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For most travellers, the Maldives was a place you visit once in a lifetime for a really special occasion like your honeymoon – accommodation at the island paradise’s luxury resorts and hotels (with the compulsory service fee and government tourist tax on top) was notoriously expensive.
If you’re travelling with your partner or a friend, sharing a room makes the experience even more affordable, as private rooms at some island guesthouses can be obtained from $40 per night, including fast Wifi, hot showers and a delicious breakfast.
Getting into the country is also becoming easier and easier – their unusual Visa system means that everyone receives a free 30-day visa on arrival as long as they can produce a valid travel document and return ticket, and with more operators offering cheap flights from surrounding Asian stop-offs like Dubai and Singapore, this diver’s paradise is increasingly accessible as well.
The important thing to note about visiting this ‘country of islands’ is that it’s really more ocean than land! All resorts are located on their own island, so unless you are island-hopping with the local ferries you will probably remain on one island for your stay, so if you are staying at a guesthouse it is important to find out about the transport options available from their particular island. If your idea of heaven is simply lying on the beach all day, drinking in the beautiful ocean view in permanent tropical sunshine – then what more do you need?
If you are trying to escape the rain in your home country however, it is best not to visit during the annual monsoon which runs between June to August.
Abiding by the rules:
The Maldives is a Muslim country, and as such there are restrictions against drinking in public or wearing revealing clothing on some of the non-tourist resort islands. Resort islands and liveaboard boats however exist happily in their own little bubbles.
Of course the biggest attraction of the Maldives is the diving and snorkelling for which they are so justly famous. Even within the immediate vicinity of the capital Malé, the diving opportunities are world class, but of course the further out you head in the atolls, the more crystal clear the water gets, and the more abundant the underwater life becomes.
Another great option for very keen divers is to stay onboard a liveaboard boat for the duration of your visit, which while more costly than staying at a guesthouse, can still work out slightly cheaper than the tourist resorts. From January to April the sea is at its most calm, and visibility can reach up to an amazing 30m – so this may be the best time for divers to visit, although the water is warm all year round!
While budget tourism in the Maldives is still going through a few teething problems here and there, it is very empowering to know that this island paradise is no longer exclusively the domain of the rich and famous!
The post The Magic of the Maldives appeared first on Pommie Travels.
Source: pommietravels.com