Planning a trip to the Maldives? Learn more about the resort shown in this video: https://youtu.be/g7elweWugYE – Find out about …

Ao and welcome back to ao world today we’ll be exploring the maldives the republic of the maldives is an island state in the indian ocean consisting of 1196 islands these islands are spread out over 871 kilometers from north to south and are formed by 26 natural atolls the islands are either inhabited by

Natives the location of hotel resorts or uninhabited the islands are only one meter above sea level and the highest natural elevation is 2.4 meters this makes the maldives particularly vulnerable to the rising sea level caused by global warming most hotel resorts occupy an entire island and therefore create a unique holiday experience

That takes place almost exclusively in one resort since 2009 there is the option for tourists to visit and stay on islands inhabited by natives these hotels are much simpler but also a lot cheaper For most the maldives are a once in a lifetime destination because due to the expensive nature of the resorts these islands are no trip for a small budget but no need to worry with our ao maldives travel guide we will make sure you’re perfectly prepared for your trip and can enjoy

Your holiday to the full extent make sure you have a valid passport before embarking on your trip injections are not necessary for visiting the maldives when packing for the maldives it is important to remember the essentials as the islands don’t offer many shopping opportunities the most important things to bring are

Some protection products such as sun cream and something to cover your head some longer clothing as you require appropriate clothing in public and of course remember to pack light summer clothes and swimsuits the maldives use english plugs so bringing a few adapters can be helpful for more details and helpful tips visit

Our website aoworld.org here you can find an example packing list that you can download you will probably arrive by plane at the airport in the capital of the maldives mali the first stop at the airport is immigration there are often very long queues at immigration so for a shorter wait time

You should fill in the immigration form on the plane and be sure to exit the aircraft quickly importing alcohol drugs and pornographic material is strictly prohibited in the maldives and they may also check your hand luggage changing money at the airport is not recommended as most resorts don’t require cash

And use u.s dollars as their currency it is a good idea however to change a few us dollars in advance which can then be used as tips usually there will be a representative of your resort waiting for you past the baggage area alternatively there are numbered booths for each travel company and resort

Further along where someone will be able to help you and show you where to go from here on you will be directly transferred to your resort depending on how close your hotel is you will either be picked up from the airport by a boat or by an island or water plane

The speedboat trips are a lot of fun but can often make people seasick the tma water airport is on the other side of the airport island you have to check in your luggage at the international airport and it will then be transported to the water airport shuttle buses then take you to your

Plane from the water airport some hotel resorts have their own lounge at the water airport where you can relax and freshen up until it’s time for your flight the water planes don’t operate by a fixed timetable but instead fly by demand the wait is usually no longer than a couple of hours

Due to the fact that the hotel runways are not lit up it’s only possible to land during the day therefore there are no flights past 5 pm or during bad weather conditions this could mean you have to stay overnight in mali make sure you plan your international

Flight in a way that you land early enough so that you can then catch your water plane if necessary the water planes are an amazing experience allowing you to fly over so many shades of blue it’s absolutely stunning you will then land in a small lagoon

Where a boat will pick you up and take you the last stretch to your hotel most likely you will spend your holiday in a resort in comparison to other holiday resorts most of your trip will be spent on one small island that can be walked around in completion in about 20 minutes

The entire resort staff also lives on the island in a separate area every island has its own island doctor and small shops in which you can purchase necessities but they mainly sell souvenirs the first important decision when it comes to accommodation is how you would like to live during your trip

If you’d prefer to live on the mainland then you can choose between a beach and a garden villa beach villas have direct access to the beach with a private beach area garden villas are located more centrally on the island depending on what you choose there are different price classes but the

Standards are always high the beach is never far away on foot being as the islands are all very small optional extras include a private pool jacuzzi an outdoor bathroom and many more If you’d prefer to live on the water then you can choose between the overwater villas and suites these are built on stilts and some stretch out very far into the lagoon these also offer various categories and extras it is important not to underestimate the sun in the maldives 10 minutes in the

Sun without protection can already cause a sunburn for light skin types the shade is perfectly sufficient for tanning especially in the overwater villas where the water reflects the sun rays sure to check the orientation of your villa when booking so that you don’t risk burning in the afternoon

Sun cream with a high factor such as 50 is the most important thing you will pack another important booking decision is the type of board you can choose between bed and breakfast half and full board or all inclusive all-inclusive is only worth it if you plan on drinking many

Cocktails or other alcoholic beverages as these are very expensive in the maldives this is also the case for minibar purchases the normal cost of a beer is between five and eight dollars for every type of board there is free drinking water in the rooms our ao team had the bed and breakfast

