Searching for Tigers - Part Two – Ranthambore

Do you see the tiger in this photo?

Searching for tigers in the wild is tough business. If that quote sounds familiar it’s because I started part one of this post with the exact statement, I thought it prudent to reiterate. Our tiger safari crew was pumped-up heading into our fourth and second to last tiger spotting opportunity. We had just spent several days touring the countryside of India with stops at Khajuraho, Orchha, Agra and Karauli before pulling into Ranthambore on an early Monday afternoon. We’ve seen all the temples and forts we can handle and now we’re ready for the real reason we’re all here, tigers. Ranthambore National Park in the state of Rajasthan is possibly India’s most popular tiger spotting destination. Many safari vehicles line the main road of the town and everywhere you turn there is a sign advertising safari booking.

Our Tiger Crew with Yaddu in the front.

Waiting to get into Ranthambore National Park

Our 20 person cantor safari vehicle pulled-up to the Raj Palace hotel and all seven of us jumped-in and took our seats. Five more minutes and a group of 13 boarded the beast of a safari truck for a twenty minute ride into the park. First stop was some passport formalities and a surprise 400 Rupee ($8.50 USD) fee for using my video camera inside the park. Ranthambore is divided up into six different tourist zones totaling approximately 400 square kilometers. Your zone number is determined by random (supposedly) with some zones being distinctly better than others. We lucked out and were granted access to zone three, the supposed best zone of the park, our hopes were high and it seemed fate was on our side.

A crocodile in Ranthambore

Sixty minutes into the hot and bumpy ride our dust-filled eyes caught sight of fresh tiger tracks on the road. A big male heading one direction while a female heading in the opposite. You can tell the difference in the tracks by the toe length, a female tiger has a slightly longer toe. Along with the tracks we came upon some fresh, very fresh by the smell, tiger poop in the road. The driver followed the big male’s footprints up the winding dirt road through the foothills. At this point our adrenaline is pumping, any moment we can turn the corner and come face-to-face with a wild Bengal tiger.

We tracked the tiger until his tracks vanished into the thick brush. When his trail was no more our driver pulled the truck over and parked. We waited there for quite some time hoping the tiger might backtrack and make an appearance. I should also add that there were about six other safari trucks in the area, all jostling for position to spot the elusive tiger. Unfortunately fate was not on our side that day. The elusive tiger never reappeared and we spent our afternoon driving around the park looking at various types of deer, some birds and a few crocodiles. The crocodiles were the bright spot of the afternoon as we were pretty tired of seeing the deer and birds. Sunset came and we were out of the park by 6:00pm with an optimistic view for our 5^th and final safari the next morning.

Sunset in Ranthambore

Six o’clock the next morning came all too fast. Pamela and I jumped out of bed with four minutes to spare for our safari meet time. We threw our clothes on and ran outside expecting to see everyone waiting for us on the truck. Fortunately, or unfortunately, our safari truck that morning was at least 30 minutes late. When it finally showed-up our crew of seven was quickly ushered onto a relatively full cantor, most stuck in the very back, Pamela and I up front sharing a seat. Not only was the truck 30 minutes late but we also were given permission to visit zone one of the park, supposedly one of the worst zones. Fate was not on our side that morning.

Larege male deer in Ranthambore

One of the many langur monkeys in the park.

Thirty minutes into the ride things weren’t looking well, we stopped to look at many little birds and deer, all of which our crew could have done without. We were there to spot tigers, we didn’t want to spend 10 minutes staring at a little bird. We drove around for the next 90 minutes looking for any signs of a tiger but to no avail. We spent part of the time dodging other safari vehicles which always seemed to be going in the opposite direction as us on tiny little roads. Our safari truck was teeming with small children and hearing impaired adults, all of whom talk very-very loudly, any tiger in their right mind would have been catching the next train to Mumbai if they heard us coming.

Carol, Linda and Steph waiting patiently to go.

Our 5^th and final safari culminated in a 25 minute bathroom break, which we found very fitting. All the safari trucks stopped, the guides had some tea and discussed the mornings events or lack thereof, while our tiger crew waited ever so patiently in the truck. Our driver and guide eventually corralled the remainder of our trucks occupants and we drove back to the hotel with very dejected looks on our faces.

The only tiger we saw on this day.

