An Indian Ocean paradise – The Maldives

A reef and resort in the Maldives. Creative Commons- Mohamed Lujaz Zuhair

A reef and resort in the Maldives. By Mohamed Lujaz Zuhair (Creative Commons

The Maldives are paradise, in the truest sense of the word.

World-class spas, stunning beaches, a beautiful underwater world to discover – for a true relaxation holiday, this is where you need to be heading.

The Indian Ocean islands are all stunning in their own right, so what makes the Maldives so special? Well, I’m sure you’re familiar with the travel brochure picture of the wooden bungalows on stilts, over water so blue, it’s almost unbelievable. This is what most of the accommodation on the Maldives is, and whilst you may pay for it, it’s worth every single penny.

To save as much money as possible, so this holiday is a definite possibility, I would highly recommend you look into adding airport extras onto your travel plans. I rarely travel without airport parking these days; I’ve fallen in love with the freedom and convenience it gives me, and it always works out much cheaper for me. Parking at Heathrow is one I use on a regular basis, as my local airport, and I’ve always found a great value deal. Alternatively, Airport Parking Liverpool is one of my regulars too, with some great value flight prices out of the capital to boot.

If you’re a scuba diving enthusiast, or simply a beginner who wants to check what lies beneath, then you’re in the right place. This is a diving fan’s heaven and the sheer number of species of colourful and diverse marine life will blow you away. If you’re lucky enough to be in one of those aforementioned wooden stilted bungalows, you’ll probably have a glass bottom in one room – watch what swims underneath your room, it’s simply amazing.

The Maldives operate a one resort per island way of life, so you’ll choose an island and all that will be on it, is your resort. Now before you worry, the Maldives know how to do resorts and you’ll have everything you need. Your flight will head into Male International Airport and from there you’ll be transferred to your resort usually by boat.

If you want to get out and about, I’d recommend dedicating some time to visiting Male, with lots of sightseeing to be done. The Grand Mosque is a must visit, and is certainly a jaw-dropping sight. There are lots of markets here as well, so this is a good place to head for a bit of souvenir shopping.

OneOnly-Maldives-Water-Villa

Maldives Water Villa (creative commons)

When night falls, relaxation takes over. If you’re looking for a party holiday, the Maldives aren’t for you, as you won’t find clubs and bars like you would in some of the more European holiday resorts. Instead, night-life is more about watching the sun go down, drinking a few cocktails and having a delicious meal. The larger hotels will occasionally have some entertainment, and this is where you’ll find more in the way of international food too, but be sure to taste some of the local cuisine, especially the out of this world seafood.

For blinding blue seas, stunning marine life and the best chance you’ll ever have to kick back and relax, head to the Maldives.