Maldives holiday alternatives?

[Letitbe24]

I hope this post isn’t tone deaf but I’m hitting a bit of a dead end. I’m pregnant with our first and we’re looking to book a holiday for when they’re approx 7 months old (October time). A bit early I know but I love holidays and I need something to look forward too as we’re not doing long haul whilst pregnant.

We’ve been looking at the Maldives as I don’t know how high maintenance baby is going to be and Maldives looks like it could be very chilled, just spending time playing with the baby and then taking it in turns to go diving whilst the other watches baby. We want somewhere with a private pool in case baby is fussy so it’s less hassle to have to get ready to go out.

However the costs are getting ridiculous - We’re looking at £8k AI without flights/activities and then at least another £1.5k on top of that for diving costs, this is for a week which seems crazy!!! Is there anywhere else anyone can recommend that would be similarly suitable?

Some key points:

• want to go in October/November time so would prefer long haul, we can afford business class on points so flight time not much of an issue, but direct from Heathrow a big plus
• preferably all inclusive but absolutely no to self catering!
• must have a private pool as I think this will be much easier with a baby
• good food is a must, absolutely don’t want to be buffet focused so needs to have at least 4 a la carte restaurants
• Maldives is looking at about £9.5k AI so would prefer something more around the £7k mark or cheaper if possible! Note this is not including flights which we’ll buy separately

Thanks for your help kind mumsnetters :)

Sounds fabulous, would you mind sharing where you’re staying?

No but I give a shit! We’ve travelled a lot and UK holidays just aren’t the same to me.

Re diving alone, I don’t mean literally alone, I mean in an organised group but without my husband.

@Caspianberg nobody sits around with a BCD, tank, mask or fins on. Fins come off before you even get back into the boat and dumping the rest is the first thing you do once you're out of the water. This did make me laugh though, imagining some poor woman waddling up the beach in her fins and mask to breastfeed her screaming baby.

Thanks for all the advice, we have been to Thailand before and we did enjoy it so will have a look again. I do take on board the comments about diving so maybe I’ll have a rethink.

We’ve done Mauritius before and didn’t really rate it but will look again. Also done quite a bit of the Caribbean and planning St Lucia/barbados when the baby is a bit older as there are some great child friendly resorts there.

Do you think Singapore is realistic with a baby? I was concerned about feeling pressured to go out and “do” things if baby was unsettled. Also would Maldives be suitable with older kids? I thought an older child might be bored and the villas look quite small.

Six senses in Lamau is amazing - I recommend a villa on the beach not a water villa (I know your baby can't crawl at 7 months but still, water villas so dangerous for kids!) this is around your budget and so so nice you'll love it xx

Ps Lamau is Maldives sorry if that wasn't clear x

@Letitbe24 I've dived with kids! Totally do-able especially if you're happy to dive separately. We had a nanny with us and she stayed on the shore with the kids while we went out. I'd text her when we got back and she'd bring the kids out to the dive shop and we'd play with them on the beach, have lunch etc then she'd take them back to the room when we went out diving again. We did that for 3 days and all had a great time.

We went to the Maldives when our daughter was five. She loved it. The place is a giant beach! Sadly though she wouldn't snorkel (having learned in the pool before we left) because she didn't like the salt water on her lips. She loved the sea swing, shell hunting (all left there as it is illegal to remove them), the pool, the kids club. It was a good age for it tbh. We went somewhere with a kids club so she could spend some time with her peers and we could get a few hours to nap and relax. We had been three times before as a couple so knew what to expect.

7 months is a tricky age I think. The baby has just started weaning (which can be messy) and might be starting to crawl which means you need eyes in the back of your head! But the toddler years are worse! Then it starts to get a bit easier each year.

I'd be gutted if there was a baby near me on business class. Had it when we went business last time and the whole cabin were livid. Screamed for bloody hours.

A friend of mine lost her young toddler to drowning despite the parents both being present and thinking they were watching like a hawk. It can happen in an instant. I would not take a (probably) mobile baby anywhere with a private pool unless I was absolutely certain that there would be locked gates etc. I assume that's unlikely to be the case in a hotel. You would not be able to relax at any point.

You can definitely dive later with kids. Just probably from 4-5 years they and you will get more benefit from it. At 4-5 years + they aren’t needing naps, and can swim and snorkel with life jackets etc so they can also experience it.