Ranthambore may be a decent place to spot tigers but we felt like we had a much better chance in Bandhavgarh National Park. If we were to do this again, which we probably won’t, we’d definitely skip Ranthambore and spend more time in Bandhavgarh. In Ranthambore your chances of getting a poor zone (like we did with zone one) are pretty high and zone selection could make or break your safari. Not to mention the tiger density in Ranthambore is much less than Bandhavgarh. Ranthambore is reported to contain about 34 tigers spread out over 400 square kilometers where Bandhavgarh is reported to have 23 tigers spread out over 106 square kilometers.

Our tiger, from 30 meters in the near dark.

We came to India to see wild tigers and we succeeded in seeing one wild tiger in Bandhavgarh. We hoped to see many more but with a dwindling population I think we were fortunate to see just one, especially considering we were here just after monsoon season which as we know now, is the worst time to visit. a

Here is the video we managed to get of the only wild tiger we saw in India. Unfortunately the tiger was at some distance in the near dark so it's a little hard to see.

Along with our tiger spotting came many other positives from this portion of our honeymoon. First and foremost we met a new group of friends in our wonderful tiger safari crew. Second we visited many beautiful places in India, most of which I’d never even heard of before this trip and last but not least we had the opportunity to tour rural India and see how India lives outside of the large cities. We will forever cherish the memories of this trip and are so thankful to have the opportunity to come to such a place as India for a chance to view the highly endangered Bengal Tiger.

All the photos from our Tiger Safaris can be found here: https://picasaweb.google.com/117257906652666550268/SearchingForTigers?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Cheers for Now –

Pamela and Dave

South Asia – Done and Done

Sunset over the Betwa River in Orchha, India

We've just wrapped-up the 86^th day of our honeymoon with flights out of South Asia to Europe. So far we’ve traveled about 34000 kilometers (21000 miles) on our honeymoon. Much of the distance has been covered in the air but quite a bit in busses, trains, cars and countless tuk-tuks and rickshaws. We’ve spent the last 41 days in South Asia and have made some awesome memories and friends along the way.  Nepal, Maldives and India were all really good to us but we’re excited to move on to our next adventures.  The below is a brief summary of our last 6 weeks and a quick update on budget and health.

Nepal
We spent the majority of our time in Nepal and are definitely thankful for it. While in Nepal we trekked, rafted, jungle walked and relaxed; all the while trying to immerse ourselves in the culture and customs of the local Nepali people. Our second day in Kathmandu brought us to a Hindu temple where we witnessed cremation ceremonies on a river that flows to the Ganges, this was a bit of a culture shock but definitely very interesting and something that shouldn’t be missed.

Trekking in the Annapurna range of the Himalayas was one of the highlights of the trip so far and possibly one of the highlights of my life, at least so far. Unsurpassed beauty, decades old trails, welcoming villagers and amazing company are just some of the memories we’ll take from our trekking. Seeing how the local villagers lived in the mountain villages was really a source of inspiration. We passed so many kids on the trails who had to walk a long while to school each day, most with smiles on their faces. Spending some time in the Himalayas caused me to appreciate my own life and all of things we’re blessed with on a daily basis. This was the case for all of Nepal though. We really enjoyed our stay there and would definitely go back.

Maldives
There’s not much more I can say about the Maldives that I didn’t say in our Paradise articles one and two. We had an awesome time and want to go back sooner than later, preferably today if possible. Next time we’re going to shoot for an island farther away from the main islands as we want to fly on the floatplane. This was the “official” portion of our honeymoon and it was well worth it.

Wishing I was back here

India
You don’t just visit India, you smell, taste, touch, hear and feel the subcontinent. It really is an assault on your senses (some not all good) but a place not to be missed. We spent 16 days in India, managed to see a wild tiger, saw quite a bit of temples, palaces, forts and ate some very good food.

Our overall time in India was great but we did have some rather unpleasant experiences. From the few unpleasant experiences we’ve learned quite a bit for next time. We’ve learned that India train travel is probably not for us. We’ve learned that tourist police are not to be trusted as one stole some money from us, the only theft we’ve had on our entire trip. We’ve learned to stay away from the corn flakes in small hotels. We’ve learned to try and be a little more patient and understanding of individuals despite leering, rude comments, hygiene and just overall nastyness of some people. Of course unpleasant experiences are to be expected with any long –term travel and we try to take them in stride.