Option and then decided what to eat each day you can ask how much meals cost at the main restaurant beforehand most islands have a buffet restaurant and one restaurant a la carte buffet restaurants offer many different options and the opportunity to try a lot of different things

A lot of hotels also offer themed evenings such as italian or indian often there are also snacks on offer in the afternoon if you’re feeling peckish the food quality is excellent without exceptions the hotel rao team stayed at even had its own small island where the resort grew its own food

This makes the trip from farm to table very short and the food ever so fresh there was even the opportunity to visit the plantation at hydroponics during a private boat tour so what can you do all day in the maldives the maldives is the ideal place to do absolutely nothing

Relax read and simply be together however there are also a lot of cool things to do in most cases the islands will have beautiful sandy beaches that are perfect for a splash about and a swim due to the maldives being located on coral reefs you will definitely need

Beach shoes the corals are very hard and sharp which makes for a very painful experience whenever you misplace a step it is also highly illegal to take corals shells and other things found in the sea home from the maldives the beautiful underwater world of the maldives is best explored by snorkeling for snorkeling

You need a snorkel mask a snorkel and ideally fins we would advise to bring your own as it is often very expensive to rent them on the islands to preserve the already endangered underwater world you should not touch anything underwater this is also for your own safety as some

Things underwater can be very dangerous some creatures such as cone snails lionfish and murray eels can become very uncomfortable if you get too close contrary to popular belief however reef sharks are quite tame for more helpful and interesting information on the underwater world of the maldives make sure to watch our underwater special

If you plan on spending a lot of time in the water be sure to get a uv protected suit to avoid the danger of an extreme sunburn there is also the option of diving pretty much every hotel island has a dive shop that offers boat trips to all

The good dive spots in the area the underwater world in the maldives has been through a lot in the past few years but it is still a beautiful and unique thing to experience there are many small reef fish and if you’re lucky you can also see sharks turtles and larger fish As a beginner without a certificate you can do an accompanied dive doing a diving certificate in the maldives is certainly a great experience in one of the best places to dive but also one of the most expensive to find out more check out our underwater special next to swimming and snorkeling there

Are many other things to do in the water sport area the hotels have various offers including jet skis kayaks windsurfing and stand-up paddling so there’s something there for everyone to protect the underwater world and preserve the relaxed and calm atmosphere these offers are not unlimited and without restrictions

So just be sure to talk to a member of staff in advance every resort additionally offers other sporting activities outside of the water in most cases there is a gym with essential equipment which is also air conditioned if you prefer doing sport outside there are often tennis and volleyball courts jogging routes

Or the option to do yoga in the shade some resorts offer special sport and gymnastic courses for a more relaxing experience or as a reward after all the activities there’s the option to relax in the spa on offer at each resort massages are only some of the treatments they offer next to facials

Skin treatments hairdressers and nail care there is even a specific treatment on offer to take care of a sunburn if you happen to have a sunburn try and avoid strong massages or body peelings even if it’s just a slight burn the staff consists of well-qualified masseuses and beauticians

Who will go to every length to make sure your session is as comfortable as possible be sure to plan your treatments in advance and reserve in time Most resorts have a varying day and night time entertainment programme this is different for each resort the sun aqua villa reef for example offers a devil fish feeding session in the afternoon where the guests can watch and take fantastic pictures not only devil fish are attracted by

This but also reef sharks and various other sea creatures come so much closer to the beach than usual In the evenings the hotel bar has a happy hour and is the location of the evening entertainment programme afterwards there are many different things on offer from quizzes djs and live music or a traditional maldivian dance if you’re visiting the island with your better half then be sure to check out

The romantic date options that are available they may not be cheap but a private beach dinner couples photo shooting or romantic champagne cruise are memories that will certainly last a lifetime are also many day trips available the most commonly done trips are the boat trips on offer by the resorts

Whether it’s to go fishing snorkeling or a sunset cruise the captain and crew will take you to the best suited and most beautiful spots this kind of trip should be booked at least a day in advance be sure to bring enough sun cream and drinking water with you

If you’re lucky you may even be able to see dolphins while you’re out and about this is a common occurrence in the maldives especially during a sunset cruise do remember that luck is still a factor and even if you specifically book a dolphin cruise you may still end up coming back disappointed

On the other hand you can often see dolphins very close to your resort so keep your eyes peeled a very special experience is a trip to a native island our ao team visited the island of bandidoo and found out a lot of interesting facts about the maldives bandidoo has about 950 inhabitants and

