Holiday Inn to Open September ’09

A new mid-range hotel is soon to open its doors to t0urists seeking peace and relaxation in the Maldives. Situated in Male, the capital of the Maldives, the InterContinental Hotels Group is set to open its 117-room Holiday Inn Male on September 1, 2009.

Holiday Inn Male

Holiday Inn Male Location

Located near the harbor front, with shops and markets within a short walking distance, guests of the new Holdiay Inn Male will find various historical places of interest like the Presidential Palace, the Old Friday Mosque, and the Sultan Park to be very accessible.

Holiday Inn Male Facilities

Meetings and conferences in the Maldives will never be the same again thanks to the luxurious accommodations, food and beverage outlets, recreation and communication facilities at the hotel, which is just a short, five-minute speedboat ride from the international airport!

Holiday Inn Male Accommodations

The rooms at the Holiday Inn Male offer luxury fit for a king.  They feature either king beds or two twin beds with all the conveniences and comforts you would expect from one of the world’s leading hotel chains. Need to reconnect with the world during your vacation? Broadband internet, LCD TVs, and other amenities and facilities await your disposal!

Holiday Inn Male Guestroom

Local Amenities

The Holiday Inn Male is located at the corner of Ameer Ahmed Magu, so you never need to worry about fine dining or entertainment, as there are various eateries such as the Lobby Café, an all-day dining restaurant,a rooftop restaurant that offers European/Japanese fusion cuisine and a 24-hour in-room dining all for your gourmet pleasure!

Holiday Inn Male Entertainment

Guests will never be at a loss for entertainment, because the Holiday Inn Male boasts of a variety of fun activities such as big game fishing, snorkeling, island excursions and picnics, Male city tour, photo flights, resort day visits, submarine trips, and a host of other great activities to enjoy! The Holiday Inn Male also has a rooftop swimming pool, a well-equipped fitness center and a coconut spa where you can feel your stress melt away!

Holiday Inn Male Business Amenities

For business-minded people who want to hold a conference in the Maldives, the Holiday Inn Male also has four versatile meeting rooms, one of which is the Grand Ballroom which offers 255 square meters of space, all equipped with the latest technology! Conduct your business in style!

A truly great place for business or pleasure, the Holiday Inn Male has everything you need, whether you’re looking for a calm and tranquil atmosphere for your holiday, or on a necessary business trip, the Maldives is a unique destination, and the Holiday Inn Male is a great place to call your home away from home.

For more information about the Holiday Inn Male, and to make reservations, visit the hotel’s website.  Once you have visited the hotel, why not write a review on www.MaldivesReviews.com

Let’s Go Maldives!

Traditional Maldives Dhoni

General Maldives Information

The Maldives is an island country made up of a group of idyllic atolls in the Indian Ocean, 185 islets of the 1,192 islets are inhabited. The Maldives is the smallest Asian country in terms of both population and area and it is also the smallest predominantly Muslim nation in the world.

Maldives People

Originally inhabited by Buddhists, people came to the Maldives under the influence of the Portugese and the Dutch.  Ultimately, the island nation became a British protectorate. The variety of foreign influences in Maldives have helped to shape Maldives as the perfect exotic getaway, considering its exuberant surroundings.

Destination Maldives

Although considered terra incognita since the 1970’s, the Maldives has risen to become one of the world’s most popular vacation spots, boasting pristine turquoise waters that lap peacefully against the sand, as well as gorgeous coconut groves that provide an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.  The Madives’ population of 300,000 people live on just 185 of the 1,192 islands.  The others are used exclusively for tourism and agriculture. All land above the ocean surface in the Maldives is of coralline origin and the atolls of the Maldives form an impressive sight.

Maldives Scuba Diving

Maldives Liveaboard Blue Lagoon

The Maldives is established as a prime destination for scuba divers.  The many beautiful dive sites here feature spectacular coral reefs and exotic marine wildlife that will surely fascinate both veterans and first-time scuba divers. Many scuba divers choose to take a liveaboard holiday, which allows them to visit many dive sites all over the Maldives while cruising around these amazing islands in style.  The resorts around the islands also provide luxurious accommodations set in dazzling natural while still offering all the comforts and conveniences of home. Dining is definitely not a problem, as restaurants all over the islands and on the liveaboards cater to a host of different palates and dietary requirements.

