My Travel Tips & How To Plan Your Holiday In The Maldives
I’ve always told myself someday I’ll save up money and travel to the Maldives. As you may know, the Maldives is known to be a paradise island choice for honeymooners, couples matured and youngers ones and family.
So before i go into my travel experience of Maldives, I wanted to share a little bit more info about this beautiful island. Just to get some context first.
The Maldives, a collection of more than a thousand islands in the Indian Ocean, is known for its clear emerald waters, beautiful beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, and of course, luxurious overwater bungalows. With features like these, the archipelago makes for an idyllic sanctuary where guests can snorkel, scuba dive, swim, and savor some truly unforgettable sunsets. Aside from being one of the most stunning island getaways in the world, the Maldives is also a perfect addition to an itinerary for travelers visiting magnificent South Asian cities or Middle Eastern capitals.
(Some of the text below was taken from Wiki)
According to legends, the first settlers of Maldives were people known as Dheyvis. The first Kingdom of the Maldives was known as Dheeva Maari. In the 3rd century BC during the visit of emissaries sent by Emperor Asoka, Maldives was known as Dheeva Mahal.
During c. 1100 – 1166, Maldives was also referred as Diva Kudha and the Laccadive archipelago which was a part of Maldives was then referred to as Diva Khanbar by the scholar and polymath al-Biruni (973-1048).
The name Maldives may also derive from Sanskrit mālā (garland) and dvīpa (island), or Maala Divaina (“Necklace Islands”) in Sinhala. The Maldivian people are called Dhivehin. The word Dheeb/Deeb (archaic Dhivehi, related to Sanskrit dvīpa) means “island”, and Dhives (Dhivehin) means “islanders” (i.e., Maldivians).
Here are some planning guide for you to start from:-
- Flight routes to Maldives – I am based in Malaysia. And the best possible options is via Sri Lankan Airlines. And because I am a One World frequent flyer I usually look out for flight options that are One World partnered. With Sri Lankan, the stop-over is to Colombo. Alternatively, Emirates and Qatar flies daily to Male.
- How many days should you spend in Maldives – if you have the luxury of days to spare, then I highly recommend 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. If you’re stretched like me 5 days is sufficient as well.
- How to Get Around by speedboat / sea plans – most of these resorts are stand alone islands. Where it is reachable either 15 minutes to 1 hour. So, the only way to get there is via speed boat or sea plane. The speed boats depending on the weather is a better option. However, if weather is bad then it is likely the trip would be choppy (be sure to have your nausea pills and take it before you enter your boat). Sea plans on the other hand is meant for resorts that are like 45 – 1 hour away from Male. If you’re lucky these sea planes are in tip top conditions but some instances it’s rather a scary sight to see. FYI, these planes are propeller types.
- Info on alcohol into Maldives – you are NOT allowed to bring in Alcohol even though you bought from Duty Free. Maldives is a 100% Muslim country thus, it is prohibited to bring alcohol. However, you can consume in your resort. Be sure to book your room inclusive of full board (all meals b/fast, lunch, tea & dinner and alcoholic package) It works out much cheaper if you opt for a full board room packages.
- Currency (USD) – Maldives isn’t cheap everything is charged in USD even the resorts from the drinks to your meals. As such, it is best to opt for full board to minimise your cash spending. It is advisable to bring along USD in cash for when you’re going for day tours you might want to buy souvenirs. In my opinion, USD500 – 1k would suffice if you’re not intending to do much spending. By the way, when you book / rent out water sports gears / equipments these can be done via your resort and it will be billed to your room. At the end of your check-out you can always pay via credit card. But I noticed not all resorts would have ATM machines, thus it is best to bring USD in cash to be on the safe side.
- Where I stayed – after much researching, we decided to stay at Bandos Resort. This is about 15 – 20 minutes speed boat ride.
- Pricing of hotel / resort packages varies on the venues – in our case per pax we paid around USD1.5k full board package. This excludes the flight if you were to add that up it might come up to about USD2.5 – USD3k
So, Maldives isn’t just about sunbathing the entire duration of your stay. You can also plan to go for a half or full day walking tours. You can book such tours via your hotel or separately through an agent. We booked our tours directly with the tour agent. The resort where we stayed arranges daily boat rides to Male city. So, there is a designated sites to wait for these tour agents.
