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Original poster

Cancel Maldives and go where?

72 replies

ChimneyPot · 29/12/2023 16:19

I know this is a very first world problem.

DH and I are due to go to the Maldives in less than a weeks time. It will be our first holiday without the children in a very long time.

This was organised a year ago and the dates are not flexible as an adult child is minding the youngest.

The weather in the Maldives is cloudy and rainy at the moment and that seems set to continue.

We are booked to go to a tiny island where we would be snorkelling, swimming and lazing in the sun for a week. There really isn’t anything else to do there.

If we cancel we would get just under half our money back.

Would you cancel and where would you recommend going next week for one week instead.

OP posts:
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piscofrisco · 29/12/2023 17:47

I went to the Maldives and it rained. A lot. That would have been fine had it just been dh and I as we would have just drunk and had sex to while away the time but we had the dc with us and it was very dull for them.
So in short if it's just you and dh and you will enjoy the alone time then go, if not then I'd move it!

cornonthesnob · 29/12/2023 17:49

We went to Helengeli in Maldives, same time of year, a few years back.

It said it was raining all the time but it hardly rained at all, and when it did my god we were grateful for it. When it rains it only lasts 20 mins.

Please go, the place is out of this world.

betwixtmass · 29/12/2023 17:52

re the DM article - if you go on the boys insta (oskaranddan) they did get some amazing weather too after a few bad days.

not the Maldives but on my last holiday the weather was unseasonably wet which was kind of a shame but we still got to enjoy the amazing food at the hotel and chill out so it wasn’t all bad

Sadza · 29/12/2023 17:52

The ocean, manta rays, clown fish, turtles, sea cucumbers, white sand, reef sharks, good food, cocktails. Yes it’s not for everyone, and if the weather is your biggest concern you should cancel.

SaltyFulmar · 29/12/2023 17:53

I think there is more to that couples news story than it first seems, I think they’ve made it look as bad as possible, and I read somewhere they always highlight the negatives. I saw something where others shared pictures of the same place taken at the same time they were away and it was very different. I can’t find the link or it might have been on TikTok but it was the same beach the day before and day after their photos apparently.

I've been to the Maldives in December and had a great time with mixed weather. I’ve been on plenty of holidays where the weather has been less than ideas but still had an amazing time.

Canyoudigityesyoucan · 29/12/2023 17:55

Get Instagram and find your resort or location and check guests stories/posts from there so you can see how it looks.

theres no way even with bad weather I’d cancel a Maldives holiday, with my husband!

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 29/12/2023 17:58

ChimneyPot · 29/12/2023 17:00

The money we would get back if we cancel would pay for an alternative holiday just not as fabulous as the one in the Maldives.

It would never have occurred to me to cancel but there was an article in the paper about some bloggers who went to the Maldives in December and it was solidly cloudy and wet.
Excuse the DM link https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12904133/amp/Travek-bloggers-Maldives-rain-Instagram.html

Show quote history

Sod the weather, just look at that broken plastic furniture and the sad little heart arch.

10 Grand for that?

Madness.

NetballHoop · 29/12/2023 18:00

We're divers so the rain wouldn't bother us but even when we've been there in the rainy season, there was still plenty of sunshine.

I wouldn't take teenaged children though as there's not much for them to do.

369damnshesfine · 29/12/2023 18:16

It sounds like you want quite a lazy holiday anyway and so if it was me I would go and enjoy the laziness.

A bit of bad weather wouldn’t bother me.

I would feel upset if I wanted the sun but there’s no way I’d throw away half of the money.

Didley · 29/12/2023 18:27

Just go. What island are you visiting? I went February 2019 absolutely loved it saving to go again. Ignore the newspaper article it will still be warm. Also you can snorkel in the rain.

Lordofmyflies · 29/12/2023 19:26

I'd go because of losing the money! We went 18 months ago and had some rain at some point throughout the day every day but we went in July due to school holidays and expected. The rain lasted 1-2hrs max and then brightened up. We were more disrupted by the wind which can stir up the sea and make visibility poor for diving and snorkelling but because we had 2 weeks, we were able to shuffle our days.

firsttimemum1212 · 29/12/2023 19:41

ChimneyPot · 29/12/2023 17:00

The money we would get back if we cancel would pay for an alternative holiday just not as fabulous as the one in the Maldives.

It would never have occurred to me to cancel but there was an article in the paper about some bloggers who went to the Maldives in December and it was solidly cloudy and wet.
Excuse the DM link https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12904133/amp/Travek-bloggers-Maldives-rain-Instagram.html

Show quote history

I go to the Maldives at least once a year. Only ONCE did we have bad weather and it was still lovely.

