Some questions about independent travel in the Maldives

In fact, all domestic travel agencies in the Maldives are agencies.

They are responsible for helping you book air tickets and hotels. The rest is to travel freely. In China, they will send you to the airport and then arrive. There will be a local escort there to pick you up and take you to the island. You can explore the island by yourself. What self-paid activities do you need to participate in? Just go to the hotel front desk and check out together at the end.

Ctrip's operation The mode is the same, except that there is no drop-off or pick-up. You need to go to the airport to go through the formalities yourself. But when you arrive in the Maldives, someone from the hotel should pick you up. Don’t worry, as long as you can speak a little English, it will be no problem.

Passport If you have to apply for it yourself in Beijing, just go to the branch of the Public Security Bureau

The Maldives visa is a visa on arrival. If it is Sri Lankan Airlines, they will issue you a form on the plane and you have to fill it out and get off the plane. When you pass the customs, a staff member will review and stamp you, which means your visa is approved haha

I just came back from the sack and wish you a happy trip

The following is a comprehensive guide to the Maldives For your reference:

The Maldives is located in the waters south of Sri Lanka and is known as the last paradise on earth in the Indian Ocean. It is difficult for those who have watched "The Story of McDull" not to fall in love with this island country along with McDull: "There are shadows of coconut trees, clear water and young sand."

OK

There is Singapore Airlines to the Maldives. Among the three airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Sri Lankan Airlines, if you choose Singapore Airlines, you can rest your limbs during the transfer and take a half-day tour in the Lion City; while Sri Lankan Airlines needs to stop in Bangkok for 40 minutes, then transfer in Colombo and wait for another 3 hours.

Transportation between the Maldives airport and various islands is Dhoni, speedboat and seaplane. If you are seasick, it is best to prepare some motion sickness medicine. When the wind is strong and the waves are strong, Dhoni and speedboats will be very bumpy, but it is also very exciting.

Only the capital city of Maldives, Male, is accessible by car. In Male, taxis are priced at 15 rupees per trip for less than 4 people, and 5 rupees for each piece of luggage. On many islands, there are only battery cars. If you tip the waiters, they will be happy to take you for a ride.

Accommodation

As for booking a hotel, if you really want to go, it is recommended to book six months in advance. Because if you book too early, the general hotel prices have not yet been released, and if you book too late, the hotel you want to go to is likely to be fully booked. So keep an eye on prices and rooms.

The Maldives has one island and one hotel. It depends on whether you want a beach house or a water house, an open-air private bathroom or a large indoor bathtub; a quaint room or a luxurious room. There are several websites that are hotel agents in the Maldives, and the prices are still advantageous. Their Asian customer service center is in Thailand and provides Chinese services, which is a good choice if your English is not good. Each agent has different prices for each hotel. If you decide to go to a certain island, I suggest you find more agents.

Of course, hotel prices are expensive. The cheapest one on the island should be about US$160 a night, and the cheapest one on the water should be US$300. Of course, as the seasons change, hotel room prices will also change. . The price order from high to low is as follows:

12/22~01/04, during Christmas and New Year, the highest prices throughout the year.

01/05~04/30, non-rainy season, this period probably stops after Easter in the third week of April every year.

From 11/01 to 12/21, the rainy season is far away, the wind and waves are receding, the peak season is approaching, and prices are rising.

07/21~08/20 is a time when prices rise slightly during the rainy season due to the continuous holidays of Europeans.

08/21~10/31, at the end of the rainy season, prices are still low.

05/01~07/20, the beginning of the rainy season, is the lowest price period of the year.

If you have chosen a hotel and an agency, you must have a dual-currency credit card before making a formal reservation. No matter which bank it is, as long as it provides dual-currency services. Because now after the online booking is confirmed, the hotel agent will ask for your credit card authorization, so that they can deduct the hotel fee from your credit card online and hand it over to the hotel you booked. Because hotels in the Maldives require full payment of the reserved room, you must pay special attention to this. Therefore, you must decide the date before authorizing the deduction, because once the authorization is confirmed, it cannot be changed. If you change it, it will be based on your change date and check-in date. If fines are deducted at intervals, generally the closer the two are, the more fines will be deducted, and the entire amount will be forfeited within 15 days. Because during the period when you make a reservation, the hotel may cancel many guests' reservations for your sake.

