 
KAMADHOO- BAA ATOLL: The wooden dhoni with its gracefully curved prow,
edged up to the small jetty on the beach of what seemed to be a deserted
island. Eagerly the passengers stepped ashore, keen to explore the sixth
island on their week-long cruise in the Maldives.
They had been ferried by dhoni from the aptly-named cruise ship, Island
Explorer, which was anchored just outside the lagoon. At 2,600 tons the
ship is small enough to enter waters major cruise liners avoid. And by
including village islands in her itinerary, the ship provides a rare opportunity
to explore islands normally off-limits to foreigners visiting the Maldives.
Kamadhoo is not deserted but none of its 460 residents was to be seen
on the beach that hot afternoon. So the ship's passengers headed for the
inhabited side of the island along a broa, sandy trail. It led through
clusters of palm trees and thickets of lush plants lending Kamadhoo the
ambience of a wildly exotic botanical garden.
It took ten minutes to reach the beach at the other side of the island.
The only person in sight was a boy lounging on a platform of palm logs
who firmly declined to be photographed. Then a trio of island women in
long dresses and with scarves covering their heads swayed across the main
street while a woman pushed a wheelbarrow filled with coconuts into the
yard of a coral-stone cottage.
The visitors peered inside the village store. One tried the card phone
near the island chief's office but there were no cards for sale so it could
not be used. Another discovered the postal agency shop but couldn't post
a letter there because the franking seal had been mislaid.
Two girls were sweeping the floor of the open sided school hall, and
a boy proudly proclaimed in English that the school had One Zero Four pupils.
He showed the visitors the football field and the volley ball net stretched
across a sandy boulevard leading back into the jungle. Then, apparently
overcome by his own boldness, he fell silent and trailed after the visitors
as they made their way back to the jetty.
The two hour visit to Kamadhoo was an unusual experience for the Island
Explorer's passengers. It gave them a brief glimpse of a leisurely, uncomplicated
lifestyle fostered by the discipline of Islam and the embrace of the sea.
The sea forms over 99 percent of the Maldives, making it the most watery
nation on earth. The area of all its islands adds up to less than half
the size of Singapore. There are 198 inhabited islands and over 1,000 uninhabited
ones. Because they stretch across the Equator in a chain 511 miles long
from north to south, the Maldives could be called The Islands of the East
Pole.
The President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, is a tireless campaigner at international
forums for greater awareness of the danger of atmospheric pollution to
the Maldives caused by the industrialised countries. Global warming with
consequent rise in sea levels is a worry for Maldivians in case high tides
swamp low-lying islands like Kamadhoo.
The Island Explorer is the only ship that cruises to islands in Baa and
Raa atoll. Universal Cruise, the ship's operator, obtains the special permission
needed for foreigners to visit there as the islands are normally off-limits
to independent travellers. This is to avoid any negative aspects of tourism
influencing island folk. (Usually tourists stay on uninhabited islands
which have been converted into resorts of various degrees of luxury providing
a full board holiday for two from US $100 to US $500 a night).
The Island Explorer makes it possible for Sri Lankans to explore and
discover these delightful, unspoilt islands so close to Sri Lanka. The
ship has the refinements of a large liner. It is fully airconditioned.
There are two lounges, a smoking and non-smoking restaurant (all meals
are buffets of good quality), and a coffee shop and karoake lounge. There
is a sun deck bar and a main bar at the centre of the ship. There is even
a swimming pool.
Accommodation for 100 passengers ranges from small cabins ideal for
single travellers, to staterooms on the boat deck. Rooms are serviced by
Maldivian cabin boys, and Maldivians are on duty in the restaurant. The
captain is from Greece while the officers and crew are expert Maldivian
sailors. Chefs from Sri Lanka produce a delicious array of international
dishes, while Sri Lankan barmen conjure up appropriate cocktails. There
is a diving school on board.
Passengers join the ship from Male's airport every Monday. The first
port of call is a resort island, and then the ship sails for Raa atoll.
Wednesday is spent off Ifura, an uninhabited island, with a barbecue dinner
on the beach at night.
The next day a visit is made to Ugoofaru, the rather dreary capital
of Raa atoll. There is a picnic lunch on Friday at Kudakurathu, in Baa
atoll, a deserted island renowned for the splendour of its under world.
A barbecue dinner with folk dancing is held on another uninhabited island,
Milaidhoo, on Saturday, after a visit to Kamadhoo. The cruise ends with
a trip to Male on Sunday and the captain's dinner that night.
As well as diving and snorkelling, there are chances to go big game
fishing and night fishing. There is a moonlight disco on board and on Fridays
a special magic show. But the real highlight of the cruise is the chance
to meet the gentle islanders of the East Pole, like those at Kamadhoo.
Travel Notes: Both AirLanka and Emirates operate flights from Colombo
to Male and back on Mondays which fit in with the Island Explorer's itinerary.
Full board accommodation on the ship can cost about US $200 a day for two,
sharing a stateroom. The ship is operated by Universal Cruise, 38 Orchid
Magu, Male, Republic of Maldives; Tel: 960 323080; Fax: 960 320274.
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