Maldives Vacation - A Journey to a True Paradise

A Maldives vacation is guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience. Maldives - also called the 'Pearls of the Indian Ocean' - is an archipelago of around 1200 coral islands located in the Indian Ocean southwest of Sri Lanka. Only 202 islands out of this incredibly huge number of islands are inhabited. 44 inhabited islands have exclusive vacation resorts.

Until recently, Maldives was a very poor country. However, the economy of this nation has improved tremendously due to the positive changes in the field of tourism. Sparkling beaches, emerald lagoons, coral reefs and the amazing flora and fauna combine to create a true paradise of sun and water that continues to draw more and more tourists every year.

A Maldives vacation introduces you to the natural vista of the Maldives that is overwhelmingly beautiful and exceptionally charming. The tiny palm-fringed islands measuring just a couple of miles across features white sandy coastline. Most of the resorts and hotels in Maldives are located along the beaches. The beach resorts adhere to international standards of hygiene, guest accommodation and hospitality.

Most resorts also offer all-inclusive vacation packages. However, if you would like to check in to a hotel of your choice, there are plenty of guesthouses and hotels that offer premium levels of service and comfort. The accommodation rates in these hotels are surprisingly reasonable and often include the price of breakfast too.

The beauty of the ocean waters surrounding the island and the rich marine life is perhaps the most spectacular and memorable aspect of Maldives vacation. In fact, this enchanting island is one of the most popular diving destinations worldwide. Snorkeling and diving opportunities are plentiful here. Another popular activity is going for deep sea fishing on a chartered boat.

The more adventurous tourists can try snorkeling, scuba diving, whale tours, dolphin tours, submarine tours and a host of water sports such as parasailing, water skiing, jet skis and wakeboarding. For an exceptionally relaxing experience, try night fishing on boats that set off before sunset and harbor along the reef areas for the night. Maldives Vacation

Spectacular oceanic life can be found in the waters surrounding the Maldives. This includes pilot whale, sperm whale, blue whale as well as several species of dolphins such as Fraser's, Risso's, striped, spotted, rough-toothed, bottlenose and spinner.

On your Maldives vacation, you might even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the melon-headed whale, dwarf sperm whale or elusive varieties such as the tropical bottlenose whale. There are also lots of other fish species that can be frequently spotted here but not anywhere else in the world.

All year long, the temperatures in Maldives remain nice and warm. The native people are very friendly and hospitable and warmly welcome tourists from all over the world. Most of the natives speak English quite well. Dhivehi is the native language. Male - the capital of Maldives - is renowned for a museum that features artifacts dating back almost 7000 years.

You do not require a visa for a Maldives vacation. You are given a 30-day permit as soon as you arrive at any designated entry port. You must carry along a valid travel passport issued from your country of origin. Other necessary documents include a scheduled return ticket and a visa to the country you will be leaving for.

Maldives vacation in the tropical islands can be an unforgettable experience. To know more about the luxury Maldives resorts, hotels, beaches, tourist spots, and vacation packages, you may visit the provided link.Maldives Vacation

Beautiful Islands in Maldives

1. Dream Island
Dream Island means crystal white sand. This holiday resort is a beautiful sea island. The Maldivian architecture is integrated with the beautiful natural history. The staff in Dream Island will welcome you with their hospitality and friendship. Here, what you have reserved will be arranged as perfect as the wedding in paradise. The island owns high-quality rooms which are equipped with convenient facilities. These rooms are designed according to the different demands of visitors form all over the world. It just takes several minutes to walk from your room to the seaside.

2. Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort
Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort won the award of "best seaside" in 2001, 2002 and 2006. It has a 2-kilometer ling beautiful white beach with comfortable and modern facilities. Olhuveli beach is located in the south of Male Atoll which is 34 kilometers away from Airport Island. It takes only 45 minutes from the Male International Airport to Olhuveli beach by high-speed boat.

3. Laguna Beach Resort
There are only a few people who know that Laguna Beach Resort is the photography place of the film The Blue Lagoon. It gives people a feeling of far away from noisy world. The sky melts into the sea, which makes this island become a paradise on earth. The passenger ships are responsible for taking passengers from airport to the island. they always enter the island through the atoll gap. The sea color varies from deep blue to light blue and finally becomes light green. Laguna island looks really like a capoe surrounded by blue seawater. Visitors come here can soak themselves in the elegant and relaxing atmosphere. Here, you can enjoy a high level of privacy and tranquility.

