Facebook, Instagram open cheste mana celebrities andaru maldives lo chill ayye photole kanipistunay kadaa! 

Asalenti Maldives gola? Andaru akkadike enduku veltunaru? Asalu safe ye na? 

Pandemic and the Maldives! 

So lockdown end ayyaka Indians ni tourism purpose allow chestunna chala konni countries lo maldives okati.

Maldives country chala chala chinnadi. Valla economy almost 100% tourism meedhe dependent, so economy ni drushti lo petukoni Maldives tourism vaallu bubble tourism open chesaru. 

Pandemic ki mundhu Maldives ki travel cheyali ante Indians ki visa on arrival vundedhi but ippudu Maldives lo enter avvali ante land ayye 72 hours lopu chesina COVID negative test report submit cheyali. And trip ayipoyi mana country ki vachaka malli okasari test chepinchukovali. 

So basically maldives lo andaru already test chepinchukunaru kabatti it’s safe. That’s why Maldives is a mask free zone. 

Other international destinations are not allowing people for tourism purposes and even if they did, ah places safe oh kadho telidu. So anduke andaru Maldives ki veltunaru! 

Maldives has been awarded as the Destination of the year in 2020! 

Idanatha okay! But what’s the budget like? 

A little about Maldives:

The coral island nation of Maldives covers an area about 90k square km in the Indian Ocean, 99% of which is just sea leaving only 1% of the land. There are over 1000 islands ringed by reefs forming complex Atolls. One of the best nature’s wonders. 

Maldives has frequent connecting flight from Hyderabad and direct flight from Bengaluru

Last time when I checked, the prices start from INR 8000 per person one way. Airline fares can fluctuate according to the demand thought! 

Maldives can be surprisingly cheaper than you expected, it can also be damn expensive and lavishly luxurious than what you’ve ever imagined. 

Na udhesam, mana budget prakaram plan cheskovachu ani. I know places where rentals start from 3k per night ranging up to 2 lakh per night. So manakunna options entante: 

Resorts: 

Maldives lo resort stay chala common and popular. Ikkada okko island ni okko resort laga develop chesaru. As of today 120+ island resorts vunnay. 

So if you ask me what are the top 10 resorts in the Maldives, it’s difficult to say. Chala websites lo ee lists vuntay, kani prathi website lo veru veru lists vuntay.

And nenu choosina 4-5 resorts mostly kasta atu itu ga okela vunnay so the best way is, go on any booking site of your choice, mee budget and requirements filter chesi, choose cheskovatame!

The price doubles from 7k – 70k (more or less)

Liveaboards: 

Live in the sails boats, Go deep water scuba diving and so other water adventures! let the sea wind hit your hard as you sail. 

The prices average between 10-30k Per night. 

Living in Male and other local islands: 

Aanandanga gadapadaniki kavaloka Divi.. Kadaa?? Choosing to stay in Male or any other local island is the most affordable option. One more advantage is you get the local’s perspective about the country!

Male – Ee Chinna capital island city lo anni daggara daggara lone vuntay. The total city is spread across 9 km. So typically if you are staying in the centre of Male, you have supermarkets, hospitals, shopping centres, mosques and universities at a stone throw distance. The president’s house might be just a block away. 

You can choose to stay at a hotel, Airbnb or a guest house in Male and do Island hopping and other activities, with a male as the base location. 

There are 2-3 other local islands who host on Airbnb too!

Maldives travel tips and Essentials: 

Getting around: Usually ga resorts kani, Liveaboards kani airport pick up and drop arrange chestaru. Depending on the distance the transfers are via private ferries or  sea planes but daaniki separate charge chestaru. 

Also if you are staying in Male or any Local island then these private ferries can take a toll on your wallet. 

There are public ferries and speed boats, but nobody publicises them. 

Note that there is no public ferry service on Friday. But there are small private boats which give service on Friday as well. 

The public ferry boats are termed Doni or Dhoni. They are one of the oldest known sea vessels. They are mechanised after the industrial revolution but a typical Dhoni is built using coconut palm timber. 

For a more time efficient mode of transport, you can opt a speed boat. 

You can check the time table of the ferry schedules here:

Weather: Maldives is a tropical country and is warm and sunny throughout the year. The monsoon is also throughout the year. During May to October its high monsoon season with heavy rains, rough sea, strong winds and high humidity. From December to April is the low monsoon season with little rainfall, calm sea, bright sunshine and less humidity. 

Currency: Though the currency in the Maldives is Rufia, all the resorts and local stores accept dollars. I highly recommend carrying dollars before leaving for the Maldives, as the currency exchange is a little difficult after landing. Nenu Maldives lo exchange cheddam le ani Indian cash teeskelte no one was ready to exchange money in INR. Only dollars annaru. 

Kontamandi exchanges cheskuna almost half price chepparu. Edo card vundi kabbati ATM nundi withdraw cheskuna but the markup was still high. 

How to dress: Swimwear is allowed in the resort, but if you wish to visit the capital city or any islands inhabited by locals, dress modestly. Try to go in fully covered clothes as a token of respect to their local culture.

Language: Native language is Dhivehi but English is widely spoken. A few locals also speak Tamil and Sinhalese.

Safety & Medical: Just like another country keep out an eye and stay safe. 

Note that Alcohol is not allowed in public places, anywhere on the local islands even inside the guest house. It’s restricted only within the resorts that too only for foreigners. Never offer drinks to locals as they might get offended. 

Try taking a local sim if you are staying for long and though taking medical insurance is not part of the arrival process, I recommend buying it. The prices of travel insurances can be as low as INR 300-500. 

Keep the below emergency contacts handle along with the front desk of your resorts/hotel/host. 

Ambulance: 102

Coast guard: 191

Police:119

Happy Travels! 

Evaraina recent ga maldives velte do share your experiences with us in the comments below. 

You can follow me on @FlamingoDiaries on Instagram for more such travel stories!

If you wish to contribute, mail us at admin@chaibisket.com

Up next on Chai Bisket

A List of 9 Best Beaches in Gokarna & Complete Details About Them

Comments

comments