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Original poster

Travelling to the Maldives

27 replies

Cinnamonbun2020 · 15/03/2020 14:55

We are due to fly to the Maldives in a few days and DH and I are disagreeing whether we go or not. We are young, and in good health, have saved for this holiday after a rubbish few years which include close bereavements. We have booked through a reputable company who are advising we go ahead as planned. The resort has no confirmed cases and our travel insurance would cover any changes to flights or delays. Have just been reading of the preparations being made in the Maldives for tourists which include a purpose built facility.

My employer is aware of my plans and boss has told me if I needed to self isolate on my return I would be able to work from home. There is also the option to work from a remote location so am planning on taking my laptop with me just in case.

I am willing (and keen) to go but DH is not so sure. I feel as though I would be just as likely to catch it at home than I would abroad and after spending so many months planning and saving for this break I am loathe to cancel if there isn’t a clear indication from the government (travel advice does not specifically mention avoiding visiting)

Just looking for some advice from a bunch of random strangers!

OP posts:
BrexpatInSwitzerland · 15/03/2020 15:02

Stop being silly - nobody should be going anywhere right now!

The situation is developing with lightning speed:

Just last Friday, I asked my members of staff living in Germany to please consider going home for the weekend rather than stay at their hotels (which they're permitted to do ...).

Good call: Germany is closing the border with Switzerland tomorrow at 8am.

I had an inkling on Friday - but no tangible evidence that this was coming. And, to be honest, I was rather thinking it might be Thursday or Friday next week and didn't want them to have to make emergency moves if it happened.

It's been way faster than I anticipated - and few people except myself anticipated it at all.

It's happening faster than you think.

Just be smart and stay put!

Meme05 · 15/03/2020 15:02

If there are no known cases there, they are not quarantining arrivals from U.K. and you have sufficient travel insurance that will cover you in the event either of you fall ill and have to be repatriated then why not....but if DH is unwilling he may not enjoy himself anyway and in turn will spoil it for you.

Only the two of you can decide together and stick to your decision.

snowballer · 15/03/2020 15:07

If there are no known cases there, they are not quarantining arrivals from U.K. and you have sufficient travel insurance that will cover you in the event either of you fall ill and have to be repatriated then why not....

Why yes - if no known cases OP should go and make sure the Maldives doesn't get left out of this pandemic. This is mind boggling. Just cannot understand why anyone would be travelling at the moment. (And yes I have cancelled a holiday over Easter and yes I did "lose" money on it)

muchtoosoon · 15/03/2020 15:17

What if you are contagious? Can you be 100% sure you and your DH areCV-19 free? If so then go and enjoy your holiday, but if there is a chance you could be carriers don't go. Think of the people you could infect. And the potential damage you could cause.

aroundtheworldyet · 15/03/2020 15:18

I would go. 🤷‍♀️

HairyFloppins · 15/03/2020 15:20

Some you tubers called the Ingham Family have just gone. They have received a lot of negativity to going. They seem to be enjoying themselves. I wouldn’t fly anywhere at the moment.

SilverySurfer · 15/03/2020 15:21

Honestly, you couldn't make it up Hmm

BeardedMum · 15/03/2020 15:23

You shouldn’t go. Can’t believe people are even considering travelling on holiday at the moment. So irresponsible.

Loppy10 · 15/03/2020 15:24

Think you'd be crazy to go to be honest. Seems like you are only thinking about whether you will catch it while you are over there. What about the risks of you transmitting it to a vulnerable population with limited healthcare

LoveIsLovely · 15/03/2020 15:27

Why would you take the risk of spreading it around? Do you want to be the couple that spread the virus to a previously unaffected country?

I honestly cannot believe how irresponsible people are.

SerendipityJane · 15/03/2020 15:29

Some you tubers called the Ingham Family have just gone. They have received a lot of negativity to going.

To be honest, if they are as self obsessed as all most "YouTubers" they'd deserve just as much negativity if they stayed. Or indeed did anything ....

BritWifeinUSA · 15/03/2020 15:31

I would definitely go.

roarfeckingroar · 15/03/2020 15:31

My best friend is there and it's fine, she's having a great time and feels safe.

BertiesLanding · 15/03/2020 15:37

What if you can't come back?

