Imagine it's Saturday morning and you're sitting in a cool lounge. You're watching that little waterdrop running down the iced can of Coke, you bite into your fresh sandwich and someone asks you, "Your plane is ready. We're ready for departure. Shall we?"
Imagine a beaming face greeting you every single morning, genuinely happy to see you, excited, and looking forward to starting YOUR day in the most perfect possible way. It’s your daily dose of happiness as soon as you open that door of your villa. You soak it all in, every second, any little moment, thankful for being able to enjoy the company of someone who puts her whole heart into making your day whether by booking a table for dinner or calming your nerves before your very first dive ever. Someone who is dedicated to making sure YOU are having the time of your life. With a great eye for detail and an incredible amount of empathy, she has a gift for knowing human nature and assessing situations. She knows how to surprise you and takes care of the magic just as the sand art the night before I left.
Hajar did an outstanding job, I could always count on her - day and night - she walks the extra mile for minor things as much as for big moments. She is heaven-sent. I'm blessed to have met such a kind soul. She made my stay an absolute pleasure and my goodbye one of the hardest so far.
Within the moment your foot touches the Jetty dock, you’re entering paradise. Imagine you’re walking towards the entrance, as soon as you enter the reception, you’re handed a fresh, cooled coconut, and someone whose smile shines almost as bright as the sun, comes towards you, waving happily and rejoicing that you are finally here. With his phenomenal positive nature, Mo makes it possible you can switch off right from the beginning and you feel at home, immediately. He did a terrific job in making anyone’s stay a salient and beautiful time to remember from the very first second of arrival to the very last moment of departure.
Imagine you're sitting in one of those comfy chairs you actually never want to leave or get up from. You lean back into the soft pillow and watch the flame of the candle move in the air as the director of culinary smiles around the entrance corner, casually walking towards your table to introduce himself, boyish and gently smirking at you as you're telling him how you've always chosen the wrong line at the airport during security check earlier that day. As you don't even notice, a waiter has poured you a fresh glass of perfectly chilled water, you both laugh about the passport control misery and he inquires you with an adorable curiosity about your menu choices.
Driss does an exceptional job in handling personal preferences, and even with serious allergies, I haven't felt safer or more comfortable in any other place before. Ever. Besides managing an incredibly talented team who manages to create phenomenally menus daily, he doesn't leave a single culinary wish unfulfilled.
Imagine it's Sunday morning and you're nose buds are already tingling with joy smelling the various options breakfast will offer you in a second. Your eyes meet someone's gaze who is awaiting you already, smiling from ear to ear, because they see how well you're doing, escorting you to the table you were hoping to sit at.
A couple of hours pass and the day goes by, you're entering the Lagoon Bar and you're greeted by the same pair of kind, warm, brown eyes grinning at you, happily, because they see you lived a day like no other before.
Angel takes superior care of any guest whether during the mornings, lunch, or eve. With her sweet yet professional manner, she manages to add a personal touch to each moment while providing calmness for everyone including her team at the same time. Her name says it all: She is a gift! I enjoyed every talk, every meet and every day I've seen her!
Imagine it Monday late morning, you're snorkeling in crystal clear waters, seeing countless fish: Starfish, parrotfish, naso fish, red snapper, moorish idol…. Hours pass by and you encounter various types of sharks, black tip reef and nursing sharks, small and large, and while you're not able to get out of being amazed, you lose all sense of time and space.
A couple of hours later, you're at dinner at Isoletta, watching the fruit bats chasing themselves across the pool like kamikaze pilots into the dark palm tree forest. You're feeling the warm ocean breeze as it hits your arms and you're sinking deeper into your chair, sighing happily and pleased as you're passing the day in review, trying to realize how lucky you are and how good life can actually be. It's about that time when someone serves you the colorful, lovingly, and beautifully arranged burrata, followed by the most tender lamb chops paired with a jus that's so good you're willing to die for. While providing excellent service and with his charming manner and intelligent humor, Rash manages to make every evening magical, whether it's at Onu or Isoletta. He not only manages his team with respect and kindness but is always right at your side when you need him, so he's making sure you're enjoying one of the greatest dinners while having a fabulous eve – he'll settle for nothing less. I enjoyed every single eve as much as every single chat with him.
Imagine it Tuesday, you're at breakfast watching the waves crashing softly below the wooden walkway of the Lagoon Bar as you're slurping an iced coffee. You're still trying to convince yourself you're not dreaming but this is actually happening and it's YOUR vacation when this genuine smiling, friendly person comes with a swinging step towards your place, wishes you a good morning, and introduces himself as the general manager.