More Maldives Activities

Action and adventure abound in the Maldives.  Hotels and liveaboards alike offer a variety of tours and excursions which allow you to visit other islands, native communities or go shopping in Male, the capital of the Maldives.   The rest of the time, you can spend your days enjoying countless water sports, from scuba diving and snorkeling to water skiing and banana boating. 

Snorkeling in the Maldives

R & R, Maldives Style!

Rest and relaxation are the biggest attractions of the Maldives for tourists, who flock here from around the world to bask in the sun and frolic in the clear blue waters of  the Maldives. For true relaxation, visitors should take advantage of one of the island nations’ many spas, which offer a whole menu of treatments and procedures.

Shangri-La Spa Maldives

Maldives welcomes new Shangri-La Resort

While any normal person might think that the Maldives is brimming with luxury resorts, the newest kid on the block, the Shangri-La Villingili resort is being branded as the “first international luxury resort”.

Shangri-La Villingilli Resort Accommodations

The Shangri-La Villingilli Resort comprises a collection of impressive villas, ranging from the Pool Villa to the Villa Laalu, the most expensive. All the villas offer high-speed internet access, flat-screen televisions, Bose sound system, coffee machines, private sundecks, private swimming pools and indoor and outdoor showers. No need to mention that the design throughout the villas is utterly breathtaking and totally comfortable, with hints of Asian and Indian style.

Shangri La Resort Maldives

Shangri-La Villingilli Resort Activities and Facilities

While the overall feeling at the Shangri-La Villingilli Resort is one of relaxation, there are plenty of activities on offer for the more adventurous guests, including scuba diving, sailing, sports fishing, kayaking and even a day cruise on which lunch is served on the equator. You may be thinking a little more along the lines of an indulgent spa, in which case, you are in luck; the Shangri-La Villingilli Resort has a full spa, called the CHI Spa, offering some of the most relaxing treatments in the world, with the ultimate being the four-hour “Himalayan Blue Moon Ritual”, a USD 475 delight comprising an oil-infused soak in the tub, healing stone massage and a mud body mask.

Shangri-La Villingilli Resort Food and Drink

The Shangri-La Villingilli Resort offers two restaurants, Javvu and Khazaanaga and four lounge-bars, all of which serve a delicious menu of drinks and snacks, from freshly caught fish to delightfully refreshing cocktails. The restaurants and bars have differing dress codes and styles, so choose one that goes with your mood that day. Whichever you choose, the food, drinks and service at Shangri-La Villingilli will not disappoint.

Shangri-La Villingilli Resort Events

The Shangri-La Villingilli Resort offers a variety of event planning services to fulfil your needs, whether they be corporate getaways or your wedding, you will find a team of people eager to please and make this a truly memorable occasion for you and your loved ones or colleagues. Staying at Shangri-La Villingilli Resort is not cheap, but if you can afford it, it will definitely be worth it. The resort is currently running a promotional opening offer which starts at USD 860 per night, and that’s for the cheap room! For more information, visit the Shangri-La Villingilli Resort website. If you have already visited the hotel, why not write a review of your experience at Maldives Reviews.

Anantara Maldives

The Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa in the Maldives takes the idea of a luxurious holiday to a whole new level.

Anantara Maldives Over Water Villa

With 70 beach villas and 40 over water villas dotted around the private, Dhigufinolhu Island in the Maldives, The Anantara Dhigu Resort is an enchanting holiday destination, reached by a 35-minute speedboat ride from the Male International Airport.

Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa has everything you could need to make your next holiday to the Maldives one of the most special holidays of your lifetime, perfect for a honeymoon or even a renewal of vows.  For the truly lucky ones among us, Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa could become a regular holiday spot as you will undoubtedly want to return, year after year.

Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa Villas

 There are several different kinds of villas to choose from at Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa, depending on your needs, wants and of course, your budget.  No matter what decision you make, chances of disappointment are slim to none.  All of the villas at Anantara are equisitely decorated, combining Western comforts with Asian style and design.  All of the beach villas are beachfront and have their very own stretch of beach, or a private pool.  Again, the choice is yours to make.  Inside the villas, guests enjoy the modern conveniences of flat screen televisions and coffee machine, not to mention the 24-hour room service.  If you can’t relax here, where can you?

Anantara Dhigu Activities

For those of us who seek a little more adventure on their holidays, Anantara does not disappoint.  The hotel offers a complete range of aquatic activitites, from scuba diving and snorkeling to Kayaking and Windsurfing.  Most anything to do with water, you will find it here at Anantara.  There is also a complete spa, fitness center and childcare centre, as well as a range of daytrips and excursions like the Male Shopping trip.

