THE HAWAII & ASIA SERIES PT14
MALDIVES
Whether you have been or not, everyone loves the Maldives and I was no different over the past 5 years!
THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD WHERE PHOTOS DON’T DO IT JUSTICE
It was never really a thought of mine to visit the Maldives on this trip until I ventured out to Sri Lanka where it just became too good an opportunity!
WHERE IS THE MALDIVES?
The Maldives & upgraded to the best villa on the island
MALDIVES
After having slept in almost every hostel in Asia I felt it could be a perfect time to enjoy some 5* luxury. So 2 days prior to my visit we made sent several emails enquiring about the cost of upgrading to a better villa but in the end we left it.
THE AIRPORT
The airport at Male is unique in that it is it’s own island and you are required to either get a boat or a seaplane to your resort. It’s amazing just walking out of the terminal and being surrounded by turquoise water. From here I knew we were in for a treat!
UPGRADE
We jumped onto the resort boat with 20 or so others and made our way to the island which wasn’t far. As a lot of people arrive on the same flight from Sri Lanka we all normally check in together. However, we were approached by one of the members of staff and asked to follow them to another room where they would break it to us that we were upgraded to the Haven Suite, the best villa on it island bar none! After our research over the past week, we knew exactly what this villa looked like but yet even our wildest expectations were blown out of the water.
The Maldives & upgraded to the best villa on the island
We were super excited and there wasn’t going to be anything to get in our way so we were swiftly put into a buggy and taken to our accommodation for the next few days.
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HAVEN SUITE
Nothing can really prepare you for the first time going past the water villas, it is truly a magical place and if that doesn’t excite you then I’m afraid not much will.
At this stage we could barely believe what was happening. We expected the Maldives to be a great experience but now we were fully aware it was going to be an experience of a lifetime!
I have never been as close to crying as the first time I walked into the villa and refused to believe any of this was happening, I’m sure the porter thought we were off our nuts.
BETTER THAN THE PHOTOS
There have been many times where I have been amazed by a new place but nothing comes close to the feeling the Maldives gave me. Do you ever see those all those incredible Instagram photos of places that you could only dream about going? Well because I’ve been to 1 or 2 I can say they aren’t always how they appear. The Maldives on the other hand, is the only place I have been (Taj Mahal aside) that not only looks too good to be true on Instagram but is also better in person.
The Maldives & upgraded to the best villa on the island
NEVER CLOSE YOUR EYES IN THE MALDIVES
The Maldives is all about relaxing. I didn’t miss a sunrise, didn’t miss a sunset and couldn’t even sit down the whole time I was there, it honestly felt like a dream the entire time.
When it comes to choosing accommodation there are countless resorts with 100s of rooms, bungalows and water villas. Again it will depend on your budget, but if you want an experience and a half then look no further than a water villa. Yes it’s a small fortune but it’s part of what makes it so special, not to mention you will want to spend most of your time in it.
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COSTLY
After asking how nice it was, people then usually go on to ask how much. I’m not going to lie, it isn’t cheap. But if you could find me a place which gave me a fraction of the buzz on half the price then I’m all for it. But until then, for me, the Maldives will remain value for money as it offers something that no other place has come close to.
The Maldives & upgraded to the best villa on the island
RATINGS….
- PEOPLE – 9/10
- BACKPACKING – 3/10
- WEATHER – 8.5/10
- SAFETY – 10/10
- THINGS TO DO – 7/10
- VALUE – 8/10
SUMMED UP….
- HIGHLIGHT – Walking into the Villa
- LOWLIGHT – N/A
- MVP – Whoever gave the upgrade!
- VISIT AGAIN – Absolutely
- RATING – 9/10
FINAL THOUGHTS
It’s not cheap I know but it’s a special place and worth all the hype and more. If you have a bucket list, make sure and put it as close to the top as possible and when you do decide to go, I can promise that you’ll never want to close your eyes!
NEXT UP
A few days boxing in Bangkok & Manila before starting The Middle East and European Series with a trip to Petra, a true wonder of the world in Jordan. Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
98/229
This post is part of The Hawaii & Asia Series, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
