Maldives recommendations?

Maldives recommendations?

Author
Discussion

Zod

35,295 posts

259 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
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andrew311 said:
Tbh I don't think the Maldives is great for kids at all, there isn't really much for them to do and I can sort of imagine kids at the up market resorts going doing like lead ballons with the honeymoon punters etc. If/when I have kids I don't think I'll be putting up the reddies to take them to the Maldives-no doubt people will disagree with this point of view.

I've been a few times now and everything considered I actually preferred the 'cheaper' islands as they usually have the option of differing levels and prices of accoms. My mate went with his Mrs for their honeymoon after going a couple of years previous but spending over twice as much and he said it was no better or worse really there were things they liked about the cheaper place more and vice versa.

Whoever said it's the same water, sun, sand etc is pretty bang on depends how deeep your pockets are and what your budget is.
It's not twice as much for the top places, but ten, twenty or thirty times. Think £20k for a week.

havoc

30,086 posts

236 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
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If the kids enjoy snorkeling and messing around in the water, then great (although Egypt would be a lot cheaper, even the 5* places).

Otherwise I can see them being pretty bored...but then without a dedicated "kids club" (do some of the big islands have that?), they'll get bored most beachy-places...


If the Maldives were a little easier to get to, we'd go back in a shot just for the water. But it's a fair trek...almost as long as the Thai/Malaysian beach resorts.

Hobo

5,764 posts

247 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
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Just out of interest what are the Maldives like when you aren't in the confines of where you are staying ? I only ask as was previously going to book there & was advised to redirect my thoughts to Seychelles by someone on here, which after some reviewing did exactly that.

Once there, forget about the hotel facilities as these are going to be excellent obviously, it was nice to be able to leave the resort and go wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted, in safety. It was brilliant, and kids would absolutely love it. I've been to other top end places where if you wanted to take a stroll along the beach at night the hotel provided you with an armed guard !!!! Not my idea of enjoyment although again the resort facilities were excellent.

otolith

56,201 posts

205 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
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Where we went the resort was the whole island, so you weren't going off the resort without a long swim. I think that's normal?

andrew311

5,806 posts

178 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
quotequote all
Zod said:
andrew311 said:
Tbh I don't think the Maldives is great for kids at all, there isn't really much for them to do and I can sort of imagine kids at the up market resorts going doing like lead ballons with the honeymoon punters etc. If/when I have kids I don't think I'll be putting up the reddies to take them to the Maldives-no doubt people will disagree with this point of view.

I've been a few times now and everything considered I actually preferred the 'cheaper' islands as they usually have the option of differing levels and prices of accoms. My mate went with his Mrs for their honeymoon after going a couple of years previous but spending over twice as much and he said it was no better or worse really there were things they liked about the cheaper place more and vice versa.

Whoever said it's the same water, sun, sand etc is pretty bang on depends how deeep your pockets are and what your budget is.
It's not twice as much for the top places, but ten, twenty or thirty times. Think £20k for a week.
Yep I'm aware you can spend that kind of money (I think when I was particulary bored one day I found somewhere for 35k a week and that was a few year ago now). Just used my mate as an example that spending more doesn't neccessarily get you a 'better' holiday.

As a slight aside I'd have to be a millonaire to spend 20k+ a week on any holiday.

andrew311

5,806 posts

178 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
quotequote all
Hobo said:
Just out of interest what are the Maldives like when you aren't in the confines of where you are staying ? I only ask as was previously going to book there & was advised to redirect my thoughts to Seychelles by someone on here, which after some reviewing did exactly that.

Once there, forget about the hotel facilities as these are going to be excellent obviously, it was nice to be able to leave the resort and go wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted, in safety. It was brilliant, and kids would absolutely love it. I've been to other top end places where if you wanted to take a stroll along the beach at night the hotel provided you with an armed guard !!!! Not my idea of enjoyment although again the resort facilities were excellent.
Yep bugger all else, a visit to the capital island Male is about it.

