Photo: travelboutique.rsIf you've always wanted to visit the Maldives for a holiday, a family vacation, a honeymoon, or, why not, for your own dream wedding, you’ve come to the right place. We have created a guide to this turquoise tropical paradise thanks to the rich experience of the Travel Boutique, which will additionally help you choose one of the already existing arrangements or tailor a trip to your liking.
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WHERE ARE THE MALDIVES
The Maldives is an Asian archipelagic state situated in the Indian Ocean. It consists of 1,200 islands on 26 atolls and is crossed by the equatorial line. The Maldives are located south of India and Sri Lanka, and their shape resembles a pearl necklace amid the ocean. An atoll is a coral island formed by a volcanic eruption in ancient times. Imagine a pillar rising from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sea, and on the pillar rim there is a coral reef with exciting underwater life. A perfectly clean, turquoise lagoon stretches from the rim to the interior of the atoll, while islands form in the middle of the atoll. The coral reef that surrounds the atoll does not allow large animals to enter the lagoon, so you are completely protected inside the turquoise paradise.
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RESORT ISLANDS
About 200 islands are inhabited by the local population, while about 100 of them have been turned into private resorts. The Maldivian islands are fascinating, with white sandy beaches and clear, bright seawater in lagoons amidst the deep blue of the ocean. Almost all islands have at least part of their beach with fine sand. Resorts are mostly built on islands that have quality beaches and a rich underwater world.
THE CAPITAL
The capital of the Maldives is Malé. It is located in the central part of the pearl necklace. Malé itself is an island with an area of about six square kilometers, where almost half of the population of the Maldives lives. It is an administrative center without the beaches and heaven scenes we expect, so most travelers visit Malé to pass the time at the airport.
The main international airport is Velana International Airport, also known as Malé Airport. It is located on a separate island right next to the capital, just a 10-minute boat ride away. You can also take a taxi from the airport to Malé via the newly built bridge. By the way, the Malé Airport is the destination for all international flights from Europe, and from there, a transfer is provided to the chosen hotel.
The Maldives is one of the most popular exotic destinations, so due to high demand, it is important to book your trip in time
CLIMATE
If you're wondering when the best time to visit the Maldives is because of rain, sunny days, and sea temperature, the answer is any time of year. You can enjoy the Maldives in winter, spring, summer, and autumn. The ocean water is equally warm throughout the year. The air temperature is stable, up to 30 degrees during the day every month. What is variable are clouds and rain. Almost always, the weather forecast for the Maldives will be rain, because at some point it will surely rain on some of the islands. What you need to keep in mind is that the weather in the Maldives is changeable and clouds, brief rain, and sunny intervals are constantly alternating throughout the day. When it rains in the Maldives, it is not the boring November rain but rain that pours down and then clears up. The clouds come and go constantly, so you will definitely have both sunny and cloudy days.
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HOW TO GET TO THE MALDIVES
This enchanting destination has never been closer and more achievable to us, among other things, due to cheap air tickets and increasing competition among hotels that attract guests with discounts and promotions. Also, tourists do not need a visa for a stay of up to 30 days. The Maldives can be reached by plane. The distance between Belgrade and the Maldives is 7,000 km, and all flights from Europe have at least one stopover. From Belgrade, depending on the airline, the journey can last from 13 to 18 hours. The airlines you can use to get to the Maldives from Belgrade are: Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Fly Dubai, and Emirates.
TRANSFERS
You will land by plane at the main Velana International Airport, from where the transfer to your hotel can be by: fast boat (for hotels close to Malé), local flight and boat (for hotels far from the capital and located close to local airports), or hydroplane. Landing at the resort by hydroplane is an adventure in itself due to the impressive view of the azure atolls and islands.
HOTELS
There are two types of hotel accommodation in the Maldives: hotels on islands inhabited by locals and resorts on private islands, where the entire island is actually a hotel.
If you want to get to know the local customs and daily life of the locals, a hotel on a populated island is ideal for you. If, on the other hand, you want a vacation in paradise on earth, as we see in the pictures of the Maldives that “pop up” on the Internet, then you should choose a resort on a private island.
The resort islands are of different sizes: some are circular with a diameter of 200–300 m, some are 400–500 m long and 200 m wide, and some are 800-1,200 m long and 300–400 m wide. The largest islands are 1,600–3,000 m long and 200–400 m wide. If having more content is important to you, choose larger islands. The islands have bungalows and villas scattered along the beach or built over the water, as well as hotel restaurants and bars. These hotels are characterized by their perfect nature, privacy, and quality service. Here you can enjoy the complete intimacy of your villa, walking around the island barefoot and in your bathing suit. You will have the impression that you are a modern-day Robinson Crusoe, only now surrounded by luxury.
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Each resort has its own target group, and you should ask about the additional activities and services they offer. If it is a hotel aimed more at adults, count on more nighttime entertainment. If you want to snorkel and enjoy watching the exciting underwater world, check if the house reef (the reef closest to the island) is close enough to swim to. If you are a fan of an impeccably clean ocean, a view of an endless turquoise lagoon and fine powdery sand in the water, then find a resort that is far from the house reef and that has no coral in the shallows.
The Travel Boutique offers a large selection of 4 to 6-star hotels, with all types of services and a wide range of prices
VACATION WITH CHILDREN
There is much that makes the Maldives ideal for families, from warm, calm seas and year-round sunshine, powdery sand, to a shallow and clean lagoon, ideal for carefree frolicking for both the youngest and the parents. Most hotels offer clubs for the youngest and babysitters on request. The hotels also offer a wide range of activities: snorkeling, diving, kayaking, water skiing, windsurfing, boating and watching the underwater world on the House Reef. Hotels have also included in their offer playgrounds for children, trampolines, animators and children’s parties.
HONEYMOON AND WEDDING
Is there a better destination to celebrate your love than the Maldives? No, there isn’t. Imagine a villa on the water, hidden from view, palm trees in the distance, a sparkling blue ocean, a warm turquoise lagoon, exquisite exotic food and a room strewn with rose petals. That is what a honeymoon on the Maldives looks like, a memory that will bring a smile on your face for life. To make your honeymoon even more magical, some hotels will prepare for you a romantic dinner on the beach with candles and the sound of the sea, and somewhere you will get a massage with aromatic oils or an excursion of your choice.
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If you have always dreamed of getting married in an exotic destination, the Maldives is the ideal place to hold a symbolic ceremony and thus immortalize a magical moment of love. The hotel team will make sure that the ceremony goes off in perfect harmony, to your liking. After the solemn oath of love on the beach, with the sunset, flowers and the sound of the waves, a romantic dinner awaits you, with music and candlelight, as well as excellent food prepared just for you.
By: Ana Kralj
Photo: Travel Boutique
