Land resort in January

Hi all,

i've been reading through the past posts and I'm still undecided. I'm AOW but going with a non diver so I need to find a land resort with good snorkeling and hopefully decent dive sites nearby. Alternatively, I could go on a short live-aboard trip if there are any on offer. Could you make some suggestions on here? I understand it should be murky on the west and clear on the east but diving/snorkeling with mantas would be nice so I don't have a preference as such; what I would like is a good house reef for some snorkeling as well. Experience-wise I have over 100 dives. Also I wish I could find reasonable rates, a hut on the beach which is not priced £1000/night preferably.

Thanks for replying!

froggie

Without a budget, it will be difficult to give you some answers...
And in January, it's high season in the Maldives, so everything will be more expensive... as well as almost fully booked...
Bare in mind that the saying "you get what you paid for" is particularly true for a country like the Maldives...

If you want cheaper accommodation, then have a look at guesthouses on local islands; however, on a local island certain rules apply that are different than the rules in a resort (no alcohol, no bikinis on public beaches, no porc product.)

Pay close attention to the way you will get your tranfer from the airport, it can make a huge difference on your budget (domestic plane, seaplane, speedboat, dhoni = depends on how far you will be from Male', the capital where the airport is.)
And look at what is included and what is not. Full board in the Maldives doesn't necessarily means "full" full-board; is the drinking water included for example.
On a local island, you will find small shops and cheap water/drinks. In a resort, there is only the resort, no shop to avoid the price of the hotel.
Often, activities such as diving will not be included.

And the prices are often given without the taxes (+ 10% service charge + 8% GST, yes, the service charge is taxed), always read the little lines ^_^

It can be a mission to organise holidays in the Maldives if the budget is a bit tight (and time is running against you) but the diving is really great!

Dear froggie,
+1 for all that LaMissJude said!

In case you decide for a resort instead of a local island: Thulhagiri Island Resort in the North Male Atoll (where I am based) still has some rooms available in January, according to Agoda.com. Costs around $420 to 600 /night with half-board, but often better offers can be found through tour operators, especially if you combine with the flight.
If you like the island and it is within your budget, I can email you more info about the diving. We do have a good house reef for snorkelling/diving, and do visit a manta point in this season.

Anywhere you end up, I wish you a great Maldives experience!