OK, the time has come. The holiday of clear waters, white beaches and relaxation is waiting for you. You know when to leave, what your budget will be and who you will take with you. There is only one last, big choice left to make: that of the resort. How can you avoid making a mistake? Here are our tips for your first time in the Maldives.
Planning your trip
To arrive in the Maldives is to realise how different this place is from the rest of the planet. Unparalleled luxury, breathtaking white beaches and an extraordinary underwater world make this an ideal destination for a holiday away from everyday life. But how do you choose the right resort so that everything is truly unforgettable? Here are a few tips.
To begin with
First rule: don't be afraid of getting ripped off. In almost every resort in the Maldives you will indeed find beautiful beaches and turquoise waters overlooked by majestic palm trees, so much so that your photographs will look like those in a brochure. However, there are huge differences between the various resorts, from the cheapest to the mid-range to the real temples of luxury. The choice of accommodation is crucial for your holiday to fully meet your expectations: do not be in a hurry to decide and, before booking, consider as many alternatives as possible. There are many factors to consider carefully in the selection phase. Before leaving, consult the website of your chosen resort and perhaps make contact in person to gather specific, up-to-date information, given how quickly things can change. You can ask if construction work is being carried out on the island, if the wellness centre is actually in operation or if there is the possibility of kiteboarding. Keep in mind that many resorts do not update their websites regularly. Never take information provided via the Internet for granted, check the date of the last update and also take a look at the reviews published online. Another tip: check the dive centre's website. You might get a discount if you book your trips before departure.
A resort for everyone
Each resort offers an atmosphere designed for a specific type of guest. It is very easy, for instance, to understand whether you are in a honeymooners' resort, a diving paradise or a classic resort for families with children in tow. Much of the tourism industry in the Maldives is inspired by the desert island ideal: simplicity, tranquillity, beach and sea. These no shoes , no news resorts ('no shoes, no news', according to a popular slogan throughout the archipelago) are perfect for a romantic holiday, a honeymoon or an escape from everything and everyone. Almost everywhere the atmosphere is romantic, but one has to bear in mind that the cheaper the resort, the greater the number of tourists on organised trips and families with children, which could create a certain disturbance for those seeking privacy, tranquillity and candlelit dinners. Romance is not always synonymous with high costs. For example, it is hard to think of a more atmospheric and enchanting place than the intimate Makunudu Island, where there are no televisions or blaring music, but only wonderfully simple traditional houses dotted along the beach and patches of vegetation made up of the trees planted over the years by couples who have stayed there. However, as we know, quality is proportionate to price: the most charming and atmospheric resorts are certainly not the cheapest. Often honeymooners are entitled to special offers and some extras, but they will have to prove that they have just got married by showing a certificate and informing the resort in advance. At all resorts there are centres that organise diving courses and have access to interesting diving spots. Most sites can be reached from almost all resorts, so it cannot be said that one resort offers more opportunities than others in this respect. There are some resorts, however, that provide undeniable advantages, such as the remote Helengeli, from where some forty dive sites can be reached, many of which are used exclusively by this resort. Similar conditions are offered around the Ari Atoll, which offers excellent sites, including Kuramathi and Chaaya Reef Ellaidhoo. But, above all, diving enthusiasts should opt for a resort that specifically targets them, charges lower rates and offers more enthusiasm for this activity than elsewhere. The term eco-tourism can often be misleading. It is therefore necessary to carefully evaluate serious resorts with a genuine approach to sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism, and distinguish them from those that only aim to attract more customers. Although many places adhere to this philosophy in a merely formal way, there are some - relatively few - that actually guarantee full compliance with the canons of ecological tourism. These establishments offer educational programmes, promote sustainable development, adopt environmentally friendly building practices, limit the use of air conditioning and electricity, and, more generally, have a conscious approach to protecting the natural environment (e.g. by not serving bottled water exclusively and instead offering water obtained by desalination on site).
Finally Maldives
At the airport you will be met by an employee of the resort where you are staying, who will probably take custody of your ticket and/or passport for the duration of your stay, a common practice in these parts. Unless you arrive in the late afternoon or evening, you will be taken immediately to the island where your resort is located; the transfer may be by dhoni, speedboat, plane or seaplane departing from the nearby lagoon stopover. You may have to wait for other passengers to arrive to clear customs, but waiting times are usually quite short. The airport café accepts both euros and US dollars; you can change your money into local currency at the bank counter. Passengers arriving late in the evening spend the first night in the airport hotel or in Male, as after sunset (i.e. after 4pm) all seaplane transfers are suspended for obvious reasons. Speedboat transfers, on the other hand, take place at any time of the day or night. Upon arrival at the resort, you will be offered a drink, have to fill out a registration form and then be escorted to your room. Your luggage will be handed over to you by the hotel staff.
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Room types
Almost all resorts provide rooms of various types, from the cheaper superior garden villa (with a garden view) to the deluxe over-water suite. A garden villa does not have direct access to the beach, while a water villa, which is considerably more expensive, is a structure on stilts that stands on the lagoon. The more expensive rooms are usually larger, newer and better finished: they may have both a bathtub and a shower, a minibar instead of an empty refrigerator, tea and coffee making facilities (sometimes even an espresso machine), a stereo system and sometimes even a jacuzzi. Generally, resort rooms also have a private pool, more or less large, which is always present in newer facilities.
Seasons and supplements
Thehigh season runs from December to March, and charges are based on single/double rooms. The Easter period and August are also part of the high season. The periods when a holiday in the Maldives costs less are April to July and September to November. For each bed that is added to the room, there is a surcharge that varies greatly from resort to resort, to which must be added the cost of meals and the overnight tax of US$8 per person per night, required by the government for each tourist. In December 2014 this tax was abolished, and as of 1 November 2015 it was replaced by the Green Tax (US$6 per day). Children up to the age of two generally only pay the overnight tax of US$8. In the two to 12 age bracket, the surcharge for children is higher, although it is usually lower than the adult rate. Keep in mind that the rates offered by most resorts do not include taxes, which are expensive. So remember to add service charge (10% to 12%) and sales tax (GST) of 12% to the total. When calculating the total expense of your trip, consider these additional costs: the various extras add about 25% to the total expense, coming on top of meals, drinks, activities and transfers.
Fares
The rate schedule varies depending on the resort and the demands and needs of the target customers - in some cases it is incredibly detailed and complex, with rates varying from week to week. As a general rule, the Christmas and New Year period coincides with the very high season, when very high rates are charged, a minimum stay is required and there are high surcharges for Christmas and New Year's Eve dinners, which are compulsory. The high season corresponds to the period from the beginning of January to the end of March, when there is a strong influx of European tourists. High rates may also be in force in the weeks around Easter (but still lower than at Christmas). After Easter, the low season begins, which lasts until mid-July and coincides with the rainiest period of the year. July and August are again part of the high season, corresponding to the summer holidays in European countries, while the period from mid-September to the beginning of December is low season again.
How to recognise an exclusive resort
In case you have any doubts about the resort you have chosen, here are a few pointers that should confirm whether you are staying in a high-end resort:
On arrival you are not offered a fruit cocktail, but a ginger iced tea, homemade ice cream or fresh melon juice.
Staff members will welcome you lined up on the pier and you will have to go through the whole queue shaking hands with them.
You have your own private pool so you don't have to join the other guests in the main one.
In your room you will find an absurd number of towels and an equally rich assortment of branded toiletries.
You will be called by name by members of staff.
Every time you leave the room, a small team of waiters will come in to clean it and put it back in order.
