Around the world

We first heard about Plumeria while looking for a resort online, and were surprised by the incredible deals. It's on a small local island, Thinadhoo, in Vaavu Atoll, an atoll that Maldivians affectionately call Wow atoll. And for good reason!

There are multiple excursions and incredible experiences awaiting. From swimming with nurse sharks, to swimming and freediving in the picture perfect Keyodhoo wreck (also known as the Vaavu shipwreck), this atoll has everything.

If you do come here though, stay at one of the best accommodation options for a local island in the Maldives, Plumeria. They are by far the best hotel around. The location is unbeatable, on a beautiful stretch of sand, there's a huge bikini area, the management is pretty dynamic and has lots of fun and free activities ongoing, and very well priced excursions.

Rooms are spacious and have very good amenities, on par with a four star hotel. There is a billiard, several ping pong tables, a small pool, a fitness center and a spa and many places to relax by the beach. The staff are kind and caring, the food is very tasty, with varied options and the buffet has enough to satisfy even the most fussy tourists. The crowd is mixed, Europeans, Asians and Maldivians alike, and it's a very harmonious setting. 

They have an in-house dive center that is very good, as well as other water activities to keep you busy and fit.

We've come here 3 times, with friends and family and we've made incredible memories.

You arrive here by speedboat, Plumeria have their own arrival desk at the airport and an impressive number of comfortable speedboats that make the 1h20 min ride a breeze. Upon arrival you are greeted by the staff, a fresh juice in hand and the wifi codes.

Ease of travel, cheap prices, cool backpacker vibe, that's why Maafushi attracts many travellers of all ages. Located in South Male atoll, at around 35min speedboat ride, the island is the undisputed center of independant local tourism.

You can expect a wide range of activities and excursions at unbeatable prices, including many in other atolls - such as swimming with the nurse sharks in Vaavu Atoll or going to Ari Atoll to swim with the whale sharks. There are plenty of hotels who organize these excursions and there are also all sorts of water sports around the (crowded) bikini beach. 

We had anticipated the crowds, and nevertheless enjoyed our time in Maafushi. There are restaurants offering different sorts of cuisine, with top notch service. There are hotel chains - the kind you expect with tower building - and a few smaller establishments, around the beach area.

Apart from the water activities, diving and excursions there is not much to do. Given the number of tourists, there are 'safari boats' parked in the harbor where you could go for a 'offshore' alcoholic drink and party if there are fun people around.

Tips: There are 2 unmissable dive sites around Maafushi, Kandooma Thila and Kuda Giri Wreck. Both are for advanced divers.

We stayed at Triton Beach hotel, that has a small pool.

No, this island/atoll in the South of the Maldives is not one for honeymooners. Fuvamulah is about 1.5 hours by plane from Male's International Airport. Fuvamulah is a standalone island in the middle of the Idian Ocean. It is large, both in terms of population and area (for the Maldives standard) and has surprisingly lots to offer; including 2 fresh water lakes, a black sand beach - and lots of unpredictable currents. 

People come here to dive with large marine creatures including pelagic mantas, thresher sharks, hammerhead sharks, and of course, the unmissable notorious tiger sharks. Divers from all over the world come here to dive with the tiger sharks at a shallow depth, in a location where they are fed and divers are positioned in a circle all around the feeding place, the sharks come and go for up to 45 minutes. 

The island does not have a bikini beach, but many restaurants and hotels scattered accross the island. This is the only place where we had to rent a scooter to navigate the island, considering the distances are not easily walkable. There are plenty of fresh fruits and the inhabitants are very proud of their local produce. There's also a lot of fishing as in most other parts of the Maldives. 

We came here to dive with tiger sharks. Ticked it off the bucket list. The tiger shark dive is more expensive than other dives as all dive centers have allocated time slots to bring their clients and it's relatively well managed. It is a nice experience overall but we found the other dives disappointing, here's why:

- Most divers are in the pursuit of thrilling experiences and what to see the rather big animals (sharks mostly - and there are many species in the waters around Fuvamulah), rather than the beautiful coral gardens and abundant fishlife. The dive centers offer mostly dives 'in the blue' where it's a hit or miss. You wake up early, with the chance to encounter some hammerheads for example, and you end up swimming in blue waters, with sometimes a jelly fish or two and the shadow of a shark in the distance.