Our Tiger Crew at the Jehangir Palace in Orchha, India
From left to right, Pamela, Dave, Carol, Linda, Steph, Liz, Yaddu

The food here was great in India and we had many-many good and big meals. Had you told me that I was going to gain weight here in India I probably wouldn’t have believed you. We didn’t eat much western style food while in India but we sure pigged out on the local cuisine. I’m going to miss the daily curries and naan. We also didn’t get any type of food borne illnesses, no case of the Delhi Belly or anything resembling…I know that’s a bit too much information but hey.

Pamela having a big jump in front of the Taj

What’s Next
Europe and the Middle East is next on our agenda. We’ll be making some short stops in Athens and Paris before heading to Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and the U.A.E.  In between all the sightseeing we’ve booked ourselves a week at a Dead Sea resort in Jordan for some rest and relaxation.  We have quite a bit on our agenda in the Middle East and will probably be exhausted by the time we board our plane for Los Angeles a few days before Christmas.

Budget and Health
We’re still pretty much on track with our budget. Booking the extra days at the Dead Sea resort put us a couple dollars above our daily average target but we think it will be worth it. Otherwise we did really well in the Maldives, considering it was the Maldives and didn’t spend too much on souvenirs in India.

As for health, we are both doing well considering we’ve been on the road for a while.  Unfortunately I (DW) have some small eye infection, supposedly caused by dust, which I have to use eye drops for the next two weeks and can’t wear my contact lenses. Nothing to be concerned about though.

Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy! Stay tuned…

Cheers for Now -

Pamela and Dave

Taj Mahal - Celebrity for a Day

I distinctly remember the first time I laid eyes on the Taj Mahal. We were several miles away at the Red Fort of Agra walking across the drawbridge. Even from several miles away the Taj captured my eye and imagination, I couldn’t wait to get there and see this monument to love up-close and personal. It was hard to focus on the monument I was looking at because I knew the Taj was so close.

Finally it was time! Our driver dropped us off a little ways away from the actual Taj gates and we boarded an electric bus for the final mile or so. There’s an exclusion zone around the Taj that prevents pollution spitting motor vehicles from getting too close. The electric bus dropped us off near the gates and we gave our gels, liquids and mobile phones to our tour leader for storage at a hotel. There are some interesting rules about what you can and can’t bring in with you. The good thing is you can bring in one bottle of unopened water. We queued up through a metal detector then search and were in the door of the east gate.

Stepping through the gates for the first time you’re instantly blown away, it’s almost a pinch yourself moment, you’re actually at the Taj Mahal. We started our visit by having some photos taken of us and our group. There are many “professional” photographers there who are more than happy to take your picture, you pick them up later and pay 100 rupees ($2 USD) each for any picture you want, no obligation to buy. Following the photos we were off to explore the Taj. All the while people were stopping us to get their photos taken with us or of us. I’ve never felt like more of a celebrity in my life, in some cases someone would ask to take one picture, then another and another until you were surrounded. It was good fun for a while, then kind of annoying. For just one day we got a small glimpse of what celebrities have to go through on a daily basis.

Following a large photo session we dawned some plastic shoe covers and made our way onto the marble platform which lies the Taj Mahal. The building itself is encrusted with colorful designs made from thousands of semi-precious gemstones. There is a mausoleum housed inside the Taj but the line was way too long and hectic for us to go in. We stayed outside and took many pictures while walking around the complex. The sun went down and the picture opportunities stopped.

Getting Here
The Taj Mahal is in the town of Agra. Visitors from Delhi can easily catch a train or luxury bus to Agra. There are plenty of hotels and tour companies in Agra. We stayed at the Royale Residency Hotel, it was the nicest amenity-wise of all the hotels we stayed at in India. Unfortunately there was a construction project going on next door and we were kept up with the sounds of generators, hammers and people chatting.

Just a small warning if you’re planning on visiting the Taj Mahal. Agra itself is one of the most polluted places I’ve ever been, at least it was the day we were there. I could taste the dirt in the air and visibility was very-very low thanks to all the pollution. The Taj Mahal in some of our pictures looks like it’s shrouded in clouds, unfortunately those were clouds of smog. Just keep this in mind if you’re planning a visit. A scarf or bandana over the face helped in breathing and anyone with a hint of asthma should have their inhalers around.

