Maldives beaches are perfect to relax or sun bathe. But, are they all you can do? Relaxing by the beach and sun bathing are the most common things tourists can do in the Maldives. Even if you are on a budget holiday or a luxury resort you can do that. Budget holiday means you are staying in a guest house located in one of the 200 local residential islands, they have dedicated beach for tourists where you can do sun bathing in bikini. Public beach in local islands prohibit bikini as Maldives is a Muslim country. Local residents do not live in resorts, only staff and guests stay there. So, it is normal that guests relax on the beach and sun bathe at different locations including poolside. What else is there do in the Maldives?
- If you are staying in a luxury resort you can start activities within your villa itself. Remember that you have invested a huge amount of money in your holiday and you have to make use of the services and facilities you are accessible. In luxury resorts the villas are usually designed with high privacy features such as private pool, jacuzzi, swing, day bed, private beach etc. Do not rush to other common facilities on the island. Take time to enjoy facilities located in the villa before attempting to try other experiences.
- You may have never tried fishing or may not thought of it. But, it is one of the most favourite activities among the tourists. Almost all resorts offer this excursion, usually called Night Fishing or Sunset Fishing. A local wooden boat departs before sunset and anchors at a reef during the day light. When night falls it is the best time to catch fish. Depending on the boat size there may be about 10 – 15 guests, each guest gets reels for fishing and crew helps you with bait. You can drop the line down gently and await for bites. When you have a fish on the line it gives tremendous joy. The activity last for about an hour or two. When you get back to the resort the staff often gives you option to cook any if fish you may have caught. Some resorts offer to for free while others charge a cooking fee. Velaa resort offers Big Game Fishing in which you can expect to catch huge sailfish, wahoo and more. Noonu Atoll is popular for sailfish.
- Snorkeling or scuba diving should not be missed when your spending time in the Maldives. The beaches are impressive and it is timeless to be there. But, there is more to discover and embrace. Sea life is rich in the Maldives and most of the resorts come with a house reef that is easily accessible. In many cases the arrival jetty or the supply jetty would be ideal spots to jump off and start snorkeling. But, attention has to be paid for boat movements as these are places frequented by boats. If you are not a strong swimmer you should not attempt this and always get an activity organized from Watersports Centre who can provide you a guide. Even if you can swim you have to understand the conditions such as current and waves. Conditions at different locations of the island often differ and it could change quickly while you are snorkeling. Scuba diving requires a license. For beginners there is a Bubblemaker introductory session in which the depths are very safe and you get to accompany dedicated Dive Master for safety reasons. There are tourists arriving Maldives just for snorkeling or diving. Diving addicts often do the activity everyday and they explore different reefs as it is common to have dozens of dive sites near each resort. Addictive divers often don’t spend much time in room, they usually book cheaper category to save money and spend the savings on scuba diving. In the evening they often gather with fellow divers and chat in the bars and share the fun. There some resorts that are very popular among the divers and these resorts usually offer a cheap All Inclusive Plan which tourists enjoy in the evenings.
- Many resorts offer a collection of inland sports. These activities often include ping-pong, beach volley, football, tennis, badminton, dart. As you can see some of these activities require a team for playing. It would be awkward if you have to talk to other guests when you wanted to play valley ball. Resorts usually understand this aspect and there are dedicated staff to lead this kind of sports. When there are no guests interested the staff often plays on the beach. When you see them playing you can just join in and you tend to come there next day. Beach valley usually happens like that. Tennis or badminton can be enjoyed as couple. Some resorts require that you prebook it in advance or pay a small fee for lighting at night. If you love pool parties there may be one scheduled for one of the days in the week. In reception there should be a schedule of all activities. If you like football consider booking Kuramathi Island Resort.
- Water-based sports are more common in the Maldives than land. Jet Ski riding is something very popular. Usually for around $100 – $150 you can get a session. Luxury resorts such as Velaa Private Island, Waldorf Astoria Maldives, Cheval Blanc Randheli, Ritz Carlton or One & Only are considered ultraluxury resorts and prices are usually higher compared to general 5 star resorts. Quality of facilities are also better in luxury islands. They frequently change equipment and let guests enjoy jets that are very new in condition. Jet Skis can be used for several years with proper maintenance. But, luxury resorts may only use it for an year or two, then they sell out for cheaper tourist resorts to keep new equipment.
- Very few resorts offer tourist submarine experience. Velaa Private Island has a mini-submarine that can dive upto 30 metres. The resort has been operating the submarine for many years. Despite submarines capability to go deeper the operator may only go down upto 15 metres or less. Even few metres down gives you good visibility. At rich reefs there can be plenty of fish around, it is a timeless activity that keep you going again and again. Submarine experience is idea for guests who do not feel comfortable in snorkeling or diving. Another advantage is that children can also join the trip. So, you can enjoy a family event under the sea.
- Golf is an activity that is common among the luxury travelers. Maldives is a luxury destination. But, golf pitches are very rare. Resorts are often small in size and very little space is empty after building villas, restaurants, staff accommodation and other facilities. This may be one of the reasons the golf is rare in Maldives. Among the budget resorts there is Kuredu if you plant to play golf. If you can afford top luxury you should be looking at Velaa Private Island, this could be the best gold pitch in the country.
Maldives Finest is a luxury travel specialist that offers to enhance holidays with facilities and services that are not available in Velaa. For example, they offer dinner in the underwater restaurant that is located in Hurawalhi Island Resort. They also offer luxury yacht trips for cruising or overnight stay. You can also have the yacht trip combined with the underwater dining experience. Getting to Huwalhi by takes about an hour by luxury yacht, speedboat is faster and more affordable if you want that option. These enhancements are available when you book Maldives Finest. The agent also offers such additional service for stays in other resorts. For a double experience the agent recommends staying in 2 different resorts which they can arrange. For example 5 nights in Velaa Private Island and another 5 nights in Soneva Jani or Nautilus Private Island in Baa Atoll. Transfer between the two islands are either by speedboat or luxury yacht. Alternatively you can also opt to stay closer to the main Velana International Airport. There some top resorts in close proximity and it takes speed transfer to get there. For example the Sheraton Maldives takes only 20 minutes and it is a five star resort that is known to coral adaptation. The house at Sheraton rich with different species of fish, one of the popular spots in the area is the channel near this island.