After being unable to travel overseas due to the pandemic, now’s a great time to break from the monotony and get away from it all with a holiday to the Maldives! Here are some tips to help in your planning.
When to Visit
Fear not, you can visit the Maldives any time of year to enjoy all it has to offer. However, for the most consistent sunshine and calm waters, the peak period is between November and April though rates will be higher so you should book ahead. In the off-peak period from May to October, rains do arrive but not the whole day through and while you will still have sunshine to work on your tan, rates will be less too!
Where to Stay
When looking for the best resorts in Maldives, consider those in the North Male Atoll on a private island which will be easy to reach via speedboat. Choose a property that belongs to a reputed hospitality brand like Park Hotel Group which also offers a loyalty programme with diverse benefits and savings. Such ideal resorts will have luxurious beach and water villas, eclectic dining with all-inclusive meal plans, a kids’ club, a holistic spa, water sports and more.
What To Do
Snorkelling is not to be missed especially if your resort has a thriving house reef with coral and marine life. Stay at a property that also features PADI-certified courses for diving discoveries as well as big game fishing, jet skiing, flyboarding, parasailing, wakeboarding and other thrilling water sports. For more adventures, you can embark on dolphin spotting excursions, romantic sunset cruises, visits to secluded sandbanks or tours of the capital, Male.
How to Pack
Chances are, you will be spending a lot of time in your private pool or the ocean, so bring more than one swimwear option; this would also be great for creating those like-worthy Insta posts! Swimsuit cover-ups will be useful along with at least one formal attire option for fine dining. Don’t forget to pack reef-safe sunscreen that’s at least SPF 30 as well as sunglasses, flip-flops, a sunhat and sunglasses. For trips to local islands, bring more conservative attire that covers bare shoulders, the midriff and legs.