What to bring and to be mindful of since this is a walking tour. Make sure your attire is appropriate for walking for half a day or full day. And under the sun, be sure to bring your cap and wear your sunblocks as it gets extremely hot! Not to mention, please bring along water bottle and sunnies!
Here are the top 5 attraction sites that will be covered during your tours:-
- Medhu Ziyaarath – At the eastern end of the building’s compound, behind an elaborate blue-and-white gatehouse, the Medhu Ziyaarath is the tomb of Abul Barakat Yoosuf Al Barbary, who brought Islam to Male in 1153.
- Muleeaage was built as a palace for the sultan in the early 20th century, though he was deposed before he could move in and the building was used for government offices for about 40 years. It became the president’s residence in 1953 when the first republic was proclaimed.
- Huruku Misky – Hukuru Miskiiy was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008 for its unique architecture, its unparalleled historic tradition and the tongue-in-groove technique of its stone structure, which demonstrates a highly developed building technique for the period of its construction. Hukuru Miskiiy built in 1658 and the minaret adjacent to the mosque built in 1675 are the oldest built structures in Male’ today. In addition to being the most revered center of worship for many centuries, Hukuru Miskiiy is of great cultural and historical significance to the Maldives and stands witness to the skills of Maldivian craftsmen of the time.
- Fish Market – The Maldives is renowned for being one of the ‘fishiest’ places on earth due to the vast diversity and variety of aquatic life, and the vital role it plays in the local culture. One of the primary economic industries in the country, the other of which is tourism, fishing is the lifeblood of the archipelagic nation with about 30 percent of the population working in the industry. Facts – Did you know that the fishing industry in the Maldives is the nation’s second-biggest industry next to tourism, employing half of the country’s workforce and providing a livelihood for much of the population.
- Grand Mosque – The golden dome of this impressive modern mosque dominates the skyline of Male and has become something of a symbol for the city. Opened in 1984 and built with help from the Gulf States, Pakistan, Brunei and Malaysia, the Grand Friday Mosque is striking in its plainness, built in white marble and virtually free from decoration. Set back off the main square, Jumhooree Maidan, it is the biggest mosque in the country.
The best time to visit the Maldives is between November and April. The climate is warm and tropical, with average highs at a consistent 29°C to 31°C year-round and average lows rarely falling below 24°C.
January to April are the driest months, with little rain and low humidity, making this peak season at the resorts. Temperatures are still warm from May to December, but rain is more likely and there is a risk of storms. However, even during this period there are usually long spells of bright sunshine.
Here are my packing list of things i brought :-)
- Swim suit (of course!)
- Sunblock lotion
- Beach rugs
- Pario
- Beach hats
- Sunglasses
- DLSR or your trusty camera
- Drone! You can take beautiful aerial shots of Maldives
- Slippers / flip flops
- Evening dress (some resorts have night outs / check out their daily activities)
- Snorkeling gear – the googles & the shoes
- Water resistant bag to put all your things when you do water activities
- Knapsack – when you head out to town on your day tours
- Gym clothing and shoes – almost majority of the resorts have extensive gyms, be sure to utilise it
- Medications – be sure to bring along your necessary tablets (nausea pills especially for your boat rides from Male to your resorts)
- Mosquito sprays or cream – most resorts are in an island so be prepared for the mozzies
- Room spray – i like to have a piece of my home sprays to not feel homesick (i recommend Bath & Body works they have the most stress relieving smells)
- USD – Maldives accepts only USD so be sure to bring enough of USD in cash. I recommend bringing about USD500 – 1000 for your shopping in town.
- Ipad / tablets, headphones and bluetooth speakers – in case you’d like to watch netflix in the room or listen to music
- Bring extra contact lenses / solutions (this is a beach place with alot of swimming you never know!)
- Cardigan / shawl – at night can get a little chilly especially their air-conditioning
- Locks – just in case your room doesn’t come with any safe deposit box. this may come in handy
- Aloe Vera or moisturizing body lotion – with all the sun bathing you’d need to moisturize at night
In my opinion, you can never get tired of Maldives. If you have been before, you should look at going back again. But Maldives isn’t cheap, my advice would be to ensure that you plan your trip for at least 1 – 2 weeks if you have the luxury of taking that long time off from your schedule or work commitments.
As for me, on my trip back I’d like to try to stay at a Resort that is reachable by speed boat.
I hope my experience helps you plan your next Maldives trip. If it has, please do share your views / comments below.