Anantara Dhigu Dining

Dining at Anantara is another of the great pleasures that await you in this island paradise.  The resort offers eight restaurants, including an open-air waterside cafe, the Fusion Grill bringing spices from around the world together with locally-caught fresh seafood, an intimate Italian bistro ideal for romantic dinners, the poolside bar complete with swim-up section where you can quench your thirst as you bask in the sunshine and the resort also offers special candelit dinners on the beach where you will be treated to some of the finest food in the world as you gaze at the stars.  A truly magical selection of restaurants are here at Anantara Dhigu Resort in the Maldives.

For more information about Anantara, visit their website at http://dhigu-maldives.anantara.com/

W Retreat & Spa Maldives

W Maldives Retreat & Spa

The W Retreat & Spa Maldives, a member of the W Hotel Chain opened in 2009 and instantly sprung to fame as one of the Maldives’ finest resorts. Located on the Fesdu Island in the North Ari Atoll, the resort is a 30-minute journey by seaplane from the Male International Airport.

W Maldives Features

The W Maldives offers every amenity and luxury that an exigent traveller might request, from private whirlpool Jacuzzi tubs in the guest rooms, all with an unbeatable ocean view to some of the best restaurants in the Maldives. An enormous variety of activities are offered to guests of the W Maldives, including snorkelling, kite surfing, windsurfing, catamaran sailing, water aerobics, yoga and sports fishing. The resort also boasts a full spa, dive centre and health club.

 W Maldives Accommodation 

W Maldives Retreat and Spa

There are four different room types on offer at the W Maldives: Beach Oasis, Ocean Oasis, Seascape Escape and Ocean Haven, with the latter being the most luxurious. All the rooms have a private pool and sundeck and a plethora of indulgent amenities. The Ocean Haven, however, takes luxury to a whole new level, offering a private bar, barbecue area, 50” flat-screen TV and some of the most spectacular decor you will ever set eyes on. To say that the W Maldives is like something out of a glossy brochure is a gross understatement, but it is difficult to put into words the sheer beauty of such a resort.

W Maldives Retreat and Spa

Eating and Drinking at W Maldives

W Maldives has six restaurants in total, including a swim-up bar, over-water sunset caviar bar, a simple Thai kitchen, a seafood restaurant serving only the freshest fish of the day and a sexy cocktail bar. The variety and selection mean that you can spend a week or two relaxing at the W Maldives and still look forward to a varied nightlife, if you can tear yourself off the sundeck or out of the hammock, that is!

Getting Married at W Maldives

W Maldives is one of the premier hotels in the Maldives and prides itself on being the perfect choice for couples looking to take their vows in paradise. The hotel will take care of everything for you, making your wedding an absolute breeze to organise.

Flights to the Maldives

Going to the Maldives on your next holiday? Then it’s about time that you also start searching for discount flights to Maldives. There are dozens of airlines that operate flights to and from the Maldives everyday, and finding a good deal wouldn’t be that hard.

Where do Maldives Flights Arrive

At present, all flights to the Maldives arrive at the  only international airport inthe country, the Male International Airport on the island of Hulhule which is connected to many major world cities, including London, Singapore, India, and many other places. Gan Airport, the country’s domestic airport, is currently being upgraded to international standards so it will be able to accommodate more international flights to the Maldives.  Currently you might use Gan Airport to catch a seaplane or air taxi to another of the many islands in the Maldives.

Maldives Flight Prices

Since there is only one international airport in the country, the price of a ticket for a flight to the Maldives will only differ on your city of origin, the season you purchase your ticket, and the airline company. One of the best ways to get on a flight to Maldives is by planning your vacation out of season. Airline companies may offer reasonable ticket prices at different times of the year. On the other hand, you can also opt to look for discount flights of various airline companies. Checking websites of various airline companies can help you learn about various promotions and compare prices as well.  You might also consider waiting until last minute because some travel companies offer cheap last minute deals to the Maldives.

Weather and Climate in the Maldives

The Maldives is an island country located in Southern Asia.  Being in a tropical area of the world, Maldives weather  is usually warm, humid, and ideal for a great tropical vacation.

Coconut Tree on Beach in the Maldives

Geography

The weather of Maldives is greatly influenced by various geographical elements. The landmass of South Asia, located at the north of the country, affects the heating of the islands and the water and the shifts of Himalayan jet stream gives the country very moisture-rich air. This mixture of warm and cold air makes the country a birthplace of low-pressure areas.

