Still in disbelief that we were actually in one of the most sought after beach destinations in the world, me and my buddy lounged on the al fresco dining area of Clear Sky Inn, our home in Hulhumale. We were having a nice time listening to an acoustic duo performing contemporary songs after our lovely dinner. We lounged and enjoyed the company of Maldivian crowd who were having their coffee night as well. It was our first night in Maldives and we've been mentally preparing for an eight-day hiatus from alcoholic drinks, and a mocktail of Red Bull Mojito I was sipping calmed my spirit.
Me and my buddy were at the peak of our two-month Beach Hop Asia 2016 summer backpacking trip. After exploring some islands in Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, I was thrilled to finally set foot on the paradise of Maldives.
Planning for a great DIY Maldives getaway can be hard especially if you're on a tight budget. We had eight days and after so much planning and re-planning, we finally came up with an exciting route that will let us experience the postcard-worthy scenery and local Maldivian culture at the same time. I made a rough DIY Guide on Backpacking in Maldives on my previous post which will definitely help those who are on a tight budget.
Coming from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, we were collected by a van that brought us to our transit hotel on the same reclaimed island of Hulhumale. We were only be spending a night at Clear Sky Inn for we will be exploring the nearby atolls in the next few days. FYI, the Maldives consists of 1,190 coral islands that is grouped into a double chain of 26 atolls (a string of closely spaced small coral islands) spread over 90,000 square kilometers in Indian Ocean.
We were then brought to our inn in minutes (we paid extra for this service). After we processed our booking, I exchanged Maldivian Rufiyaa and found that they have competitive rates compared to those they have at the airport.
Clear Sky Inn is a boutique hotel located in Hulhumale (the first reclaimed island in the Maldives where Ibrahim Nasir International Airport is located). It is conveniently located near the airport and is two minutes away on foot to Hulhumale Beach making it the perfect accommodation whether for transit or hub for Maldives excursions.
The key to our room was given to us and then we settled immediately. Our Superior Room (check for discounted rates here) had all the basic necessities for a comfortable stay. We had a huge queen-sized bed, AC, TV with local and international channels, seating area, in-room safe, coffee and tea-making facilities, mini bar with fridge, wardrobe closet and a private veranda.
Our en suite toilet and bath was equipped with hot and cold shower, towels and bathroom amenities including a hair dryer.
Although my body was aching for rest, we went down to the in-house restaurant of Clear Sky Inn, Sky Café Restaurant, to have dinner while perusing on our social media accounts through the complimentary WiFi connection.
After our two-week curry diet in Sri Lanka, we were both craving for fast food comfort food so we ordered All Meaty Pizza (MVR145 | US$9.42) and Grilled Beef Steak (MVR140 | US$9.09). Everything was good especially the pizza. All cravings were fully satiated on that hefty dinner.
This particular leg of our trip was raided by some of my dearest friends who specifically booked their flights to match ours. While waiting for them, we consumed our time in sipping mocktails of Red Bull Mojito (MVR65 | US$4.22) while listening to an acoustic duo performing at the al fresco dining area of the restaurant.
They were friendly, initiating chitchats about our country of origin and such. After mentioning that we're from the Philippines, they immediately asked for us to sing as they believe that all Filipinos are very good singers. We then convinced them that not all of us are really good at singing. Haha.
We were serenaded by a cool acoustic duo that night.
The warm sea breeze blended well with the cool air that night. We were still adapting to our non-alcoholic nights (alcoholic drinks are prohibited in all the islands of Maldives except for the private island resorts) and enjoying our mocktails when our three friends arrived from the airport. They immediately settled in their appointed room and we exchanged tales of latest news from the Philippines like we've been away for years.
I slumped into the bed right after the catching up sesh and slept calmly, recuperating from our accumulated exhaustion the past month. We woke up to the sound of our alarm clock that signaled our departure. I quickly packed my rather unpacked backpack and headed to Sky Café Restaurant for the complimentary breakfast while taking my morning nutritional needs, Prodigy 5.
I went outside Clear Sky Inn while waiting for my meal to arrive. Hulhumale was deserted and the gentle waves broke the serene morning. There's this feeling inside me that I needed to explore the neighborhood but the brief time we had wasn't permitting me to do so. That was a mistake 'coz we never went back to Hulhumale after our island getaway.
Saying goodbye to the island that welcomed us during our first hours in Maldives, we grabbed a taxi and headed to the port area where we took a ferry to Male to hop into another ferry for our local island adventure. Our stay at Clear Sky Inn was short but definitely sweet and I am definitely sure that we will come back again, hopefully in the near future.