4. Kani island
Kani Island is the best choice for honeymoon. It is regarded as "the last Shangri-la in the world. It is located in Maldives in Indian Ocean and consists of many small coral islands. Kani Island is 20 kilometers away from the Male. It takes only 45 minutes from airport to Kani Island by fast boat. Although you will feel like staying far away from the outside world, you can enjoy absolute peace.

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Vacation At A Resort In Maldives

I have been living in the Maldives for the past 4 years and was lucky enough to visit almost all the top resorts in Maldives. There are about 85 resorts in Maldives and some more coming up shortly. Recently Four seasons started their second Resort, Laanda Giraavaru, a Four Seasons Standard Resort.

Most of the resorts are like one island and the whole island will be the resort. The transit is like the tourist arrive at the Male' International Airport and each resort has a counter at the airport. You will be received by their representative if you have already done a booking or you can check for availability of rooms at any of the counter. 

But do not take the risk of coming without doing a booking. As you will be surprised to know that almost all the resorts are overbooked during peak seasons. The peak season is usually from September to March.

Once you are received by your resort representative, he or she will take care of all your needs from there on. On word of caution, never bring beer or any alcohol product to Maldives, its prohibited here. You are not supposed to bring, alcohol products, pornography books or videos and religious books. Maldives is a 100% Muslim country.

Okay once you are with your resort representative, first you will be taken to either the boat jetty where a speed launch will be waiting for you or you will be taken to the Maldivian Air Taxi or the Trans Maldivian Airways counter from where you will be taking a ride on the Sea-plane to your resort.

Its really a nice experience to fly on a sea plane. There planes are from a Canadian Company which is 12-14 seated and your flight may be a maximum of 45mins -1 hour. There planes take off and lands in the Sea.

At the resort you will receive a warm welcome by the resort hostess or from the front desk. Usually, mostly the tourists coming to Maldives are from UK, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, India and the Arab Countries. You may be bit surprised that in most of the resorts, you will be received by some one who will be from your country or at least speak your language.

In most of the resorts the common facilities are like Restaurants, swimming pool, water sports, Gym, Spa, Scuba diving, excursions and some have even kids club. The rooms will be air-conditioned, with TV and all other facilities. 

Recently I went to Hilton Resort and had stayed there for a day. I was given an excellent villa with all facilities. The room had plasma TV, Jacuzzi, Mini-bar and all sorts of luxury. Hilton was recently renovated and its a good experience. You will be able to use Internet with Wifi covered all over the Island. I had my dinner at the under sea restaurant.

One and Only has two resorts in Maldives namely Reethi Rah and Kanuhura. Mostly we can find celebrities coming here and the standards are very high. You can get rooms from US$ 30 a day to US 10,000 per day. I have heard that in a resort called Soneva Gilli they have a presidential suit which they charge US$ 10,000 per night. Other interesting thing to note is the water villas, you will be provided with a villa which is in the sea.

Huvafenfushi resort has there spa under water. If you have a chance, try to experience this. Some of the top resorts in Maldives are like Bandos, which is the oldest resort in Maldives and it was recently renovated. During tsunami, many resorts were damaged, some partially and some fully and the tourism industry in the Maldives was very badly hit.

From the resort they will surely take you to Male', the capital city of Maldives for a day visit where you can see some tourist places and you can do some shopping here.

There are a lot to tell about the resorts in Maldives, but I need to stop here, try Googling for resorts in Maldives, you will get lots of websites and decide it yourself.

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Maldives Live Aboard Holiday Adventure

A few months ago, in March 2009, my boyfriend James and I went on what I can only describe as the holiday of a lifetime in the Maldives. For the last 10 years, since our first holiday together to the Bay Islands of Honduras, where we got certified as SCUBA divers, we have been keen "holiday-divers".

By this, I mean that we only dive once or twice a year, while on holiday. It's a great hobby, because it encourages us to travel somewhere different each year. So far, we have been to Egypt, Thailand, Florida, Mexico, Australia and Malaysia, and all of the trips have been amazing. However, our trip to the Maldives eclipsed all other holidays in terms of comfort, service and most importantly, the marine life we saw there.

Travel to the Maldives is expensive, especially if you stay in one of the many gorgeous resorts, some of which are at least US$ 500 per night! As keen divers, when we were looking at the many options, it made sense to choose a liveaboard holiday. Until we started researching, I didn't realize how very big the Maldives are. 

