Maldives for the first time: which hotel to choose, when to fly, how many days to take

If you are thinking of your first trip to the Maldives, many questions arise in your head, the answers to which are definitely worth finding. Travel planning must be careful. In order not to learn from your mistakes, take the time to tell the stories and reviews of experienced travelers who have already trampled coral sand and are familiar with the many nuances of a vacation in the Maldives. Which hotel is worth considering for you, what time of the year is it better to book a trip, as well as other nuances, we will tell you in this article.

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Which hotel to choose in the Maldives

The abundance of hotels in the Maldives can be very confusing. After all, at first glance, there is a coral beach, palm trees and crystal clear sea everywhere. The choice should be made depending on two factors:

1. your holiday expectations,
2. budget.

For example, gourmets and partygoers choose resorts with a dozen restaurants and bars, snorkelers look for a hotel with a good house reef, and divers estimate the distance from the hotel to the nearest dive sites they would like to visit. In the article on how to choose a hotel in the Maldives, you can find many useful tips on this matter.

Komandoo Maldives Island Resort

What to look for when choosing a hotel in the Maldives

Private or local island

The resorts are located on separate islands, according to the principle “one island - one hotel”. Each of them has all the infrastructure necessary for recreation. These are, as a rule, 4 * and 5 * hotels. The main advantage of private islands is privacy. Service staff and guests only. You won't find locals on the beach here, and there is alcohol in bars and restaurants.

• 9 best 4 * hotels in the Maldives.
• 12 best 5 * hotels in the Maldives.

On the local islands, everything is somewhat different. These are all the same Maldives, but you need to follow the laws and regulations for recreation among local residents. On the residential islands, tourists stay in hotels and guesthouses. This accommodation option allows you to relax in the Maldives relatively cheaper than in luxury resorts. The most popular local islands among tourists are Ukulhas, Maafushi and Toddu. Read more about budget Maldives here.

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaasfushi

Distance from Male Airport

The Maldives has one major international airport. In addition, it is located next to the capital Male, on the suburban island of Hulule. This is a transport interchange, from where all tourists get to the selected resorts using one of the modes of transport existing in the Maldives - by ferry, sleeping boat or seaplane. The further from the airport, the more expensive the transfer to the hotel and back will cost.

If you are flying to the Maldives for the first time, we advise you to pay attention to hotels near Male. At the same time, it is better not to consider the capital itself as a place for a heavenly holiday. You will not find bounty beaches here. It is the economic and cultural center of the islands and can be explored in one excursion.

Kurumba Maldives

Which villa to give preference

Beach option. A beachfront villa usually provides views of the coastline from your terrace and direct access to it. If the distance from the doorstep to the beach plays an important role for you, it is worth finding out more. Also pay attention to the remoteness of the villa you like from the main infrastructure of the resort. Too close location can cause discomfort to a quiet rest with the noise of establishments and entertainment locations. Pay attention to the vegetation of the island. The beachfront villa is often surrounded by shady tropics. A courtyard with an open bathroom will also be a priority.

Overwater villa. This is a room set on stilts just above the lagoon. A very convenient accommodation option if you are looking for privacy. Water villas are preferred by tourists who expect to spend a lot of time in the water. For convenience, all of them are equipped with a direct launch into the lagoon, so that you can snorkel as much as you like. Nevertheless, in overwater villas, the resort administration often does not allow families with small children to stay in order to avoid accidents on the water.

Advice. Regardless of the type of villa you choose, indulge yourself in a room with a private plunge pool. On the tropical islands, you won't regret it.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

When is the best time to fly to the Maldives

The Maldives are, of course, beautiful at any time of the year. Moreover, on the islands of the warm Indian Ocean, stable warm weather of + 25-30 ° C remains for 365 days. The only thing that can darken the rest is the frequent monsoon rains. And they go to the Maldives in the warm season. In more detail:

• The dry season is from December to April. During this period, excellent weather prevails on the islands - bright sun, calm sea, beautiful sunsets and blue expanse of lagoons. This time of the year is the most in demand, and therefore the rest is much more expensive than in the summer months. The benefits of the dry season are hard to argue with - the sea is calm and clear and the snorkeling and diving are amazing.
• The southwest monsoon season is from May to November. During the wet season, it rains and strong winds blow. These natural phenomena can be short-lived, or they can drag on for a day or two. It is impossible to foresee in advance. Due to such climatic whims, rest and flight during this period can be much cheaper. If the changeable weather does not darken your vacation in the Maldives, you can safely go to the tropical islands in the summer. During this period, you are more likely to see large marine life, including manta rays.

Asad Photo Maldives

How many days to book in Maldives

When planning the timing of your vacation, you should consider all the prices for accommodation, food and entertainment. For a vacation in one Maldivian resort, 4 days will be quite enough. If you would like to spend more time on the islands and experience more experience, you can book a few more days at another resort. In this case, choose islands that are not very distant from each other, so that the transfer between them is not more expensive than an air ticket to the Maldives. A week on the paradise islands will be quite enough to catch all that the resorts offer. You can schedule what day you will do in advance, choose your leisure time and enjoy every moment.

You can learn more about entertainment in the Maldives from this article.

If the limit of your vacation in the Maldives does not exceed 3-4 days, we advise you to choose a hotel near the airport. A short break is not worth the cost of a domestic flight to atolls far from the capital.

Popular resorts on the nearby islands include Kurumba and Bandos. These are the pioneering hotels of Maldivian tourism, where you can feel the fullness of the island atmosphere and relax in the best possible way.

Bandos Maldives