Maldives – A Luxury Holiday, Fantastic Travel Redefined

By M H Ahssan | INNLIVE

TRAVEL BYTE Beautiful atolls, turquoise waters and charming sea villas, the perfect summer gateway can’t get any better. The golden-sun, white-sand, azure-water clichés and luxurious resorts you care to think of – Maldives offers it all.

Its two groups of atolls (North and South) make up the world’s lowest-lying country, rarely reaching more than a few meters above sea level. Situated in the vast Indian Ocean, the beautiful archipelago consists of over a 1000 islands stretching over 500 miles, most of these islands continue to remain uninhabited. These tiny, picture-perfect coral islands, ringed by pure white sand and fringed by some of the cleanest, clearest water in the world, make up the necklace shaped Maldives, where tourists live their ‘castaway’ dreams.
With a reputation as being a destination for romantic holidays and honeymoons, families have tended to steer clear of the Maldives. Now, however, it is becoming more and more popular for families, even those with babies and toddlers, wanting island-living at its best, year round sunshine, warm water, water sports, top dive sites and a safe environment.

Maldives is perfect for the Middle Eastern tourist  as being a Muslim country Halal food can be easily found. It is also ideal due to its location not far from the Middle East. Maldives is easily accessible for the middle eastern tourist via Dubai or Sri Lanka, as  they have flights to Male (the capital of Maldives) on a regular basis. 

The Maldives have a commendable easy visa policy – tourists get a free visa of 30 days on arrival, provided that they have a valid travel document, a ticket out and proof of sufficient funds or a confirmed reservation in any resort. 

The best way to travel around Maldives is the seaplane also known as the air taxi. For a place specializing in laid-back luxury, the seaplane is a thrilling and adventurous way to travel around. Even to reach the city from the airport many visitors opt to use the seaplane. The other ways to travel across the country are by either using speed boats or a local variant of a sail boat known as a ‘dhoni’.

There are plenty of  day trips on offer, which range from simple fishing trips to historic island tours. These day trips are better when an experienced tour guide accompanies tourists on the trip.  A tour guide speaking your language is not that hard to come across in Maldives,  which makes the country even more attractive for people coming from far and wide.  

Among the thousands of sand spits and uninhabited islets of the Maldives, a selection of lush but tiny islands house private resorts, perfect for escapism. Honeymooners, divers and even families are all welcomed to the countless number of sea villas, jungle retreats  and the famous overwater bungalows are available throughout various resorts. Most resorts offer fitness centers and exotic spas, amid the most expensive ones every whim of a tourist may be tended by personal butler locally known as ‘thakuru’.

Bone white sand beaches are available throughout the archipelago. The Maldives are also perfect for sun lovers, water sports enthusiasts and those who just want to simply do nothing in delightful surroundings.

Many Maldivian tourists combine yoga into their holiday, almost every resort has a resident yogi who offers daily yoga and meditation classes. 

Dining is a pleasurable experience in laid-back Maldives, tourists revel in mouth watering cuisine offered on the island - however some may find the cuisine a bit spicy though.  Some popular dishes are the fihunu mas (barbequed fish) and bambukeylu hiti (vegetable curry). 

During their stay, many tourists opt for Maldivian cookery classes, these have been gaining popularity of recently. The classes allow learners to take back with them a bit of Maldivian culture and a flair for Maldivian cooking. 

Scuba divers and snorkelers are in their element here with some wonderful and accessible dive sites offering some of the best snorkeling and diving opportunities in the world. The beautiful coral reefs and spectacular sea life across the countless islands can be best explored via diving. Diving is one of those activities that many learn and practice in Maldives, there are many diving classes available in Maldives some lasting as few as 3 days after which tourists are ready to dive in the unexplored turquoise water.

Experience Maldivian culture with a visit to the traditional villages of the Country. Residing in which are friendly islanders who are willing to share their arts, culture and history with tourists. Some tour groups go even further and allow tourists to experience everyday island life to the fullest. Where they experience fishing with locals, eat traditional Maldivian meals in islander homes, tour the small jungles nearby and witness the wonderful hospitality of the island. 

The weather in Maldives is mostly dry with very little wind between December and April whilst in May to November the south-west monsoon arrives that leads to a bit more frequent rainfall. The idyllic islands of the Maldives promote themselves as a year-round destination.

If you visit the country during the fishing season you are bound for a experience like no other. Compete with locals and other tourists alike in catching mahi-mahi, wahoo, sailfish, tuna, and grouper in the day or stay up late for a night fish and catch all of the bottom feeders and reef fish like the grouper or the red fish.

The un-spoilt natural beauty of Maldives is unbeatable – pristine sands, azure waters, astonishing soft corals and a rich and diverse marine life all add to the charm of these beautiful islands. Maldives offers it all but it is plain expensive - only for those who are willing to splurge in on the luxury.

In Maldives tourists can experience the ‘no news – no shoes’ ideology to the fullest which continues to attract and charm tourists to this beautiful country. The Maldives are a superb holiday choice for a relaxing and secluded beach holiday in luxurious surroundings, where you can indulge your Robinson Crusoe castaway fantasies to the full!