10 THINGS TO KNOW WHEN PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO THE MALDIVES
Practical Guide to the Maldives
As Travel Designers and Maldives Vacation Planners, our Travel Counsellors at ADORE Maldives are often asked by travelers the following questions, before booking a holiday in Maldives. We decided to create this practical guide to the Maldives and share with you these 10 things to know when planning your trip to the Maldives.
Written by Shanoon Khalid
1. HOW FAR IS THE MALDIVES?
Maldives may be a remote destination, but the reach is not far. How long is the flight to the Maldives? If you are flying from Europe, there are direct flights from Germany, France, Italy and Austria or even Russia. However, if your flight is from the US, it’s a transit via Doha, Dubai, Hongkong, Singapore or Turkey & many more.
Some Transit Flight Routes to Maldives:
NYC – DUBAI – MLE
BERLIN – DOHA – MLE
SYDNEY – SINGAPORE – MLE
Some Direct Flight Routes to Maldives:
LONDON – MLE
MOSCOW – MLE
FRANKFURT – MLE
SINGAPORE – MLE
HONG KONG – MLE
Dubai to Maldives or Singapore to Maldives is usually 4 and half hours.
Direct carriers from Germany, Italy or Russia will reach to the Maldives in just over 10 hours.
Flying from United States & Australia is usually more than 19 hours with one stop depending on your route.
When planning your trip to the Maldives, you can also ask your Maldives Travel Agent at ADORE Maldives to find the most suitable connection from your city, we work with more than 170 airlines around the globe.
When you arrive to Velana International Airport (MLE), either you board a Seaplane / Domestic Transfer or a Speedboat to your Island!
The branded seaplane of The Nautilus Maldives
2. WHAT ARE THE BEST AIRLINES TO THE MALDIVES?
Stopover in Dubai or Singapore before your beach vacation in the Maldives? Airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways or Singapore Airlines offer attractive stop overs and world-renowned service to its passengers.
The frequency of major airlines flying into the Maldives (MLE) is sometimes 3 flights per day, adapting perfectly to your Maldives travel plan. Maldives is a well-connected destination with worldwide airlines including the one mentioned above, but also Turkish Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, Etihad Airways, Cathay Pacific, Oman Air and European Carriers like Austrian Airlines, Alitalia, British Airlines, Air France, Edelweiss, Lufthansa and many more.
3. HOW MANY DAYS SHALL I SPEND IN THE MALDIVES?
Long stays are encouraged; Why? The longer you stay in the better the offer is. However, Maldives is also a short stay destination if you are thinking of spending a couple of days together with a weekend. Overall, we recommend not less than 04 nights since most of the irresistible Maldives offers are for 04 night onwards. For instance: Stay 04 and Pay 03 nights.
If you are flying from Europe or US combining your trip with another destination such as Dubai or Sri Lanka, spend at least 05 to 07 nights in the Maldives. Looking for a deep relaxation instead or loving the tropics too much? 10 to 14 nights are the best way to feel and experience the Maldives. There is no better place to relax, unwind and connect with yourself and nature than the Maldives. Remember: for many it is a once in a life-time destination and will always remain a special memory within your journeys around the world.
Overwater Spa at Vakkaru Maldives.
4. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THE MALDIVES?
The Maldives is a year-round sunny destination. You will experience rain-showers from late April to mid-October usually and the average temperature remains between 27 to 31 Degree Celsius.
The high season is considered November till end of Easter Holidays usually in April and the low season is May to October.
However, when planning your trip to the Maldives, keep in mind that the average weather patterns are unpredictable most of the time and it will all depend on where (north east or south west) you are staying.
There are incredibly good offers and promotions for the Maldives during the low season, therefore, your chance of spending 10 days or 02 weeks is easily half the price you will spend during the high season.
Ithaafushi Private Island at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi.
5. ARE WATER VILLAS BETTER THAN BEACH VILLAS?
The villas in the Maldives are the best of both worlds. Luxury in the Maldives is all about privacy, space and size. This is what matters when you book your ultimate holiday or honeymoon in the Maldives. If you are traveling to the Maldives with kids or as a family, we recommend you to book one of the spacious beach villas with direct access to the beach and the tranquil shallow waters. If you travel as a couple, combine both and spend some days relaxing on an overwater hammock and enjoy some others by the infinity pool of your beach villas, just few steps from the shoreline.
