Maldives pops with yachts, led by India steel magnate’s Alaiya

Representative Image of a yatch (Source: AFP)

As the world opens back up with travel, the ultra-rich sail to the seductive beaches of the Maldives with their luxury vessels.

Tucked away in the Indian Ocean, the tropical getaway saw 18 superyachts in early January, compared with only one two months ago, according to tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.

The 111-meter Alaiya, reportedly owned by Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, is the largest in the region, followed by the 90-meter Lauren L, which has been tied to one of the richest men in Ukraine, Igor Kolomoisky.

Bold, an 85-meter yacht owned by German businessman Guido Krass, and Cambodian Yim Leak’s Wanderlust round out the top four.

The island chain currently boasts more yachts than Hong Kong and Singapore combined, and outpaces Thailand which saw 14 yachts gracing its shores over the past five days.