The MALDIVES blog...

Salaam!

No, you aren't expected to read everything (or even anything!). Just look at the pretty pictures and read the Summary entry below. The rest of the blurb is for family and if you're bored and looking for something to read!

Only two pictures I'm happy with from a composition / aesthetic point of view - the dhoni (boat) and the one of the jetty looking through the fringe of thatching. With some more sunlight I'm sure the colours are stunning - we got a glimpse of how pretty it *could* be. 

Shukirya!

The SUMMARY – 2.5 stars

Overall a relaxing trip – sure you can’t help the weather, that’s in the lap of the Gods – but it confirmed I prefer holidays with a bit more to do and see rather than just snorkel, eat and sleep. My final quote for the Maldives trip was "overrated and overpriced". We paid for four-star when their standard would only barely make three-star back here, seriously. 

If you paid twice as much and stayed in one of the five-star resorts then I’m sure it would have been gorgeous – but then you should also pay the five times more and go in peak season when the weather is good. Ultimately, great for honeymooners where you can stay in your room a lot and surface to see some nice scenery, before returning to your boudoir for more activities *wink* and you're not there to do anything else.

We won’t be back – partly as I want to keep exploring new places and new cultures, partly because I think we just did all the Maldives had to offer. Would I recommend it? Only if you paid the big bucks for better, and went in the better weather. I’d offer up the islands in Fiji first.

take me with you!

Musashi didn't want me to leave!

The ROOM – 2.5 stars

We paid for four-star resort accommodation - the Hudhuranfushi Resort – all refurbished since the tsunami (which apparently didn't do much at all to this island), so I was expecting things to be fresh and beautiful. You've all seen the pictures of glorious luxury and opulence that is associated with the Maldives? 

Now, don't get me wrong... I'm no high-maintenance diva, but I was disappointed to have paid a very healthy four-star price, expecting luxury, and got something that was maybe only just three-star quality back home. I've stayed in 'roach motels before, but I paid accordingly. I found the resort a bit more rustic and ratty than the web pictures (and prices) belie.

I guess it wasn't such an auspicious start, having travelled for 25 hours, arriving late at night, thrashed, just wanting a hot shower and a nice bed. There were no towels whatsoever in my room. Okay, I thought, I won't bother with reception at this hour (1.30am), I'll just wait to get my bags and then use my beach towel. I waited 40 minutes for my bags to arrive – eyes hanging out of my head – got my towel out and ran the water. No hot water whatsoever. Stuff it... crawled into bed.

It took another 24 hours to receive both towels and hot water. The double bed was really two single beds pushed together with a hard mattress seam in between (and this happened in the other Villas too - wasn't just because it was the surfer's end of the island). Drew's feet well and truly hung over the edge! There were no blankets; the towels, pillows and all the bed linen were all stained; ratty furniture; poor lighting. 

Our bathroom was open air, but was less than half the size and not as nice as the other Villas, as they had a bath and separate shower, one of which was undercover. The open air thing was very quaint, except with the wild weather we experienced, we ended up with a lot of debris, tannin-tainted water pooling at your feet when you went to the toilet, and sodden bathmats.

Ah well! it's all an experience, isn't it!

Our bungalow

Our bungalow nestled amongst the trees, a short walk from the surf break called Lohi's. The restaurant was five minutes or so away, and the snorkelling beaches 15 minutes walk through a tree-lined canopy.

The Garden Villas

There were a number of styles of villas / bungalows available - although ostensibly there were only two prices - the higher-priced Ocean Villas, and then the rest. But despite paying the same as the rest of the plebs, the "surfers'" villas were a little lesser quality than the others. 

Meeting up with another couple who were positioned on the other side of the island, we found their accommodation reasonably different - still the two single mattresses stuck together, but a bit more room, more storage, a better bathroom arrangement etc. 

It seems they paid what we paid, but we got a lesser room? Perhaps because we were on the surfers side of the beach? Surfers are only there to surf and don't worry about quality and comfort? Odd.

Mind you, when the other couple arrived (Hi Glen, Maureen and Casey!) they didn't have all their towels either, and no hot water as well. We all had the regular power blackouts too.

The Ocean Villas

The Ocean Villas were on an 'arm' jutting out from one end of the island. Ocean Villa residents could walk the length of the jetty and then to the restaurant (20 minute walk apparently), or the resort provided bicycles for use (I believe). A little golf cart was utilised by the staff for arriving and departing guests only. 

Beach Bungalow residents were not permitted onto the Villa jetty - a security officer and a locked gate made sure of that! I'm sure in summer it would be just beautiful to swim off from your own steps to the sea... but in the wild weather we had, they were quite exposed and I reckon their villas would have rattled!!

We heard one story where the parents had booked an Ocean Villa and put the teenage kids in a Garden Villa - not realising that the kids were not permitted to visit the parents at all! You could pay US$30 for a half hour visit though, to an untenanted room, presumably so you pined for their opulence and booked those rooms on your next visit!