Beach Pool Villas at W Maldives vs. Water Pool Villas at Vakkaru Maldives.
6. CAN I COMBINE TWO ISLANDS IN THE MALDIVES?
And can I go from one island to the other? If you are staying more than a week in the Maldives or between 10 days to two weeks, combining two islands is just perfect. We would recommend staying in a resort close to MLE airport on your arrival and then opting out for a Seaplane experience to another atoll, or directly fly into one atoll and hire a speedboat or a luxury yacht between two islands.
The branded seaplane of Kudadoo Maldives Private Island and its location in the Maldives, along with its sister property Hurawalhi Island
7. MALDIVES, WHO TO BOOK WITH?
The biggest question when planning your trip to the Maldives, who do I book the Maldives with? Who has the best offers for the Maldives? Shall I book online using one of the Online Travel Agents or speak to a specialist in the destination itself? The short answer is: Book the Maldives with a local destination specialist. There are number of key reasons why, they are:
The personality behind the Destination SpecialistCheck the website of your agent and see if they are indeed located in the Maldives.
Reviews?Check the online reviews and see what other clients spoke about.
Be Secured & InsuredIs the local agent you work with, a licensed travel agent in the Maldives? Do they work directly with the resorts or do they book your stay through a third party? Look for identifications and ask if your agent can offer the Maldives Holiday Packages with insurance that protects you in case of health emergency or last minute cancellation.
Payments & FlexibilityIs your agent offering flexible cancellation and refund policies? Do they offer a secured credit card payment link? Do they charge you extra fees for making your payments via credit card? Know your rights and choose wisely.
Local KnowledgeHas your agent stayed at the resort? Do they know the people on the island? Is your booking customised according to your wishes or is it just another booking number?
It is very important that your destination expert or agent is in direct contact with the resort and they know the people on the island.
8. WHAT TO DO IN THE MALDIVES?
Is there a better place to activate your Instagram than the Maldives?
So what are the activities offered in Maldives resorts? The Maldives offers plenty of activities side-by-side with the Ocean. While Scuba Diving in the Maldives and visiting the unique Maldives Surfing Spots are famous, you might have heard the Maldives itself is the place to celebrate the ‘Art of Doing Nothing’.
Planning a trip to the Maldives? Grab a piece of paper for some inspiration: sandbank dining, wedding in the Maldives, cinema under the stars, floating breakfasts… the list goes on. Have you heard about sunken table dinners? What is hand-line fishing? And how is a local island different to your resort island? Well, this and much more is here to discover.
‘Dream Island’ Sandbank of Hurawalhi Island, Cinema under the stars on Raffles Maldives Meradhoo and Wedding Ceremony on Six Senses Laamu
9. IS MALDIVES SAFE?
One Island One Resort – Yes! There is no destination like this. Is it safe to vacation in the Maldives? Absolutely!
The people you meet on the islands are working for the distinguished resort and they are the only residents of the island along with other guests. Therefore, they know you before you know them, they greet you by your name. This easily makes Maldives one of the safest destinations on earth.
Looking for the perfect safe destination for the ´new normal´? Maldives is one of the safest destination to travel even after post COVID-19. I have shared my opinion about it with Hotelier Maldives and you may see the link to the article below:
MALDIVES TOURISM AFTER COVID-19
10. WILL THE MALDIVES SINK?
Is the Maldives sinking? Maldives will sink the day the United Kingdom will sink or every island in the world sinks. Truth is, we are not sinking but our efforts to remain an eco-island destination is challenged. Maldives is one of Nature’s Best Art and although each island is on top of a beautiful eco-system, climate change and rising sea-levels have challenged the destination in the last few years. If climate change continues the way it is, not only the Maldives but every low laying destination is at risk.
Note from the Editor: The Maldives is an independent chain of islands forming 26 atolls with over 1,193 islands located in the Indian Ocean. We have welcomed over 1.7 Million tourists in 2019, making it one of the topmost remote destination visited by travelers worldwide.
Underwater Restaurant and Club ‘Subsix’ at Niyama Private Islands