Is it worth the long flight with two dcs to the Maldives? and will being there be boring for them

[Moomin]

Promise not taking the piss!

There is a chance we can go to the Maldives next summer as my brother is a diving instructor out there and can get friends and family rates there which are unbelievably cheap (full board). Flights will be biggest expense. We'd go for 2 weeks. There isn't a kids club there at his resort, which is fine as we wouldn;t use it anyway - there's a pool and kids are welcome. There are a number of sporty type things to do and although dd1 will be too young to scuba dive (she'll be 7) db says she can go snorkelling. Dd2 will be 3.

Do kids and the Maldives mix?

Mine would be OK because they are happy with a pool and somewhere to play.

However, it wouldn't be my choice of destination now -I'd go when they are older so dh and I can go on our own! We went on honeymoon and it was fabulous.

But if you are going to get to go at a bargain price then go for it!

Problem is I don't think db will be working there for much more than another year. He's been doing this job for 5-6 years now and he feels it's coming to the end of its shelf-life for him. so we need to get in there quick!!

Another one who honeymooned there. It was gorgeous. However dh is taking me back there for our 10 year anniversary in 2010 and we are planning one week there and one elsewhere because we think since haing children we have lost the ability to mooch around on the beach for 2 whole weeks and not do much else.

The sun is pretty intense as well which is a big consideration with small children. Our resort had very few children so other children to play with will be few and far between. Food is fab but a lot of fish, salads etc so may be a problem if you want childrens meals (pasta etc)

However if I was in your position I would be seriously tempted.

We went pre kids in the easter hols, & there were lots of young kids - basically, beach + pool + food = happy kids, no? We did go to one of the largest islands though, so you could walk round it and genuinely 'explore' - well sort of. I'd grab the chance with both hands personally. Unless you're brother would like to adopt me

my dcs will eat stuff like that. I am a tad worried about the sun as we are v.pale but db has told me it's the least intense time of year and there are possibilities of rain as it's monsoon season and so off-peak.

Boring?

They'll be fine.

go, go, go, go

Moomin when are you planning? We went first 2 weks of June, I am pale, my legs blistered badly despite suncream.

I have a friend who's been going there for the past 3 years with her dcs who are now 8,6 and 4. They love it, wouldn't go anywhere else. But I think they stay at the Hilton BECAUSE it is family-friendly.

I think what you need to ask yourself is what are you looking for out of this holiday. My image of the Maldives (from my experience) is peace, relaxation and pampering. If you want that tough. However if you want to enjoy the islands with a bit more effort to keep the children happy and compromise (as you do with any holiay once you have children) then it sounds like to good an opportunity to miss.

IT would be July or August as we'd have to go in the school hols. I'm not the pampering type really. We went to Koh Samui for your honeymoon and did plenty of dossing by the beach but also some exporing and sight-seeing. That's the problem - I really want a hol abroad next year but I'm wondering if we can go somewhere different for the same money or if I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth, as everyone raves about the Maldives.

gah, your not you're.

Snorkling close in to the islands is normally very good, btw - in a few feet of water so very safe.

I suspect our resort was at the cheap & cheerful end of the spectrum - our food was mostly buffet based and I think there would have been stuff that would have kept littlies happy.

Good point on the sunfactor, though.

We went in 2005 when my boys were 7 & 9. They had the absolute time of their lives. They were the only children on the island as the majority of people seemed to be honeymooners - so I was a bit concerned about how others would feel with children on the island - there were a few who gave the impression that it should be an adults only place - but the boys were really well behaved and amused themselves completely in the sea and sand - and there was no sunburn at all (with sensile suncream use!) (we were there in August) The sea is very shallow and calm so perfectly safe for little ones - and snorkelling is easy (they can wear lightweight life type jackets to help them)
Take the chance my boys still talk about it and by travelling long distances from a young age they have been able to cope with most things we now throw at them!!

I've been four times and it is our favourite destination. We won't be going back for a while though as DD turned 1 last weekend and it is just too far and too much aclimatisation for someone that small (our journey's are usually around 22 hours door to door). You know your kids best - would they be bored with a pool, the beach etc. Most islands have little or no entertainment during the day or evening so you'll have to make that judgment call. personally i think they'll be facinated by all the wildlife (both in the water and out of it) I know I am. I could watch the hundreds of crabs that come out around sunset on the beach all night long, plus herons fishing in the shallows, fruit bats flying overhead, rays gliding gracefully by in about 6 inches of water, the list goes on and on.

I do echo what people have said though about the sun. Even though July/ August is the wet season in the maldives, it is still very hot and can be very humid if it has rained so be prepared with lots of sun tan lotion, keep them out of the sun at the height of the day and rmember the mozzie spray as the rain will bring them out in force at that time of year. The resorts all 'fog' on a daily basis, but it doesn't get all of them!

Thanks for all replies - very useful. Hmmm Mozzies - I hate them and always react badly to bites, so that is a real issue for me. My brother just wouldn't even consider mentioning half of this stuff; he hasn't got a clue !