When thinking of a destination to have the best underwater life and beach experience, Maldives comes first to mind. The Maldives islands are known worldwide for underwater adventure activities such as Scuba diving. The Maldives islands as a whole can be said to be an all-around tour destination. Be it leisure experience of sitting on the beach, adventurous experience of all the water sports, having the best seafood, Maldives can tick all the points on your checklist. The Maldives islands are not only a leisure-loving or adventure-loving people’s choice, but it is also one of the best places to have a destination wedding, or celebrating a silver or golden jubilee of a successful marriage, and also a frequently chosen place for honeymoon planning. With all these experiences it provides, you are bound to remember it as a happy memory.
Maldives Visa Cost
Visa Requirements and Cost for Indian
Getting a visa to visit anywhere can sometimes be a hurdle and could cost a bunch. But for the Maldives Islands, it is pretty easy to get the visa, that too without any charges. Maldives has a policy of visa on arrival which is free of cost, no matter where you are from. All you need for it is a confirmed air ticket and a hotel reservation.
Maldives Currency
Exchanging currencies to visit someplace can be one of the most hectic parts sometimes. But in Maldives, you are not obliged to change currency. Maldives has a currency called Maldivian Rufiyaa(MVR). However, it is a common practice there to accept USD, Euros, and Pounds. It is one of the best parts about Maldives as it makes all the trouble easy to deal with, to let its tourists have an experience of their lifetime.
Internet Services
It is recommended to enjoy the vacation to its fullest and disconnect from the outside world. Still, some people would need wifi and internet services. Well, it’s best if your resort provides wifi as complementary but if not, it can be very expensive to avail wifi at the resort. It’s cheaper alternative would be to buy a 3G/4G SIM card with a prepaid data pack to work out your internet needs.
Culture
The Maldives is an Islamic country. So culture there is not exactly what people expect to see on an island country. Non-tourist places there follow all the cultures and teachings of their religion. That means, despite people expecting beachwear to be country’s cultural clothing, alcohol and fun to be normal there, it is not. People are advised to respect their culture at non-tourist places, wear modest clothing, not display affection for each other publicly.
Alcohol in Maldives Islands
Alcohol is even banned in its capital, Male. However, tourist islands are exempt from all such things. There you can dress however you like; show affection to your partner, alcohol is also easily available. It can even be a part of your package at your resort.
Choosing an Island
Choosing the right island for your stay and leisure is also a crucial part of your vacation. Almost every Maldivian resort is a private island destination on its own. That means whatever you need be it for fun or necessity; you have to get it from the island. All in all, you should choose the island as per your interests. An adventure-loving traveller should choose the island with the best water sports available. A fun and luxurious life-loving person should go for an island with an award-winning island for such stuff. They should pick a resort with all the leisurely amenities available at ease. All kinds of living experiences are available in the Maldives.
Right Resort for Right Vacation
With hundreds of places to stay on the islands, it becomes quite an important task to choose the resort that suits you the best. In the Maldives, you can stay at places varying vividly. From affordable resorts to luxurious bungalows, small rooms to grand suites, all kinds of options are available. Varying services are provided depending on where you choose to stay.
Luxury Maldives Resorts
There are hundreds of places to stay in the islands, ranging from homestays and affordable Maldives resorts to gorgeous beach bungalows, lagoon villas and those picturesque overwater villas. Depending on where you book, the services of a private butler may be included, who will do things like a pack and unpack for you, arrange excursions, and bring you breakfast or serve you a cocktail at happy hour.
With several room types to choose from, the best ones are the water villas and the beach villas. The Water Villas extends out to the open sea, while the Beach Villas are built on the sandy beach. Choosing between them you should keep your interests in mind. Choose the beach villa if you wish to step out onto a beach, or go for a water villa if you would like to go directly into the water from your villa. There are several other villa options too. Some of the villas feature a private pool, allowing you to slip into the tranquil waters as and when you like it.
Meal Plans in Maldives
In Maldives, most of the resorts do not accept outside guests to their restaurants. That means your dining selection is limited to what is available to you at the resort. If you do not like to eat at the same place every day, it is best to check the dining options with the resort before booking. The most common meal plans available in the Maldives are the Full Board and All-Inclusive. The Standard meal plan includes breakfast and guests will be charged separately for anything else as lunch and dinner are not included. The Full Board will be entitled 3 meals of the day while the All-Inclusive usually consists of 3 meals and a free flow of soft drinks and alcoholic drinks. So, pick whatever meal plan meets your needs.
Transportation in Maldives Islands
Depending on the location of your resort island, there are a few different options for reaching your destination once you have landed in Male. If you are planning a short journey, you should consider the limited ferry service available there, but a way more adventurous option is to take a speedboat transfer, which will provide a thrilling introduction to the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives. If your resort is situated on one of the distant islands or you just can’t wait to reach your destination, nothing beats a seaplane or helicopter transfer for a truly luxurious arrival moment. However seaplanes only fly in the daytime, so if you wish to reach your island by seaplane, you should plan your arrival for the daytime.
Couples often prefer to have a more pleasant and romantic trip, so they should take a dhoni (Maldivian boat), book a private secluded island, and relax in solitary, take some lunch with them and have a picnic.
Best Time to Visit Maldives Islands
A pleasant climate can enhance your experience in Maldives several-folds. Maldives Islands act as a great source of tourist attraction between December and February. Reason being, the pleasant weather during those months. This shows that people mostly prefer the dry season for planning a trip there. That being said, you might have to pay more during these months too, as price increases with an increase in demands. But the experience people get during these months is what makes these increased prices worth.
On the other hand, if you visit during the wet season, you might not have to spend much money, but at the same time, you might have to do some rain-checks literally. Even after that, there is no guarantee that the weather prediction will be able to pre-inform about all the rains. So, to enjoy the beach experience to the fullest, to enjoy all the water sports, and to not be stuck inside your hotel room due to rain. It’s best to plan your Maldives tour during the dry season.