Maldives: How to Create An Idyllic Staycation at Home

The Travel-and-Home-STAYcation

Are you longing to be in the idyllic Maldives, but it’s just not possible at this stage in your life? We have the solution.

A staycation is a holiday spent in one’s home country rather than abroad. Or, a holiday spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions. The word “staycation” is a combination of “stay” and “vacation”, an early 21st-century dictionary addition. With the world-wide pandemic sweeping through countries, traveling may be a challenge. So, today we’re doing a STAYcation in every sense of the word. We “stay” to create the idyllic Maldives at home, thus our “vacation” does not even include transport costs!!

What you need

Travel-and-Home’s STAYcation has the full focus on staying at home. So then we need some tools in and around the home.

A swimming pool, or some sort of water feature
Hydrangea flowers. Also, so by the way, the 2020 Shrub of the Year!

Although I just love the simplistic beauty of shades of white and green, one can create an idyllic atmosphere if you can lay your hands on the softer shades of pink hydrangeas. That is, in addition to the green.

Our plan

In this case, our STAYcation goal is to “Create Idyllic Maldives at Home”.

Choose a sunny, warm day for your event. Of course, idyllic comes with sunshine, and plenty of it too so your guests can enjoy the pool.
Decide on your guest list, and send out invitations* about two weeks in advance. You want those R.S.V.P.’s well ahead of the big day. *Something like, “We moved the idyllic Maldives to our home. Come join the fun!”
Set your table next to the pool. Allow sufficient space to move between the table and the pool. You don’t want to create risk.

Benefits of planning an idyllic Maldives STAYcation

None, or fewer, transport costs
No accommodation costs
No car hire costs
No flight costs
No expensive meals out
Having friends and/or family over for a fun-filled home-excursion
Quality time
Say goodbye to travel stress
No waiting in lines at public places such as airports etc.
Travel shared is double the fun – plan your trip to the Maldives with some friends

Our menu

To begin with, you don’t want to spend time in the kitchen all day long. Therefore, I’m suggesting a few easy-to-make mouthwatering courses that are typical Maldives cuisine.

The Coconut Palm is the Maldives’ national tree. Therefore, you simply have to serve coconut-based cocktails and ‘mocktails.’
Since you’re hosting on a warm sunny day, I suggest a light tuna starter. Tuna is extremely popular in the Maldives, in all its forms. Therefore, the starter is perfectly suited to your Maldives theme.

For in-between-snacks, you may want to have a basket or two on the table with tuna baked in puff pastry. It’s another quicky and beats the chips-and-peanuts bowls. After all, you need to stick to your theme.
Together with the pastries, I have another great filler. Namely, small Kulhi boakiba or fish cakes which have been eaten by Maldivians for thousands of years. It is prepared with smoked tuna, grated coconut, chopped chili peppers, ginger, and rice.

Generally, the Maldives is known for its delicious curries, whether tuna, chicken, or vegetable-based. I suggest a chicken curry with sweet potato (kattala) on the side. Curries are usually enjoyed with steamed rice or with roshi or chapati (unleavened flatbread). That is then your main course sorted.

Lastly, I suggest something completely different from the unique desert of the Maldives, Handulu Bondibai (sweetened sticky rice). I like to go for light ice cream with fresh berries and a touch of a matching fruit jam. That said, the sweetened sticky rice is naturally far more authentic!

Create the Idyllic Maldives at Home… or as a wedding theme!

Love Wedding Rings Deco Swans Roses Hydrangeas

Maldives Atoll Decor Decorations Destination Florist Wedding

Hydrangeas Heart Autumn Hydrangea Flowers

Flowers Wreath Romantic Decoration Hydrangea

Drinks, Cocktails Maldives coconut based — Cocktails Maldives coconut based

For a Maldives STAYcation wedding, you may want to buy white river sand to further add to the Maldives-feel! The dress-code will then be appropriately informal but still with a touch of smart casual.