Their main sources of income are fishing and the work in the resorts fishing can earn you up to 500 a week which makes it a decent way to make a living the islands have an exceptionally low crime rate and the maldivians are friendly and peaceful people walking around the island is interesting

And you learn a lot about the locals and their lifestyle but you shouldn’t expect too much of a program there are people crafting working or cooking on every corner some of the women for example make ropes out of coconuts which can then be used for roofs the houses all look different

And are often made of coral lime perhaps you will also have the opportunity to visit the capital of mali either passing through or as a day trip malia is reachable in 15 minutes by public ferry for a reasonable price from the airport island nowadays there is also a bridge between

The two islands where pickup vehicles operate a third of the maldives population lives on the main island there are over 200 000 people in only 5.7 square kilometers depending on where you go in mali it can be quite tight crowded dirty and smell bad the island is a traffic nightmare with

Thousands of motorbikes and scooters that are very hard to maneuver through and around you need to be alert when on the street and it is most certainly not ao recommended to actively participate in the traffic everything is reachable on foot and if not then there are taxis that are

Accustomed to the traffic situation and you will reach your destination safely remember to wear light but long clothing in public your clothes should cover your shoulders and knees due to the lack of tourists in mali you will be easily spotted and encouraged to enter overpriced restaurants and shops

Simply ignore these requests the best way to explore the city is by yourself without a guide guides tend to lead you to overpriced areas and tourist shops which should certainly be avoided because malay is actually not expensive the official currency in the maldives is roofia if you would like to shop in normal

Shops and markets in mali then you will need to play in local currency it is ao recommended to get out money at an atm rather than exchanging money at a booth as atms will give you a fairer exchange rate so what are the main attractions in mali

The most important site to see is the city’s symbol the grand friday mosque this mosque can hold up to 5 000 people and is the religious center of the maldives and one of the largest mosques in southern asia the mosque can be visited from 9 am to 5 pm

Outside of praying times women must cover their ankles shoulders and head one of the calmer and most beautiful places in mali is the sultan park the park is like a little oasis amid the hectic city tourists over 18 must pay the equivalent of five dollars to enter the park

The park area is very pretty and well taken care of various plants trees and green areas separate the park from the rest of the city and make for lovely shaded areas over benches a great place for a calming walk or to simply relax especially children are well cared for here with swings

A large climbing net and a play structure with a bridge and slide we definitely a recommend mosquito spray when visiting the sultan park our ao highlight was definitely the visit to the fruit market omali local market in the north of the island the atmosphere there reflects the day-to-day life and culture of the

Locals in a very special way various herbs food and especially fruit can be bought here for a small amount of money be sure to haggle with the vendors or else you could end up paying more than you should be you can also always ask to try the merchandise

Not far from here is the fish market which is also worth a short visit it’s a great place to see all the interesting types of fish on offer and watch the local people in their element but the fish market is certainly not a place for those with a weak stomach

A good spot to meet up for a short break is the republic square many pigeons reside here there’s space to move around and there is a lot going on the square is right on the shore where the presidential jetty is located on the western edge of the sultan park is the national museum

Here you can learn about the history of the maldives but you should not have too high expectations as the exhibit is rated average and quite expensive the presidential palace also known as muliaj can be found in the historical centre of mali and is an important part of maldivian history

It is a one-story colonial-style building artistically decorated and surrounded by a beautiful garden which was a wheat and vegetable plantation during the second world war saving many locals from starvation today the palace is used for important receptions and meetings you are not allowed to enter or visit

The palace but can admire the beautiful facade or have your picture taken in front of its impressive and colorful entrance gates a great place to sit and eat is the seagull cafe in the shade of some beautiful trees you can choose a nice meal from an international selection

You can also purchase delicious cakes and ice cream here this was definitely an ao favorite spot to eat due to the calming atmosphere taking you out of the hectic of the city for a moment it is very hot in malia so be sure to drink enough water to avoid dehydration

Our ao teams stayed at the sun aqua villa reef hotel when creating this travel guide if you would like to find out more about this stunning resort and the available rooms check out our hotel special if you’re curious about the underwater world and are interested in coral reefs

We have created an underwater special for you where you can find out more about the sea life fish names and do’s and don’ts when swimming in the reef thank you for joining us on this short trip to the maldives we hope you found the important information you needed

And we hope you have a fantastic time when you make it there for more information advice and tips be sure to visit our website aoworld.org here you can easily find the most important facts and advice at your fingertips the website is especially helpful for trip preparation packing and is a great companion during

Your travel so be sure to bookmark it on your phone to be part of ao world and not miss out on any new locations subscribe to our channel thanks for watching and we’ll see you in the maldives You

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