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Original poster

Tell me about The Maldives

26 replies

Fireinthegrate · 20/06/2019 19:30

We’re planning a ‘special’ holiday this year to celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary.

Husband wants to go to the Maldives for two weeks. I’m worried I will be bored. What is there to do there apart from snorkelling?

I would like to go somewhere else first and do sightseeing and then go on to the Maldives for a week. Where is ‘on the way’?

Suggestions please - TIA x

OP posts:

Doobigetta · 20/06/2019 19:34

It’s not a sightseeing holiday, it’s a chilling holiday. The whole point is that you have absolutely no decisions to make. You don’t even have to decide what to put in your beach bag because your lounger will be right outside your room. If you don’t like the sound of that, and if lounging around interspersed with snorkelling and boat trips sounds boring rather than paradise, it isn’t for you.

Smallfacesfan · 20/06/2019 19:45

Absolute heaven on earth. We did a week in Sri Lanka then a week in the Maldives. Definitely one of the best holidays we’ve ever had.

ohfourfoxache · 20/06/2019 19:59

If you have a whole 2 weeks then spend it all in the Maldives. You won’t regret it I promise!

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melissasummerfield · 20/06/2019 20:01

We did 2 weeks there and did absolutely nothing , didn’t even put a pair of shoes on for two weeks!

There were excursions to do , but it really is a do nothing holiday

eurochick · 20/06/2019 20:07

Sri Lanka is the traditional combination with the Maldives but is not a good idea for the moment. India would also work. Or maybe the Middle East? I'm not a fan but I'm not the one going.

zgaze · 20/06/2019 20:12

It’s stunning. Like being on holiday inside a postcard. Best holiday I’ve ever had by a good way. I was never bored - read, swam, snorkelled, ate and drank for 17 utterly glorious days.

zgaze · 20/06/2019 20:13

I did it via Singapore and spent three nights there staying in Raffles - that was amazing too

JeezOhGeeWhizz · 20/06/2019 20:48

It's fab. I loved it. Which islands are you going to?

Name739017 · 20/06/2019 23:28

We went for 10 days and it was amazing. We learnt to dive which took 5 days and felt like it pretty much filled the holiday (you can’t dive within a certain time frame of flying so we couldn’t do it the first or last couple of days). There was boat trips, gym, pools, tennis, football, windsurfing, kayaking...

TFBundy · 20/06/2019 23:33

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

gingerscot · 20/06/2019 23:42

Sri Lanka is amazing - go there first

Original poster

Fireinthegrate · 21/06/2019 06:44

Thanks everyone.
We haven’t booked yet so I don’t know which island we’ll go to.
We’re probably going to go in Oct/Nov time although pur anniversary is in August. We understand that October onwards is the best time to go.

Are there any islands which are better or nicer than others? We have what we consider to be a healthy budget of about £8-10k.

OP posts:

yearinyearout · 21/06/2019 07:11

I've never been but a close friend had a week there on honeymoon. She said she was bored shitless (she's no longer married to him, clearly he wasn't great company) but basically said there was nothing to do other than lie on a beach and swim/read books/shag/eat. That might be some people's idea of heaven but if it's not yours, choose somewhere else.

HellInAHandCartThatsWhat · 21/06/2019 07:19

. I love snorkelling....nice food and reading. If that’s all there was to do I’d be plotting bad things by the end of the first afternoon. I know it wouldn’t be for me. Thailand, India, Vietnam, amazing beaches and shedloads to see and do...

CruCru · 21/06/2019 07:40

Places I’ve particularly liked in the Maldives have been Soneva Fushi, Rangali Island (think it’s a Conrad now) and the One and Only.

thebabessavedme · 21/06/2019 08:25

I thought the Maldives very beautiful, the wild life is incredible, however, after about 5 days I got a bit stir crazy - after 2 weeks I was bored (first world problems ) My favourite recent holiday was Muritious (sp?) very very beautiful, sight seeing and excursions around the Island, but very peaceful in the hotel complex, better food than we had in the Maldives and around the same flight time, not everybodys cup of tea but we had a 3 day stop in Dubai on the way home (dh HATES Dubai and went under sufferance) just long enough to look at the amazing buildings and do a little shopping.

Xyzzzzz · 21/06/2019 08:27

I did 10 days and enjoyed. It was very chilled. I do know lots of people who will stop off at Dubai or Sri Lanka for 5 days then go to the Maldives so you get both a city and a beach holiday.

BarbaraofSevillle · 21/06/2019 08:53

If you don't dive or don't do well at doing little except sunbathing, reading and shagging, 2 weeks is probably too long.

NoBaggyPants · 21/06/2019 09:01

This may or may not concern you, but their human rights record is atrocious.

www.amnesty.org/en/countries/asia-and-the-pacific/maldives/report-maldives/

You should also look into the climate change issues they are having, in no small part contributed to by tourists.

gotmychocolateimgood · 21/06/2019 09:09

Maldives is 'no news, no shoes'. We went 10 years ago and there was no Internet, we had a cottage on the beach and did very little. There were no children. Our hotel was on a tiny island and was very unspoilt. We didn't even have a pool, just the sea. Even in the restaurant the floor was sandy. I loved it but it's not for everyone.

sproutsandparsnips · 21/06/2019 09:13

I heard that Mauritius is lovely......

Mamamere · 21/06/2019 16:51

Loved it - 3 times... kana huraa very relaxed and friendly / reethi rah - too quiet and fancy but still gorgeous / soneva gili - incredible... all with amazing food/'usual' maldivian views... It was what we wanted at the time - swimming/reading/chilling - other holidays have been far more active/touring/walking/sightseeing etc...

CleverQuacks · 21/06/2019 16:58

Sooo boring and not worth the money. Sri Lanka on the other hand is amazing.

Mamamere · 21/06/2019 17:00

https://gili-lankanfushi.com/ (was soneva gili when we went)

https://www.kanuhura.com/en - very relaxed/fun vibe here

https://www.oneandonlyresorts.com/one-and-only-reethi-rah-maldives - as beautiful as the others but lacked a bit of atmosphere...

ALL stunning/incredible food and service and very relaxing...

Favourite would be Kanuhura - but it's 10 years since we went to any of these places so there'll be loads of new atolls on the block

JoJoSM2 · 21/06/2019 17:04

I absolutely love the Maldives but then I love tranquility and nature. If I wasn't looking at marine life, I was happy to stare at fruit bats for hours.

One of my favourite islands in Gangehi. It's tiny, no infrastructure like pools etc but still luxurious with lovely food (especially Italian). They have a resident marine biologist so you can learn about wildlife and conservation.

However, if you need culture and sightseeing, then I'd spend half or more of your holiday elsewhere. India and Sri Lanka are interesting if you don't put off by extreme poverty around you. If that would be a bit much for you, then Singapore would be very interesting but a bit far.

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