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If The Maldives Had A Signature Scent, What Would It Be?
Assalaamu alaikum! Haalu kihineh?
No…we haven’t been hacked, nor have we decided to start a multilingual wedding blog (as brilliant as that would be!) We’re simply practicing our Dhivehi, the official language of the Maldives. Why I hear you ask? Well my friend, me & Emily are already dreaming of summer and when picturing the perfect place to be relaxing we couldn’t help but envision us sat on a beach in the Maldives! Wouldn’t the Maldives just be the most dreamy honeymoon destination ever? Those white sands, the calm peaceful atmosphere, the relaxing spas…heaven.
The real question isn’t about what we envision when we think of the Maldives though, it’s all about what aroma would be nurturing those noses of ours! Coconuts? Refreshing, salty air? Or perhaps even the scent of the national flower; the Rosa Polyantha?
This week me & Emily were set a mission by the amazing travel experts, Kuoni. In case you haven’t heard of Kuoni they have been travelling the world with a sense of adventure since 1906 and today their expertise and knowledge spans an amazing 88 countries! You can book a blissful holiday to the Maldives with them and spot psychedelic fish darting through the lagoon from your overwater villa; listen to your inspiring guide describe Argentina during an escorted tour of Latin America; or even help save Pink Dolphins during a volunteering holiday along the Amazon River. The trips with Kuoni really will be filled with perfect moments to remember!
Our mission, should we have chosen to accept it was to find and decide the Maldives signature scent and we’re sure we have found just the one…
As you can see, it took a lot of experimenting and harsh testing, it really is a hard life choosing scents to represent places you know but we finally decided the perfect scent for the Maldives, in our eyes, would be coconut. Not only is the coconut palm their national tree but to us, the scent of coconuts epitomises exotic places. It’s also a key ingredient in many traditional Maldivian dishes (including fish curry Mas Rhia the heavenly mix of coconut milk, fresh fish and fried onions, how delicious!!) and it doesn’t even stop there!
The lower half of the palm tree timber can be used for building houses, the tree is featured on the countries national emblem and coconut leaves used to be used as roofing material for a lot of the houses on the islands! And don’t even get me started on the amount of drinks that can be served in the shells…
It seems an obvious choice we know, but that’s because when you really turn those cogs in your mind and picture the very first thing that you think of when you arrive at the Maldives, it’s not a fish curry, it’s not lavender oil in the spa, it’s that unbelievable beach garnished with coconut palm trees and a piña colada with your name on it at the bar!
But our work isn’t done here yet, we want to know what YOU think the Maldives signature scent would be! Picture yourself sat on that beach, relaxing in that spa or dining on their fine cuisine, whether it is for your honeymoon or for a romantic getaway, what can you smell? You can even say something we’ve already suggested; perhaps if it gets the most comments we’ll be more inclined to name that as the beautiful place’ signature scent!
Let your imaginations run wild! We’d love to hear what you think…or err…smell…
And if this post has got you dreaming of a trip to the Maldives yourself then be sure to head on over to Kuoni now and check out the breathtaking trips they have available!
Much Bespoke Love
Jess x
What a great post! It’s always been a dream of mine to go to the Maldives and i’d have to agree with you too, I think I would pick coconut as the scent! Although I bet that cocktail smelt pretty good!!
I had never even thought of going to the Maldives but it looks BEAUTIFUL and It’s definitely on my bucket list now! However, unlike you, i think it would smell like humidity & salty walter! As weird as it sounds, i feel like anywhere tropical smells like humidity because of the heat and the sea and i LOVE it! This scent immediately makes me feel like i’m on vacations and there’s no way the Maldives don’t smell like this! (….the scent of margaritas would be my second choice 😉 )
Definitely coconuts!! The smell of coconuts remind me of exotic places too, and piña coladas of course!
Mmmmm I love coconuts!! Never been to the Maldives either but after hearing about their yummy traditional dishes & thinking about that beach has got me dreaming!!
Ohhh the Maldives look amazing!! I’ve always wanted to go! I think the Maldives would smell sweet and fresh! Sweet from the exotic fruits but also fresh from the sea air!
I now immeadiately want to be there..right now!
The smell of the Maldives? The most glorious miscellany imaginable; infusing the smell of my ice cold piña colada, with that faint aroma of the warm sea air as it blends with burning hot sun baking the suncream on my back. Occasionally, while I lie in Elysium, a waft of beach-griddled-fresh-fish tempts my pallet, and draws me towards the most cosmopolitan combination of Indian and Western cuisine.
And then I wake up..
Fab article and video – it’s a dream of mine to visit the Maldives at some point.. I want to stay in one of those beach huts that overlooks the crystal blue sea, so in the morning you can lie in bed, open the doors and look out at the beauty of the ocean, and feel the gentle breeze wafting in..
I think the Maldives would have a beautiful smell, the warm fresh air free from pollution, a baked aroma almost like freshly baked bread due to the sun radiating off the white sand all tinged with a fruity essence emitted from a nearby cocktail…
#DreamsCanComeTrue
I would definitely of said coconut too. Now I’m dreaming of that hot air you instantly feel when you step of the plane after arriving. Heaven.
Love the post as the Maldives has always been a dream holiday location of mine. Can feel the sun on me as I write this!! I’ve always imagined that lying there under the palm trees blissfully happy that the smell would be one of a soft and gentle breeze rolling of the calm beautiful turquoise Indian ocean and up the white beach. Awesome!!
Have always loved the idea of travelling to the Maldives-it’s funny because I always thought my grandparents went there all the time and they used to tell me how beautiful the flowers smelt there-however I always got confused between here and Madira!! Haha but anyway I always imagine the beautiful scent and scene of flowers!! 🙂