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.
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| Our first sighting of the atolls from the air. |
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Twilight is a great time in the Maldives.
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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.
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.
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| Over Water Bungalows at the Sheraton Maldives |
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’
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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.
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.
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.
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| 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. |
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
Pamela and Dave
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteThe beauties of Maldives islands are indeed addictive. The heady mixture of secluded serenity, thrilling water sports activities, soothing spas, relaxing beaches all wrapped in the luxurious comfort of modern amenities. Maldives demands the attention of looking for a uniquely indulgent break, breathtaking nature and sheer beauty. Thanks for sharing it...
Turkey Gulet