# The Maldives



## kingrollo (24 Jan 2020)

Personally I am quite happy with Lanzarote - decent hotels, good cycling, good sunbathing for my non cycling partner - good hospital infrastructure should anything happen. (Partner has MS)

However I would like to try the maldives - but know very little about it - when and where to go - what to do and expect when I am there - looked briefly with virgin holidays cost seems around £4.5 -5k - thats a lot of money for me - so it would kind of be a on off...

Any info appreciated - this isn't intended to be a cycling holiday - travelling as a couple both in our 50's


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## vickster (24 Jan 2020)

I believe it's renowned for water sports, snorkelling, diving. Take your swimsuit
And get yourself a guidebook, DK ones are great.
It's quite a long flight, does the cost include a flight upgrade (with your dicky back)?

This lot will bankrupt you but their website is decent. https://www.audleytravel.com/the-ma...MI5KCjroSd5wIVRLTtCh2TUQbEEAAYASABEgImmPD_BwE

The Virgin brochure will give info too of course


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## FrankCrank (25 Jan 2020)

.......wow, quite a contrast there, from 'jumpers for goalposts' to Premiership in a single bound 

Personally, done Lanzarote quite a few times over the years, definitely my cup of tea at that time. A boss I had many years back did the Maldives each year, and she thoroughly enjoyed it, always came back looking tanned and recharged. As you already know, you'll need deep pockets, and if you don't already do Scuba it would be an ideal place to start. Happy hols.......


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## Milkfloat (25 Jan 2020)

I went to the Maldives for my honeymoon, it was absolutely fabulous. My tips would be, make sure that you are on full board or all inclusive as you don’t have too many options elsewhere, plus spend the extra for a villa that is on or above the water. Highlights for me included the diving but also weirdly I asked for a tour of the desalination facility by the engineer.


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## EltonFrog (25 Jan 2020)

As you probably know The Maldives is an island nation with lots of tiny islands some of which are resorts with nothing more on them than a couple of restaurants, and cabins, the one I stayed on nearly 20 years ago was tiny, I’ve been in bigger Tesco car parks.
The flight to Male was very long then there was a couple of hours wait for a tiny sea plane to our island resort.

it was stunning but absolutely nothing to do except rest, eat, drink, read, swim, repeat.

If your partner is a wheel chair user you might have some difficulty on some islands, they are just sand, it’s difficult to walk on, I didn’t wear shoes for three weeks.

The weather is stunning, the sea is bright blue, the wildlife and sea life is incredible. I hope you have a great time.


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## gbb (25 Jan 2020)

A former colleague always upped the ante each year with his holidays and couldn't say enough about the Carribean, best hed ever had...then he went to the Maldives and praised that even more.
But as suggested up post, I'm not sure there would be enough there for me personally, I get itchy feet, need to keep moving, struggle to relax for days on end, I suspect these are the things that might make or break a holiday if you're of a similar disposition.
The said, we did Cape Verde, nothing there really and once you found a way to shut down and relax...it was fabulous so perhaps I'm undoing my own observations and experiences.


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## Grant Fondo (25 Jan 2020)

Went to Kuredu last summer, you can hire fat bikes!
Would recommend, weather much better over our winter, August more unsettled but still great.
Booked again this summer but north atoll so 150 miles from last year. Kids loved it.
We got £800 pp for 2 weeks to Fayholohi island in 2002...those days are long gone! 100% recommend.


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## kingrollo (25 Jan 2020)

I am very attractive..........to mosquitos ! - What is the island like for that ? - would the above water ones still be good ideas - I can't bear cockroaches and other creepy crawlies !


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## EltonFrog (25 Jan 2020)

kingrollo said:


> I am very attractive..........to mosquitos ! - What is the island like for that ? - would the above water ones still be good ideas - I can't bear cockroaches and other creepy crawlies !


There’s quite a few critters, little lizards that crawl up the walls and things like that, loads of bats.


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## Dave7 (25 Jan 2020)

I seriously looked at those islands when I was doing a lot of diving. 
TBH, if you are not into serious sun bathing, snorkelling or diving etc there are better/more interesting places.
No idea what you and your partner want out of a holiday so difficult to offer sensible suggestions but it you want sun, snorkelling, eating out have a look at Sharm el Sheikh. Not to every body's taste but interesting.


