St. Regis at Vommuli Island. [Photo/China Daily]

For Cui Yanbing the fruit platter on the table of the guest room is an apt metaphor for the existence of those who live on the island of Vommuli, in the central western Maldives, including hers.

"The fruit you see here comes from all over the world," she says, pointing to the lemon, plum and passion fruit, none native to the island country.

Cui, who goes by her English name Ice, first came to the Maldives in October 2013.

"It was part my own choice, part destiny," says the 24-year-old, who was first hired by a photo studio in Dubai in 2012.

"My job was to try to persuade customers to pay for touristy pictures taken of them with－and sometimes without－their consent. I hated the fact I had to be pushy all the time and asked to leave after a mere six months."