Seasons of Maldives

Maldives weather has only two seasons: the dry and rainy season. The country receives an annual rainfall average of 2,540 millimeters in its northern area and 3,810 millimeters in the south. The temperature of the country measures between 24 and 33 degrees Celsius.

Rainy season usually occurs at the end of April until the end of October.  The rainiest period of this season is September/October, sometimes referred to as the Maldives Typhoon Season, although storms rarely last more than a couple of days at most.  There is no hurricane season in the Maldives.  Hurricanes are strictly a phenomenon of the western hemisphere.

Dry season in the Maldives begins in the first week of December and ends in March.

During the months of October and November, the country goes a transition period from the rainy to the dry season, wherein the  Maldives weaher is usually cooler than the rest of the year.

The weather patterns in the Maldives, however, do not always conform to the seasons. Rain showers may fall over the country for an entire week even during the dry season.

Maldives Fishing

Fishing in the Maldives - Blue Fishing Boat

The Maldives is home to some of the planet’s most spectacular marine life that ranges from whales and dolphins to the smallest coral-dwelling invertebrate and everything in between. This incredible aquatic diversity makes the Maldives one of the world’s premier scuba diving destinations and now, the Republic of the Maldives is also becoming an important place on the world fishing map.

Sports Fishing in the Maldives

When sports fishing in the Maldives, you can experience the ways the locals fish, with a traditional line and weights, or you can use the modern equipment you are probably already used to. Fishing Tour Operators are increasing in the Maldives as people begin to consider the Maldives as a fishing destination. There are even several fishing liveaboards (like the scuba diving liveaboards) that you can spend a whole week on, trawling around the archipelago in search of the best sportsfishing.

Maldives Fish Species

If you are lucky enough to go fishing in the Maldives, you will be fishing for Sailfish, Tuna, Swordfish, Marlin, Wahoo and Barracuda, among other fish species.

Spear fishing in the Maldives

Spear fishing is banned in the Maldives as the waters here are protected by the Maldivian Government. Interestingly enough, the first scuba divers to come to the Maldives were from Italy and their main reason for coming to the Maldives was to hunt. They flocked to these densely populated waters with their spear guns and began to hunt the larger marine animals in the waters, namely the sharks, rays and large pelagic species. Later on, when the Maldives became popular with German tourists, they brought it to the Maldivian Government’s attention that this barbaric sport could indeed cause fish populations to dwindle and also discourage other tourists from visiting the Maldives due to these barbaric fishing activities. So, 1998 the ban on spear fishing in the Maldives came into force.

The Maldives Fishing Industry

Sardines at Male Fish Market

Fishing is one of the most important industries in the Maldives, along with tourism. A large percentage of Maldivian people make their living from fishing in the Maldivian waters. Fish is also the main source of protein for the islanders, so demand for the Maldives’ fish is generated both locally and abroad. Fish exports from the Maldives are consistently growing, with the most commonly exported fish species being several varieties of Tuna, Snapper, Mahi Mahi and Sailfish. There is even a tuna cannery on the island of Felivaru, which provides a lot of jobs to the locals.

The Maldivians who fish independently bring their catch in every day to the fish market at Male where they sell it to all the hotels and resorts from around the archipelago. A typical day’s catch can be from about 300 – 100 pounds of fish, although as time goes by, the catches are getting smaller. All fish in the Maldives must be caught by line and pole; net fishing is prohibited as a way of protecting these amazing waters. All species counts are greatly decreased from what they were years ago, particularly sharks and lobsters – despite being protected by law. Female lobsters are not to be fished, but it still happens.

With a rapidly-growing population in the Maldives and a booming tourism industry, the demand for fish in the Maldives is increasing rapidly, as the supply is decreasing – even more rapidly.

British Airways begins regular flight service to the Maldives

As of October 2009, British Airways will begin operating three flights per week from London Gatwick (LGW) to Male (MLE) Airport in the Maldives. 

Return flights to Male start from GBP629 per person.  A BA spokesman commented that they believe the new route will be a “real winner with customers”, because of the great beaches and fantastic diving.   They believe it will be a successful route.

This is great news for the Maldives.  BA is one of the world’s finest airlines and the kind of discerning traveler who holidays in the Maldives often demands the kind of service that only British Airways provides.

Maldives Vies to be one of the 7 Wonders

In a new worldwide competition, the Maldives is contesting against other natural masterpieces such as Rio de Janeiro, Montreal and Warsaw to become one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. To cast your vote, click here.