In my personal opinion, the houses in Fullmoon are the best, although the houses in Paradise, Kulumba and Kuda Bandos are also great, with red tiles and white walls, very exquisite, but more like hotels. The traces of artificiality are obvious. The houses in Full Moon, whether it is a beach bungalow (beach house), water villa or water suite, all have thatched roofs, which is very rustic and relaxing, and the equipment and decoration inside are all available.

What's special is that there is a big conch at the head of the bed, a charming ceiling fan, and an open-air shower...

We stayed for four nights in one *** and booked a beach bungalow through Ctrip. Just the beach. White bath towels in the hotel cannot be taken to the beach, while green ones are reserved for beach use only.

On Full Moon, 2 bottles of fresh water (***1 liter) will be provided on the first day of your stay for you to make tea and coffee. Each room is provided with an electric cup to boil the water. That’s it. The tap water on the island should be formed by desalination of sea water, so drinking water still needs to be boiled with mineral water. Friends who like to drink Chinese tea, don’t forget to bring a pot of tea. It is a great enjoyment to watch the sea and taste tea.

Travel equipment

a. Necessary items for snorkeling and swimming: mask, snorkel, and fins. You can also rent it on the island for 12 US dollars a day for a full set and 7 US dollars for a half day, or you can rent it separately;

b. Swimming goggles, swimming cap, earplugs, and diving shoes. Swimming goggles and swimming caps can be used according to personal needs, but they are not necessarily required. Earplugs and diving shoes must be brought, especially diving shoes. There are only advantages and no disadvantages! There are many corals in the sea water in the Maldives, especially for those who live in an overwater house. It is very uncomfortable to enter the water directly from the house.

c. Bikini, swimsuit, swimming trunks, short-sleeved T-shirt. Girls usually wear bikinis when swimming in the sea. Most people there swim in bikinis. Only some older foreign women wear one-piece swimsuits. Girls must wear swimsuits when snorkeling (the more body parts you cover, the better, it will definitely prevent large-scale sunburn). Snorkeling is for watching fish, not for your own beauty. Boys must not only wear swimming trunks, it is best to wear a shirt on the upper body. T-shirt, the sun there is very poisonous.

d. Long shirts and trousers, pure cotton casual wear, straw hats, sunglasses, beach shoes, sneakers (socks), skirts, underwear, pajamas. Long shirts, long trousers, and sneakers (socks) are must-haves on the plane. It is quite cold on the plane and you have to sit for a long time. Although blankets are provided, I always feel that the blankets have a strange smell.

e. Straw hat, sunglasses, beach shoes. Needless to say, this is a must-have on the beach. In addition, girls should wear sun hats to further prevent their faces from being tanned

f. Digital camera (battery, charger), underwater camera, triangle Stand (very useful for taking group photos and night scenes), mobile phone (battery, charger), digital companion (we brought a laptop, for the convenience of seeing the results), backpack, money (credit card, US dollar change, and most importantly It’s easy to tip from zero to one dollar), passport, air ticket, carry-on bag

g. Mosquito coils, toilet water, toothpaste, wet wipes, comb (headband), razor, contact lenses, sunscreen, After-sun repair, facial cleanser, slippers, snacks, tea. Also, let’s talk about water. Many guides mention bringing water. In fact, I don’t think it is really necessary. Although the water there is 3 US dollars a bottle, a large bottle of 1.5L is equivalent to RMB 8/500ml, which is really not as good as ours. How expensive is this tourist area? Moreover, the hotel provides a large bottle of water every day. I personally feel that there is no need to carry the water so heavy. (Water, metal products, and food must all be checked in!)

h. Thermometer, alcohol cotton, essential oil, band-aid, eye drops, berberine, Contac, stomach medicine

The beauty of the Maldives is well-known. The official evaluation of the National Tourism Administration is: "If you have many opportunities to travel abroad in your life, you must come to the Maldives; if you only have one opportunity to travel abroad in your life, you must come to the Maldives." If you have the chance, then you should come to the Maldives.”

