www."Kit-Bags".com
Last updated on 29th December 2007
|
|
|
Our first visit to the Maldives was in 1999, when we visited Paradise Island, or Lankanfinolhu to give it its Maldivian name, which is situated in North Male Atoll, about 30 minutes by speedboat from the airport.
Paradise Island had only recently opened and was superb. The Maldives are in the Indian Ocean, off the coasts of India and Sri Lanka, both of which places influence Maldivian cooking, which is fantastic. Paradise Island also had a Japanese Sushi Bar and an Italian Restaurant suspended above the lagoon on stilts from where you could watch the sunset.
The flights to the Maldives are a bit of a killer though, especially on our first trip. We flew with Monarch from Gatwick to Male, via Bahrain. Suffice it to say we will never book another holiday where we have to fly with Monarch as we can't find anything good to say about them.
Our second visit in 2001 was to the slightly less formal, Lily Beach Report in South Ari Atoll, Huvahendhoo in Maldivian, about 30 minutes by Maldivian Air Taxi from the international airport.
The Air Taxi ride was an experience in itself, landing in the middle of a lagoon, getting off the plane onto a tiny floating platform to be collected by dhoni (small fishing boat) and taken on to the resort which this time was only 500 metres long by 200 metres wide.
Our flights were better this time, via Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and Colombo (Sri Lanka) with Emirates, although our luggage was broken into on the ground in Colombo and a camera and Chris's birthday cards stolen.
The weather. hotel and food were first class once again and we certainly hope to pay the Maldives another visit in the future.
If you are looking for a relaxing holiday, with the best beaches in the world, superb diving and snorkelling, great food and friendly locals, look no further than the Maldives