Hobo

5,764 posts

247 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
quotequote all
We were on Praslin. I just found it nice to be able to experience the 'whole' place, not just what the resort shows.

havoc

30,086 posts

236 months

Sunday 1st January 2012
quotequote all
otolith said:
Where we went the resort was the whole island, so you weren't going off the resort without a long swim. I think that's normal?
Yep. Sometimes there'll be nearby uninhabited islands which you can visit 'for a fee'. Otherwise it's boat trips - snorkeling, diving, sunset cruises.

You're stuck on a desert island for a week/two. Tough, eh??? wink

otolith

56,201 posts

205 months

Monday 2nd January 2012
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havoc said:
You're stuck on a desert island for a week/two. Tough, eh??? wink
Quite - took about 20 mins to walk all the way round our island's beach cloud9

otolith

56,201 posts

205 months

Friday 6th January 2012
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sussexjob said:
I'd go there in the next few years otherwise it's burka on the beach babes.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaan...
Government backs down:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/04/maldiv...

Zod

35,295 posts

259 months

Friday 6th January 2012
quotequote all
otolith said:
sussexjob said:
I'd go there in the next few years otherwise it's burka on the beach babes.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaan...
Government backs down:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/04/maldiv...
It was that or see tourism revenue (pretty well their only source) collapse to tiny levels and most of the hotels close. Next step would have been covering up on the beach, no unmarried couples, no gays.

otolith

56,201 posts

205 months

Friday 6th January 2012
quotequote all
Quite so.

That tension between Islamic values and national prosperity still makes me slightly uncomfortable, the fundies don't like selling out and have no problem with righteous poverty. Not so uncomfortable that we won't be going back there at the very first opportunity, though. smile

S1MMA

2,380 posts

220 months

Tuesday 10th January 2012
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Right, I'm off to the Conrad in about 8 hours!

I know, cry me a river and all that, it's going to be hell....not!

I will report back on Islamic nutters closing down the spa's and pirates robbing the islands, and everything else.

Think of my pain as you wake up every morning and face the commute, when I will be sitting in my warm jacuzzi overlooking the ocean on my water villa, it's going to be the hard life............

And stop wishing that my seaplane crashes - stop it. It's not going to happen. smile

TimJMS

2,584 posts

252 months

Tuesday 10th January 2012
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Not Ideal said:
Just came back from the W Maldives - absolutely superb.
Another 'absolutely superb' from me too, but unless they've changed the rules since I was there its strictly no kids, which is why I and like-minded people go there in the first place.

Leave the kid / kids at home or go all inclusive.

CraigVmax

12,248 posts

283 months

Tuesday 10th January 2012
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We went to Huvafen Fushi for our honeymoon. It was off the charts fantatastic. I thought I was unimpressable until I went there. Ridiculous price though, we only went there because emirates Travel made a cock up and to their credit stuck with it meaning we paid significantly less than we should have

S1MMA

2,380 posts

220 months

Wednesday 11th January 2012
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Guys, just got here, and the seaplanes have been grounded following an "incident". Looks like MAT are now flying, but most of TMA are still grounded. They are not saying anything further. Can anyone find out what's happened?

otolith

56,201 posts

205 months

Wednesday 11th January 2012
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There was an accident at the terminal yesterday when a member of the cabin crew was killed by a propeller.

http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/39675


CraigVmax

12,248 posts

283 months

Wednesday 11th January 2012
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nothing apparent on any of their online newspapers matey

S1MMA

2,380 posts

220 months

Wednesday 11th January 2012
quotequote all
otolith said:
There was an accident at the terminal yesterday when a member of the cabin crew was killed by a propeller.

http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/39675
Thanks for that, we had to take a domestic flight followed by 30min speedboat as we couldn't get on a seaplane. Was a nice ride so can't complain.

Seems like a tragic accident, the community is very small here so I can see how the staff are all affected, they probably know each others families etc...

Anyway, we got here in good time, enjoying it now!

CraigVmax

12,248 posts

283 months

Wednesday 11th January 2012
quotequote all
have a great hol