HeronLanyon · 15/03/2020 15:39

Having been very recently I’d go again in a heartbeat and nearly did rebook for match/April BUT NOT NOW.
CONS -
Last week two islands had confirmed cases.
the travel to the airport, being at the airport and the flight itself would be an absolute no from me anyway.
Depending on which atoll you may be remote from any kind of advanced health provision.
My island was 70 min sea plane from Male -planes can be disrupted by weather etc and are usually fully booked - it would be tough to move for medical reasons if need be. Have ‘gold star’ insurance if you do go !
Resort islands do have medical / clinic etc but ‘my’ 5star resort clinic did not have eg antibiotics. For that I would have needed to take boat 1 hour to other resident island - they have their own health needs and don’t need ours on top ! I basically travelled with every prescription/medication imaginable.
If you were to become ill the accommodation / temperature etc would make is difficult to maintain cleanliness in a medical sense.
Return may be dodgy depending on what happens here over the next few weeks.
PROS
Honestly I was staggered at how beautiful what I experienced was in particular the marine life and Flora and fauna but I would not even contemplate it now.

good luck whatever you decide.

Hibbeg · 15/03/2020 16:27

Me and the Mrs are in a similar situation to the OP and are currently going to the Maldives on the 18th March for a birthday celebration. As it stands I want to go and the Mrs wants the decision to be taken away from us (cancelled by FCO/government advice) so that we can get a refund. If they don’t and we cancel ourselves we will lose 6 grand.

As much as this is not about money and selfishness etc, I have to say that anyone criticising as above in this thread wants to give their head a wobble. They are most likely the same people who are panicking and emptying shop shelves everywhere as we speak.

This is a difficult decision for us but the Maldives would stop us going if that was the best policy for their country. If they are allowing us in it is because they want us to continue to stimulate their economy. Places such as the Maldives rely on tourism more than probably anywhere else in the world. I guess by selfishly cancelling we will be adding to their forthcoming economical woes which could bankrupt the whole country thus making the local people’s lives very much worse.

As for think about the people you could infect etc, people need to get their head around the fact that up 70% of us could get this thing anyway and we need to keep calm rather than going into all out panic mode. There is going to be very few if any of the high risk age Maldavians coming into contact with any tourists....

Fixitquick · 15/03/2020 16:35

We went in February last year I was only saying today to my DH if this had been us would we still have gone he said no. Our flight was from Heathrow to Oman then off plane back through departures for connecting flight to Male. Then seaplane to resort. Can you not reschedule for next year? Our resort was 45 minutes by plane from.Male and no doctor on site at resort you are literally in the middle of Indian Ocean. I'd postpone trip.

HeronLanyon · 15/03/2020 16:35

hinbeg tough call. Wouldn’t myself.
Good luck whether you do go or manage to be refunded.
Do either of you have symptoms which would indicate government indicated self isolation I wonder ? Keep an eye out.

LaurieFairyCake · 15/03/2020 16:38

Is it on the list of FCO NOT TO GO - Kuramathi and 3 others are !

crazydiamond222 · 15/03/2020 16:38

They have aready had a couple of cases there. On the plus side there is a rather nice quarantine resort on the Maldives if you do happen to catch it.
www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/maldives-coronavirus-quarantine-resort-a4386856.html

KitKatKit · 15/03/2020 16:40

We've just flown to an island off the coast of Africa, so yes I would go!
Lots of people are flying, but everyone is taking sensible precautions (that they should as a norm anyway!).
So - touching as few surfaces as possible, washing hands with soap more frequently, anti bac wipes on your plane seat/ arm rests/ screen/ remote / tray table. Face mask if you so wish.
Keep distance from others.

I'm just as likely picking the damn thing up doing a food shop in Aldi so you know.

Hibbeg · 15/03/2020 16:42

Neither of us have symptoms and if we did we would cancel.

The main concern is getting back but i think we are prepared to take the risk. At the minute we would be more likely to get/spread the virus in a supermarket queue...

LoveIsLovely · 15/03/2020 20:36

"At the minute we would be more likely to get/spread the virus in a supermarket queue..."
Based on what evidence?

Hibbeg · 15/03/2020 21:37

The same evidence as the spreading to an ‘unaffected country’ that already has confirmed cases....

Go back to your responsible life

SentimentalKiller · 15/03/2020 21:40

Bloody hell their are some selfish fuckers, no wonder the toilet roll has gone
Of course your holiday is more important than spreading disease to an unaffected areaHmm