They cover an area of about 300 square kilometers, so if you want to visit a good selection of dive sites, staying in a resort is not feasible because you end up spending so much of your time in the dive boat travelling to and from the dive sites and less time actually diving. 

With the liveaboard option, you simply cruise around the archipelago on the main liveaboard and then jump into the smaller dive Dhoni that travels alongside the main liveaboard for every dive. This is great, because the smaller boat can get to shallower waters - so closer to the actual dive sites - and all the equipment is kept on board the Dhoni so you don't have to drag it anywhere. 

Simply get into the Dhoni, put on your gear, and jump in the water. Of all the diving trips we have ever been on, we have never had such an easy experience. One thing's for sure, the Maldives has definitely spoiled us!
There is a wide variety of liveaboards in the Maldives, all of which offer differing levels of comfort and amenities according to their price. 

While our budget wasn't enough to get us one of the fanciest resorts, we were able to get one of the higher end liveaboard boats. So, we chose the Island Safari 2 Royal, mainly because it looks like one of those cool private yachts you see in places like Monaco and Key West. After all, when else are we going to get to spend a week living like kings for a fraction of the cost of renting a yacht like that? So, we booked for a 7-night "Scuba Safari".

Our trip began with a long 14-hour flight from London to Male International Airport, connecting in Qatar. Long flights are something that we have grown accustomed to since our love affair with scuba diving began. Unfortunately, living in the UK, if you want tropical waters and the best coral reefs in the world, long flights are part and parcel. One good thing about London is that flights out of here are some of the cheapest in the world. 

Our flight to the Maldives cost just over US$1,000, which we thought was pretty reasonable. Once we arrived in Male, we were met at the airport by a representative from Island Safari 2 Royal, and were taken to the boat, which left from Male. We boarded the boat and waited a short while for all the remaining guests to arrive and then we set off.

The boat was absolutely gorgeous. Even better than it had appeared in the photos! There are 8 rooms and 2 suites on board, and we chose the suite because it has a bathtub, and both James and I love taking a bath after a day's diving. I think people underestimate the physical exertion of scuba diving; it's not a question of just floating around in the water.

I mean, you're swimming for several hours a day on a scuba holiday, so you get really worn out. Our suite was gorgeous, with a nice big window so we woke up to views of the amazing turquoise waters of the Maldives and seemingly permanent sunshine and spectacular sunsets.

The rest of the boat was also gorgeous, with a nice dining room, that was slightly more formal than you might expect, two comfortable lounge areas for relaxing and watching television and a really big outer deck, perfect for sunbathing, my second favourite pastime after scuba diving! There's nothing like returning to grim England with an outrageous suntan.

Once all the guests were on board, we set sail towards the first dive site; it was early afternoon, so we would have time for the introductory dive on the first day. Before that, we were given a delicious welcome cocktail (non-alcoholic since we were going diving) and got to meet all the other guests. We had a very international group with another couple from the UK, a group of 4 from Italy and a couple from Germany. 

While the crew spoke German, English and a little Italian, English was the dominant language onboard, and since all the guests were fluent, there was no language barrier. Needless to say, James, I and the other Brits had no language skills to offer up, so we were relieved! Our first dive was the introductory dive where everyone gets to recap on their diving skills and basically prove to the crew that we are all capable scuba divers. 

Currents in the Maldives can be strong, so you really need to have some scuba experience to make the most of a diving holiday here. Everyone on board had a lot of diving experience and we all had at least an Advanced Open Water certification, so we had no problems at all.

We took the intro dive at Hanns Reef on the North Male Atoll, and even though it was just the intro dive, we saw some great marine life including a Moray Eel, a couple of Turtles, a big group of Blue Stripe Snappers and a lot of Glassfish. 

That was it for the first day, and everyone was tired from travelling, so we relaxed, chatted with the crew and other divers, mainly about previous diving holidays, and tucked into a delicious meal of Asian-style shrimp kebabs, salads and rice. It was absolutely delicious and we all crossed our fingers that every meal would be this tasty.

We spent the first two days of the trip cruising around the North Male and North Ari Atolls, visiting such dive sites as Nassimo Thila, Rasfari, Rasdhoo Madivaru and Makaru Thila. Highlights from these sites were the amazing Manta Rays at Rasfari. While diving, we saw loads of Mantas getting cleaned and some batfish playing around the reef. 

