Maldives Vacations - Beautiful Island Paradise
Many travelers book their Maldives vacations in this beautiful island paradise. It has to be the world's ultimate tropical island destination. It’s exotic, serene and tranquil while being home to some of the most beautiful island resorts you’ll find the world over.
The people are always genuinely friendly and helpful. In fact, you’ll never come across a Maldivian who isn’t gracious and pleasant.
The Maldives are actually made up of 1,190 coral islands in the Indian Ocean off the southern tip of India. Eighty of the islands have tourist resorts. The most popular resorts include The Banyan Tree and Mirihi Island Resort. There are however many more, each with their own personal look and feel. Whichever one you choose to stay, the hospitality in the Maldives is unparalleled.
The paradise island environ of the Maldives is an extremely popular honeymoon destination. For this reason, it’s typically booked in advance year round so it would be a good idea to reserve early regardless when you’re traveling. Being in the tropics, the weather is temperate all year long and it never truly gets cold there. You can travel in the traditional winter months and still enjoy your time there.
The Maldives main airport is in Male which is also the capital. People use taxi boats and sea planes for inter-island travel. Boats are actually a welcome mode of transportation instead of cars for people who come from the big city!
The local currency in the Maldives is the Maldivian Rufiyaa. The exchange rate is about 12.75 to the U.S. dollar.
One should note that the Maldives is very expensive. The big resorts have a monopoly on accommodations and there aren’t really any budget lodgings there. It’s a place for the 5 star tourist and luxury seeker. That’s why it’s a popular honeymoon spot - people save up for years to splurge on their honeymoons and the Maldives are certainly a place to do just that.
Resorts are an all-in-one affair as they consist of restaurants and other amenities you’ll need. Most resorts don't generally serve local style food, rather opting for what they believe tourists want including many Asian and European dishes.
One resort recommendation is The Paradise Island Resort Maldives opened in 1994 and is located in North Male Atoll. Paradise Island is 1km long by 230 meters wide and it’s surrounded by beaches crystal clear blue water teeming with tropical fish.
The Maldives has a strong Muslim influence and alcohol is not allowed for the locals. However, guests are allowed to drink alcohol at the resorts as they are licensed. There are no bars that serve alcohol off the resort premises which goes to show you that resorts really are the central tourist hubs.
There is no doubt that the Maldives are a beautiful island paradise destination. As long as you enjoy resort style living, you’ll have the time of your life on your Maldive holidays.