A general outline of the Maldives : not everyone's idea of Paradise.
Written: Jan 29 '02 (Updated Jan 29 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Stunning views, excellent diving conditions, incredible landscapes
Cons: Is this the right place for you?
The Bottom Line: Be prepared. You'll fall in love with this place - for the first 48 hours. Then you might get caught calling the palm trees by name.
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| elsa70's Full Review: Maldives |
Italians are very peculiar customers when it comes to leisure travel. The Italian average traveler has been to half of the world on low-budget, week-long vacations - you name it: Europe, Egypt and the Red Sea, Cuba, Mexico, the Caribbean, Thailand, the U.S.... But still hasn't seen so much of his own nation and the beauty it has to offer. They're always looking for a new place in the world to become the "trendy" place to go to: forget about patriotic ideals of discovering the country so many have fallen in love with, let's go to the Maldives!
Grass is always greener on the other side.
The Maldive islands have been the place to go to, on and off, for over a decade. Italian Tour Operators have been since scheduling twice-weekly joint-venture charter flights and purchasing their own little islet to sell it as "exclusive" to the Italian market. Such operations to this destination are quite popular in most European countries - the U.K., Germany, Switzerland, France all have direct charter flights that connect them to Male, the main island and capital city of the Maldives nation.
Ergo, the Maldives are an easy choice for those Europeans who wish to spend a week relaxing on a beach, in an all-inclusive resort, with a spectacular scenery of palm trees on pristine white beaches softly bobbing against a starkingly vivid blue sea, and taking their time discovering the treasures unspoiled coralline barriers enclose.
Malé airport is not very easy to reach unless aboard such charter flights. There are flights to and from Trivandrum and Bombay in India, but such "scheduled" flights are cancelled more often than not; there is a twice-a-week Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore, one from Kuala Lumpur operated by Malaysia, a daily flight from Colombo in Sri-Lanka by Srilankan.
Upon arriving in Malé, which by the way is a very efficient and clean airport and not to be compared at all to hectic, dirty and disorganized Sri Lankan or Indian airports, you're bound to be transferred to your "private" little island either by dhoni, their typical boat, charming but usually very old and slow, or by hydroplane water taxis, which are very convenient but somehow subtract to the overall atmosphere experience.
The Maldives are large clusters of atolls set off the South-western Indian coast, on and north of the Equatorial Channel. They comprise of some 2000 islands and islets, most as of today still uninhabited. The only atolls that feature international resorts as accomodations are:
The North and South MALE atoll:
The oldest destinations as far as tourism is concerned, most islands in these two atolls are developed into all-inclusive resorts.
In North Malé there are 27 resorts, of which many are exclusive to certain European markets (Bodhuiti,Ashdu and Giravaru are basically for Italians only, for instance).
The most outstanding acoomodations are the Kuda Huraa (Four Seasons), a luxury resort with Balinese-style cottages; and the equally luxurious Ihuru resort, with only 45 overwater bungalows and a 5-star hotel service. North Malé also features the old Faru Club Med' - nothing special.
South Malé is less developed, but still features a high number of clubs and resorts (16), among which the best resorts are the Budu Huraa, the Fun Island and the tiny Vadoo Diving Paradise.
The ARI atoll:
A larger gathering of islands farther west from Malé and its atolls, but still fairly convenient to reach, this area features some of the most stunning iles and resorts in the Maldives. Ari features islands boasting larger coral reefs, wider lagoons and more shallow waters then the Malé atolls.
Again, many of them mainly cater to Italian or German clients, such as beautiful Kuda-Rah, Athuruga or Thudufushi. For international tourists, the best resorts are certainly the Hilton, built on two atolls, Vakarufalhi Island Resort, and my personal favorite, Nika Island Resort.
the "smaller" atolls:
The other populated atolls (Baa; Rashdoo; Meemu; Felidhoo; Nilandoo; Lhavjiani) are less popular because set at quite a distance from the airport, but for this reason all the more secluded and exclusive. The best choices are the Medhufushi resort in the Meemu atoll, the Sonevafushi Resort in the Baa atoll, with what is considered to be the best restaurant in all of the Maldives, and Filitheyo Island Resort at Nilandhoo. All in all, aside from Ari and Malé, there are only 18 other resorts scattered in the Maldives - or shall I say, in the middle of nowhere.