Then, after the dive, we went for a short snorkel around the site, and saw even more Mantas - maybe the same ones - they are such majestic and peaceful creatures, and so big, it's quite unbelievable. Another memorable site of the first few days was Ghangethi Pass, where we saw a group of 30 White Tip Reef Sharks of various sizes, an enormous Manta Ray, maybe 5 metres across and a very cool Leopard Shark, something I had never seen before.

All of the sites were teeming with beautiful marine life. If we didn't see one of the 'big creatures', we would always see a lot of pretty reef-fish, tiny invertebrates, gorgeous corals and usually some big pelagic species as well. The main star of our trip was definitely the Manta Ray, at some of the sites there would be just one or two, but in others there would be 30-50. We had never seen, or even imagined, so many Manta Rays in one place.

Our night dive came on the fourth day of our trip at a site called Maaya Thila. Night diving is always an interesting experience and I think it's the one instance where even seasoned scuba divers feel a little nervous. 

It's one thing being in the ocean when you can see, but surrounded by such an intense darkness is always a little intimidating and gives that extra adrenaline buzz. The behaviour of the fish is a little different at night, when most of them do their hunting. We saw a team of White Tip Reef Sharks looking for some dinner and a Moray Eel, out of his hole in the reef and swimming around a Turtle, as well as a beautiful Lionfish and the usual phosphorescent plankton. Very cool!

The next evening, we visited a local community on one of the islands. It's very interesting to see how these people live such a simple live life, totally in harmony with their environment. Every source of protein that they eat comes from the ocean, and is usually served with a coconut or some other fruit that grows naturally on their island. 

They did some traditional dances for us and we bought some nice souvenirs from them. This seems to be their main source of income, apart from what they make by selling their catches at market in Male or to resorts around the islands.

The last two days of the liveaboard safari, we spent around the South Ari and Vaavu Atolls, where the highlights were Fotteyo and Cocoa Thila. At Fotteyo we saw a group of dolphins come through, which is really unusual while scuba diving. We also saw some beautiful Eagle Rays and some of the best coral reef we had seen all week. 

This was a great opportunity for the underwater photographers in the group to take some beautiful shots of the coral with the reef fish and pelagic species in the foreground. Sun Island in the South Ari Atoll was one of the most important sites of the whole trip, as it was the only site where we saw Whale Sharks in the whole trip, which is one of the big draws of the Maldives. There were actually two different Whale Sharks at this location and they were HUGE!

All in all, the diving was superb, we saw far more creatures than I could ever mention here. Because a lot of guests leave the Maldives directly from the liveaboard safari, there can be no diving on the last day, because it's not safe to fly so soon after scuba diving, so we spent the day snorkeling in the morning and then shopping in Male in the afternoon.

Male is a very congested city, and is definitely not the place to spend your Maldives holiday, but it's worth spending a day there just to check it out. The fish market is particularly interesting and you see how all the fishermen from around the islands come in with their day's catch and the resorts from around the nation buy it up and carry it back to feed their hungry guests.

We chose to extend our trip by a couple of days and take advantage of these gorgeous resorts and fully relax after our fantastic liveaboard adventure. We chose the Coco Palm, Dhuni Kolhu, because it was only 30 minutes from the airport and we didn't want to have to travel too much. We were more interested in the relaxing massages at the spa and the over-water bungalow. 

When you look at the Maldives in the travel brochure or on the internet, it's the over-water rooms that catch the eye, so it seemed almost wrong to leave without spending at least one night sleeping in one. Our last two days at Coco Palm were totally breathtaking, so much so, it's going to be hard to find a honeymoon retreat more perfect than this one!

After two nights at Coco Palm, we transferred back to Male Airport ready to board our flight back to grim, dreary London. James and I loved the Maldives, everything about it, and we really hope to return one day, sooner rather than later.

Victoria Bourbon
http://www.scubadivemaldives.com
This trip was booked through http://www.MaldivesDiveTravel.com

Maldives Holiday

If you are looking for a place where you can just relax and get away from the chaos and stress from work, then you should consider a trip to one of the most beautiful island in the world, the Maldives. 

Regarded as the Pearls of the Indian Ocean, consists of at least 1,200 coral islands where 44 of which offers the best hotel resorts in the world. You will be amazed of its breath taking natural beauty that will welcome you once you set foot along with the warmest greetings from the locals. 