Paradise Island is only a 20-minute ferry ride from Malé International Airport. When we set foot on Paradise Island, it was already dark and the night was thick and dark. The forest is lush and the paths lead to secluded areas. I put on my shorts easily, pulled on my slippers, and walked to the beach. The shadows of the trees are dancing, the waves are lapping gently, and the beach appears light gray in the night, very delicate. Not far from the lights, dozens of small green crabs were chasing each other, running sideways as light as the wind... The lights on the trestle were very gentle, and there were pairs of people lingering around. The sea water shimmers and undulates under the light, and fish as long as a foot come and go, wandering leisurely.

The air is moist, washing the heart and lungs of people who have come from afar.

When I woke up, the sun was shining brightly. It took me 45 minutes to walk around the paradise island, which is shaped like a single-celled paramecia. There are more than 200 guest rooms facing the sea, hidden among huge coconut groves and banana trees with broad leaves. Alternating with tender green and emerald green, it is full of vitality. There are various shapes of gravel, slate and fine sand paths between the houses, which zigzag towards the seaside. The sun is hot, but there are still many European strong men and plump beauties. I don’t know what kind of sunscreen oil they put on, but they are "exposed" on the dazzling white beach. People are heart-wrenchingly envious.

A group of long-legged birds with white and black beaks flew past them, pecking at small fish and crabs at the junction of the beach and the sea not far away. This is the bird of paradise. Looking towards the sea, it looks like a huge piece of silk: light green, light blue, lake green, and finally deep dark blue. Pairs of "superficial" people stretch out their snow-white, light red, and dark brown bodies on the satin, adding many moving petals to this huge blue-based satin.

When we arrived at Sun Island, the sun was shining brightly.

What we stayed at was the world-renowned Water Bungalow. The long trestle is in the shape of a Y, and nearly a hundred villas were built in the shallow sea. The sea breeze was blowing, the air was humid, filled with the faint fragrance of gardenia flowers, and the sun was shining brightly. The island is only a few degrees or so south of the equator. The calm and shallow bay, like an innocent girl, is waiting for our arrival.

The beach is naturally a favorite for couples and couples. Old friends and new friends gathered under the palm umbrellas and at the bar by the swimming pool; chatting and laughing... Unwilling to be lonely, the handsome guys and beauties rushed to the sea, sailed or dived in the sea, until they were so tanned that they looked like real Maldivians. Tan is proud.

At dusk, the sun was slightly hot, and we took a Dhonis boat with tall slender ends to go fishing in the sea. There is no need to learn, just put a fresh piece of tuna on the fishing line, throw the 30-50 meter long line into the sea, and you are guaranteed to catch a big grouper with a fat head and a golden body five times out of ten. Since fishing is not allowed within 2 kilometers around any island in the Maldives, this is a law. Therefore, if the fish here has hooks and meat, you must take a bite. Even if you lose your life, it is still "fishing before and after fishing". The Indian Ocean has been so kind to the Maldives. In the evening on the beach, candlelight danced, and a real Maldivian-style feast began: fried fish balls, crispy and tender; tuna, sashimi; extremely delicious. Foni Boakiba, spicy fish cakes (Kvli Boakiba), coconut milk and rice pudding, drinking Kirvsarbat sweet milk; countless times until the belly is as big as a drum, and finally a large cup of palm tree dried milk (Toddy) Dodi is really satisfied.

Royal Island has a magical nobility. The current Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife lingered on this island for a few days.

There are more than 120 houses, all made of Indonesian mahogany. The Indonesian mahogany, which is salt-resistant, insect-free, fine-textured, simple and noble, has made Royal Island famous all over the world and has become the first choice for vacations of world celebrities and tycoons. The SPA here has the reputation of being mysterious in India and the most economical with various modern plant essences. It also has superb techniques: steady, accurate, rolling, weighing, beating, scratching, rubbing, kneading, cutting and other different techniques, as well as the craftsmanship of acupuncture points. , it can be said to be endless comfort!

