| Ranveli - Maldives |
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7 years after Fun Island, here we are! Maldives again! This time the island we choose is Ranveli (in local language Viligilivaru) in the south-east side of Ari’s atoll. Ranveli means golden sand. The island is about 77km far from Malé airport and you can reach it in 2 hours by fast boat or in 25 minutes by seaplane plus 15 minutes by dhoni, the traditional Maldivian boat. The seaplane leave you on a platform offshore and a dhoni picks you up from there. The island is covered by a flourishing tropical vegetation. From the beach you cannot see the 2 lines of 2 floors buildings. There are 4 rooms in every building, so 56 rooms in total. Ranveli is only 250 meters long and 50 meters wide. To this surface we can add a strip of sand that, with low tide, comes out on the west side. This strip of sand goes on for at least 2km under the surface of the water. This is the best and most popular side of the island. On the north side where the pier is, the reef is just 20 meters far from the island and easy to reach through small stairs. It’s possible to snorkel there between multitudes of colourful fishes, following the reef and going with the flow. Further, at the end of the sand strip, another access makes easy to come back to the shore. On the south side a huge lagoon with low and warm waters divides Ranveli from the neighbour island of Dhangethi, where local people lives. You can enjoy a nice bath in this lagoon even if you don’t know how to swim. On the south between pile dwellings, there is a restaurant, the only building that you can see from far away. On the east instead there is the little harbour where the dhonis stop. This area is reserved for local staff. Within the permanent habitant of the island 2 iguanas, 2 parrots, 1 heron and a noisy flock of crows, all of them very used to human presence. The island is managed by Veraclub. Canoes, windsurfs, bowls game and volley are free for all guests. Entertainment is almost absent, so authentic relax is granted! |
