The Maldives Vacation

This blog post is the third in the February #WriteAPageADay campaign.

The Maldives is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world. This series of more than 1000 islands dot the Indian Ocean for about 800 kilometres. The closest countries to the Maldives are India and Sri Lanka. Most of the products available in the Maldives are from these countries. The Velana International airport has good connectivity from these countries as well as to the middle east. For the Maldives vacation, consider booking through Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines – two popular airlines besides Indigo and Air India from India and Sri Lankan Airlines from Sri Lanka.

The Best Time to Take Your Maldives Holiday:

The best time to take your Maldives dream holiday is between November and April. I went in August and the weather was good with a few intermittent showers. The daytime temperature is hot in August!

The Maldives Honeymoon Vacation

Water sports include parasailing, jet skiing, surfing, kayaking and other fun water activities like fun tubing. Flyboarding did look like a lot of fun for the adventure seeker! I did find that the water sports are cheaper on the main island of Male than in the island resorts. But of course, these places are a lot more crowded. You can get on a traditional Maldivian Dhoni boat if you’re not the adventurous kind. These boats will take you slowly around the islands, stop at a spot for lunch so you can get a feel for the beautiful weather and gentle seas. I do want to say that it’s not as organised as the ones in Thailand. It’s a lot more casual here.

I snorkelled with a trained diver and was astounded by the underwater world revealed! So many colourful tropical fish and turtles. A ten minutes boat ride into the sea and you can see more sea creatures. I could not get enough of the Manta Rays – oh my, they are majestic! What a sight to see as they glide past you so softly and smoothly. Seeing dolphins is a thrilling sight. It’s so wonderful to see them diving free as compared to seeing them in captivity. It is an incredible experience.

Getting to your Resort/Hotel in the Maldives:

If you book a hotel in Male or Hulhumale, you can get to your accommodation by taxi. The beautiful Sinamale bridge connects the airport to Male city the capital of the Maldives. For travel to other hotels on different islands, they have a very well-organised system. Send the details of your arrival at least 3-4 days before you arrive in Male to your hotel/resort. They will make arrangements for your transfer by speedboat or seaplane (depending on the distance from the airport). If you give them enough time, they will tell you who and where to go to get picked up. The host will be waiting at the exit with a board with the hotel name. Once they greet you, you will be guided to the jetty or the seaplane departure area.

Exchanging Money to the Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR)

I advise you to make sure to get your Maldivian currency at the airport itself. There is a Maldivian bank where you can exchange dollars for the local currency. You can ask your hotel guide where the bank is as well as get a sim card if required. Do be careful not to exchange with anyone standing near the bank, he is most probably not an official representative of the bank! When you go back to the bank on the day you leave, the bank will refuse to exchange the local currency back to dollars! That happened to me, so be cautious!

Many locals prefer US Dollars or Euros and others prefer the local currency. So, carry a balance of both. If you exchange your money at the foreign exchange counter at the airport, you will have no problem exchanging it back at the bank (keep the receipt they give you) for your dollars or euros when you leave.

Mobile and Internet Connectivity in the Maldives:

There are three telecom providers in the Maldives – Dhiraagu, Ooredoo and Raajje. If you don’t have international roaming on your phone, buy a sim at the airport from one of the telecom providers. They have some reasonable plans and rates specifically for tourists.

Do note the high-speed internet connectivity is poor in many of the resorts and hotels. Ask the hotel about it if you need a high-speed connection for work or business. Better yet, ask people who have stayed at the resort for a truer picture. Read some reviews of the place you will be staying so you know what to expect and frustratingly end up finding that your hotel has great connectivity only at the main reception area.

Conclusion:

There is a lot more to say, I could go on and on! Each island in the Maldives is unique in its way. The people are friendly, the weather gorgeous – when it rains, it lasts anywhere from a couple of minutes to an hour or two and then the sun is back! Rain just comes and goes away as quickly as it came! Your Maldives holiday will never be spoiled by the weather during the tourist season.

In my next post, I will write about the island of Ukulhas, a unique, quaint and cosy island for the budget tourist.

This blog post is part of the #WriteAPageADay campaign by Blogchatter.com