Cheap Maldives Holidays Take You to Fascinating Attractions

The moment you enter Maldives, you see the pleasing shades of blue and white all around. Such sights are enough to make you forget all your worries and look forward to having a memorable holiday in this island destination. It is an archipelago of more than 1,000 islands, which gives you a wide range of choices worth exploring. You’ll also feel delighted to stay in one of the elegant resorts in this part of the world and relax on the white-sand beaches of the islands. During your time spent in this enchanting island destination, you can also indulge in some exciting outdoor activities.

You’ll be able to enjoy cheap Maldives holidays if you choose to visit this destination during its low season between May and October. This is the time when there are lesser crowds of tourists and the resorts offer fabulous discounts on accommodations. In this season, there is always a possibility of some brief periods of heavy rains. Storms may also be encountered during this time of the year, but they move through the islands quickly. The best time to visit Maldives is between November and April when there are less frequent rains and the climate is warm. However, the room rates of resorts would be at their highest in this season.

During your holidays in this island destination, you’ll have many places to explore during your holidays in this island destination and one of them is Kaafu Atoll. It is among the best places in the country and was formerly the abode of the nation’s rulers. Another majestic place worth visiting is Sun Island, which is home to the most charming beaches and green surroundings. During your trip to the South Kaafu Atoll, you can visit Fihalhohi Island. It is surrounded by shady coconut palms and has pristine beaches that are washed by the crystal-clear turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.

Wakeboarding is one of the thrilling activities you can enjoy with the savings made while booking any of the cheap Maldives holidays. You’ll feel the adrenaline rush as you take a ride on the waters holding on to a rope. Snorkelling in the shallow waters would allow you to witness the amazing marine life underwater. The best aspect of this outdoor activity is that you need not be an expert swimmer. Another underwater adventure that allows you to witness the reefs, shipwrecks, and diverse species of aquatic beings is scuba diving.

One of the best experiences in Maldives would be visiting a popular restaurant during your sightseeing trips and enjoying some of the popular delicacies of Maldivian cuisine. Among them is a traditional dish called Garudhiya, which is a fish soup served with rice. You’ll also like Mas Huni, which is yet another delicious Maldivian dish prepared by shredding and smoking Tuna. It is served with lemon, grated coconuts, and onions. You can have it for breakfast with a flatbread called ‘Roshi’. Don’t miss Bis Keemiya, which is a pastry filled with sliced onions, tuna or hardboiled egg, and shredded and lightly sautéed cabbage.

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Maldives Holidays Help You Enjoy Memorable Experiences

Maldives is often seen as a serene holiday destination, where you would spend your days unwinding on pristine white-sand beaches. This island country is made up of over 1,000 islands, which gives you a wide range of choices when it comes to some spectacular attractions. When you arrive in this part of the world for your winter holidays, the very first thing that concerns them is whether they would be bored in this island destination after a day or two. You need not worry, as this island nation gives you plenty of outdoor activities worth indulging in.

One of the things you can enjoy doing during your Maldives holidays is snorkelling. One of the dive schools close to your resort would give you the required equipment, such as fins and mask. Some of the standard excursions would be arranged by the resort where you’ve booked your stay. During such snorkelling trips, you’ll be led to the house reef and any of the other reefs nearby. While snorkelling, you’ll also get to explore the many different varieties of fish and other marine beings besides the reefs. Most of the resorts in the country organise one or two snorkelling trips in a day.

Another interesting activity you can try while enjoying your winter holidays in Maldives is sunset fishing. You would be taken over a reef in one of the traditional boats used in this part of the world, called ‘dhoni’. All you have to do after getting to the reef is let down the hooked lines and you’ll have your catch of groupers, snappers, and other fish. You’ll also enjoy some dolphin-watching, but the tour operators or resort staff do not offer you guarantees of the sightings. However, the sightings are frequent and it would be quite thrilling if you manage to see the dolphins.