All the pics from our visit to the Taj can be found here: https://picasaweb.google.com/117257906652666550268/TajMahal?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Cheers for Now -

Pamela and Dave

Searching for Tigers - Part One - Bandhavgarh

On the way to our first safari

Searching for tigers in the wild is tough business. A tigers stripes and color patterns make it one of the most perfectly camouflaged animals on the planet. Have you ever visited a tiger cage at a zoo and had a hard time spotting the tiger right away, even if you were standing still for a minute? A tiger can blend in so well with its surroundings, even in a zoo enclosure, that spotting them can be really hard. Searching for wild tigers here in India is kinda like that, except the tiger can be anywhere through a dense jungle and you’re sitting on the back of a jeep going 10 to 20 kilometers an hour.

So very hectic waiting to get into the park

We started our quest for tigers at the Bandhavgarh National Park in the Indian state of Manesh Pradesh. Bandhavgarh park is said to have the highest population density of wild tigers in the world and therefore the best place in the world to spot them. The main area of the park is 106 square kilometers and per park rangers (and some fact checking) is said to contain 23 tigers. This is approximately one tiger per every 5 square kilometers, really-really good numbers.

Sunset from the back of our jeep

Our first of three jeep safaris picked us up at our resort at 2:30pm on a Monday afternoon. The jeeps hold up to six guests and have spots for a driver and guide. From the resort you drive to the park entrance, fill out some paperwork, pick up an official ranger/guide, and you’re on your way. This process can take up to an hour so as with anything in India, bring your patience. After the formalities are done you’re on your way through the park with eyes wide open hoping to spot the elusive tiger. While searching for the tiger you’ll come along all sorts of deer, monkeys, wild boar and birds. It’s nice to stop and take a couple photos of the deer but in the end you’re here for tigers so you don’t stop for long.

One of the many Spotted Deer you'll see in the park.

One of the many Langur Monkeys, Two of our jeepmates got urinated on by one of these from a tree.

Next thing you know you’re whizzing along in the jeep and the guide will suddenly tell the driver to stop. It’s a tiger track, and a fresh one at that! We sit for several minutes and listen to the langur monkeys shout their alarm calls (meaning a tiger is moving nearby) and we wait. Our pulse is on the rise, maybe the hair on the back of your neck is standing-up and we’re so excited because we think we’re about to see one of the most endangered big cats on the planet. Five minutes of excitement turn into 10 minutes of disappointment when your guide tells the driver to continue on. The monkeys have stopped alarming and the tiger is gone.

Hoping to see tigers.

We left the official park disappointed after our first jeep safari, all feeling a bit down from not spotting a tiger. As we’re driving down the main road towards the town we see a large commotion ahead. Many jeeps are parked along the road and staring at something in the trees to the left. Our driver slams on the gas and races up to the commotion, nearly colliding with other jeeps to get the best vantage point. We look to our left and there he is, the elusive Bengal Tiger!! We found one and are so very excited, the whole reason we’ve come to India is to spot the tiger and we’ve done it!! Unfortunately the tiger, a big male, is so well camouflaged that we can just make out his head and body behind some bushes and trees at a distance of 25 meters. Still our cameras are snapping, people are yelling, jeeps are posturing for position, and more and more people are coming to watch. Even the locals driving by stop to have a look. After about 5 minutes the tiger decided he had enough of the commotion, got up (boy he was massive) and walked back into the thicker jungle. He was gone in second, the elusive Bengal Tiger!! Unfortunately the visibility was too poor for any of the photos to come out but we did manage to get the tiger on video which we’ll be able to publish in time for part two of this article.

We took two more jeep safaris at the Bandhavgarh park, one early AM safari, leaving the hotel at 5:30am and one more afternoon safari. Unfortunately neither of the safaris turned out a tiger sighting, we got close to a couple of tigers but never laid eyes on them. The lack of a sighting on these safaris was a bit disappointing, I even tried the old rally cap method but even that didn’t work. We were fortunate enough to see one wild tiger while at the park and that’s more than most people will ever see in their lives.

This is the sign you see as you're leaving the park. Very fitting.

