Warning: What I’m about to say is going to sound basic AF (#basicandproud) so brace yourselves… Fall is just around the corner here in Richmond, VA which means I can barely wait to bust out my cozy sweaters, boots, and leather jacket. The slight chill in the air makes me completely giddy with excitement for halloween decor, burnt orange leaves, and pretending I like sports at football parties. And before you even ask, no I do not like pumpkin spice lattes (#notthatbasic).
As summer comes to an end it always feels like the start of a new year to me. I think it’s a feeling that has stuck with me since I was younger and geared up to start school every September. It almost feels as though I’m in reboot mode and I begin to plan new trips, while reflecting on where I’ve been the first half of the year.
I wanted to share some photos of one trip in particular that was definitely a bucket-list kind of vacation. Joe and I typically plan a big trip every winter after Christmas and last January knew we wanted to go to Hong Kong, but couldn’t decide where else to visit while in Asia. That was until we saw a blog post by The Points Guy about an amazing points value deal to stay at the brand new St. Regis Maldives. After figuring out some transportation logistics, like for example, how exactly does one even get to a private island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, we were all set and impatiently awaited our trip to paradise.
Our journey to the St. Regis Maldives started at the resort’s seaplane terminal. They insisted we take this picture when we arrived, and let’s be honest, I never turn down a photo op. At the end of our trip they surprised us with a hard copy as we departed — such a nice touch by the staff!
Our seaplane chariot awaits!
When we booked the trip I knew taking a seaplane to the resort would be a challenging obstacle standing between me and a beautiful tropical oasis. The thought of a tiny aircraft diving into an ocean abyss during landing was an unpleasant thought for my sense of mortality or proneness to getting motion sick, but nonetheless it had to be done. The breathtaking views, along with lots of Dramamine, certainly helped though.
View of the the St. Regis as we arrived.
Welcome cocktail. I always choose the bubbly!
St. Regis overwater bungalows.
View from the deck of our bungalow. Not too shabby.
The resort held a daily yoga class overlooking the ocean. Not a bad way to start the day.
We were going to be “stranded” on an island for five nights, so I knew our only dining options would be the restaurants on the resort, and I’m not going to lie, I was skeptical. Would it be overpriced, sub-par resort fare? Or cuisine worthy of a Michelin star? Well my friends, the food turned out to be spectacular and the St. Regis culinary team totally knocked it out of the park. One night we went to a fancy shmancy wine dinner with the Executive Chef and Wine Director, and ermahgerd you guys, it was incredible. It’s also worth pointing out that they can create this amazing meal IN THE SMACK DAB MIDDLE OF AN OCEAN, all while I can barely put a frozen pizza in the oven on a Wednesday night.
We decided to try our luck with traditional Maldivian sunset fishing, and if you know me, you know outdoorsy activities aren’t really my cup of tea. I’m more of a cocktail in the sun, laying by the pool kinda girl, but with that said, I ended up loving it and even caught a fish. I guess I could survive in the wilderness after all.
The Chef grilled the fish I caught for lunch the next day.
Relaxing in the spa’s hydrotherapy pool. It was nice but kinda small (kidding).
The staff gave us this cute little cake the morning we left.
Our sea plane to leave paradise waiting for us. Don’t make me go!
Beki Set Go 