- And when you don't see anything, you go deeper than the limit - in the Maldives the legal limit is 30m, but you end up doing as everyone else, and spending your time on deco, watching your dive computer. It can be of course thrilling when you end up seeing what you came for, but that's not my idea of fun, when it becomes the regular practice.

- The currents around Fuvamulah can be tricky, especially around Plateau, a famous diving place. This means the currents can bring you deeper than you had originally planned, or push you up to the surface unexpectedly. And in some places you have to fin hard. 

- There are beautiful dive sites, with lots of nudis, beautiful corals, magnificent fish life left untouched, but you kind of have to beg the dive centers to program a dive at those places where you can actually enjoy.

- Tiger sharks come here as they are opportunistic feeders, and lazy hunters. Most of the repertoriated individulas are migrating pregnant females, and there are said to be about 300 different tiger sharks that have passed through the atoll. During the feeding session you can see as many as 12 individuals pass by. They are also sees in some of the dives in the blue, and even in the port entrance. This abundance of tiger sharks means that other shy species are harder to find and move away.

Tips: When you do the Tiger Shark dive, take extra weight as there is a surge current and you want to hang on to something on the reef for the whole dive. Some centers charge as much as 90$ for this dive. Residents pay less.

We stayed at the Tiger Shark Residence, a decent place with very good food and a nice pool for relaxing in the afternoons.

Maldivian Airlines flies to Fuvamulah and the flights at the time were only at night or early morning. 

We dived with Fuvamulah Dive School and they are knowledgeable and have a marine biologist in their team.

In southern Ari Atoll, there are 2 local islands that receive a lot of visitors, Dhigurah and Dangethi. A different vibe from its neighbor, Dangethi island is less touristy, but has a growing number of guesthouses. It is the capital of South Ari Atoll (also known as Alif Daal Atoll). About 1000 people inhabit the island and there is usual low key economic activity.

The bikini beach is nice and calm, and a bit far from most guesthouses. But not to worry, there is shade and a few guesthouses have a small swimming pool where you can splash. The house reef is nice and offers a good snorkeling experience; currents can be strong at the drop-off so make sure you are with someone.

Surprisingly there are a few good restaurants by the beach where you can get a good maldivian or mainstream meal. Expect to wait at least 25 minutes after you order at most places. 

You can access the famous whale shark point within a 20 minute boat ride. Prices for excursions here tend to be cheaper than in Dhigurah. Diving in spots close to the island is a highlight and there are a few dive centers. Having used Scuba Divine, I highly recommend them for their professionalism, prices and general mood. Our 3 kids have also done the discover scuba dive with them and enjoyed it a lot. 

We stayed at La Perla guesthouse, that offers good accommodation, a nice pool, but rather average food. They also have 2 bicycles that you can borrow for a tour of the island. Search for the amazing banyan trees, there are 2 big ones where the island council unites every now and then.

Dangethi is best accessed by boat from Male or the airport. It takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes. The speedboat is called Erwina and you can call or message them on +9607602050. Prices are around 40$ per way per person. Travel by plane is also possible via Maamigili with Flyme or Manta Air.

A part of the Maldivian travel concept is based on the Robinson Crusoe story. Long beaches, a small jungle and a neverending ocean. Dhigurah island conveys that sense of solitude and beauty. In Divehi, Dhigurah means 'long island' and it is definitely one of the longest stretches of uninterrupted beach in the archipelago. With a local population of around 600, it is a charming island with a growing number of guesthouses.

 There are small swooshy waves and the sand is fine on all the beaches. It entertains that honeymoon feel of doing nothing and offers multiple opportunities for walks on the beach or in the shade, crossing the lush mangrove forest to the tip of the island. The coast is a neverending sand bank, with clear waters and in low tide you could almost cross to the luxurious resort nearby. The currents can be strong though and it's better to be aware when crossing to the next stretch of sand.