Getting to Bandhavgarh
It’s not easy, not easy at all. From Delhi we boarded an overnight train to the city of Katni. The train left Delhi at 3:30pm and arrived in Katni 14 hours later at 5:30am. Overnight on the train we slept in 3^rd class A/C cabins on three tier bunks, Pamela in the middle bunk and me (DW) on the top bunk. If doing it again we would definately pay for a more expensive train ticket and go at least 2^nd class. We didn’t feel all that safe in our carriage and had to sleep on our backpacks to ensure their safety. From Katni we took a jeep for three hours, some over a very very bumpy road, to the park area. Our older model 4WD car’s suspension didn’t make the bumps any easier either!

While in Bandhavgarh we stayed at Mogli’s Jungle Resort. The resort was really nice, staff very friendly, cabins were cozy, food was really good, but there was no hot water. The second night we used an electric water heater and basically showered using the bucket method. I poured warm water over Pamela while she washed and vice versa, it was pretty funny. We found out later that the hot water wasn’t working because the resort had just opened for the season and the boiler was in need of repair. In any case we’d recommend the resort for anyone coming to the Bandhavgarh area.

Wrapping this long article up…It was a bit disappointing that we only saw one tiger in Bandhavgarh but then we could have just as easily seen no tigers so in the end we are very grateful for the experience. Stay tuned for part two of this article where we travel to Ranthambore National Park in the hopes of spotting even more tigers.

Cheers for Now -

Pamela and Dave

Paradise - Part Two

Having leaps of fun in the Maldives

It’s with a sense of sadness that we report our “official” seven night honeymoon in paradise is over! We’ve had a wonderful time here in the Maldives and feel it’s definitely been the best part of our trip. Time went by so-so-so-so fast as it always does when having such a good time. Sitting here in the Malé airport (eating chocolate candy bars for breakfast) we miss our island already. We smile though because the memories we’ve made will last forever in our hearts and minds.

Enjoying our private pool.

We spent our seven full days on the island very-very comfortably. Whether it was chilling in our plunge pool, lying on the day beds at the Anchorage Bar, snorkeling around the island, playing pool, or just watching the rolling waves of the ocean from our deck, we loved every minute of it.

Ready for a night out on the island.

We did have a few  special events worth writing about. I (DW) held the first annual Villa 407 hermit crab races from our backyard. The winner got itself a new shell if they wanted it, none of them took the prize.  Pamela participated in a two hour cocktail mixing course at the Anchorage Bar on Sunday. During the class she got to make a Passion Mojito, Apple Martini, Chocolate Martini and a fourth which eludes our memory. I had a good time taking pics of the course and smoking a nice Cuban cigar.

Dinner out on one of the daybeds at the Anchorage Bar.

On Wednesday night we were treated to a really nice dinner at Sea Salt restaurant with our new friend Ursula who also happens to be the resorts General Manager. We each had mouth-watering lamb cutlets accompanied with awesome potato puree, an astonishingly good fried beetroot and goats cheese starter and an apple crème brulee to top it all off. We were very impressed with Sea Salt’s atmosphere, the food and especially the company.

Beautiful sunsets

 Thursday night the Sheraton treated us to a romantic private honeymoon dinner on the beach. We sat by candlelight about 2 meters from the water’s edge while the staff at Sand Coast restaurant served us a nice piece of tuna, a Maldivian specialty, following by a wonderful chocolate cake for dessert. It was a really nice way to spend the evening.  Also of note is the awesome breakfast buffet at Feast restaurant. For just $24 USD  you get enough food, good food, to fill you up for the rest of the day!  At least we did…

Our candle-lit private dinner on the sand.

Pamela enjoying dessert during our honeymoon dinner.

The Friday morning departure came way too fast. We woke-up for the sunrise, had a last minute dip in our pool then caught the 7:15am speedboat to the airport. It’s so cool taking a boat right to your departure area. Although we were very sad to leave, we take solace in knowing that we’ll come back, hopefully many times. To sum our honeymoon up , we’ve felt incredibly lucky and spoilt each and every day on the island. It’s just a shame we had to leave so soon.

We had a lot of fun.

A lot of fun indeed.

