Maldives Top Tips

[Cpt Stirling]

The best advice I can offer is to give Maldives Direct a call. Very helpful and knowledgable. There is so much choice and variety it can be overwhelming but they seem to have a knack of matching an island/resort to your needs and budget. Been a few times (twice via them). Beach and over-water accommodation have their benefits. We preferred the beach bungalow type of thing despite it costing less. If you can include seaplane transfers, a great experience. Coco Palm dhuni kolhu was the favourite (lagoon beach bungalow).

[Mark83]

Glad to hear of the positive feedback on Kuramathi. Going there next week.

Edited by Mark83 on Sunday 9th September 21:48

[sidicks]

I've heard good things about Angelfish travel, but have never used them myself (but I will be calling them when I make a booking!).

[hyphen]

jonspectre said:

I usually budget £4-5k for food and drink for two people for two weeks.

jonspectre said:

Off again on Saturday!

Why not just buy one of the islands whilst you are there?!

Edited by hyphen on Sunday 9th September 22:21

[joshcowin]

Just so I am not wasting time reading this thread.

What are people spending on their Maldives holidays 'all in'?

If you'd rather not say I understand

[AAD44H]

joshcowin said:

Just so I am not wasting time reading this thread.

What are people spending on their Maldives holidays 'all in'?

If you'd rather not say I understand

I went for 1 week, ultimate all inclusive in May, the full works, water villa with infinity pool etc and it cost £8.5k for 2 people including flights and seaplane transfer! Best holiday I have ever been on and worth every penny! Expensive but incredible

This was at a very small island called Kandolhu (The Hoff has just come back from his honeymoon there).

[Zod]

Reethi Rah is great, but very expensive. £10K for a week half board. You're on the island, so you end up buying lunch every day and you pay for drinks on top. If you dive every day, as I do, the extras bill will be several hundred quid per day. We went four times, but now I have three sets of school fees to pay. Next time will be sans kids!

[davek_964]

For us, I think it was about £7.5k for 15 nights on the islands (including flights). One week in Kuramathi (beach villa) and one week in Centara Ras Fushi (water villa). Sea plane transfer from Kuramathi back to the airport, and then a boat to Centara (and it was a boat to Kuramathi too).
We had the premium AI in Kuramathi but the rep we used to book the holiday told us to only do the basic AI for Centara, because she didn't think it was worth the extra.

[joshcowin]

Thanks so far, just good to know, I think it might be a pricey for me.

Was looking at AI for 10 days, beach villa, we don't dive, and we fly economy, so would £5k be about right? 2 adults would be in a couple of years time for a wedding anniversary

[Mark83]

Two of us, ten days/nights, AL, five nights in water villa with pool and five nights in beach villa with pool, flying business out and economy back, with sea plane transfers was just over £10k. Booked through Kuoni so no doubt could be done cheaper with some effort.

[W12GT]

We’ve been 8times now and it is an addictive place to go to. When we first went it was around £4K for the two of us for a week. It now costs us between £9-12k for 10nights for 2adults and our 6&4 year olds. Worth every penny just for the peace and quiet!

[Todd Bonzalez]

We also loved Kuramathi. Definitely worth getting the all singing all dancing all inclusive wherever you go imho. Eating a la carte with better wines/spirits etc is really worth it to us. Seaplane was a really cool experience I'd recommend if budget allows.

I would love to go back and try a really high end resort like 4S, but the lack of AI puts me off. Costs could quickly get out of control if you're B&B and like a drink and your food.

Amazing place though, definitely want to go back.

[AAD44H]

joshcowin said:

Thanks so far, just good to know, I think it might be a pricey for me.

Was looking at AI for 10 days, beach villa, we don't dive, and we fly economy, so would £5k be about right? 2 adults would be in a couple of years time for a wedding anniversary

You could go to one of the bigger islands like Kuredu, one of my old bosses swears by it and goes every year. You won't quite get the 'desert island' experience however you will still get the sands, sea and food! The food will more than likely be buffet as oppose to a la carte unless you pay extra on top of the AI but £5kish should be doable!

[Kenty]

joshcowin said:

Thanks so far, just good to know, I think it might be a pricey for me.

Was looking at AI for 10 days, beach villa, we don't dive, and we fly economy, so would £5k be about right? 2 adults would be in a couple of years time for a wedding anniversary

You will really struggle with this budget to find anywhere, it probably needs to be twice this for 10 days/AI/2 people.
flights will be around £750pp, seaplane around £250pp which leaves about £200pppn

[joshcowin]

Yeah think its apparent that I don't have the money. Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

[jammy-git]

I went to Reethi Beach Resort a couple of years ago. The resort reef was incredible for snorkeling and ended up seeing much more on the island reef than any of the excursions we did away from the island. Water sports were great. Food was very good, not exceptional.

Booked through Travelbag who were superb. Cost a grand per person for full board and upgraded to sea plane transfer for free. Cost another grand per person for food, drink, diving trip, windsurfing lessons and a couple of excursions.

[abzmike]

joshcowin said:

Yeah think its apparent that I don't have the money. Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

5K you say? I just did a quick search for Kuredu for next May as an example, £3,600 for 10 days AI in a beach villa.
Shop around, speak to a Maldives specialist and you will get something fine for your budget.
If you go for a resort that is a boat rather than plane transfer that will save £600 per couple - Even if they say it is free it is being paid for somehow.

[davek_964]

abzmike said:

Shop around, speak to a Maldives specialist and you will get something fine for your budget.

+1 on this.

When we were looking, there were so many options of where to go at vastly different prices that it was bewildering - we were going round in circles and losing the will to live.
Eventually we ended up using HolidaysPlease - rep was Paula - and she was great. We basically told her what we wanted, what the budget was and she came up with the options.

[jammy-git]

Kenty said:

joshcowin said:

Thanks so far, just good to know, I think it might be a pricey for me.

Was looking at AI for 10 days, beach villa, we don't dive, and we fly economy, so would £5k be about right? 2 adults would be in a couple of years time for a wedding anniversary

You will really struggle with this budget to find anywhere, it probably needs to be twice this for 10 days/AI/2 people.
flights will be around £750pp, seaplane around £250pp which leaves about £200pppn

Easily doable depending on what time of year he wants to go.

https://www.travelbag.co.uk/SearchResults/DisplayP...

[joshcowin]

Great thanks gents. Travelbag is a website I haven't looked at before either so thanks again!

Sorry for de-railing this thread.