Holirays

Why chose here:

Quite simply, picture perfect paradise and due to rising sea levels they may not be around forever.

What to do when you’re there:

Relaxing, water sports, snorkelling and scuba diving. Most islands have a gym and spa facilities too. Some islands are bigger than others and have more choices of restaurants and sporting activities.

Any cons:

The price tag, although there’s a range of prices on offer, this is not a cheap destination.

When to visit:

Peak season is October – March. However, it’s tropical so it can rain at any time. The cheapest time to visit is in the summer months May – September which is the rainy season, I’ve visited myself at this time and had pretty perfect weather every day as it tends to rain heavily for very short periods of time.

Where is it?

It’s about an hour south of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. There are around 1,190 islands of which about 160 have resorts. The resorts are typically on individual tiny islands with no cars and are reached by either seaplane or speedboat from the main island of Male.

How to get there:

Fly direct with BA or Virgin in peak season (about 11 hrs from London) otherwise transition through Dubai or other Middle East destinations with Emirates, Qatar and Etihad.

You also need to factor in getting to your resort island from the international airport on the main island of Male – by seaplane, domestic flight or speedboat. Make sure this is part of your holiday package.

On arrival, collect your luggage and find your resort rep in the arrivals hall who will take care of everything from there!

How to choose your island:

There are so many resorts to choose. Think about these before settling on your chosen resort:

• Seaplane or speedboat – depending on where your island is located, depends on how you can reach the resort. International flights land in Male (you won’t want to stay here…) and then you transfer out on a seaplane or speedboat to your resort. Seaplanes only operate in daylight hours so bear this in mind when choosing your flight times as you must land before 3pm. Most come with 20kg luggage restrictions too. Speedboats can be easier with children and babies but are not always suitable for pregnant ladies or those with back problems. Both transfer options can be loud so I’d recommend ear plugs and ear defenders for kids.
• Size of the island – the smaller resorts have less choice for restaurants and activities, however can offer that desert island feel. Bigger resorts have more choice but can be busier. Some of the bigger ones have sports activities such as tennis, golf and football and bikes to get around.
• Restaurant choices – smaller and cheaper islands tend to only offer a buffet restaurant and perhaps one speciality a la carte per stay. Bigger or more expensive islands offer more choice and more a la carte options. If you’re looking for more choice then bear this in mind when choosing your resort.
• Type of accommodation – usually there are three types – hotel style accommodation in low rise buildings, beach bungalows with direct access to the beach and overwater villas on stilts that the Maldives is famous for. The latter is the most expensive, however aren’t always suitable for young children due to the direct access to the ocean and some resorts have adults only in water villas. Often the bathrooms are outdoors. Some resorts offer jacuzzis or private pools with the beach and water villas too. There are even some water villas with slides directly into the ocean. Sunset views are usually at a premium price. It’s possible to split your stay between two accommodation types if you want to experience both.
• Adult only/child friendly – there are a choice of both options here with many adult only islands or sections on the island. Most family friendly options have kids clubs and pools and babysitting services.
• Snorkelling options – if you’re a keen snorkeller then check that you can snorkel directly from your overwater villa to the house reef. Some islands do not have house reefs but offer snorkelling trips to nearby reefs that can only be reached by boat.
• Budget – the Maldives is not a cheap destination and the sky really is the limit for how much you can spend on a holiday here. Minimum cost is around £2.5k per person for a week but look to spend more to get what you want.
• Do you want to visit more than one place – Combine with Middle East or Sri Lanka or Singapore. You can also combine more than one island too, this is a great idea if you’re visiting smaller islands to save getting bored.
• Unique experiences – some islands offer unique experiences such as an underwater restaurant or slides directly into the ocean
• All inclusive extras – some islands offer extras as part of the all inclusive packages including sunset cruises, snorkelling trips, fishing trips and yoga classes.

Tips:

• Unless you really want to splash out, make sure you go all inclusive as you have no choice but to eat and drink in the resort!
• There are new and refurbished islands opening all the time and this is a good way to get special offers – contact me to find out more.
• Make sure your package includes transfers as these can be costly add ons and there’s no other way of getting to your resort!
• You don’t need to tip but it a small USD tip is appreciated and you’ll get the best service in return.
• Beware of cheap offers to stay on local islands – there is no alcohol and swimwear is only allowed on a select few beaches due to the local customs.

Honeymoon specials: An overwater villa is the most luxurious option for a honeymoon. All resorts offer romantic specials such as dining on a beach or private island, spa treatments and sunset cruises.

Resort recommendations

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to multiple resorts on FAM trips and do have a few recommendations:

• Velassaru Luxury offering and a small island for excellent privacy. This is close to Male so perfect if you don’t want to travel too far
• RAAYA by Atmosphere for a new (2024) luxury modern resort with great all inclusive offerings. The food here was incredible.
• Atmosphere Kanifushi this is a more established island and has the typical Maldives feel. Beach villas have huge private pools here and the snorkelling is excellent and bikes are provided to get around.
• OBLU Nature Helengeli a great more budget friendly option with fantastic snorkelling. The Indian restaurant here Raga Route is amazing and the sunset cruise was fantastic.
• Lobigili This adults only island is only 15 mins speedboat from Male. This has an underwater restaurant which can also be visited if you’re not staying on the island.

Contact me to book your Maldives holiday today!