Met Surf House was the perfect place to make our Maldives dream a reality. There’s a common notion that the Maldives is too expensive to travel to. Since most think it is too costly, there is a considerable amount of travelers that never take the opportunity to explore.
We too thought the same until we met a couple on Instagram that informed us about guesthouses in the Maldives. They let us know that it is a great way to see the real Maldives. After taking some time to talk it over, we thought this would be an excellent opportunity.
We eventually did our due diligence finding a place called Met Surf House. My wife was able to get in contact with the owner, Matteo, and he was very accommodating toward our needs. He offered us a fair price and scheduled our transfers to and from the airport.
Flying over the Indian Ocean
Flying over the Indian Ocean was an experience we won’t soon forget. Our flight from Portland, OR to The Maldives was approximately 19 hours of flight time. After a few movies, meals, and naps, we were beginning to get restless.
Met Surf House
Met Surf House is where we called home for the next seven days. Let me tell you; we did not regret this decision one bit. Matteo made our first Maldives holiday a very memorable one! The guesthouse had all that we needed — simple yet elegant, comfortable & clean, and all-around had a great staff!
All rooms have amazing views and are just feet from the ocean. The rooms are simple, cozy, and relaxed. If you’re a traveler like my wife and me, then you will appreciate the simple concepts of these rooms. They were easy to keep clean and organized throughout our stay.
We enjoyed the best sleep as the nights are quiet and you can hear the ocean lullaby’s outside your room.
Meals steps from the ocean
Nothing says paradise, like having a meal steps from the ocean every day. I mean, who wouldn’t want to wake up to breakfast with an amazing sunrise and have dinner with the most beautiful sunsets!?
Once you experience waking to breakfast with the ocean at your feet, your mornings will never be the same. We certainly missed waking up like this once we returned home.
Listening to the sounds of the ocean waves, the swaying of coconut trees, and warm ocean breezes made our meals so much more enjoyable! Not to mention, the food was pretty good as well.
Breathtaking Views
The Maldives has some of the most amazing views. We are firm believers; there is beauty in every corner of the world, but the Maldives is on another level! The scenery on Thulusdhoo was always breathtaking as we woke up early almost every morning to watch the sunrises.
Relaxing took on a whole new meaning as we laid in the hammocks and listened to the ocean. Taking strolls on the beaches or merely watching with amazement at the natural wonders made us feel at home. There is something to be said about being able just to lay around being perfectly content with the world around you.
Often we reminded ourselves how blessed we were to be able to witness such beauty!
a day at the Sandbank
Have you ever had those dreams where you’re shipwrecked in paradise & stranded on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere?! That is exactly what making a trip to one of the sandbanks felt like (minus actually being shipwrecked. We just got to pretend)! We started the morning off with breakfast by the beach then shortly after finishing, we hopped on a boat for a 30-minute ride to one of the local sandbanks.
The trip was beautiful as we were able to catch views of the surrounding islands. Each island we passed was incredible in the morning sun. We found breathtaking pictures of the overwater bungalows, reefs, and dolphins playing in the nearby surf.
It’s surreal to look out at the vast ocean and see nothing for miles. It’s a single reminder of just how small we are in this world.
We spent this day on the most beautiful strip of white sand with a reef, and blue water as far as the eye can see. The only shade created is the umbrellas that accompany you on the trip.
Spending a day on the sandbank consisted of snorkeling with tropical fish, laying out under the umbrellas, wading in the blue water, lots of photography, and of course enjoying friendships in such a unique environment. An excursion to one of the many sandbanks is a must-do when visiting the Maldives!
Snorkeling in our front yard
For us, what we enjoyed best about snorkeling where we stayed is that we didn’t have to go very far to enjoy time in the water. We had an entire playground right in our own front yard.
The best time to snorkel is early in the day as the current can be a bit challenging if you’re not a very good swimmer. Once the tide changes, the ocean current can get a little strong for beginners.
After breakfast, my wife and I would put on our snorkel gear and swim around enjoying tropical fish, the reef, and warm blue water. I found it pretty amazing how the underwater shelf would drop off into a deep blue abyss. I would follow the fish and free dive off the shelf as far as I could. It was as if you could see the island end underwater!
Surfing at Cokes Beach
If you’re a surfer or have learning how to surf on your bucket list, this is the place for you. My wife did most of the planning while I was on a work trip. I had no idea that we would be staying right next to Cokes. Directly across from where we were staying in the northern-most break in North Male Atoll, called Chickens.
Since I grew up in Florida, I have always had a love of surfing, the lifestyle, the vibes, and just being out on the water. Every day we were able to watch the surfers as they put on an all-day show. The waves at Cokes averaged roughly 6 to 10 feet daily. It was nice to relax in a hammock near the shoreline and watch the magic happen.
Paradise at Night
Paradise at night is such a peaceful experience. Just picture for a moment sitting on the beach having dinner, thousands of stars in the sky, the ocean singing in the distance, a full moon, slight breezes, and no cars, no crowds! Perfection!!!
Nighttime is definitely quiet in the Maldives or at least on the islands away from Male’. Living life in a big town near a big city, we don’t often have the luxury of seeing bright stars or listening to the silence of the night. Nights in the Maldives was a luxury that we certainly enjoyed and made the most of it.
Friendships Made
The best part of traveling for us is meeting new people from around the world. We enjoy getting to know them through the stories they share. Nothing makes traveling better than connecting with a person or group of people who come from different corners of the world and share common interests. Those moments you share always make traveling extra special.
For the next six mornings, afternoons, and evenings, meals were at a set time, and we sat together & shared a meal with these amazing new friends. It was during conversations we knew that one of our next trips would definitely be to Spain. We enjoyed laughter, and what a relief to see that we shared the same sarcasm (life can get awkward in a hurry when folks don’t see eye to eye on humor)!
We shared a walk to the other side of the island enjoying the sunset (and of course endless amounts of picture taking by the ladies). My wife and I continue to keep in touch with each couple & enjoy hearing how well each of them continues to do in life.
Our friends from Spain are doing great, and we are planning to visit them soon. Our newly-wed friends from Poland are enjoying their marriage and expecting their first child!
On our last night, we stayed in another guesthouse just around the corner. We ate with the same couples every day, and it was thoughtful of the staff to take it upon themselves to ensure no other guests sat in our usual spot and prepared one last meal with our friends from Spain. It was such a kind gesture in knowing such an impact was made in such a short amount of time. A memory we will always treasure.
Met Surf House
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