Where, oh where in the world is that blue lagoon where you don’t need supermarkets, cars, motorcycles, not even shoes, only love, but that my great-grandchildren will sadly not experience anymore because of global warming, since the islands will be covered by the sea. The inhabitants are also aware of this, which is why the Maldives are the first signatory of the Kyoto Protocol.

The Maldives or the Republic of Maldives, which is a country with the capital Malé, consists of a group of about 2000 small, low coral islands in the Indian Ocean, spreading out across 840 km in length.

Choosing the right island, much less the resort, was a true challenge for me and my husband, but we were helped by the information that only 218 islands out of the 2000 are inhabited, mostly by people active in fishing, farming and shipping.

Private islands, which are leased for tourism only, seemed like the best choice at first, because the service is great, accommodation excellent, and the guests are waited on hand and foot. However, inhabitants of the Maldives do not live on these islands, and the life on the private islands is instead adapted to tourists who might be kings there, but are also hermetically sealed in a “glass dome”. They don’t get a true feeling of the real life in the Maldives, let alone peek behind the walls of their homes, culture or try to at least meet, if not understand, their religion, as most Maldives inhabitants are Muslims by faith.

I’ve always been interested in both sides of the coin, even though I admit that I would often prefer to turn a blind eye to the bad one. But that is the essence of life, opening numerous questions, enriching your spirit, filling your heart, and getting your blood pumping in a completely different way.

And that is also how it was with the Maldives. If you wish to live in a glass dome, I would suggest a visit to one of the islands that are intended or leased only for tourists, but if you have the courage, some adventurous spirit and the desire to experience the real life in the Maldives, definitely venture to one of those true authentic islands, where the real islanders live, and experience your own blue lagoon.

It’s nice to meet fishermen weaving nets on the beach or take the time and start a laid-back conversation with one of the inhabitants who is a lexicon of underwater life. Maybe you even peek into their homes or make friends with the hotel staff who are very relaxed and prepared to climb a palm tree for you, so that you get a fresh coconut with delicious coconut water every day although it isn’t on the menu, or they even catch a fish especially for you and clean it for dinner.