My bucket-list trip to the Maldives shows the world can still wow me

Swimming in crystal-clear waters, dining in a mangrove forest and practising sun salutations to the lap of the Indian Ocean, Nicole Glennon says her bucket-list trip to the Maldives delivered more than she could have dared to dream

The crystal-clear Maldives water were the setting of Nicole Glennon's dream holiday. Picture: iStock

Long-haul flights often serve as an opportunity to deep-clean my phone. I go through my photo gallery, clearing out old screenshots and images, deleting shopping lists, and rambling reminders from my Notes app. Flying home from the Maldives, I scroll all the way back to 2020, when the restrictions of the covid pandemic inspire me to write a list of 30 things I want to do before I hit 30. My breath catches as I read number 29, the delusional throwaway dream — go to the Maldives.

This collection of islands in the Indian Ocean is an obvious bucket-list item for many, but my experience far surpasses what my stress-sick system could have dared to dream.

As I first lay eyes on Atmosphere Kanifushi, a 2km stretch of paradise in the Lhaviyani Atoll, I feel tears sting the back of my throat. “I can’t believe I am seeing this with my actual eyes,” I whisper to my partner. It is a phrase I repeat often over the forthcoming days; as schools of electric-blue fish swim beneath me during my first tentative snorkel, as I watch the sun paint the sky in orange and pink as I swim in the clearest water I have ever seen, and, on our final morning, as baby sharks circle the reef at sunrise.

RAAYA by Atmosphere

When I had imagined this trip, I had pictured the Maldives we have all seen before: Floating breakfasts in infinity pools, over-water villas, rose petals arranged in hearts across crisp white linen. These ubiquitous and cliched images can almost start to feel trite. I couldn’t have imagined just how real, authentic, and truly profound my feeling of awe would be.

Caught up in the stresses of modern city-living, addicted to my phone and the always-on work culture, I have often bemoaned my inability to just “be present”. But the Maldives quickly reconnects me with one of the most beautiful gifts we have as humans — the ability to feel awe.

Every day as we cycle the island, I feel that most precious of capacities. I marvel at the Asian koel’s call, the swift dart of the water hen, the shy gecko clinging to the ceiling. Each tiny discovery is as captivating as my first breathtaking over-island view, and is quickly accompanied by deep gratitude at just how lucky and privileged I am to experience it.

At Kanifushi, our arrival during the wet season means the island is quieter than usual, at times making it feel almost entirely our own.

RAAYA by Atmosphere

Our Sunset Beach Villa, with its own infinity pool an swing, opens up onto the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, meaning my daily dilemma is whether to start in the slightly cool and deliciously refreshing pool or walk into the warm bath of the ocean. Afterwards, I settle into a sun lounger with a book and a glass of crisp white wine from a daily replenished all-inclusive minibar. Or I rinse off beneath the open-air rainfall shower with luxurious Chopard toiletries.

Over-water villas at Atmosphere Kanifushi 

When it comes time to eat, the options are endless and all equally appealing. All-inclusive resorts can sometimes inspire nervousness where dining is concerned; I have stayed in some where securing a reservation at the speciality restaurants is the only way to secure a delicious meal. That is not the case here, where the buffet at Spice is wide-ranging and its standard superb. One day, I eat fresh spaghetti bolognese prepared in front of me to my liking; the next, a spicy Indian curry with naan cooked fresh in a tandoor oven. On another evening, we venture beyond the extensive all-inclusive offering for a teppanyaki dinner, drooling over sushi, wagyu beef, and garlic fried rice, accompanied by a delighted child’s squeals at each of the chef’s tricks.

The Maldives' first vegetarian restaurant Just Veg was a highlight of the trip

A particular highlight is a four-course lunch at Just Veg, the first vegetarian restaurant in the Maldives and one of the jewels of the resort’s culinary offering. Drawing on Mediterranean, Arabic, and Indian influences, its food is sufficiently impressive to convert even my sceptical meat-and-two-veg partner.

And between eating, drinking, swimming, and lounging, there is so much to do.

Sun salutations at sunrise in a Japanese-style spa garden, koi fish swimming lazily on one side, the endless horizon on the other. My first snorkelling experience, with our guide pointing us to turtles, reef sharks and colourful schools of fish. Slightly terrifying initially — but everything worth doing is. Sipping Ayurvedic elixirs at the Lantern Bar while one of the crew shows us videos of the island’s staff and guests coming together a few weeks earlier for the turtle hatchlings, the babies making their first tentative scuttles towards the ocean. That is when I learn that even when you are living your dream, you can still experience envy.

By the time we depart for a new island in the Raa Atoll, something has shifted. After several days recalibrating in our own slice of paradise, our nervous systems have finally regulated. We arrive at RAAYA by Atmosphere not merely rested, but reset.

The island has a slightly different energy. While its castaway concept can certainly be felt in its clever design, we find it busier and buzzier than Kanifushi, though perhaps we are just ready to find that buzz this time.

Seb's Farm-to-Table dining at RAAYA

On our first evening, a tiki bar and DJ appear on the rooftop of the resort’s pan-Asian-inspired AMPERS&ND restaurant and we dance beneath one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen. We go sunset fishing, cheering alongside couples from around the world whenever someone feels a tug on their line. We have a foam party at the main pool, a DJ playing an eclectic mix of songs to represent the vast array of cultures present.

We visit the sports hub for a game of mini golf (a padel tennis court, BMX track and skate park are also on offer for those looking to sweat). We enjoy our first couple’s massage, then sip cocktails while pondering if we want to join the other couples kayaking and paddle boarding into the sunset. We take a tour of Seb’s Farm, where a hardworking team grow vegetables in the Maldives’ challenging sandy conditions, finding ingenious ways to cultivate everything from pumpkins to bananas.

Seb's Farm-to-Table dining at RAAYA

That evening, we return to the farm for an experience I suspect we will talk about for years: A private farm-to-table dinner in a jungle-like setting, the menu handwritten on palm leaves, our water in a coconut, a private chef preparing some of the most delicious food we’ve ever eaten.

At its conclusion, we struggle to put our gratitude into words.

As we board our final seaplane, I am sure the greatest luxury the Maldives has given me is no single swim, meal, or snorkel. It is the discovery that beneath the daily stresses and demands, I have not lost my ability to access awe.

Nicole's morning seaplane back to Malé

Escape notes

• Nicole was a guest of RAAYA by Atmosphere and Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives.
• Both resorts offer all-inclusive plans covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus one a la carte meal every four nights at selected speciality restaurants. Complimentary experiences include sunset cruises, snorkelling excursions, and one 45-minute spa treatment (over 18). Additional water activities, spa, and salon treatments and fine-dining experiences are available on a chargeable basis.
• Departing from Dublin Airport (indirect) in December 2026 based on two adults sharing a room, prices for RAAYA by Atmosphere on the all- inclusive plan with Tropical Sky for seven nights start from €2,579 per person, for Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives, from €2,829 per person.