Treasure island with a twist

The wealthy capital of Hubei province is famous for its spicy food and summer heat, but the resort’s Chinese chef is from Jiangsu's Yangzhou, where tastes are sweeter.

"I miss shopping for designer handbags and I really miss Wuhan food, especially zhou hei ya (duck gizzard)," said Zhan. "I hope I can save my money and buy lots of Gucci bags when I get home."

"We're foodies," she joked. "Sometimes the chef surprises us with eggplant or congee, but not often. We eat local food and rice. We eat curry every day." Zhan hits the staff gym every day and spends most nights chatting with friends on WeChat or walking around the island with the other girls after their split-shifts finish. It takes 15 minutes to circumambulate this tiny teardrop, where baby sharks welcome guests at the jetty and sunsets are sublime.

"The baby sharks are so cute," said Zhan. "It's not dangerous at all. We’re not worried about another tsunami."

"We sit on the beach and stare at the stars every night," said Fan. "I also love watching the dolphins."

On their days off, they like to go island-hopping or jump on a seaplane to Male, the teeming capital of 150,000 people that is just a 45-minute flight away. Zhan knows a Chinese tour-operator there who brings her back supplies from the mainland.

"I feel very happy and so lucky. The Maldivians are so friendly, but I’d still feel lonely if the other two girls weren't here," said Zhan. "But it’s a good career move. It’s everyone’s dream to come here for their honeymoon, and I work here."

About this series (Silk Road Journeys)

China Daily explores Silk Road destinations every Monday.