The sea breeze swirls here. Suitable for water sports such as windsurfing and snorkeling, especially windsurfing, which has been played by nobles since its birth. A sail costs at least tens of thousands of dollars. Sail with the wind on the sea, the wind moves the sails, and using the force to exert force, the ship is like a flying arrow. However, if you misjudge the wind force for a moment, you will immediately "turn your back", but the challenging fun of windsurfing is filled with addiction here...

Because it is north of the equator, the sun in March Haven't moved north yet. At this time, the cool breeze on Royal Island makes people feel most at ease. The sun is no longer hot, and there are many red bean trees on the island that are 30 meters high. The green shade is like a canopy. Wherever you go, anywhere, it is indescribably comfortable...

Holiday Island It is a paradise for divers. The Maldives is one of the three major diving resorts in the world. The "PADI" (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) license issued by the Maldives is valid in nearly 200 countries. Diving enthusiasts from all over the world come to this island every year to take exams and take photos. It seems that no one can resist the temptation of dancing with fish.

"I want to become a fish and swim in the sea,

Chasing the waves during the day and counting the stars at night..."

How many times have this children's song been sung? For thousands of years, I don’t know who wrote it, and there have been fairy tales and dreams. However, if you have been to the Maldives in the middle of the Indian Ocean, you will say this without hesitation: it was created by the Maldives!

Activities

The Maldives is an archipelago country, and various entertainment activities are mainly water sports.

Activities include visiting the island by canoe or speedboat; fishing by canoe late at night or early in the morning for a completely different experience; and other activities such as swimming, surfing, boating, diving, etc.

Cruise the island. Take a Dhoni boat and visit the villages where the locals live. The island is full of gray and white stone houses. You can shuttle among the quiet houses and alleys and say hello to the leisurely islanders. Then take a Dhoni boat to snorkel on an uninhabited island full of coconut groves and have close contact with fish.

Aerial Atolls The most attractive resource of the Maldives are the islands formed by coral reefs. If you want to see the beauty of the Maldives, don’t miss seeing it from the air. Take a seaplane or helicopter to see the beautiful scenery along the way.

Sea fishing The Maldives is rich in large groupers, and people with or without fishing experience can easily catch big fish. Therefore, sea fishing is quite popular here. In the evening, the barbecue and fresh fish dinner, coupled with fine wine, candlelight, starry sky on the beach, and beautiful scenery on a good day will make you completely forget yourself.

The SPA is hidden in the paradise world of Maldives SPA. It is like being isolated from the world. In the elegant space with soft sounds and fragrance, you can enjoy the caress of water drops, petals, green leaves and soil, and suck the natural The fresh scent exuded by the plants in the forest and wilderness, everything is so warm and peaceful, as free as the birds flying in the sky and the fish swimming in the water, forgetting all worries.

List of self-paid items in the Maldives (due to the different hotel facilities on each resort island, the above time fees are for reference only)

One thing you should pay attention to in the Maldives is that you need to pay attention to the following items on the first day Plan a few days of projects and register them in advance. There is also an information desk in the lobby with dedicated personnel to provide relevant information to guests. Fill it out on the form. Or you can make a reservation by calling the Visitor Service Center via the phone in your room.

1 SUNSET FISHING 1630-1930 US$25

2 Snorkeling Kuda Bandos Snorkelling 0900-1300 US$25

3 Snorkeling Reef Snorkelling 1400- 1600 US$22

4 Male's Ferry tour 1430-1800 US$25

5 Catamaran Sailing 2.5 hours US$45

6 Island tour (4 Island) Island Hopping (full day), including meals 0930-1730 US$48

7 Island Tour (2 islands) Island Hopping (half day), including meals 0900-1300 US$28

8 Sunrise Fishing 0530-0830 US$25.00

9 Sunset dolphin cruise 1630-1830 US$22

10 Experience scuba diving (one hour) ( Minimum 4 people per trip) US$45.00

11 Glass bottom boat rides (2 people) 1400-1500 US$13

12 Diving (including theoretical learning, practice and real diving ) Diving ~ PADI certification US$135.00

US$90.00 (not diving)