It's a perfect island for relaxing if that's all you want to do. However, if you want to dive or to snorkel, the island is ideally located. Digurah is on the eastern side of South Ari Atoll, one of the best destinations to see whale sharks all year round, although the high season is from May to September. These gentle giants grow up to 12 meters and can be observed close to the surface in some areas, and you can take excursions to swim with them. It is one of the most memorable experiences to be had. Between December and April, you could also dive with manta rays at multiple sites.

You can reach Dhigurah by speedboat, it takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes and there are 2 transfers per day from Male or the airport. The speedboat is called Erwina and you can call or message them on +9607602050. Prices are around 40$ per way per person. 

Transfers by local airlines are also possible to Maamigili airport with FlyMe or Manta Air. You would then need to have a 20 minute speedboat ride to Dhigurah.

The bikini beach offers some shady areas and some guesthouses have sunbeds and umbrellas.

Very close to the bikini beach is Dhiguvelhi hotel, that has beautiful rooms and a very good restaurant by local island standards including one of the best breakfast buffets we've had anywhere. 

Unlike in other islands, dive centers on Dhigurah have regulated dive prices and most of them offer the same type of packages, but you will only be able to use the dive center/ excursion operator that is affiliated with your hotel.  

One of the things that made it to my bucket list when I came here is swimming in a lagoon surrounded by manta rays. And there's one place to do that without having to go scuba diving: Hanifaru bay, off Dharavandhoo in Baa Atoll. 

There are many places to see mantas in the Maldives while diving, whether in so called 'cleaning stations' or in some favored 'manta points.

So what's so special about this place? Hanifaru bay is a UNESCO Biosphere reserve. During the season from June to October, sometimes even November, huge numbers of manta rays travel to areas rich in plancton and they do so quite close to the surface. Hanifaru bay is, well, a bay that has a small opening and is rich in plancton that mantas adore and the plancton kind of gets trapped in that lagoon. At one point you can have anywhere from 20 to 150 or 200 majestic manta rays dancing around you. This is a protected marine area, meaning that fishing, diving and spearfishing are forbidden, and visits for the mantas as well as boat traffic in the area is regulated and monitored.

We went there in September and were enchanted to see all the mantas, but we were delighted to have as a bonus 3 whale sharks in the bay, we could get close and observe these incredible creatures for a bit more than one hour. Swimming around, freediving, chasing the mantas, loosing your group, searching for the group, someone shouting whale, then another chase. Unlike some sting rays, mantas are completely harmless, so are whale sharks.

How to get there: Baa Atoll is on the north western side of the Maldives. The easiest and fastest is by local airplane to Dharavandhoo (we took Manta air and it's good service and timings but Maldivian airlines goes there too), it's also the closest local island to Hanifaru bay. Of course, you can also access the bay from a multitude of nearby resorts that offer this as an excursion, but it is likely to cost you around 150-200$ per person as opposed to about 50$-70$ per person from a local island (this includes 35$ for the entrance fee of the marine protected area). Resorts offer the option of going by seaplane, and weather permitting, you could see the mantas from the air.

Where to stay: Closest and most convenient option is to land in Dharavandhoo. There I would recommend to stay at Aveyla guesthouse, a charming divers hotel, directly on the beach with good food and their own boat that takes you to the bay. Of course you can also enjoy diving there, spending quality time at the beach or island hopping.

If you opt for a nearby resort, some of the most affordable ones are Reethi Beach and Kihaa Maldives. 

When you plan your trip, and if you can, note that some of the busiest most wonderful days in the bay are those close to the full moon or new moon. That's when nature thrives and mantas are on a full moon party. 

After quarantine, this was our first trip to a local island, right after inter-island travel was allowed. It is so quiet as compared to other islands. A small school, a mosque, a dive center, fishermen and not much going on. 

