The beach was just two minutes away by foot but we were glued to our seat. With cold mocktails in hand, we sat at the outdoor lounge of Clear Sky Inn, enjoying the sultry Maldivian summer nights while listening to a local musician strum and sing his way to Bob Marley’s I Shot the Sheriff. This isn’t the Maldives that I had in mind, but like the darkened beach a few blocks away, it was close enough.

Some hours ago, we flew to the capital of Maldives, Male, after spending two weeks in Sri Lanka. We were very much elated. Not only was it our first time in Maldives, but also, man, this is Maldives! A beach haven we only hear and read about from luxury travelers!