With more than a thousand islands in this destination, it is quite natural that island-hopping is one of the most popular activities enjoyed by tourists. This is often a combination of visits to resort islands, inhabited islands, and the uninhabited ones. You’ll either have your lunch packed for the trip or you’ll be given a treat of barbecued fish on one of the islands. Some of these tours include a guided trip around one of the inhabited islands, where you’ll get to interact with the local population and visit some places of interest. You can also shop for some souvenirs by visiting a local market.

If you’re holidaying in Maldives with your better-half, you would like to have special dinners arranged for both. Although you’ll be charged extra for getting one of these dining experiences arranged by the staff, it would give you some memorable moments together. You can either have such a dinner arranged on a secluded beach, amidst a separate setting in the main restaurant, or on one of the boats. Along with the dinner, the resort staff would get a personal chef for you and there can also be a choice of settings where the dinner would take place.

Visit Popular Places After Arriving in Flights to Maldives

A small island country comprising 26 ring-shaped coral reefs called ‘atolls’, Maldives is one of the most charming tourist destinations in the world. It has more than a thousand islands, which would give you plenty of options to see and do while you are in this majestic island destination. The main gateway to this nation is Velana International Airport, also known as ‘Maldives International Airport’. It was earlier called Ibrahim Nasir International Airport. This airport is located near the capital island of Male on Hulhule Island and is well-connected with the world’s major airports.

If you have a long layover at the airport after arriving in any of the flights to Maldives, you’ll have the chance to get around in the capital or relax for a couple of hours. If you wish to go sightseeing, there are many places you can explore in this part of the country. You’ll also get to interact with the Maldivians while taking a stroll in one of the smallest national capitals in the world. While exploring the capital, you’ll notice that it has been built on a grid pattern and the narrow streets are lined with office buildings, apartment blocks, and shops. Just make sure that you’re dressed in decent attire as this is quite a conservative nation.

Male is a casual and friendly capital, which makes it an ideal place for wandering and visiting some of its popular attractions. After strolling around for quite some time, you can enjoy your moments of relaxation under the shady trees of Sultan Park. It was created on the site of the Royal Palace, which was demolished in the 16th century. Sultan Park is a large public park and is well-known for its green surroundings and a serene atmosphere. It has been maintained well and has a strict policy against loitering, which includes fines for individuals caught while doing so.

You’ll get some interesting insights into the history and culture of Maldives upon visiting the National Museum, which is located in Sultan Park. This three-storeyed museum was opened in 1952 and became the first national museum upon its opening. The building is considered to be the most beautiful in the whole of Maldives and was created to preserve the country’s history and instil patriotism among the citizens. While exploring this museum, you’ll get the chance to browse through a large collection of artefacts that range from objects made of stone to antiques from the period ranging from the Buddhist era to the times of the Islamic rule.

While on your visit to the Islamic Centre, a famous architectural landmark in Male, you’ll get to witness the Grand Friday Mosque. This mosque is officially called Masjid-al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam and has been named after Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam, one of the most popular heroes of the country. It is the largest of all mosques in Maldives and is also among the largest mosques in South Asia. The Islamic Centre is also a place where official meetings and ceremonies are held.

4 Exciting Experiences to Indulge in During Your Maldives Holidays

Maldives is known worldwide as a perfect destination for honeymooners and beach lovers. However, it is much more than just an island destination. The rich cultural heritage of the island has been preserved well over the years by its locals and this gives you the chance to explore some of the cultural delights while holidaying in this island country located in the Indian Ocean.

Among them are the heritage sites, island villages, and markets that offer some attractive handicrafts. The agricultural activities have also helped the locals in growing top-quality spices, fruits, and vegetables. While enjoying your Maldives holidays, there are many things you can do to have some memorable moments:

Go island hopping

As the island country is made up of more than 1,000 islands, you can explore some of them by taking any of the ferries. Islands that are quite far from the capital city of Male can be visited with the help of domestic flights. In recent times, trips between the islands of Maldives have been made easier with the presence of 10 domestic airports. Most of the resorts located in this island nation offer guided tours to some of the islands, and if you are staying in one of them, your island-hopping tour would be a memorable experience.