Apart from having one of the most multi-faceted and exciting life stories, I've never met a single manager, director, or executive board member which has been as close to the definition of the perfect role model for leadership just as he is. By far. From the very first moment, he gave me the feeling that we had known each other for quite some time. Not only do you feel more welcomed and well taken care of than ever or anywhere before, but Iain also takes the time to greet every single guest by their preferred name, which was just one of many reasons he made me feel like I'm part of the Vakkaru family right from the very first day - which I normally wouldn't say cause reading it at other reviews always makes me cringe. You simply wouldn't imagine someone who's probably just a handshake away from the world's tennis elite and who's so eloquent and charismatic can be such a down-to-earth guy at the same time. But yet he is.
Imagine you're chilling, watching a sunset with so many different gradients, not a single cam will be able to capture this color spectrum as it is just in front of your sight. This only can be topped by one of Benjis smokey Vakkus, so famous they should rename them to simply 'Benjis'. He is one of the most cheerful people I've come across till that day and not only manages to keep the coolness during busy hours as much as the good mood up during low key times but does an outstanding performance in creating and presenting drinks and making great recommendations while having the most infectious smile worldwide.
Imagine it‘s a regular Wednesday but you're lying face down on a massage lounger and the only thing you're setting yourself is not to drool on the glass floor while watching an eagle ray passing by calmy, almost flying through the turquoise water underneath you. You feel you're close to falling asleep and each and every inch of yourself smoothly relaxes.
Bella did such a great job at Merana and made me feel pampered from the very first moment. She took so much care in choosing the right ingredients and offered an outstanding relaxing and tranquil ambiance to completely relax your mind, body, and soul.
Imagine swallowing seawater because you literally can't close your mouth: You're too surprised, too excited, too stunned seeing your very first manta, and seconds after just realizing it's one of the dozens you're getting skin close with, losing count of how many backflips they're doing, feeling the pain in your cheek cause you simply can't stop smiling.
Being so lucky to have Ahmed as an instructor who not only walks but dives the extra mile to get YOU better footage and memories of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. It will make you one of the happiest human beings on planet earth and realize it's a life worth living. After all, you’ll be left questioning how you’re going to be able to go back to your regular life again, which will seem dangerously boring from now onwards. The answer is simple: You can’t.
Imagine getting ready for dinner and going for a short walk along the palm trees, passing lanterns and torches between dozens of coconuts while listening to the exotic sound of that funny black bird. Arriving at the beach BBQ you see an overwhelming and stunning array of food and can't get enough of the color, quality, and freshness as someone in a bright white chef's hat approaches you: „how was your day?" Excitingly you're telling him about your earlier encounter with a turtle and how many black tips you've seen while snorkeling in the house reef and he laughs with you enthusiastically. Asking him for his recommendation for the appetizers, he proudly, patiently, and amicably guides you through today's choices.
It's a pleasure to listen to Pradeep explain the composition and selection of ingredients for his daily creations. He manages to pack the right pinch of cheerfulness into every day in an indescribably loving way. Whether it's an outstandingly delicious and delicate breakfast, with a selection that lets the heart of every early bird or late riser beat faster, or a relaxed dinner with the freshest ingredients which become memorable tasty seasoned dishes. I haven’t imagined enjoying some Tagliatelle with bolognese ragu that is even a thousand times better than any version I’d eat in various places and at various nonnas in Italy.
His passion and love for excellent food are contagious and it is a pleasure to watch him create these culinary works of art, which are both: a visual as well as a tasteful delight.
Imagine your tears of pure joy and happiness being dried off the airstream and you don't even try to stop that ridiculous laughing attack you're having anymore while being on a jetski when suddenly your buddy gets up and points to your right. You turn off the engine, steering a couple of moments through the calm ocean when you're about to detect a fin - just a couple of meters next to you - two fins, three, five, eight… you're not quick enough to count them all while realizing you are in the middle of a whole school of dolphins.
Affu not only was the greatest jetski buddy but a fabulous spotter for myself and much more for more than 70 dolphins. Not in my wildest dreams could I've imagined ever seeing baby dolphins in my life. But yet I did.
Imagine seeing a family of clown fish for the very first time, hiding in their anemone home, peeking out every other second to check what kind of huge neighbor is floating by. Feeling the calm and silence a couple of meters below the surface and the depth of the water, and listening to the muffled grating sound of the eating parrotfish has been one of the best moments I’ve ever experienced.
Tania who has shown such incredible and unbreakable patience, not only knows how to calm you down before the dive but also presents the underwater world in such a relaxed and loving way.