Fulidhoo is the first island on Vaavu, and the first stop of the speedboat service in the atoll, an hour and 20 minutes from Male or the airport. There are a few guesthouses, some new, some with a bit more charm than others. Most offer decent accommodation, albeit on the pricey side as compared to other local islands. You come here for the diving, the beautiful reef, and the nice excursions.

Don't come here for the beach. The bikini beach is far from the guesthouses, in a corner right by a trash dump. Although you don't necessarily see the trash if you don't go look for it, the trash is burnt at least once a day and the smoke and smells will reach the beach...

The beach is of course accessible on multiple locations on the island, sometimes with a proper shore, but bear in mind you will need to wear conservative swimming outfits (men can manage without a t-shirt, but maldivian men do wear t-shirts or rashguards). 

Dive sites accessible from here are amazing, and the staff at the dive center are very helpful and accommodating. Many of the excursions offered here are more expensive than elsewhere is Vaavu, I would recommend the ones that are typical of this atoll: Swimming with nurse sharks - an incredible experience; and snorkeling/ freediving at the Keyodhoo shipwreck. Other excursions like whaleshark snorkeling are a hit or miss, and you will probably see dolphins on one of the boat trips. 

Tips:

We stayed at Seena Inn: A family room was around 150$, the food is ok but takes a long time, better put an order before. 

Fulidhoo dive offers reasonably priced dives and courses. Ali and his team are excellent and very kind and customer-oriented. @fulidhoo_dive_maldives

Excursions here are more expensive (about 50$ per trip) than in other islands like Maafushi or Thinadhoo, although closer to the action. 

For the speedboat transfer: The company is called Dreamspeed- phone number +960 7 948865. They depart everyday from the airport at 10am and from Fulidhoo around 1pm. The ride is around 30$ one way. 

Choosing to travel locally has quite a few advantages, and it's now possible after the country completely opened to tourists. It's one way to discover the 'real' Maldives, interact with locals, eat traditional foods, and have a completely different experience than a resort holiday. The biggest advantage is that your whole holidays will cost you much less. The accommodation, food but also the activities and your transfer to the local island are priced reasonably and you will end up doing much more than suntanning and beach volleyball. 

Choose your island well:

- Make sure there is a bikini beach or tourist beach on the island (if this is important to you). Hulhumale, for example the island where we live, and where the international airport is located, does not have one, but tourists can still swim, surf, rent a kayak in surf clothes or just a short and a top or rashguard.

- Depending on what is on your bucket list, there are islands that are more appropriate than others.

For example, if you want to surf and it is during the surf season, then definitely head to Thulusdhoo in North Male Atoll. If what makes you happy is to swim with a whale shark, better go to Ari Atoll. If you dream of swimming with mantas like in those videos you have seen, make sure you go to Dharavandhoo or other islands in Baa Atoll at the right season. If you like diving and want to look for nemo or larger friends, take a trip to Vaavu Atoll or to Ari Atoll. If diving with tiger sharks is your thing, take a plane to Fuvamulah. If you want to do a bit of all the above and party on boats, go to Maafushi. Every island has a vibe and its crowd. 

Wherever you end up going, you will not be far from a beach. Most islands in the Maldives are tiny and can be explored by foot. On bigger islands like Fuvamulah or Hulhumale, you can rent a scooter.

It is also possible to do some island hopping if you plan on staying longer than 5 days. 

- Once you know what you want to do and select your island, verify how to get there (plane or boat) and select a guesthouse/ hotel.

There are two possibilities for local stays. These include staying at a guesthouse - a small place with a few rooms managed by a family or a hotel. Depending on the island, you will find a few of both options. On some islands, the tourist beach is on the tip of the island and can be a few minutes walk from your hotel. Best is to select an island where the tourist beach is in front or close to the hotel (there are many). Although the vast majority of islands have picture perfect beaches and palm trees, not many have coral reefs to explore right by the shore. Some hotels have swimming pools where you can swim/ suntan in bikini, though most islands will have at most one hotel with a swimming pool. 

