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.

Resorts in the Maldives

Your visit to Maldives is only as good as the resort you spend your holiday in.  After all, who likes having their holidays ruined by poor facilities and other problems? So, here are some things to consider when looking for a good Maldives holiday resort.

Hilton Maldives

Maldives Resort Facilities and Activities

For those traveling with their family, it would be great to stay in a Maldives resort that can cater to both parents and kids. Having a day care center or kid’s club will allow the kids to enjoy their day at the beach, while mom and dad can go shopping in boutiques or spend a romantic time by the beach.

If you’re traveling with a group of friends, it would be great to stay in resorts that serve great cocktails and have good entertainment where you can dance the night away under the stars.

But aside from all the partying and relaxation, a good Maldives resort should also provide other services that their guests could enjoy such as snorkeling and scuba diving.

Maldives Resorts Price range

Spending a night in a decent Maldives resort would cost you at least 190 USD a night, while more expensive resorts may have rates that go above 500 USD.

Choosing my Maldives Resort

Luckily for you, choosing a Maldives Resort is easier than ever before.  There are hundreds of resorts on the islands and nearly all of the main hotel chains are represented in the Maldives.  And, the large hotel chains usually choose the Maldives to build their very finest hotel or resort.  Some of the most popular resorts of the moment are the W Maldives, Conrad Maldives, Anantara Resort and Spa, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and the Hilton Maldives.  You can see reviews for these hotels at www.MaldivesReviews.com

Conrad Maldives

Getting Married in the Maldives

Maldives Wedding Ceremony

 As the cost of getting married increases along with the pressure to throw an incredible wedding that will cost tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds, more and more people are looking into the idea of getting married abroad.  It can be a daunting prospect, with so many things to organise, but most people who have taken the plunge and had their wedding on foreign soil actually say that it is easier than getting married at home. 

Why have your wedding in the Maldives

The Maldives is the ultimate beach destination.  Just a quick look on the internet or in glossy travel brochures will let you know that these are some of the best beaches in the world.  As well as the best beaches, the Maldives has many of the world’s finest beach resorts, many of which are not just located on the best beaches in the world, but are also very skilled at planning wedding.

How much will a Maldives wedding cost?

Of course, how much you spend on a wedding depends on many things.  How many people will you invite?  What level of service do you want?  How many nights will you be spending in the Maldives and will you pay for all your guests accommodation?  As a rule of thumb, people who opt for a foreign wedding tend to foot the bill for all their guests.  At the same time, weddings abroad tend to be much smaller affairs, with just 10-30 of your closest friends and family as the guests instead of the hundreds of people we usually invite to our wedding when staying at home.  Costs you need to take into account would be flights to and from Male, the Maldives’ international airport, hotel accommodation which can range from US$300 to US$1500 per room per night.

Maldives Wedding Packages

Maldives Bride

You will find that many of the resorts in the Maldives offer special wedding packages, including things like spa treatments, honeymoon suite upgrades, welcome parties for you and your guests.  There are even tour operators in the UK that organise holidays with the wedding package included.  You should be aware, however, that the ceremony offered at all hotels in the Maldives is not legally binding since it is a Muslim country.

Maldives Wedding Ceremonies

The Maldives is a Muslim country, so the wedding ceremonies performed at the hotels and resorts in the Maldives is not legally binding.  However, you can have an authentic Maldivian wedding ceremony if you so choose, although remember that this would be a Muslim ceremony, so this might be against your religious views.    A real Maldives wedding must be held in  a mosque and presided over by the Atoll Chiefs.  There is a lot of tradition surrounding the ceremony which you have to abide by, including a white dress for the bride  and a black and white suit for the groom.

After your wedding in the Maldives

The really great thing about getting married in the Maldives is that you don’t have to worry about organising a honeymoon.  Simply extend your holiday a little futher after the wedding and then you are already on honeymoon, with as many or as few of your friends as you like!

Shopping in Male

Sardines at Fish Market in Male

Male is the administrative capital of the Maldives, and also the shopping capital of the Maldives. There is a lot of tax-free shopping to be done here, and if you are looking for a true Maldivian shopping experience, you should not miss the Male Fish Market. Here all the day’s catch arrives with all the local fishermen and you can see the most amazing fish, including tuna, snapper and a whole variety of shellfish, which is then purchased by the hotels, resorts, restaurants and liveaboards and shipped off around the islands. A lot of fish is also sold for export to other countries around the world. In fact, after tourism, fishing is the Maldives biggest source of income.