Evergreen box fruit trees and clusters of red mangroves close in on the pathway. As you arrive by car, the sudden stillness makes you realize just how powerful silence can be. The air feels thicker, charged with a quiet excitement. A striking reddish-brown glow contrasts against the green, leading you toward the water’s edge, where hammocks hang, swaying gently in the still air. This is Laamu Gan’s legendary “Fairy Pond.”
Many have tried to describe it, even hinted at its mystery, but the only way to truly understand is to surrender a moment to its spell — to lose yourself in the quiet rhythm of nature and the endless dance of tiny ripples that make the water seem as though it is forever raining.
If the southern atoll hasn’t already enchanted you with its palm-lined highways, mouthwatering Golha Riha (fish ball curry), and raw natural beauty, locals might point you toward Paree Fengandu. A guide will likely drive you close, urging you to coat yourself in mosquito repellent before taking the short walk through a shaded clearing.
Some residents, with knowing smiles, will tell you of glowing fairies that appear on full moon nights, skimming the water with their wings. Others recount the eerie tale of a rope lowered into its depths, only to emerge blackened and charred. For generations, the people of Laamu Gan believed the pond to be a bottomless vortex, capable of swallowing trees at will. “It was once freshwater, until the tsunami of 2004 turned it brackish,” you’ll often hear.
In truth, explorations have revealed depths of around 28 to 30 meters, with hidden caves lurking along the sides — still deemed too dangerous to explore. Today, drone pilots hover above for the perfect aerial shot, daring youths leap from sturdy branches into its dark center, and hammocks carry dreamers in the gentle breeze. Yet, every visitor would agree: its true magic lies not in activity, but in the mystery and timeless dignity it holds.
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