She takes care from the beginning that the adventure will be, whether in the theoretical preparation or when she explains for the third time how to flood the diving goggles, which she of course rinses out beforehand to make sure that you can also enjoy the perfect fog-free view. Still remembering her gentle hand squeeze every time I couldn’t tear my gaze away and she discovered a new wonderful school of fishes in the meantime.
Imagine it Thursday, and you're taken to an illuminated sandbank by boat. You're jumping out of the boat, your feet hit the ground, the water of the ocean is still pleasantly warm, the balmy breeze hits your skin and the perfectly tempered glass of champagne awaits you. You walk a bit and your feet dig into the powdery sand, the waves move slowly, peacefully and you listen to the sommelier's story, how he describes the fruit flavors of the South African Kanonenkop Kadette and explains where the fine berry notes come from, how they differentiate from others and why it doesn't necessarily always has to be the South French Rose. While your tastebuds already completely freaking out with joy over previously described raspberry flavors, you notice how the sun starts to set. Now, at the latest, you know, you can rest in peace, because this must be paradise and you've seen it. This is just one of the countless moments you wish for nothing more than it lingers and stays forever.
Ivan whose know-how, expertise, and passion guarantee a fantastic selection that catapults every wine lover to cloud nine. Whether mid-range or high-end - Ivan's recommendation promises the tasty roundhouse kick and will let you experience the moment of full bliss.
It is night, and you are brought back to shore. The boat docks at the jetty, and while you're about to find the right words to express your gratitude for such an exclusive experience, you see how light and dark figures cross in the water, how numerous shadows draw their circles, you look closer and realize that dozens of sharks, eagle, and stingrays flow through the water. You run enthusiastically and enraptured back into the boat, lean so far over the edge that your shirt gets soaking wet, which you've never cared less about, and with overall excitement and enthusiasm, you almost forget to breathe. This must be Christmas and birthday combined together.
When you can finally tear yourself away from the beautiful spectacle after some time, you see how someone smilingly hands you their hand and you realize that you were busy marveling for over an hour and the team relaxed and patiently let you enjoy the moment.
Just a couple of minutes later you find yourself in one of the lounge chairs in the restaurant, dreaming, relaxing, and being almost overwhelmed by the options not only for the delicious starters but the mains as well, as someone kindly asks you, how you've spent the day. You can hardly keep yourself on the chair with excitement as you tell them about it at dinner and you are met and mirrored with the same excitement. Adam has been one of the most genuine people I've met and always managed to put a smile on my face. Just as Muaa whose stories about tiger sharks and home island Fuvahmulah I could listen to for hours. As well as Haneef whose encounter with bull sharks combines one of the most charming and adorable laughs you'll ever hear. Meeting such joyful human beings, who are as excited as you are, is heartwarming and just beyond special.
Imagine it Friday you're sitting underneath a palm tree at the beach at Vakku, listening to how the palm leaves rub against each other in the wind and the waves arrive at the sandy shore so calm and smooth it's almost a sedating and hypnotic way. You're asking yourself why you even put on shoes just as you decided to take them off to dig your feet deeper into the warm and soft beach sand. As you're handing the menu over to the waiter you read the ‚see you soon' decor upon your table for the fifth time, you're getting a little melancholic. It's just about that time as someone pulls back the chair to your left and compliments you about your great dinner choice and as you start chatting about how you're going to miss the award-worthy food and all these kind people you start talking about other atolls and other islands in the Maldives.
That’s the moment you're realising there are plenty of places you want to see and visit, but there won‘t be a second Vakkaru on this planet. I thought, taking a little break and deciding to go to the Maledives will be a great idea, but it has been the choice to go to Vakkaru, which made it a living dream and a once-in-lifetime-experience.
Jameel has been one of the kindest souls, heartening and talented to choose the right words for any moment and create the perfect mood while setting the most pleasant atmosphere.
Long story short:
Imagine you can be a child again.
Even if it's just for a week.
Thank you, Chilou, for always placing a flower at my table to make it even a little more pretty.
Thank you, Shaffa, for helping me out with my memory and being such a wholesome joy.
Thank you, Kate, for always keeping up the good vibes when I was about to think of departure day.
Thank you, Doc, for doing the most exciting health check and having such patience and empathy.
Thank you, Ahmed H., for always having the perfect timing and making any eve even a tiny bit more pleasant with your soothing and calm presence.
Thank you for every plate of fresh fruit every single day.
Thank you for keeping my ocean villa neat, clean, tidy and to make it seem I just entered it for the first time EACH time I opened that door.
Thank you for treating me like I'm the most important person in the northern hemisphere.
Dear Team of Vakkaru, thank you for making this experience happen.
It has been the time of my life.
