hotel. From this…
To this. Palm tree in the sky at the rooftop infinity pool.
The group decided to split up, so I spent about a day checking out the sites by myself. And there was plenty to keep me
busy. There’s a light show that runs three times each night on the bay for about 15 minutes, I watched it twice. The Gardens by the Bay also has a light show and because it was November it was Christmas themed. I walked over to the Gardens by the Bay and laid down under the trees to enjoy the show. The holiday spirit was upon me when I heard Mariah’s All I Want For Christmas! As I walked by the food court, I was surprised to see a restaurant called ‘Texas Chicken’, who’s logo looks a lot like Church’s Chicken. Mariah and fried chicken? I felt right at home.
Texas Chicken!
I hit the hay about 11:30 pm and set my alarm for 4 am. While we were walking around that first morning, I saw a banner for a women’s race that was starting right by the hotel. 
Problem was everyone I asked either didn’t know anything about it or told me there was no day of registration, but I had to find out for myself. I didn’t know the distance, how much it cost or if I would even be able to register but I knew it started at 5 am, and that I would be there if only to cheer on the runners. But God is good and when I showed up at 4:30, of course they let me register. The race would highlight a half marathon, but also included a 10k and 5k. I handed the volunteer all my cash which gained me a 5k entry and a feeling of home. To line up with all those ladies at a start line reminded me that we really are very similar. I couldn’t have been more thankful for that moment. The weather in Singapore was quite warm and humid, similar to the weather at home, so I ran quite well. After collecting my metal and customary finisher photo, I headed back to the hotel for one last dip in the infinity pool.
The best thing I ate in Singapore were these soft bread ducks filled with yam, and they look cute too!
I met up with one of my travel buddies, and we decided to take the cable car from Faber Peak to Sentosa Island. Sentosa is a touristy area with a Universal Studios, Wax Museum, aquarium, restaurants, and a beach. It was a pretty cool area, but basically the same tourist trap as every big city. While my friend did the Luge, I took a nap on a bench. Ten days of go-go-go was catching up to me.
This is not what I expected to see in the vending machine.
Prawn and crab flavored snacks are popular, as are hotdogs for breakfast.
Our last stop was the Raffles Hotel, the spot that originated the Singapore Sling. This drink has too interesting of a backstory to skip. Now we could officially leave. I recommend checking out that hotel, it’s beautiful and the gin isn’t so bad either. Now we just had a short flight to our final destination – Bali.
A bag of peanuts accompany your drink. It’s ok to toss the shells on the floor, but don’t get caught littering anywhere else.
Bali
We would spend our last three days in Indonesia. Relaxing on the beach was exactly how I wanted to end a long two 
weeks of traveling. The food in Bali was quite good and cheap. So, we ate well, got massages and bought cheap souvenirs. Our second morning we decided to explore more of the island, so we hired a driver to drive us around for the day. The first stop was a place to snorkel. After negotiating the price of about $25 for each of us we got on a little boat that took us to a nearby cove. I had to laugh when one of the girls asked where the life jackets were and the guy said back on shore because we didn’t pay for them. The snorkeling was just OK at that spot, but it was the first time I saw an octopus and that alone made it worth my $25. The beaches were quite nice but the water wasn’t crystal clear there like other places I’ve been. Apparently, those beaches are located on nearby islands.
It was our last day and I was determined to surf before we left. I stepped into a surf school and for two hours it only cost about 25 bucks. Although I didn’t really need a lesson, my coworker did so I joined in. We surfed in the white water for an exhausting hour and a half and it was a blast.
Time to get some souvenirs!
Now one more massage before we are off to the airport and head home. I had no desire to spend any time in Jakarta but our return flight started there, so we took the last flight out of Bali. We only had about 4 hours to sleep before we caught our flights home. I was impressed that the free continental breakfast started at 3am, I guess there are a lot of early flights. I wasn’t looking forward to the 30 hour travel time, but I was ready to get home.
There is an excessive amount of zeros. 100 Rupiah was worth about half a cent.
Tips:
- In Bali get a massage…everyday. An hour massage costs less than $10.
- Kuta beach in Bali has great beginner surf – give it a try!
- Be willing to throw away your itinerary if something comes along that moves you.
Sea turtles, stingrays, and painkillers in the Virgin Islands
I was a tad concerned about traveling to St. John. The logisics of renting two cars, taking ferries and getting my family from one island to another could have been painful. But it was surprisingly easy, and I think the Cruzan rum samples at the St. Thomas airport helped. Driving on the left-hand side in American-style car is always a little tricky, so it took a day before we were consistently driving on the correct side of the road.