What kind of activities to expect:

Almost everywhere, there will be a at least one diving center and a watersports center where you can rent a kayak/ SUP, surf boards, jet ski and do some fun things. Your hotel will likely organize or hook you up with a thrid party for excursions of all sorts: snorkeling trips, swimming with nurse sharks, visit to a sandbank, dolphin cruise, fishing trips and the like. Prices here can be rarely negotiated, but it will be much much cheaper than in a resort. 

Alcohol is prohibited on all local islands but if you find yourself in Maafushi or Hulhumale in desperate need for a drink, there is still the possibility to go on a 'safari boat', typically boats that are stationed in the harbour where you can order anything you want, including food, provided that you consume it on the boat. 

Don't forget to get a good book, sunscreen and your snorkeling gear. Towels and sunchairs are usually provided on the bikini beach for free. 

Check out upcoming posts for a detailed account of each of the local islands we visited so far. 

To find out if your hotel is on a local island or if it is a resort on a private island, the best is to check on Google maps. Typically the name of the resort would be that of the island and there would be only facilities of the hotel such as restaurants, sports courts and pools, in contrast with a local island that would have a number of hotels, schools, mosques, shops, etc.

If ultimately you prefer to visit a resort in the Maldives rather than the country itself - reference here to my previous post about which type of holiday you are seeking - there are a number of criteria to take into consideration. 

- How to get there 

In my opinion, and according to my criteria, this is the most important. Some resorts are located in the atolls that are far from the international airpot island and are reachable only by plane or seaplane. Once your flight arrives to the Maldives you will then have to wait and check in to another flight in the domestic terminal. Although local planes and domestic flights tend to be on time, seaplanes are almost never on time. The seaplanes are typically chartered by the resort and they receive guests from multiple flights, so chances are, if you are lucky, you are waiting for other international arrivals (if they are on time); if you are unlucky, you may also have to wait for the weather to clear so that the seaplane can depart. 

If you factor in the number of hours on the plane to get to the Maldives, then the wait and time spent (not to mention the money) on yet another flight, it may seem like, to get to paradise, you have to go through hell. Given the wide variety of resorts, there will always be one that fits your requirements, and can be reachable by speedboat.

Of course, if you dream of taking a seaplane, by all means choose a far away resort reachable by seaplane. When the skies are clear the views from the air are breathtaking.

Typically the atolls that are reacheable by speedboat are North Male Atoll, South Male Atoll, Ari atoll, Vaavu Atoll. When you go via speedboat, this may still involve a wait for other passengers but typically not more than 30 minutes.

- Budget

Resorts prices are very much linked to the number of stars of the hotel itself, but also the facilities. Read the reviews. If the prices are ridiculously cheap it's more likely to be a hotel on a local island. If it's outrageously expensive, it's definitely a resort. There are plenty of reasonably priced 4 and 5 star hotels. One thing to navigate and understand is the package you are paying for.

These can be the typical bed and breakfast you can get anywhere else. If you choose this option, bear in mind that once there, all you can get on the island also comes with an additional pricetag, including drinks, a pizza and a snorkeling trip. There would be no other independent service providers on the resort island. 

Some resorts offer half board, and full board options. Here the trick is to find out if that includes drinks, more importantly alcoholic drinks during meals. 

The best option is All-inclusive which most of the times includes 3 meals with possible snacks, alcoholic drinks and some activities/ excursions and entertainment options.

Other versions can be Premium all-inclusive or Ultra all-inclusive meaning you would probably have nothing else to pay except the occasional souvenir or your spa treatment.

- When to travel

You will notice that there might be huge differences in prices depending on the time of your travel. Note that the weather can be rainy or really bad during the rainy season, except from January to March where you're almost guaranteed good weather. So if you're willing to pay big bucks, check the weather. It is low season for a reason. Watch out though, December has high season prices, but the weather can be stormy. 

