The plants growing out of white sands reminds me of a lotus pond in winter. [Photo by Zhao Xu and Feng Tianyi/China Daily]

The island of Vommuli in western central Maldives, a mere nine hectares, is a pearl on the turquoise plate that is the Indian Ocean. The opening of St. Regis Hotel on Nov 1 officially unveiled this pearl to the world, and for four short days one month after the hotel's opening I stayed on Vommuli, soaking in sounds, sights and scents indigenous or foreign to the island.

Blue and white

People say that the Maldives has the bluest sea and finest sand, and that is true.

My first glimpse of the beauty of the surrounding sea was from the plane en route to Vommuli. Under sunlight the ocean surface resembled an opaque sheet of glass, with speed boats racing across it and, as if they were carving knives, leaving long white streaks in their wake. Clouds wafted past, obscuring temporarily from view the many small islands that from above reminded me of a type of unpolished turquoise stone native to Hubei province (That is, a faint greenish blue on the inside and gray on the outside.)

But the real blue, the one Maldives is known for, was served up when I arrived on Vommuli. It's a blue so pure, vivid and untainted that it almost hurts the eyes. One is tempted to think that a bird－just any bird－might take a dip in the water and come out a cerulean-colored kingfisher.

The fluid blue meets white at the shore, punctuated by black stones piled artfully by man and inhabited by crabs.