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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Have you been to the Maldives

15 replies

DuffyFluckling · 15/05/2009 10:09

We're wondering about a family holiday there.

We like holidays with a little bit of beach or swimming, but also things to do (museums or temples or ruins), and nice food. We don't like places that are so touristy that you could be anywhere in the world.

We have a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old.

Would be grateful if anyone could tell me about their holiday there, and also a couple of specific questions...

Is it expensive once you're there?
Is it reasonably child friendly?
Is it very very touristy?

OP posts:

Original poster

DuffyFluckling · 15/05/2009 10:10

Forgot the question mark in my title.

?

OP posts:

janinlondon · 15/05/2009 10:38

I don't think you'll find anything much to do except swim, snorkel, dive or sail. There are only a small number of people on each island, so it isn't crowded, but it really is purely a beach holiday. Yes it can be expensive as each island has a captive market. Best is to go AI if possible.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 15/05/2009 10:51

We went to an Island called Meeru about 5 years ago.

We went all-inclusive so I don't know the answer to you 1st question re: food/drinks. Excursions were pretty pricy though as far as I can remember.

There's really not a lot for kids to do apart from play in the pool or on the beach unless you go to an island with a kids club (I guess the bigger ones might do that). Ours didn't even sell buckets and spades in the shop!

It is touristy as you're on a very small island with just staff and tourists, but it's not touristy in a plastic fantastic Blackpooly, tacky Blackpooly type way iykwim.

It's along way to go for kids of that age too.

kando · 15/05/2009 10:54

Honeymooned there and it was gorgeous. But, what jan says - there's really not much to do at all.

Original poster

DuffyFluckling · 15/05/2009 19:38

Thank you for these replies. I might think again. It sounds gorgeous, but we would probably be better off somewhere with ruins and markets and day trips and museums and stuff.

OP posts:

mumoverseas · 16/05/2009 07:11

I've been to the Maldives 3 times in the last couple of years and we have gone back to the same place (Bandos Island Resort and Spa) which is something we don't normally do but we love it there.

As others have said, it is a beach holiday, not much touristy stuff although if you go to an Island near Male there are a few small tours that you can do but they will only be a one day trip around a few sites, the mosque etc. Bandos is probably one of the closest islands to Male (only about 20 mins from there and the airport which is one reason we chose it as couldn't be arsed with long transfers with young kids)

Bandos has a little kiddy splash pool as well as two swimming pools and more importantly, a FREE kids club for kids over 8 months from around 8am to 5pm. Outside these hours they can arrange babysitting.

There is also a childrens play areas, climbing frame, swings etc outside the kids club which is nice for them in the evening or when its not too hot.

When we've gone we've gone B & B only as the evening meal on HB is buffet and quite late, think around 8pm which we feel is too late for kids. There are 3 restaurants there in addition to the HB one and two are quite reasonable although it does of course add up. One is 24 hours which is very handy with little kids.

We love it and am trying to bully/persuade DH to go there again.
HTH

Original poster

DuffyFluckling · 16/05/2009 11:06

Thank you Mumoverseas. That's really helpful.

OP posts:

rupertsabear · 04/06/2009 22:00

I went there and thought it was lovely. It's a special sort of beach - beautiful fish all over the place. Nothing else to do apart from watersports, and even walking round the island I was on didn't take more than about 15 minutes. Very relaxing though.

itchyandscratchy · 04/06/2009 22:07

My brother works on Meeru as a diving instructor. we were going to visit him there this year but there really wasn't a fat lot to do apart from the diving and aplying in the sand, which I reckoned we could do elsewhere for a lot less money.

Have you thought about Thailand? We went there for honeymoon but we've often talked about going back with the dds. Fabulous beaches but loads more to do than Maldives - cheaper too. We went to Koh Samui - lots of temples, butterfly world, elephant trails, lovely markets, boat trips, gorgeous big beaches and lovely small ones too.

notnowbernard · 04/06/2009 22:11

I've been pre-dc

Tbh, I wouldn't take my dc with me (they are 5 and 2) They'd be bored shitless

There really was nothing to do but lie in the sun, swim in the sea, read and eat

Which was absolutely idyllic but would be Hellish (for me!) with small people

ilovemydogandmrobama · 04/06/2009 22:14

We sailed around the Maldives in the North Atol. I think it was with Sunsail?

The islands are really small. Think Tescos Extra. That's how big some of the islands are. Beautiful, idyllic, great place for honeymoon, but not great for kids.

Although had to laugh when we were offered 'car hire' for a reduced price. Maybe in Male, but not on any of the islands.

funnypeculiar · 04/06/2009 22:19

We went to Meeru pre-kids too. We dive, so spent a lot of time under water (& on a blissful cruising sailing boat It was probably the loveliest holiday I've ever had (& I am not normally a lying on beach sort of a girl)

Certainly when we went (Easter hols) there were a lot of kids there (meeru was when we were there one of the cheaper islands). It is beautiful, and if your kids like beaches, I suspect they'd have a lovely time. The staff were very child-doting, and there was entertainments laid on for the kids, I think.

Food wise, we went AI, and it was a good deal - buffet style food, and you could be as boring as you liked, but they also had lots of traditional dishes/local seafood.

BUT very, very, very little in the way of anything else to do if you don't dive - Male is (imvho) a rather dull day trip.
It's not classic touristy imo - just a little beach-enclave. Tbh, sounds like it wouldn't be ideal for you.

daisysue2 · 22/06/2009 18:00

I wouldn't take my kids to the Maldives. Been there a few times myself when grandparents took children on Cornish beach holiday. We go long hall with the kids to Thailand a lot, still quite cheap once you are there. Or we go to the Caribbean now quite a bit. Grenada is our fav island. It's very safe, very cheap at the moment and the people are really very friendly. We love it and it's not too far to fly. Monarch fly and at the moment filghts are around £300 to £400. You can easily negotiate a good price on accommodation.

SusieDerkins · 22/06/2009 18:02

I loved the Maldives. However, imvho it's not a kids' holiday destination. Nowt for them to do.

pasturesnew · 22/06/2009 18:05

It's lovely but really not much to do for toddlers. We went on our honeymoon and it was full of honeymooners and felt sorry for the few toddlers we saw who looked rather hot and bored. Suppose it depends on the resort you choose though.

Yes, it is expensive once you're there as you're such a captive audience. Even water is expensive as it has to be bought bottled.

It is reasonably child friendly in that other people there are nice to kids but boring for them, as above.

I wouldn't say it was very very touristy in that you are left in peace a lot although it only exists for tourism, if you see what I mean.

I wouldn't take our toddler there, it's such a long flight and it is expensive.

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