A wide range of tour packages are available and getting one provides you with comfort and convenience; it will enable you to focus on enjoying your stay in the island. If these amazing facts made you interested then know, is the perfect time to plan your Maldives holiday.
 
In order to have a smooth and stress free planning, it will be good if you learn more about the place, do a little research about its visa requirements, the weather and climate, tourists attractions and other basic information. This can give you an idea about which places are a must to visit and what activities you should try. 

Visiting a travel agent can also help you in organizing your stay; they can also provide you with great deals and travel tips that can truly help in a great way. If you are traveling with a companion, group or family there might be some package deals that you can avail at an affordable price. 

Keep in mind that these resorts provide you to experience nature at its finest. Most of them offer water activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling and island hopping. Make sure to bring extra cash if these are not already included in your holiday package.
 
With the variety of outdoor activities to choose from, you will never run out of things to do which is why it is advisable to make a list of things that you would like to try. Food is simply exceptionally, one's journey will not be complete without trying the local dishes. 

Make sure that you are ready for an amazing food experience as well. Hotels normally offer free breakfast. A number of restaurants are within the area and you can also go out and explore the city to learn more about their culture.

Your Maldives holiday will not be complete without trying their excellent spa services. This is one of the highlights of your whole island experience. Inquire about the treatments that they offer, devote some of your time to treat your tired and sore body with the best scrub, and massage therapy.

The author has spent a lot of time learning about holidays in maldives and other related topics. Read more about honeymoon ideas at Mel Davey's website.

Tour parkages to Maldives

Almost all the countries of the world are vying to be known as tourist spots because of the potential boost to the economy that tourism can bring. Recent developments in the industry have spurred many of these countries to dress up their tourist spots and attract more people. 

Maldives, however, has a definite advantage when it comes to pure untampered surroundings, idyllic weather and its perfect location. Maldives holidays have come to stand for luxury, enchanting sights and a chance to discover new things, therefore bringing more people each year.

The magical land of the Maldives is made up of both inhabited and uninhabited islands. From a total of 1190 islands, only two hundred are inhabited which leaves a large area for exploration and discovery for all the Robinson Crusoes in you. Out of the 200 inhabited islands, eighty are well maintained tourist resorts that are of a high standard for international tourists.

Maldives offers much to be seen and enjoyed. For those who would like to stay at the resorts, you are guaranteed an excellent time and many facilities like water sports etc. for the whole family to enjoy. The Maldives people will make you feel cared for and welcome because they are warm and caring.

The Artificial Beach, Mulee Aage Palace, Esjehi Art Gallery, the beaches of Maldives, Hukuru Misliiy, the National Museum, the Grand Friday Mosque and the Male Fish Markets are some of the places that should be at the top of your sightseeing list.

The Grand Friday Mosque is perhaps the most important historical building in the Maldives. Its real name is Masjid-al-Sultan Mohammed Thakurufaanu-al-A "z" zam. I suppose you understand now why it's just called the Grand Friday Mosque. Constructed in 1656, this imposing structure has enough space for five thousand people. Situated in Male, the mosque is the most obvious feature of the island and is visible form afar.

The Sultans have given the Maldives many of its historical structures. The Sultan Mohammed Shamsudeen the third built the magnificent Mulee Aage Palace in 1906 for his son. Constructed in front of the Grand Friday Mosque, it became the official residence of the president of Maldives after being declared a republic. Since then, it has now become an office for the president and is used for official meetings by the government officials.

If you are looking for more history, stay in Male and look around to discover the National Museum of Maldives. The Sultan Park, where the museum is located, was a part of the Sultan's palace and therefore, has various items from his personal use. The different items in the museum give the modern visitor a very good understanding of the splendor and luxury of their lives in those bygone times.

Although Maldives comprises mainly of islands, Male is one place that does not have a natural beach. In order to compensate for this lack, the government has formed an artificial beach in the capital city so that visitors and locals can enjoy their summers while in the city. The artificial beaches are similar to natural beaches and have all the facilities that you would find at any beach. Water sports and other activities are a favorite past time of the tourists and locals.

Maldives holidays are perhaps better and more enjoyable than in any other part of the world. With climate, facilities, history and nature all combining to make it a paradise for many people, Maldives is surely a spot you should look out for while planning a holiday.

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