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## vickster (25 Jan 2020)

Dave7 said:


> I seriously looked at those islands when I was doing a lot of diving.
> TBH, if you are not into serious sun bathing, snorkelling or diving etc there are better/more interesting places.
> No idea what you and your partner want out of a holiday so difficult to offer sensible suggestions but it you want sun, snorkelling, eating out have a look at *Sharm el Sheikh*. Not to every body's taste but interesting.


Not necessarily the safest destination though especially with current goings on in the ME. I'd read the FCOs advice very carefully


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## Grant Fondo (26 Jan 2020)

kingrollo said:


> I am very attractive..........to mosquitos ! - What is the island like for that ? - would the above water ones still be good ideas - I can't bear cockroaches and other creepy crawlies !


Never had a problem with mozzies after five trips to Maldives but they never really bother me!


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## kingrollo (26 Jan 2020)

Where is the most touristy part of the Maldives ?


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## vickster (26 Jan 2020)

kingrollo said:


> Where is the most touristy part of the Maldives ?


Probably where the tour companies like Virgin go 
https://www.virginholidays.co.uk/destinations/indian-ocean/maldives-holidays
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/destinations/maldives/holidays-in-
https://www.kuoni.co.uk/maldives/which-maldives-island-is-perfect-for-you

Get yourself a guide book and do some reading, your local library should be able to oblige
Intro here from Lonely Planet
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/maldives


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## ianrauk (27 Jan 2020)

I have been three times over the last 15 years.
You fly into the airport and from there transfer to a speedboat or flying boat. As soon as you land, you get rid of your shoes and socks. You wont need them for the duration of your holiday. So don't bother packing any extra. Even the seaplane pilots don't wear anything on their feet.
I've been to a couple of different island and they seem to be much the muchness to be honest. If you are into beach holiday's then you are on to a no brainer. They are beautiful. Each island is a resort/hotel. You go to the island and that is it though. You lie on the beach all day doing nothing apart from swimming, snorkelling, eating and drinking. You get your usual excursions. Fishing, desert island and maybe even an inhabited island. The inhabited island was pretty crap imo. It was just an exercise to sell you tourist tat and crap.. If you are into culture, then you won't find any in the Maldives. You'll probably get a Maldivian dance night once a week but that is about it.

In the Maldives you will swim with a million different types of fish and sealife. Manta Rays, Sting Rays, Turtles, Sharks and every beautiful fish you could ever want to see. It really is stunning.

Money. Each time I just took 300USD$. You really don't need cash in the resort. You pay during or at the end of your stay by credit card. I took cash to tip the house boys and waiters (who were mainly Sri-Lankan). They earn about $50 for a seven day week so I used to tip them about $50 a week.

Mozzies. They wont be a problem as each island is usually sprayed with insecticide on a weekly basis. Mozzies love me but on the Maldives I never had a problem.
Be prepared for rain. It can come out of nowhere. Rain like a demon for an hour then just disappear. Straddling on the equator, The temperature is the same the year round. About 80° constant, day and night. I

Hospital infrastructure. There's not really much. All the holiday islands are spread out over 100's of miles. The resorts I went to are also not very wheelchair friendly. Though that may be different for other resorts, If your partner is in or needs a wheel chair, then even getting to the island may be a problem. The islands do have doctors, but they may not necessarily be on your island, so in an emergency may take a day or so to get to you. So it's best to do your homework.

Would I go again? No. But then, I am not a beach lover. I get bored to tears sitting on a beach all day and I like to wander. So i did feel a little trapped on the islands. So been there, done that. There's a million different places on this planet I now want to see,


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## HugoC (19 Feb 2020)

An alternative to the resort island is the inhabited island which the authorities have opened up to tourists in recent years. I've been to the same one twice when most of my free time during the day was spent scuba diving. You visit the same dive sights as the divers who stay in the expensive resorts but at cheaper rates. On the I inhabited island I visited there were many hotels & B&B's to choose from and a selection of cafe's and restaurants (all dry though, as are the hotels), so you do have a wide choice for eating out. The beach was OK and other water sports are on offer. If you need 5* luxury I recommend the island resorts but if you would like a little variety at (relatively) cheap prices, the inhabited islands could be for you.


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## steveindenmark (22 Feb 2020)

I have been off the bike due to storms. I am getting cabin fever. 
I will not be going to the Maldives for 3 weeks.


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## Grant Fondo (22 Feb 2020)

steveindenmark said:


> I have been off the bike due to storms. I am getting cabin fever.
> I will not be going to the Maldives for 3 weeks.


I have got cabin fever as well.
But,
Jumping on the bike in half an hour, looks ok out there?


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