13 Windsurfing, basic course is about 8 hours US$155

14 Windsurfing rental US $14/person-hour

15 Seaplane and snorkeling day trip sunrise picnic(by Sea Plane) 0800-1730 US$149+transfer

16 Seaplane photography tour Photo Flight( by Sea Plane) 0900-1100 US$55+transfer

17 Canoe single US$10/hour

18 Canoe double US$15/hour

19 Motor boat US$12.5/15 minutes

20 glass bottom boat 1400-1500 US$15

21 Banana boat (6 people) less than US$15 for 30 minutes

22 Badminton US$11/hour

23 Watching the sunset over the Indian Ocean US$25

24 Table tennis free

PADI (Professional Associational Diving Instructors, professional diving instructors) Association) Diving centers in most hotels in the Maldives can provide PADI license training and examinations. Almost all coaches are DIVEMASTERs from Germany and Switzerland. Generally speaking, you can obtain a PADI diving license after 3 days of course training (this license only allows a depth of less than 18 meters. If you add 2 more days of training, you can obtain a 30-meter diving license). Diving is not allowed 24 hours before boarding the plane.

Recommended: Dusk sea fishing, dolphin tours, kuda bandos snorkeling, island tours

Food

Maldives food is authentic and typical of tropical scenery. The Maldivian food is not only full of local color, but it is also inseparable from the sea. Due to religious habits, Maldivians do not eat pork, and the beef they need must be imported from abroad, which is expensive. The meat they often eat is poultry and mutton, and they also often eat eggs. Fish is the most eaten food. They like to eat meat, fish and vegetable rice with pungent aromatic condiments, as well as starchy foods such as sweet potatoes and taro. Tropical fruits and vegetables, breadfruit, coconuts, pineapples and more are available year-round. There are fried fish, fish curry and fish soup at hand, so you can enjoy fish as a companion to every meal.

Some famous local delicacies include fried fish balls, Gula cooked with tuna and coconut, Kuli Boakiba, spicy fish cakes, and Funi Boakiba with coconut milk and rice pudding. (Foni Boakiba) and a sweet milk drink called Kiru Sarbat.

Dhufaa Echetai is a chewable snack popular in the Maldives Islands. The ingredients of this snack include betel nut, betel leaf, cloves, sour fruits, tobacco leaves, etc. This snack is a daily snack for islanders. In the tea shops on the streets and alleys, you can also taste scalding hot tea and delicious pastries and snacks.

The famous local drink is Toddy, a sweet and fragrant drink made from palm trunk juice.

Local people also like to chew coconut fruit pieces rolled into areca palm leaves and a small amount of lime slurry, so their teeth are often dyed black.

The locals do not drink alcohol at all. The capital Male only allows bars with non-alcoholic drinks, and all bars are located in hotels. The Maldive Lady (The Maldive Lady) is a strong and mellow local cocktail. The bars on each tourist island have their own different recipes to prepare this cocktail. Don’t miss this non-alcoholic drink when you visit the Maldives.

Shopping:

The main local products include shell products, reed mats, and wooden lacquer boxes. The Maldives strictly prohibits the export of any kind of coral, and tourists are not allowed to pick up shells themselves. They must buy them from recognized local stores. Shopping time in Male: 8:30AM--11:00PM; Saturday to Thursday: 1:30AM--11:00PM; On Friday, the shops on the island will be closed several times during the day because of prayers time.

When traveling around the island, we will usually take you to a small island of local aborigines. There are many shops on the island. If you don’t have time to join the Male tour, you can also buy some souvenirs there. In fact, there are many products. The price is not very different from the prices in hotel shopping malls, but the shopkeepers are usually very enthusiastic and invite you to come in and take a look. There was an old lady who insisted on giving me a postcard from the Maldives, saying that it was a small tribute from her, which made me feel embarrassed, so I bought something worth 10 dollars in her store. Remember, you have to bargain when shopping, there is still a lot of space. On the island, we bought a shark mouth, which has two rows of upper and lower teeth. A friend of ours bought it in Male when he went to the Maldives on May Day and put it on his desk to show off. So we also bought one. There were many there. We didn’t choose the big one. We asked for a medium one. The price was reduced from 8 knives to 5 knives. Shark’s teeth are really sharp, no matter how small they are.

