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You’ve come to the right place; consider us to be your online version of a private Maldivian barefoot Butler, minus the white linen.
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Pop down your bags, kick off your shoes and find a comfortable spot to sit. We’re going to escort you through the planning of your special Maldives journey. We will take care of your every Maldives detail (no request is too extensive… as your Maldives trip needs to be just perfect!) As you wander through the pages of Indulge Maldives, up-skilling yourself in all things tropical isles, archipelagos, luxury resorts and castaway local islands… you’ll discover the most helpful and latest up-to-date Maldives travel info, our best money saving travel tips & how to be an all round savy traveller in Maldives. We guide you through the process of selecting the most ideal luxury resort or local island – there’s literally hundreds to choose from! Along the way you will see helpful links to discover other parts of our online Maldives Travel Guide…
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I’ll introduce myself, I’m Kristie, the Founder of Indulge Maldives Holidays, luxury Travel Writer for Forbes Travel Guide (all Maldives Resort overviews) & contributor to Hotelier Maldives. I’ve lived in Maldives 6.5 years on the local island of Thulusdhoo where our newly opened Byron Bay inspired tropical outdoor cafe (Indulge Thulusdhoo) is situated (hello COVID project). However my no.1 passion is helping people plan incredible vacations to the Maldives, no matter your budget! Please feel free to learn more about our wonder team here and more about Indulge Maldives & why we aren’t just another Maldives Travel Agency. We live & breathe all things Maldives… literally.
Let’s start with:
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MALDIVES FACTS AND TRAVEL INFO
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GEOGRAPHY
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The Maldives is made up of over 1,190 stunning islands, formed from prehistoric underwater volcanoes. The island comprise of uninhabited natural islands, sandbanks or local islands, inhabited by the beautiful Maldivian people. These picturesque isles are scattered over 26 atolls, a formation over two chains – an east chain of islands and a west chain of island. Most atolls are protected by a spectacular circular shaped outer coral reef (an incredible site & Maldives bucket list experience – flying over Maldives atolls in a seaplane!). The country spans 99,000sq km and of that, just 298km is dry land; the other 99% is Indian Ocean which makes up the Maldives!
Another interesting Maldives travel fact that surprises most travellers is how wide spread Maldives really is – 820km north to south and 130km east to west. It takes almost 2.5 hours to fly from the north to the south of Maldives and neighbouring countries are India and Sri Lanka. Maldives is the lowest lying nation in the world, at just 1-1.5 to 3m above sea level, meaning it faces real threats of climate change every single day. Many islands are currently succumbing to being permanently submerged back into the Indian Ocean. As Maldives is the flattest country in the world, it may surprise you that there are no hills or mountains in Maldives, and 80% of land lies at just 1m above sea level. The longest single island is 8km in length, with most islands spanning 1-2km sq.
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TOURISM
Of these 1,190 islands, 167 are home to luxury Maldives resorts, owned mostly by big label international hotel brands, with the exception of a few privately owned islands like Velaa Private Island, a Czech Republic billionaire’s passion project. Of the 200 inhabited islands where Maldivians reside, 60 local islands welcome tourists to their island to stay in guesthouses & hotels. If you’re looking for exceptional Maldives Resort deals with special bonus inclusions, you’re in the right place.
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CLIMATE
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Equatorial, humid and hot depending on the time of year you travel. The wet season runs from May to October. During this period there can be sunny spells and the temperature is still very hot. The dry season runs from November through to February in which sunshine is predicted most days. Here is a month-by-month breakdown of Maldives weather – the best time to Visit Maldives.
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LANGUAGE
Dhevihi (pronounced dee-ve-he) is the national language of the Maldives and it has its own alphabetic system. Most Maldivians speak fluent English as their second language.
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CURRENCY
The two main currencies used in the Maldives are US Dollars and the local currency – Maldivian Rufiyaa. Resort islands accept USD$ cash or credit cards, whilst on the mainland of Male’ and on local islands, Ruffiya & USD are accepted. Be sure to bring USD$ with you or withdraw cash (Rufiyaa only) at the airport on arrival. There are some ATM’s on local islands including Thulusdhoo Island & Dhigurah Island. Card payments are accepted at some stores and hotels on local islands though it’s advisable to carry cash with you. Maldives uses the exchange rate of USD $1 = 15.42 Maldivian Rufiyaa
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RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
The Maldives is a 100% Sunni Muslim country. This means no other religious material may be brought into the country, no pork products are sold, you must dress respectfully when in the capital city or on a village island and alcohol is forbidden except for on resort islands and safari boats. Swimming in a t-shirt and long pants is the law at some local island destinations, with bikini wear strictly prohibited in public places. However many local islands are now catering for tourists by providing ‘Bikini Beaches.’ Dressing respectfully may be necessary when moving to and from a bikini beach. Bikini swimwear is allowed on all resort islands.
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THE CAPITAL CITY, MALÉ
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Male’ (pronounced Mar-lay’ like café) is the mainland and the capital city island of the Maldives. Male’ is one of the most densely populated islands in the world, with over 227, 000 people, half of the nation’s population (almost 550,000) living on a tiny island, with a total size of 8.3sq km, making it one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
Malé is considered the heart and business hub of the Maldives – all shopping supplies, main banking branches, final two years of High School O Levels operate from Malé. A sister city, Hulhumalé, a man-made island, adjacent to the airport island is fast becoming the ‘New Malé’ & is far more tourist-friendly than the bustling mainland itself. Filled with beachfront guesthouses, it’s the percent location for a short stay transit holiday before flying off to your intended holiday island, or before your international home / onward flight.
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IS IT POSSIBLE TO TRAVEL MALDIVES ON A BUDGET?
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For a long time, travelling to the exotic destination of the Maldives was an idealised dream. Many travellers believed that visiting the Maldives islands was simply out of their holiday budget.
With a recent shift in tourism here in Maldives & the establishment of the Guesthouse Industry on local islands, Indulge Maldives shows global travellers excatly how travel the Maldives on a budget. There has never been a more affordable or more accessible time to plan a Maldives holiday than right now – you just need a little ‘know-how‘.
Essentially every island and property offers travellers a unique Maldives holiday experience. From Luxe to Budget, our Travel Bloggers and Influencers will help you source the Maldives property and island that is perfect for your dream Maldives holiday, budget and vacation desires. Follow our Travel Bloggers and Influencers live on their social media to experience what it’s like to experience a Maldives holiday!
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