Due to the car ferry schedule, we headed straight to St. John, and didn’t spend any time on the larger island of St. Thomas. Although St. John is only seven miles long with no stoplights, there was plenty to keep us busy for a week. The few roads are steep and windy, but the speed limit is only about 35mph on most of the island. The rental car companies really like to stress renting a Jeep, we did just fine with a standard car at half the price. Someone even has an excellent sense of humor, because we really enjoyed the funny sayings on many of the road signs.
The Cruz Bay town has most of the island’s shops and restaurants. Our first stop on the island was at Joe’s Rum Hut right on the water, which is an excellent bang for your buck. There are many casual restaurants with happy hour specials to check out, but as with most islands most of the food was just okay. Our Westin hotel room had a kitchen and grill, so we ended up buying groceries and cooking our own meals a few nights. But do not miss their popular and delicious island drink: Pain killers.
St. John’s numerous beaches all offer excellent snorkeling. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite, because we went to five and they were all slightly different, but they all offered the same clear blue water. Maho was shallow and teaming with sea turtles just off the beach. Cinnamon Bay had less snorkeling but a longer beach with facilities, and we easily ducked under some trees during a passing rain cloud. A lot of cruise ship passengers end up at Trunk Bay, which is also the only beach that charges a fee, so it can be a bit crowded.
Not only are the beaches a bit of paradise, but 60% of the island makes up the Virgin Islands National Park. We forgot our National Park Pass at home, but all of the trails were free. There are only a couple of roads on the island, so it’s easy to find the well marked trailheads. We ventured to Ram’s head, a 2.5 mile trail located at the southeast tip and lined with giant pipe organ cactus and turk’s head cactus with its hot pink fruit. After a hot hike, we jumped into Salt Pond Bay to check out its turtles and reef fish. On the way back to Cruz Bay, we had lunch at Shipwreck Landing, which had the best grouper sandwich on the island.
Don’t miss the trek to Waterlemon Cay. We took the 30 minute shaded hike to snorkel among stingrays, colorful fish and lots of sea urchins. It definitely had one of the better reef areas for snorkeling, but only offered a tiny rocky beach. Oh, and its WaterLEMON. I mistakenly called it “Watermelon” the whole time we were there.
Ignoring the rain clouds and starting the hike to Waterlemon Cay.
On one of my favorite days, we took a day cruise on the Bad Kitty to check out some of the BVIs. After getting our passports stamped and paying our exit fee, we headed to Virgin Gorda. We were whisked through the batholiths, and didn’t have much time to explore or hang out on the amazing beach. I definitely wished we had more time there, and if I ever make it back I will plan a day trip just to Virgin Gorda. We had an unexciting stop on Cooper Island for lunch before heading to the Indians for snorkeling. You can only get here by boat, and it was easily the best snorkeling we did. And we had already had days of amazing reef exploration. We only had about 30 minutes, but my family was the very last ones back on the boat. We were dragging our fins, if you will! Our last stop, was Jost Van Dyke – an island of 250 residents and 29 bars. I’m almost positive Kenny Chesney has written whole albums while sipping pain killers at their tiny Soggy Dollar Bar.
Jost Van Dyke Island – Home to the famous Soggy Dollar Bar.
The six of us had an amazing time, venturing off to different beaches and meeting up again for dinner. Usually after a week on a small island I’ve seen enough, but I can see why my friends return year after year. Our week ended way too quickly, and I don’t think I’d ever tire of that water. But we were off to upstate New York for a wedding.
To be continued in New York…
Tips:
- Someone check out Reef Bay Trail and tell me about it, since we didn’t have time to see the petroglyphs! And if the return hike is too much, schedule a boat with the park service to meet you at the end.
- You can rent stand up paddle boards (SUP) at a few beaches for an above water adventure.
- There are many cays with lobster hunting potential. There is a 2 per day, per person limit.
- Utilize the grocery stores, everyone is super helpful.
- Try to spot a mongoose.
- Did I mention happy hours?
- Check out their local brews, and rum here is cheap (its the mixers that are pricey).
- Why did the chicken cross the road? No, seriously. I stopped to ask one, but she was such a diva. There are chickens all over the island, including these two that wandered around the restaurant we were in.