Shop for local handicrafts

Many of the household items are made by the local craftsmen using locally sourced materials. Upon visiting any of the local markets, you’ll get some fascinating items, such as food covers and mats made from reeds and domestic implements prepared using coconut shells. The coconut tree is a major source of material used in creating some excellent handicrafts. You can also buy wood and stone carvings. Most of the patterns used in the carvings are symmetrical and follow Islamic traditions. Other items worth buying from the local markets include the Maldivian traditional dress and mat woven by using screwpine leaves.

Visit the heritage sites

You can find most of the heritage sites in Male. Among them is a mosque known as Hukuru Miskiiy or Friday Mosque, which was constructed in the 17th century and is surrounded by tombs made from coral stone. Located near this mosque is a shrine painted in blue and white shades called ‘Medhu Ziyaarath’. This memorial is of Abu Barakat Yoosuf Al-Barbari, who converted Maldives to Islam in the 12th century. You can also visit the tomb of Mohamed Thakurufaanu, who became a Sultan after defeating the Portuguese by leading a band of seaborne guerrillas.

Watch some cultural performances

Some of the resorts arrange the performances of dancers coming from the neighbouring islands for their guests or visitors arriving in LiveAboard boats. The music used for dancing has African, Arabian, and Asian influences. Such dances and music are also taught to the schoolchildren for preserving the traditional rhythms and dancing styles. Many of these dances involve movements of batons or sticks and are great fun to watch. You’ll also be delighted to watch ‘Dhandi Jehun’. It is quite an energetic dance and involves about 30 individuals who make various moves in total coordination with each other.

5 Adventurous Activities You Can Try While in Maldives

Although Maldives is known for its white-sand beaches and other attractive natural features, you can enjoy some thrilling activities while holidaying in this gorgeous island destination located on the Indian Ocean. Maldives comprises more than a thousand islands that are grouped into 26 atolls or ring-shaped coral reefs.

As this island nation is surrounded by waters of the Indian Ocean, it is one of the prominent hubs in the world for enjoying some exciting water sports. Most of the resorts located in Maldives are also equipped with some excellent facilities for such activities. Following are some of the exciting activities you’ll get to indulge in while holidaying in this island nation:

1. Fishing

   
   

There are many resorts in the island nation that can arrange this activity for you during your cheap Maldives holidays. The channels between the islands, reef waters, and outer slopes of the reefs are three major places where you can go fishing. You can try bait-fishing with the help of appropriate fishing equipment and an experienced instructor. Sailfish, mackerel, and seer fish can be caught in the area within the atolls. It must be kept in mind that fishing in a lagoon is not allowed in this part of the world.

2. Surfing

   
   

If you’re a surfing enthusiast, Male Atoll would be the best place to have an exciting time on the waves. While there are many areas for surfing within the atolls, the Male Atoll offers the greatest convenience for surfers as it is located close to the airport and can be reached with the help of boat transfers. The best time for enjoying this activity in Maldives is from the month of April until October.

3. Windsurfing

   
   

Many resorts offer tourists the chance to enjoy windsurfing from their water sports facility. If you’re new to this activity, you can learn it by taking a full course offered at such places for beginners and hiring a board for an hour. You’re required to stay within the prescribed limits in order to facilitate monitoring by the instructor. You can try windsurfing at any time of the year, but the experienced windsurfers prefer the months between May and October owing to the strong monsoon winds.

4. Catamaran Sailing

   
   

Expert sailors can go for solo excursions on the blue waters of the Indian Ocean on mini catamarans. They have a total length of 5 metres and can be hired for individual exploration or with someone as an instructor from a water sports centre. Catamaran sailing can be an excellent way to go sailing around a lagoon and is also less strenuous when compared to windsurfing.

5. Parasailing

   
   

Parasailing is quite a demanding water sport but is equally thrilling. This is the reason why several resorts in Maldives offer the required facilities for tourists to enjoy this sport. It is just like surfing while attached to a parachute. You’re harnessed to a canopy wing called parasail while being towed behind a boat. As the boat gains momentum, the wind causes the parasail to soar above the waves.