In addition, the prices of duty-free products on Singapore Airlines flights are similar to those at the duty-free shops in the departure hall of Singapore Changi Airport. Tourists with tight transfer time can buy the products they need on the plane.

Maldives travel tips

1. Weather: The average temperature throughout the year is about 30 degrees Celsius. Affected by the monsoon, there is not much rainfall but frequent showers from May to October, and the weather is hotter from November to April. The Maldives has little temperature difference between day and night, beautiful scenery and pleasant climate. It is a good place for travel and vacation. It is basically suitable for sightseeing all year round. Temperature: 25.4℃-30.4℃; year-round water temperature: 26℃-29℃; best travel months: January-April, July-October.

2. Beliefs and etiquette: Maldivians believe in Islam and are very particular about etiquette. Muslims generally greet each other in Arabic and put their hands together on their foreheads to express sincerity and heartfelt blessings. Talking loudly, gesticulating, and crossing one's legs are all considered impolite. It is taboo for others to touch his head, and it is taboo for others to hand things to him with his left hand. When calling or greeting people, it is taboo to use your hands, especially your index finger, as this is considered disrespectful to people. When walking on the street, be careful to avoid the sacrificial objects lined up on the street, and be sure not to step on them.

3. Clothing: When visiting a mosque, both men and women should not wear shorts or short skirts. For those whose skin tans or burns easily, a large straw hat with a wide brim and sunglasses are a must-have.

4. Food: The restaurant mainly serves Western buffet, and most tables are for 2 to 4 people (please do not share tables). Each meal will be served at a fixed location. No pork served. The tap water in the hotel is not suitable for drinking. You need to buy bottled water, which costs about US$3. Guests are not allowed to bring their own food to the restaurant, otherwise the restaurant will charge a fee. Please drink bottled or canned drinks during outdoor activities and do not patronize vendors that do not meet hygienic requirements. Try to avoid going out alone at night. If necessary, please go with someone.

5. Shopping: The Maldives strictly prohibits the export of any type of coral. Tourists are not allowed to collect shells from the beach or the sea without authorization. To buy shells, you must buy them from a recognized local store.

6. Time and voltage: There is a 3-hour time difference between the Maldives and China. (3 hours slower), voltage 220~240 volts, mostly flat-pin plugs. (Each hotel is different, it is best to bring an adapter plug)

7. Language and currency: The official language of the Maldives is Shibali, and English is commonly used in hotels. The currency of the Maldives is the "Maldive Rupee". Generally, hotels mainly use US dollars. Most resort islands accept internationally accepted credit cards. Both payment methods are accepted in the capital Male, so passengers do not need to exchange rupees. Please also bring some smaller denominations of U.S. dollars for easy pocket use.

8. Tips: The Maldives is mainly based on tourism, and waiters use tips as a source of income. The tip left on the bedside every day cannot be saved (USD 1/day). It is best to tip the bellman (USD 1) when checking in and leaving.

9. Environmental protection: Do not fish, pick or trample corals on the island, otherwise the fine can be up to 5,000 US dollars; do not cook in the hotel room, the fine is also up to 5,000 US dollars; do not make noise on the island , noisy, and throwing garbage everywhere to ensure the beauty and tranquility of the natural environment.

10. Visa and Entry: The Maldives provides a 30-day visa on arrival for every foreigner who enters the country with a valid passport. You only need to fill out a form on the plane and get a stamp at the airport. You can bring 200 cigarettes. Arms, weapons, pornographic publications, drugs and alcohol are strictly prohibited from entering the country. Do not put makeup eyebrow scissors or nail clippers in your carry-on luggage.

A reminder, after getting off the plane in the Maldives, you have to get off the plane by yourself, and then walk into the lobby from the airport. It is very hot when you get off the plane, but it is very, very cold in the lobby, and the air conditioner is turned on full blast. , it is easy to get stomachache when it is hot or cold, so it is absolutely necessary for everyone to bring extra coats when going out.