The Maldives, located in South Asia, is a chain of twenty-six coral atolls stretching from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to the Addu City in the south. Located in the Indian Ocean the Island nation lies southwest of India and Sri Lanka and is a mere 1 hour flight from Colombo. Comprising a territory spanning roughly 298 square kilometres, the Maldives is one of the world's most geographically dispersed countries, as well as the smallest Asian country by both land area and population, with a little over 393,500 inhabitants. Malé is the capital and the nations most populated city, traditionally called the "King's Island" for its central location within the widely dispersed island network. The Maldives remained largely unknown to tourists until the early 1970s. Only 185 islands are home to its 300,000 inhabitants and the other islands are used entirely for economic purposes, of which tourism and agriculture are the most dominant.
Why We love the Maldives. Neil and Farzana spend half the year in Sri Lanka which is only one hour by flight to the Maldives. During their many sojourns they have visited over thirty islands; lazy days enjoying everything that the islands offer or a more hectic island hopping schedule to inspect the resorts to create the portfolio that Travel Gallery has to offer in the Maldives.
Why choose the Maldives for your beach getaway?
Relaxation- if you are just looking to relax, what better location? White powder sandy beaches, turquoise water and swaying palm trees. It is the ultimate dream destination to find tranquillity.
Wellness- The Maldives has some of the best spas in the world. We got hooked on them over 20 years ago at the Banyan Tree Vabinfaru. Combined with state of the arts gyms along with Yoga & Pilates classes, you will be returning rejuvenated.
Romance- it’s hard to conjure up a better honeymoon option. A perfect place to relax after a hectic wedding. We can help you make your proposal the most special moment you can imagine – beachfront, underwater or over water dinner; a private sandbank picnic; and a photographer to capture your engagement.
Non motorised water sports- A plethora of options- wind surfing, kite surfing, stand up paddle boarding, sailing and surfing. We have some suggestions for surfing the perfect wave.
Snorkelling - most islands have a house reef that you can swim to, others offer boat trips to a good reef. If snorkelling is important, choose an island with a good house reef. A kaleidoscope of colour; from Anemone fish, Clown Triggerfish, Reef & Whale Sharks, Eagle Rays, Octopus, and our favourite elegant Hawksbill Turtles.
Diving in the Maldives offers amazing diving opportunities. Most resorts have a dive center or for the well-seasoned and addicted to diving- a liveaboard diving trip may be more suitable.
Diving for the first time? What better location than the Maldives. Most islands have a dive centres and offer The PADI Open Water Diver course but we recommend that you do the first phase on line before you arrive. The Knowledge Development can be done online (don’t waste your beach time buried in your laptop) and then you can do the last two phases in the Maldives. The Confined Water Dives to learn basic scuba skills and the most enjoyable Open Water Dives to use your skills and explore.
Deep sea Fishing Countless species of fish; Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Mahi Mahi, Sailfish, and Blue and Black Marlin; Skipjack Tuna, Barracuda, Snapper, and Grouper. Thanks to fishing methods used locally, you won’t be disappointed by the ease with which you reel them in.
Star gazing - our favourite spot for a spot of star gazing is Anantara Kihava which has the largest telescope in the Indian Ocean and we were lucky to witness the lunar eclipse on an evening with a cloudless sky.
Cuisine- most resorts have more than one restaurant and a variety of international cuisines. Fresh seafood of course and the best produce is shipped in. You won’t go hungry.
And, why not the Maldives? It’s not for everyone.
Accessibility- Only British Airways has direct flights from London (10 hours) to the Maldives. The schedule is thee times a week and only in the winter months. The alternatives would be Emirates, Turkish airlines, Sri Lankan, Qatar and Etihad to name a few.
Boredom- if you are not an aquaholic, adventure is limited. Most resorts are just one island; and island trips are good for a day trip.
Cost - The reason it's so expensive is because everything is imported. If The Maldives is high on your bucket list, we can help you to have a short experience of 5 days and Combine it with the Middle East or Sri Lanka. Alcohol is one of the highest costs so if you like a drink or too upgrade from full board to all inclusive.
Sustainability- Tourism is one of the greatest environmental threats, above all due to the impact of air travel and the movement of goods. In the Maldives very little is locally sourced, water is desalinated, most resorts have limited green energy sources, although most are trying to reduce their environmental impact. On the other hand, tourism to the islands creates employment and has a positive impact on the economy.
Cuisine - The lack of variety of ingredients (coconut, fish and limited vegetables) has not produced an exciting local cuisine. But with every possible product being imported from around the world, choice is not limited providing you are prepared to pay for it.
Confused about which resort in the Maldives is best for you? Let us help you sort through the myriad of options. It’s all about you and we prefer to talk through the options but here are some points to consider.
Budget will be the overriding factor. If you are conscious of your budget, we suggest that you consider a full board or all-inclusive option - we don’t want your check out bill to be the lasting memory of your holiday.
Style - Luxury, barefoot- no news no shoes or right back to basics with a Robinson Crusoe feel or a combination of some. Let us suggest the best option for you.
Transfers - Sea plane transfers and over water villas may be one of your bucket list reasons to travel to the Maldives. The view from a sea plane can be outstanding, but they can really aa to the cost of the holiday. On the other hand - speedboat transfers reduce the waiting time at the airport & you can still feel very special as you are whisked at speed to your chosen island.
Domestic Flights – a network of domestic airports has opened across the Maldives and they have opened up the options of a short domestic flight followed by a short speedboat. Not constrained to operating during day light hours this is a good option for connecting to some international flights and as an alternative to sea planes.
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