TRAVEL

The Maldives – Everything You Need To Know

February 24, 2020

The Maldives is without a doubt the Dream-destination of every traveler (or at least it was mine).
So just before we dive into everything you need to know before visiting these magical islands, here is some background:

The group of islands located in the Arabian Sea of the Indian Ocean consists of 26 atolls.
Atoll is a type of ring-shaped island found in tropical oceans. It can be open or closed and is a coral reef surrounding a shallow lagoon. The lagoons are created due to a volcano’s sediment, sometimes it remains still protruding above the water. This phenomenon creates a spectacular view where, from the bird’s eye view (or in our case, the plane), it is possible to see a kind of turquoise and light blue rings.

The local population is mostly Muslim, with the exception of migrants who come to work in the resorts (mainly from neighboring countries like Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, etc.). This Island state includes 1,192 islands, 192 of which are inhabited and about 80 serve as resorts. The Maldives is the country with the smallest population in Asia, as well as among all Islamic countries.

Their main income comes from – what else? Tourism!
Wild nature, tropical weather and its beaches are just part of the reason why this place has become one of the most romantic and popular destinations of the recent years, and rightly so!
Every hotel, or rather I say, resort is spread out on an entire island.
There are larger islands where the resort really feels like an entire city that needs to be transported by different vehicles; Bicycles / buggy / scooters or even mopeds (usually provided by the hotel), on the other hand, there are small islands where the resort contains only a few units and provides a quieter and calmer atmosphere.

As you’ve probably seen, the hospitality experience in The Maldives is slightly different from other exotic beach destinations. The over-water huts are the real highlights!
These are cabins (usually made of wood) built above the pickets at the bottom of the sea (near the shore). The huts, or in their traditional name “The Over-Water Suites” are scattered one after the other along the shoreline and access is made on a wooden bridge connecting them all to the beach itself.
Usually, in those cabins there will be a private water access from the balcony (using ladder / stairs) and if you are really lucky (or just know how to pick the right hotel), there will also be a floor-window from which you can see the water below your cabin.

Recommended season

Suitable for a tropical location, it is warm in the Maldives all days of the year,
but there are two main seasons; a rainy season and a dry one.
The dry season, where the likelihood of rain and overcast skies is much lower, is between November to April, during which the prices of flights and hotels will be higher due to demand.
The rainy season occurs from May to October, in these months there may be days when the sky will be less bright and it could be raining. However, during the rainy days it will, mostly, not be raining the whole day, but for episodes and the temperature is still warm.
There are many cloudy days that cause high humidity level, but this place is so beautiful that it is hard for me to say that it spoils the experience. Of course, the prices in this season are significantly lower, and the resorts are in lower occupancy. If you seek the Diving experience – the amazing reefs can be scuba-dived all days of the year.

Arrival

Arriving in the Maldives involves quite a journey. Israel does not have a direct flight to Male (the capital of the Maldives). Arrival is usually consisting a connection flight. The fastest and most logical way (from TLV) is with a stopover in Istanbul / Moscow. Many people make their connection in Sri Lanka (the Maldives neighbor) to experience another exotic destination on the way, but I recommend it only if you have enough time for your trip and it will not be at the expense of your Maldives time.
Arrival from Male to your chosen resort island is executed by each hotel. The islands close to Male (up to half an hour) is provided by a speed boat shuttle that takes you from the airport pier directly to your hotel. The more distant hotels provide air taxis (a lightweight airplane that has floaters attached to it and it lands on the water near the hotel pier). Transportation to the hotel and back to the airport will usually not be included in the hotel reservation price and you will need to pay it on your arrival (rates vary at each hotel).

Food

The food in Maldives is based on seafood, Indian and Asian cuisines, you can also find plenty of western food. The culinary level varies in each hotel.
Really, each resort is spread out on an entire island so that the restaurants available on the island will usually belong to the hotel. Of course, more upscale hotels will have more kinds of restaurants and the culinary level will be higher.
Because of the high prices, it is recommended to choose a full-board accommodation package (breakfast and dinner) or even the “all-inclusive” pack, it will actually save you money.

Hospitality

For maximizing your experience, I recommend planning a 10 to 14 days trip, in which you stay in 2-3 different resorts.
Why? Because as I said before, every resort is an island and there are many types of islands in the Maldives. Each island has different kinds of beaches, plants and wildlife. In order to see as many shapes and types of them, you should swich hotels. This is the only way to go between the islands (except for a day trip that can be taken from some resorts).

Attractions

So of course, scuba diving is one of the most popular attractions.
The underwater world of the Maldives reefs is one of the most amazing ones!
Sharks, Mantas and colorful fish of various sizes are just the tip of the iceberg.
I don’t have a diving license, but I can wholeheartedly say that it was one of the most amazing snorkeling experiences I’ve had. The water is so clear that you hardly need the diving mask.
In the depths, you can also find giant turtles, dolphins and whale sharks.
Another attraction is the shark feeding. In almost every resort there is a shark feeding show that takes place every few days (usually this attraction will be free of charge), where literally, they throw tuna meat to get the sharks to the dock so people can have some baby shark selfies & pics. By the way, these sharks can be seen roaming around in areas close to the shore (especially in the cabin areas and under bridges).
For the water sports enthusiasts; you can rent a jet ski, go on a fishing cruise, have a submarine experience (which goes underwater and you can see the marine life through windows), you can rent snorkeling and diving equipment and some of the hotels also have rental surfboards / SUP boards.

For the romantics of you, there is a sunset dolphin cruise, you can go see a sandbank (a sandy soil in the middle of the ocean. Amazing!) or set a private dinner at sunset – these attractions usually cost extra money.

Tips and things you need to know

* I recommend bringing some sandals you can enter the water with.
The sand in the Maldives is filled with crisp white coral fragments and when you enter the water (especially if you enter through your balcony private water access) the floor can be very sharp and could cut your feet. Not so pleasant. On the other hand, the sand on the beach itself (outside the ocean) is one of the softest ones I’ve ever walked on.

* Alcohol is not allowed in the Maldives (it can be purchased only in the hotel bars and restaurants)

* Unfortunately, how awful that sounds – homosexuality is considered outlawed in the Maldives and members of the LGBT community often suffer from violence and discrimination while getting a blind-eye from the authorities.