- Facilities and services

For those who are not on a honeymoon and have trouble staying still in the sun with a good book by the beach, a secluded island can become a nightmare, especially if you're easily bored. It might surprise you, and very few people will tell you that, but beyond the pristine beaches, fancy hotel rooms and plush buffets, there may be nothing else to do.

To avoid this, better is to figure out what type of entertainment your resort offers and many of the all inclusive hotels offer a myriad of activities to keep you busy and fit: yoga, a fitness room, snorkeling trips once or twice a day, pool games, a catamaran you can take sailing, some have tennis or golf courts, most have volleyball on the beach. 

If you are coming with family, the best all inclusive resorts also have kids club to keep your young ones entertained; Club Med Kani and Kuramathi are among the best value for money if you want to enjoy the beach, have time for yourself and keep fit.

We moved to the Maldives in 2020, that's right in the middle of the pandemic. I remember seeing that airplane screen with the map, and thinking: the plane will land in the ocean! These numerous and tiny islands were to become our home for the coming years. It was, and still is the perfect spot to be; there were anyway no cultural events, cinemas or shopping malls here, so no frustration, and the ocean is vast. 

As we discovered the country and added the word 'atoll' to our vocabulary, I noticed how little we knew about the Maldives before landing in the ocean. A country quite known for pristine beaches, incredible diving and luxurious honeymoons. There are a lot of ways to travel the Maldives and the aim of this post is to provide a bit of guidance to those thinking of coming, and what they should know before selecting a hotel on Booking or TripAdvisor. 

• In the Maldives there are roughly 1200 islands spread across 20 atolls (or group of islands). The large majority of international flights land in Male, the capital, in North Male Atoll. From here you will most likely take a speedboat, another flight or a seaplane to get to your destination. Very few people come to the Maldives to discover its crowded capital.
  
  
• Of the 1200 islands, there are 187 that are inhabited by Maldivians and about 160 resorts. When you're just looking to book a hotel, the websites don't tell you weather the hotel you're selecting is on a resort island or a local island, and this information is very important depending on the travel experience you are seeking.

The list of differences between travelling to a local island and a resort is long, but essentially, there are 3 ways to travel the Maldives and this is what you need to know when you book your stay:

1. A resort is usually an island that is totally occupied by the hotel - meaning that everyone there apart from staff is likely a tourist, on a honeymoon or otherwise. The only Maldivians you will meet here are staff and sometimes guests. There is no authentic cultural experience apart from the shows that the hotel put on once a week, and the occasional mas huni - maldivian breakfast made with tuna. The prices can be exhorbitant or somewhat reasonable depending on the level of luxury, service and facilities are usually on par with what you pay for and you will always be close to a beach with a number of water-related activities to be paid for extra. There will be parties, one or multiple swimming pools, a spa, numerous restaurants, alcohol and beautiful couples taking selfies at sunset and at all times.
   
2. A local island is inhabited by Maldivians who are practicing Muslims and conservative. Although the beaches can be absolutely beautiful, don't expect to walk around in swimming suits and suntan anywhere. Some islands have a 'bikini beach' or 'tourist beach' that is the place where tourists can swim wearing bathing suits. Nothing prevents tourists however from bathing in shorts and surfing clothes elsewhere, like the locals do. Here, you can really see island life, fishermen, small markets, small schools and playgrounds, eat local food (that may take longer than usual to prepare), and do all sorts of activities including dolphin watching, snorkeling, diving or surfing at a fraction of the resorts price. Accommodation quality can vary depending on guesthouses and islands, but most are usually decent, though a large majority without a pool or spa. On the downside alcohol is prohibited on all local islands, for tourists and locals alike.
   
3. Another way to travel to the Maldives is through a liveaboard, that is spending your trip exploring the rich marine life. This option is clearly not for honeymooners but more for the hardcore scubadivers. There are also surfing liveaboards. These trips usually last for 1 or 2 weeks, and, with a few variations, you spend your time diving, eating and maybe once going on a local island or a sandbank for a barbecue dinner.

In the following posts I will tell you all about our experiences and share useful tips, and of course pictures.