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Once you've set foot on the island you are going to spend your vacation on, you'll definitely fall in love with your little corner of Paradise and be overwhelmed by the rainbow of colors cast in front of you. The sea is flat as a table and sparkling with a million shades of blue. The incredibly soft and white sand feels like butter underneath your bare toes.
Regardless of which resort you selected for your stay in the Maldives, you will have your own secluded hut or cottage with a view on the beach. All resorts are laid out in the same pattern - a number of independent huts, ranging from a number of 20 to 200, with in some cases, overwater bungalows - and larger huts that usually include the reception, facilities and the main bar and restaurant. Hardly any resort/island can accomodate more than 400 guests at once.
So there you are, sitting on your private beach, perhaps lying on your hammock, with your private hut behind you, surrounded by peace and quiet, and watching a magnificent performance of the sun setting in the sea. You're savoring your first diving session planned for tomorrow. Aaah. You've found the perfect spot for you on Earth.
Did you?
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Local customs:
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If you go all the way to the Maldives seeking for a multi-cultural experience you will be set for a sore disappointment. The Maldives hardly offer anything to the visitor as far as tradition, culture and history are concerned.
This is intended to be a not-so-artificial escape from it all; in other words, a Mother Nature-made resort that has been crafted for Man's pleasure. The capital city itself - Malé - doesn't offer much to the visitor, being it a really overcrowded city outgrown with no architectural planning, and the only sightseeings that may be considered worthwhile are the Hukuro Minsky mosque, a 17th-century minaret, and the Chandani Magu district, home to the National Museum and where the fish and fruit market are held.
On the other hand, Maldivians do have a strict sense of tradition and religion, they just won't allow the foreigner to explore their own civilization just as a tourist attraction. The almost-total majority of Maldivians belong to the most strict of the Islamic religions - the Sunnits - who are total worshippers of Allah. They observe rigorously the 5 fundamental commandments; they pray 5 times a day, don't drink and aren't even allowed to serve alcoholic beverages to cutomers, shun nudity, and they fast during Ramadam. Needless to say, they view the vacationers that invade their country as corrupted fools, and don't mingle easily with them, unless they're heavily tipped (yeah, you can pretend you bought their friendship for ten bucks). They'll always be very polite and civil, becuase tourism is their only means of survival, but never outgoing. They'll give you nasty looks if you have an extra beer, will pointedly ignore you if you interrupt them during the five praying sessions throughout the day, and will be very upset if you attempt exploring their quarters on the islands without being invited (they usually are located at the very center of each island, whereas the resorts are built around the perimeter). Don't even try to take your bikini top off or roll your own ciagrette (or worse), or you might be locked up in jail for quite awhile. And unless you want to be treated as a rude, loud villain, for Allah's sake, respect their religion without questioning. After all, you're just a guest.
Food supply:
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The Maldives are tiny little islands with no produce whatsoever except for fish, coconuts, papaja and bananas. Therefore, don't be expecting constant outstanding gourmet dining experiences. Everything served is imported from abroad, and often, due to shipping delays, the raw products aren't very fresh. They often even have a hard time with delivering drinkable water supplies to the islands - the tap water provided is not entirely desalinated. And, for Allah's sake, don't argue.
They'll try their very best to get the most out of what they have on hand, but should you complain too adamantly, they'll feel insulted and certainly won't go out of their way to meet you desires the next time around. They might even put salt in your breakfast coffee. (Yes. I've seen it happen. More than once. in different resorts.)
Climate:
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The Maldives are blessed with an incredible natural landscape and wonderful days of bright sun. However, being it right across the Equator, there are certain periods of the year when that sun hardly ever peeks out from behind the clouds and the relentless rain. Such periods are better known as the Monsoon months; the Monsoon winds bring heavy rain from south-west toward the Maldives from May to October, and blow the rain away for the drier winter months (from November to April). We're not talking hurricanes or tropical storms. We're talking five, six days of never ending rain showers. (300 - 400 millimeters in July are common) How do you vision a picture of you sitting in your hut under pouring rain for five days with nothing else to do but sleep and eat?
