Hi!! It has been a long time since my last post. I have been busy studying, travelling and working so got no many chance updating my blog. However for this entry it will be my visit to 47th Country I have been to, which is MALDIVES. Heaven of Marine Live!!
Maldives is an Island Nation located in Indian Ocean near to India. So basically they look like Indian but speak different language which is Dhivehi, Þ‹ިÞˆެÞ€ިÞƒާÞ‡ްÞ–ޭÞŽެ Þ–ުÞ‰ްÞ€ޫÞƒިÞ‡ް. It is sound like Tamil & Arab(at least to me) and the writing looks like arabic. Its currency is Rufiya, only available in Maldives for exchange.
The nation made up of thousand of island. The Capital is Male. The airport and the capital are even not at the island. So once you have touched down at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport you need to get a boat to Male and later take a boat another island from Male.
TIPS 1 : It is better for you to stay 1 night in Male if your flight only reach there after 2 pm. There is a lot of hotel cost USD30-40 per room per night in Male. Maldives Customer Services is superb! The hotel will send out their guys to pick you up at the airport and send you to their hotel all the way. Normally the boat and taxi fare is on the hotel. Otherwise boat from airport to Male will coast you USD1 per pax per way. And taxi will cost you around USD2.5. Smaller boutique hotel give you more personalise service compare to bigger hotel. They will probably serve you like a royal family.
I stayed at LVIS Hotel when I arrived and at Laze Hotel (bigger hotel, managed by Somerset Inn) when I departed. I must say LVIS give better and more personalise services in term of pick you up, checking in&out, breakfast, guiding around the city and they also send you to the ferry terminal.
TIPS 2 : I will recommend you to stay 1 night in Male when you reach and 1 night before you depart from Maldive. Firstly, so that you do not need to rush. Secondly, I get some time to enjoy Male as well. But don't stay in Male more than that, you will get bore. Spend the rest of your stay in any other beautiful island in Male.
Fountain at Republic Square
Police Building
Across the Ferry Jetty
Jetty
Eastern Artificial Beach
Local dry market
Yellow fin Tuna - very famous in Maldives.
Gigantic - maybe around 5 foot in length
Masjidh Al Sulthan Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam, Next to Republic Square.
Hukuru Miskiy. Old Mosque. Build around 17th Century.
Muslim Grave Yard. In the same compound with Hukuru Miskiy.
This is the well where muslim takes their ablution.
Opposite to Hukuru Miskiy there is a Grave of Great Islamic Scholar. He is the one who brought Islam teaching to Maldives around 11th -12th Century.
The newly build Artificial Beach at the west of Male Island.
Actually It is still under construction.
TIPS 3 : Pick your Island. There is a lot of Island you can choose. Either inhabited island or private island. If you have huge budget you may choose private island resort where relatively everything is expensive from island transfer, hotel, food, and even higher tax rate. For example Holiday Inn has its own private island where it cost you around USD2500 per night. Your Private hotel will arrange everything for you, you just need to be there. If you want the cheaper one, always choose inhabited island. Normally inhabited island have 3 mode of island transfer which is public ferry (~USD3 per pax per way), scheduled speed boat (~USD20 per pax per way) and chartered speed boat (~USD600 for return boat). Speed boat is 3 times faster than public ferry. Also please take note on your ferry schedule. Alter your itinerary according to ferry/boat schedule. Inhabited island also has lower tax rate, cheaper hotel (around USD50 per night per room)
How public ferry looks like
TIPS 4 : Pick Island that is nearer to Male but has great beach and coral. If your island is too far away from Male you have to take domestic water flight which cost you around USD200 per way per pax compared to speed boat only USD600 per return boat.
There is couple of beautiful island within 4 hours range of public ferry such as Mafushi, Fulidhoo, Mathiveri, Ukulhas, Thoddo, Fulhadhoo, Fehendhoo and many more.
We choose Fulidhoo and our hotel is Luau Beach Inn. Luau is just in front of the beach even it is near to Bikini Beach. There is 4 rooms and we rent 3. So practically we conquered the whole hotel.
In front of Luau Beach Inn
Beach in front of Luau.
The black round shape at the bottom of the picture is actually sting ray with diameter around 2.5 feet. The black swarm near to the boat is actually school of fish.
TIPS 5 : Fill your day with many activities such as visit picnic island, go to the beach, fishing, snorkeling, round island etc.
We spent one day swimming at the beach. The beach is great. The water is super clear. There is a lot of fish near to the shore and there is even coral over there.
We also spent 1 day paying a visit to picnic island which cost us USD210 for boat, snorkeling equipment and food and USD10 per head for environment tax.
Day trip to picnic island (Very small uninhibited island)
TIPS 6 : Cheaper to eat tuna. For example at my hotel, chicken chop cost you USD8 while fish and chip only USD3. So eat fish. healthier and cheaper.
TIPS 7 : Remember Maldives normally charge 3 taxes ie Service tax, 10% , GST, 16%, and Environment tax depend on which island.
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