Click this link for Paradise – Part One: http://pamelaanddavertw.blogspot.com/2011/10/paradise-part-one.html

All of our pics (there’s a lot) from the Maldives can be found here: https://picasaweb.google.com/117257906652666550268/Maldives?authuser=0&feat=directlink

What’s Next
We’re off to Delhi, India for a 15 day Tiger Safari. This adventure will take us to three different national parks so our chances of spotting wild tigers are high. While in India we’ll also stop at the Taj Mahal, the palaces complex of Orchha,  Kama Sutra temples, Jaipur and many other interesting spots along the way.

I’m sure we’ll have heaps to write about from our next adventures so please stay tuned.

Cheers for Now -

Pamela and Dave

Maldives, we did it and so can you.

We had always dreamed of going to the Maldives but were always afraid of the costs involved with such a trip. Growing-up in California my tropical vacation was Hawaii, Mexico or the occasional trip to the Caribbean. Since moving to Sydney we’ve gone to Fiji and Queensland for our tropical escapes. Don’t get me wrong, all these places are beautiful and amazing but they’re not the Maldives. From the moment we first caught sight of the atolls from the airplane window we’ve been hooked.

Our first sighting of the atolls from the air.

In retrospect we always presumed places like this were out of our price and vacation time range for most Americans. After spending a week here we can safely say that the costs weren’t as much as we thought they’d be and the time it takes to get here is not bad considering the reward at the end of the journey. This is especially true for something as important as your honeymoon. This article is just a little FYI on the logistics of our trip which will hopefully inspire you to start planning your own trip to the Maldives.

Twilight is a great time in the Maldives.

White sand beaches seamlessly merge with crystal blue water

Getting Here
Malé (MLE) is the capitol city and main entry point for the Republic of Maldives. Although the airport is technically on a neighboring island called Hulhulé which is about one kilometer away from Malé.  The airport here is supposedly unique as it’s home to the only runway in the world that both starts and ends in water. Getting here can be kind of rough depending on where you’re coming from in the world. There are many direct flights to Malé from Asia and the Middle East and some direct flights from Europe. Unfortunately for us coming from the US or Australia (where we're from) it means connecting at least once.

We were coming from Kathmandu, Nepal and thus had to fly to Delhi via Jet Airways then connect to Sri Lankan Airlines for a flight and overnight stay in Colombo, Sri Lanka. From Colombo we took the 60 minute Sri Lankan Airlines flight to Malé and were checked into our resort by 9am after an eye-wateringly fast speedboat ride from the airport. It was our first time flying Sri Lankan and we thought the service and quality were both very good.

It’s definitely possible to get one connection flights from the US and Australia but it’s best to book way ahead of time to cut down on long or multiple connections. We took a quick look at prices today (13-Oct) and the cheapest round-trip flights for dates of 11-Nov to 19-Nov, 2011 are coming in at $1450 USD from Los Angeles to Malé (2 Connections) and $1331 USD from Sydney, also with two connections. As you can see the prices aren’t too high, even searching less than a month out. Booking much farther in advance you should be able to book one-stop flights with Malaysian Airlines for a similar price.

Over Water Bungalows at the Sheraton Maldives

Staying Here

The Maldives are famous for the overwater bungalows and there are plenty here to choose from, even quite a few that won’t break the bank. If you’re planning to visit this place then our best advice would be to do plenty of shopping around well in advance.  Talk/chat/email to travel agents, especially agents here in the Maldives, and get several quotes before making a decision. When getting your quote also make sure you ask the agent to include the speedboat or seaplane transfer in the final price. If booking on your own you’ll need to make sure you confirm the transfer arrangements, and price, with the resort you’re staying with.  Resorts close to the airport will have a speedboat transfer, ours cost about $80USD pp/rtn, and resorts farther away will require a seaplane transfer which can cost up to $500USD pp depending on how far away the resort is from Male’

Our seven nights here were spent at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa which is located about 15 minutes by speedboat from Male’ airport. We were in our room within 40 minutes of landing at the airport, this was a big plus as we’d spent the previous night in the Colombo airport. Our particular room type was an Ocean Villa which sits right on the Indian Ocean and comes with a private plunge pool which was great because it's so hot here. The room was awesome and well worth the money, especially considering it’s our honeymoon. Of the 176 rooms here at the Sheraton there are 20 Ocean Villas which are more in the higher end of the price spectrum, but there are still 156 other rooms of different types and price ranges. Taking a quick glance at Kayak.com today we found rooms here at the Sheraton for about $220USD per night if you booked well in advance. Sometimes it can be hard to find a hotel room in Sydney for that price.

