There are lot of factors that one
needs to consider before making an international travel plan. If you have been
considering Maldives, let me break this down for you to help you in your
planning.
1. VISA
VISA is a
critical factor that travelers tend to look at while planning for vacations.
Since the VISA process and requirements are overbearing for the first world
countries, travelers tend to choose popular tourist destinations which offer
Visa on arrival.
If your passport
has a validity of six months or more then you would be given a free VISA on
arrival for 30 days (which would be 90 days for Indian passport holders).
2. Flight Options
Maldives has an
island airport and with good air connectivity to popular airports in Asia and
Middle East. So if you are flying from elsewhere, you are likely to have at
least a one stop layover in one of these locations.
If you are an
Indian traveler, don’t be deceived by the airline ticket budget as this would
be a small fraction of your overall travel cost.
3. Attractions
Unlike other tourist destinations,
you have less touristy stuff in the form of monuments or places to visit in
Maldives. The main attraction are their resorts, most of which are located on
an exclusive island surrounded by pristine beach and sand bank. You can look at
the images below to get an idea of how beautiful the resorts are.
Also, if you love the
beach and scuba diving or snorkeling, this place is a must visit. However, if
you are looking only for water sports or sea excursions, Maldives might end up
being an expensive option.
Pro tip – Plan you stay in
such a way that you stay a few days in regular BNB hotels in Hulhumale or other
large islands if you are looking to do water sports or sea activities (scuba
diving, dolphin spotting, island hopping, submarine, etc) at lower prices –
resorts can be really expensive.
4. Budget vs Luxury
Now that we have
discussed VISA, flight options and attractions it is very important that you
factor the most important decision making factor, which is the cost of your
vacation.
The best way to
enjoy Maldives is to be lavish in choosing your resort and also loosen your
wallet when it comes to ancillary spends. This is because there are certain
experiences which are unique to Maldives and it’s a one time experience if you
were to view it so.
My recommendation
would be you reserve a trip to Maldives for later if you are planning to do a
budget trip. However, if you are still looking to put your foot on the map then
I would suggest you base yourself out of one B&B joints in the populated
islands and do day trips to the island resorts.
While this post is an easy
decision making tool for choosing to visit Maldives or not, I request you to
read my next post to understand better on how to choose the best resort in
Maldives to make your experience better.