Activities:
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Because if it rains, you can't be out there in the water, or snorkeling or diving. You're stuck indoors. And there's not much to do on a 1/8-square mile island when it rains for 5 days. Been there, done that. Forget any sightseeing - you're stranded 70 sea-sickening miles away from Male, and there's not much there either. No shopping; except for pareos and wooden fish curios, the rest is either imported (usually from Bali or India) or prohibited (coral, starfish, tortoise). You're either forced onto one of those stupid Bingo games organized by the recreation staff, or in your bungalow, re-reading your books (sorry, no magazines or newspapers are delivered on most of the islands - WHAT? TV??? You've gotta be kidding! ).
When the sun is out, though, it's glorious for those who love marine activities. You name it - sailing, windsurfing, waterpaddle, canoeing, or just plain swimming and wading - you might not find excellent conditions or equipment, but you can try all of it out. And of course, diving and snorkeling! From turtles to sharks to barracudas to tropical fish, dolphins, coral and shells, the underwater wildlife in the Maldives is truly a feast to the eye. There's such a high concentration of species to watch for, and the water is usually so calm, it's almost like diving in a fish tank.
Some of the best PADI instructors are based in the Maldives during the winter months. Every resort features a diving center. The standards of the equipment and the staff are usually quite high, and sessions are relatively cheap . Wherever you turn at the Maldives, the Primadonna is the sea.
However, there usually aren't many sport features aside from those that involve water; no biking, no trekking, no golfing, there aren't even many resorts that offer tennis courts. And it will take you a maximum of 45 minutes to walk around your island, that is, if you're staying at one of the largest resorts. The only wildlife encountered on land is the fruit bat, except for an occasional tropical bird. Ah, yes, and mice. The flora is not all that varied - mangroves, bouganvillae and hibiscus,
along with the palm trees, is all there is. So unless you really love the beach, love diving, or love total relax, three or four days at the Maldives might be more than enough.
All-inclusive resorts:
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I don't feel like reviewing the best resorts in the Maldives right now. I might do it some other time. Here I'm talking generics.
Perhaps it's just me, but I don't like the feeling of being a prisoner whenever I'm on vacation. At the Maldives, I felt like Robinson Crusoe all right, but captive, in the hands of the staff, compelled to eat every meal with the same 70 people looking over at me, the same people that were on the boat with me an hour before when diving, and the same people I would have been seeing two hours from then should I care for an after-dinner drink. In the Maldives, you have no other choice. If you're an antisocial bug like I usually am you probably won't stand the sight of the other vacationers after constantly bumping into them for the first few days. And you can run (around the island), but you cannot hide. Just pray you don't have to share your vacation with one of those obtrusive, arrogant couples that annoy you to wits' end and have the nerve to walk into your hut without even knocking to know if you want to play poker with them (and you're probably playing some other game, at least we were, oops...)
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Ok. Give us the juice.
Do you recommend a trip to the Maldives ?
Are you a person like me? Do you love the sea, but also love learning new things, the feeling you get when traveling as being a tiny part of the world, experiencing something different every day?
Then,
No.
If not, Yes, but with certain reservations.
Why? why? WHY????
Because not the main, but the only attractions there are in the Maldives are exactly what you see in those glossy pictures seen on brochures:
-sand
-sea
-palm trees and
-marine fauna.
That's it, though. (If you're lucky and it's not raining).
There are plenty of other places on and beneath the surface of our cute little world that can offer views that are up to par with the Maldives, and so, so much more.
Seychelles, Mauritius, Cozumel, New Caledonia, Australian Great Barrier Reef, Polynesia are just a few that I can think of...And they're not even my favorites!
My personal recommendation would be to stop in the Maldives after a tour of a more "interesting" destination, such as Sri Lanka, India, or Malaysia, because unless you're fully satisfied by gazing at the water or wading in it all day for nine days straight, or you're a diving pro or eager to become one soon, the Maldives can turn out to be one hell of a bo-ooo-ring place to be.
Or Paradise Lost.
It depends on who you are.
If you wish to read some more, or for resort descriptions and rates:
www.maldives.com
www.unisurf.com
www.visitmaldives.com/intro.html
http://maldive.com/
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/indian_subcontinent/maldives/
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Happy traveling, and as always, thanks for reading!
Daniela
xxxxxxx
Recommended:
No
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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elsa70
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Location: Ciao, baby.
Reviews written: 33
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temporarily out of order. ZZZZZZZ.
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