Eating Here
Once you get here you'll definitely need to eat and drink. We spent an average of two hundred dollars (US) a day on food but everyone is different and you may spend more or less depending on your taste. I (DW) personally don't drink alcohol so that saved us a ton of money right there. If budget is a big concern then look for places with breakfast included or consider a half-board plan that includes breakfast and dinner. We found we ate so much in the breakfast buffet that we weren't hungry for lunch and instead ate an early dinner. You can do some research ahead of time on the restaurants at the resort and factor that into your budget if the cost of food is a concern.

The Sheraton treated us to a romantic dinner on the beach. If coming for your honeymoon then check with your prospective resort to see if they offer a honeymoon bonus.

Playing Here
You're here and you've slept, ate and now you're ready to play. Many resorts will include complimentary water sports such as snorkelling, kayaking or sailing. Other resorts will charge for all of these activities and much more. If you're an avid snorkeller you'll want to find out if the resort has a house reef or if you need to book a snorkel tour to get out to a reef. We'd highly recommend booking a resort with snorkelling onsite, ours had free snorkelling but no reefs and a $50 USD pp charge for a two hour reef snorkel trip. If you're really into watersports and stay at a resort without a house reef then I'd plan on budgeting another $50 to $100 per day for activities. Of course your interests might be like ours and which include lounging around and doing a whole lot of nothing, in that case budget for a couple bottles of sunscreen and a hat. 

Wrapping this up, you've seen how you can you can get here, stay here, eat here and last play here. All for prices that aren't too incredibly high, at least they're lower than what we originally thought. I hope you can learn from our experiences when planning your Maldives vacation or honeymoon.

We loved it here so much that we’re already thinking about ending our year long honeymoon back here. Crazy, huh? Next time we might try someplace a little more isolated that requires a seaplane transfer, maybe the W Retreat and Spa as it looks amazing. In any case we’ll be sure to research and book well in advance to take advantage of cheaper hotel rates and flights.

Cheers for Now -

Pamela and Dave

Paradise - Part One

 

Endless ocean vistas with breathtaking sunrise and sunset opportunities . Private pool villas. White sand beaches  to yourself. The clearest water you’ve ever seen. Falling asleep to the sound of lapping waves. Bubble baths with plenty of room for two.  A hammock swaying in the wind. Candle-lit dinners in the sand.

Seriously, this place is that beautiful.

For Pamela and I any one of the above could mark a special occasion or unforgettable memory. Here in the Maldives we are lucky enough to get it all and more, a lot more. It has been a lifelong dream of both of ours to visit the Maldives. We both know our seven nights here will be the highlight of our 12 month honeymoon and we're enjoying every second of it.  Our stay is just half over but the reality of this place has surpassed even our best dreams.

Taking a twilight walk along the beach.

We're lucky enough to be staying at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa. The resort sits on a private island encircled by the beautiful Indian Ocean. Our room type is an Ocean Villa which comes complete with a very private plunge pool and deck backing right-up to the ocean. The deck faces East and the sunrise views are outstanding, definitely worth drawing the curtains to watch. Much more on the resort in part two of this article.

This is the view from our bed.

Our five days here have been filled with nothing but relaxing activities. Whether it’s lounging in or beside our pool, snorkeling around the island, eating excellent and sometimes exotic food, playing billiards in the bar or just strolling on the beach, we’ve done nothing but relax and take it easy. Although I think we have about another thousand pictures to go through before we leave on Friday.

Pamela in front of the over-water bungalows at our resort. Walking around the island can take a while as there are so many awesome picture opportunities.

The Shine Spa at our resort is on it's own island.  

Nuts and bolts about our experiences here (and getting here) will come in the next article. We just wanted to share some pics and a quick update from the Maldives. We feel so blessed and fortunate to be here and hope all our friends and family can one day experience this place. It’s been an amazing honeymoon with hopefully many more amazing things to follow.

Pamela decked out the very large free standing tub for a relaxing bath. She was in heaven!

Cheers for Now –

Pamela and Dave
Special Thanks - 
Thanks so much to our friend Justin Malcolm and the great crew here at Sheraton Maldives for helping us organize this amazing villa and making our stay so memorable. Also a special thank you to our parents for helping make this dream a reality.