This couple in the article did it cheaply. They went to a locals island (alcohol also not allowed as Muslim). They did it badly and are also idiots, looking at their TikTok shows how fame hungry they are.

Provided you have a great hotel, rain or shine it will be amazing. The weather changes DRAMATICALLY though and quickly, so even when it rained for us we had spurts of blistering heat and blue skies before the next downpour.

Dont cancel!!

savvy7 · 30/12/2023 08:42

You must be mad to consider cancelling.

Lovethatforyouhun · 30/12/2023 09:20

Don’t believe a DM article about some fame hungry tossers out for insta clout.

We got back last week, a few showers through while we were there, but they clear quickly.
Didn't impact the holiday or snorkelling at all.
Definitely more changeable than previous years in December, but nothing major and certainly not worth cancelling over. Enjoy!

EasternStandard · 30/12/2023 09:22

Lovethatforyouhun · 30/12/2023 09:20

Don’t believe a DM article about some fame hungry tossers out for insta clout.

We got back last week, a few showers through while we were there, but they clear quickly.
Didn't impact the holiday or snorkelling at all.
Definitely more changeable than previous years in December, but nothing major and certainly not worth cancelling over. Enjoy!

I’d go with this over DM IG couple op

regularmumnotacoolmum · 30/12/2023 09:25

Definitely still go!!! Firstly, ignore the weather app! They're very inaccurate for the Maldives. Our app told us it was raining the entire time we were there but we had glorious skies and an hour of rain during our 8 nights there. Even if it does rain, it's often short lived! The weather varies from resort to resort. A lot of activities such as snorkelling aren't affected by rain either and the resort facilities will also likely be fantastic. There are lots of Maldives groups on Facebook worth joining for advice too but I would definitely not cancel if it was me!!

Lovethatforyouhun · 30/12/2023 09:28

*through the week

We were in the South baa atoll if that helps. And every day Apple weather said peeing it down, so I get your worry but it was great.

PurBal · 30/12/2023 09:37

I used to live in a tropical country. Rainy season is relative. It’s definitely not worth cancelling over.

thaisweetchill · 30/12/2023 09:51

I'm currently in Tenerife and it was 35 degrees yesterday. It's beautiful here.

Express0 · 30/12/2023 09:59

When I was there the weather app said something completely different to the actual weather.

AsACloud · 30/12/2023 10:07

Hi OP. Myself & DP due to go in a months time and I’ve been worrying about the weather this week too! We specifically booked end of Jan so we were there in the non rainy season as this is our first (& only!) time in the Maldives and celebrating a big birthday. I thought the rain I kept seeing on the forecast was the expected downpour you get that clears and rest of day is lovely but when I looked more, it seemed the weather was worse and I then saw that article too on the DM. I don’t mind rain but DP hates bad weather on hols & it’s a lot of money for such a trip but I was more worried that the sea/snorkelling etc would be cloudy etc due to the bad weather. I checked Trip and wasn’t seeing any comments these weeks about weather impacting their hols and I’m heartened that 2 people replied to you so far to say they’re just back & weather ok.

PinkPondQueen · 30/12/2023 10:25

I would absolutely cancel - i've had expensive holidays ruined by rubbish weather and it's just heart-breaking. Every forecast says the same thing which is very unusual so I think you are pretty much guaranteed poor weather. For somewhere like the Maldives you need sunshine, there's just no point otherwise imo. Try an upscale resort on the West coast of Thailand or the Caribbean instead.

Original poster
ChimneyPot · 30/12/2023 10:33

I feel reassured now. Especially by @Lovethatforyouhun

We are going to the South Ari Atoll. We were there once before. It was over New Year a few years back as a family holiday and barely saw a cloud for the whole week, so clouds and rain hadn’t entered by mind until I saw that article and then all the grey skys on the webcams.
It is a 5 star hotel but it is a no shoes/ no news place. Every building is a beach hut and apart from great food and the spa everything is very water/beach based.

We’ll pack a rain coats because we will need them to get to restaurants and the spa but apart from that I will go back to dreaming of sandy beaches and snorkelling and worrying about fitting my holiday clothes after all the Christmas food.
And I will tell DH to stop suggesting alternatives that are not weather dependent.

OP posts:
fuckssaaaaake · 30/12/2023 10:46

Noooo don't cancel. When we went it said rain every day and it rained for 30 mins a day, if that

AsACloud · 30/12/2023 11:53

Have a fab trip OP! Would love it if you came back & let us know how it’s going & how the weather is 😅

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