The hardest thing imo at 7months is the chronic sleep deprivation in parents. If you have child that hasn’t ever slept through more than a few hours, then arriving after long flights you can’t just sleep in and rest like previously.

We went to Madeira last year in early November and the weather was amazing, we were able to go to the pool everyday. The hotel we went had also a kids play area and the staff were amazing with our daughter, she was 16 months old by then.
Also Grenada for very late November is really lovely.

We used to live in Asia so spent a lot
of time in Singapore. It's great for primary aged kids, loads of activities/days out for them but I wouldn't take a baby there unless you particularly want to go yourself. I think Maldives would work well for kids of all ages as long as they like the water/beach.

You cannot hear a baby in the whole business class cabin that’s complete rubbish 🙄. We’ve flown business loads and babies in the cabin have never been a problem. I don’t understand why people would be “gutted” about paying passengers flying in a class they’re allowed to. It’s business class not “adults only” and these are primarily leisure routes we’re talking about.

I would go to Greece or Jamaica. Both stunningly beautiful.

I went away when my son (now 17) was a baby and it was hell on earth. He was a very easy baby generally but was unwell on holiday and would not leave me alone for a minute.

Other guests gave me filthy looks as it looked like a I just had a screaming unhappy baby I couldn't soothe but that was because he was ill.

So I really wouldn't bother booking anything too amazing. I would do lots of little trips instead as the chances of baby being ill are probably 10 x the chances or you or partner being ill.

So rather than Maldives do a week somewhere cheap ish eg as I suggested or Gran Canaria/ Cape Verde. Then if it's a disaster just book another week away a few months later.

Not bothered if you believe me. Just telling you how it was.

The baby was screaming all night. We fly long haul business frequently and I can guarantee there won't be one person getting on that flight thinking oh I hope there's a baby on board. Ideally one that's teething.

The first person to invent adult only flights will make an absolute killing.

It’s short haul rather than long haul but it would be worth you taking a look at Ikos. You can get great deals out of school holidays and you’d be getting a la carte AI without the travel (not the diving though obviously and only probably viable first few weeks of October ).

The Maldives are wonderful but aren’t going to be the easiest with a small baby due to the heat/humidity, length of flight but also harder access to medical care. It’s the latter that would make me more wary than the flight tbh as both of mine had hospital stints in their first year.

I take my baby in business class and I don't feel guilty at all nor care what people like you think. We have as much right to be there as anyone else and most other passengers are actually very understanding! I've also been on the other side, seated near crying babies in business when travelling for work on overnight flights when I had to work the next day - it sucks but that's life, I wouldn't hold it against other paying passengers 🤷🏼‍♀️ If there was a huge market for adult only flights these would exist already, I'm sure the airlines wouldn't miss an opportunity to make a killing.

Thought it was shorter. Was relatively painless for us. Best thing is the time difference is minimal so little disruption to sleep patterns.

My friends and I have always agreed that 6months is best time to travel with a baby. It's just like carrying around a sack of potatoes. You are still breastfeeding if relevant and you have got the hang of things.

We are going to the Maldives at the end of September with a 9 month old and a 10 year old! We're breaking the long flights up a little with a few days in Dubai. Like you we were drawn by the private pool, proximity to the sea and the relaxed vibe. We only did short haul when our eldest was a baby and to be honest all holidays with little people are harder work than usual! Might as well go somewhere you'll really love! We're staying on Emerald Faarufushi. We've also done St Lucia (not with a baby but definitely would!) and stayed in a villa at Windjammer Landings - this was great if you're after privacy and own pool but also has AI restaurants, communal pools, lovely grounds etc. Hope you find something fabulous and have an amazing time!

OP ignore the messages that get deleted.
Maldives - extra travelling by boat or sea plane would put me off
Mauritius - with a half board or full board deal for sure & great wether in October
Seychelles - went Feb March, so humid, check humidity in October
Dubai - highly recommend, get a hotel with a free half board offer to dine around, perfect weather in October.
I’d contact Trailfinders if I were you. Good luck

Haha that’s ridiculous get headphones or ear plugs

At least in business class the baby is upsetting fewer people!

"No except more time to lose baby weight 😂 is it better to go when they’re younger?"

Definitely. All they do is drink milk and sleep 🤣