SHIKHA DUGGAL
Luxury water villas, pristine white sands, and gorgeous marine life made Sonnalli Seygall’s idea of taking a break in the Maldives a perfect destination for her—so many crystal clear waters and coral reefs, and there was the actress in the middle of unprecedented luxury. So she was in search of a destination where she could feel comfortable, and following the new trend of being in the Maldives, the Pyaar Ka Punchnama fame traversed through
complete escapism. “I explored the underwater wonders of the island paradise. The idyllic coral islands are like a totally different world waiting for us just below the surface. All the resorts have dive centers! Because it boasts some of the best beaches in the world, the powdery white sand on my body was unlike any other. I teamed it up with the tropical sunlight on the island, and the azure that surrounded me is like something you will find nowhere else. The food of the Maldives is a fusion coming from Sri Lanka, so there is a lot of cuisine that has coconut in it. Their traditional cuisine is known to be something called Dhivehi cuisine, which gave me a smorgasbord of flavors. That delicate sweetness in their food is a good option to have.”
Most of the beaches in the Maldives are private. But what the actress noted was, “They are so clean. Those sunny skies and turquoise waters make it a lover’s paradise! When I was there, it was so windy and stormy, and that added like a cherry on top. The sparks are only so blue that it’s such a perfect romantic spot! I am so glad we went during the monsoons; it was such a soothing holiday. I went snorkeling in the water, and it was so blustery even in the sea. I was embracing the tropical vegetation. But because I have done snorkeling before in calm waters, this squally experience was something new to me. At some point, the wildness of it scared me a little bit inside the water.”
Her fashion game was also on point in the Maldives! The newly married actress shared, “I especially wore designer wear for the Maldives. I go to extremes on my vacations! Either I am too casual or glam up like a doll; there is no in-between, and any girl would relate to me. My husband and I explored so many properties in the Maldives just on a bicycle, so I wore my comfy shorts instead of my bikinis. The resort wear for romantic dinners was the best! And all of them were bright and vibrant colors because they looked so good on the beaches.”
Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety fame claimed, “There’s not much culture that we can explore in the Maldives. You don’t have to go to the city because the private villas keep you occupied so much! But we did interact with the locals a lot. I have heard there was no infrastructure before these water villas came up, so nobody liked visiting the island. It’s a totally different scenario today. Fast forward, the kind of images you will see of the Maldives, especially in the magazines, will definitely urge you to keep visiting the island more often than ever.”
The Maldives was serene for her, and most importantly, it was so romantic for the actress. She continued, “The overwater villas are just dreamy — I can spend days luxuriating over there. It’s that kind of luxurious hideaway for celebrities! You can experience the best scuba-diving trip, and the privacy the hotels offer is commendable. It’s the Maldives, man; the sandbanks feel otherworldly.”
Moving ahead in our special travel tales segment, another primary question that popped up was: whenever under intense pressure, where is Sonnalli likely to head to? She says,
“Obviously, after intense pressure, you are likely to indulge yourself in some pilgrimage, so Hrishikesh is my place to be. Those foothills call me! It’s so spiritual that you can just hang out on the banks of the Ganges and go into a vision of deep silence. It always happens to change my mood; I feel a little less burdened after a hectic schedule. Because yoga is a part of my daily routine, practicing it in the capital of yoga makes it even more special for me. I feel no less than a spiritual seeker! So whenever you spot me in Hrishikesh, the two things you’ll definitely watch me doing are ‘sadhana’ and a ‘panchakarma treatment’. The quick-fix to my soul.” Oh, and she did have a frightening experience on a trip, eager to know what? the Illegal fame recalls, “I had gone on an official trip to China from my school, to perform. And guess what? My roommate happened to steal my money! I was so naive that I couldn’t even put up a fight with her in a stranger country.”
And that turned the actress to be the most careful traveller when on a vacation.
