The Maldives is blessed with some of the most idyllic beaches in the world, warm crystal clear waters, and an undersea world that is vibrant with reef fish, sharks, manta rays and exquisite coral gardens. It is well-renowned for offering some of the world’s best luxury island holiday experiences and being one of the top places to go scuba diving, particularly if you want to see manta rays and sharks. But here are 5 things we bet you didn’t know about the Maldives:
1. Each island has its own time zone
While the time in the capital city of Male is set at GMT+5 the islands tend to live life on their own clock. On arrival at your luxurious getaway in the Maldives you may be surprised to discover that the clocks are set one or two hours ahead of the standard Maldives time. This clever thinking is implemented so that you maximize the amount of daylight during your holiday and don’t waste precious sunshine-filled hours asleep when you could be out exploring and enjoying this Indian Ocean paradise!
2. It’s not as seasonal as everyone says
With the climate ever changing, the Maldives is actually becoming more and more of a year-round diving destination. While manta rays and sharks are best seen in certain spots at specific times of the year, the wide variety of dive liveaboard itineraries and islands to choose from ensures that you will always enjoy good diving, no matter the time of year you travel. With changes in water temperatures, migration patterns have also seen a change and dive instructors advise that you can now see the ‘big hitters’ for a lot longer than you could in the past. Also if you go out of the traditional season you enjoy discounted rates and hotels that aren’t as crowded. Which brings us to our next point:
3. It’s cheaper than you think
And it’s only getting more affordable. With new luxury properties opening on the outer islands of the Maldives, but still within easy reach from Male by speedboat or seaplane, the hotel status-quo is being challenged. These new resorts are taking a more relaxed approach to those of the typical 5-star offerings and have done away with the many hidden costs and add-ons that the bigger brand hotels still hold on to. Some of these new hotels even throw in free watersports (motorised included in some cases!), free WiFi, free breakfast, babysitting services and daily spa treatments, ensuring that you can really make the most of your Maldives holiday without constantly checking your bank balance.
4. Not every liveaboard is created equal
Choosing the right Maldives liveaboard boat for you should be just as rigorous a process as choosing a hotel. Some liveaboards offer basic services and accommodation that is more akin to a hostel or guesthouse while others are decked out with jacuzzis, fine dining restaurants, and alfresco bar areas. Others, like the Scubaspa motor yachts, take liveaboard accommodation to the next level with a fully dedicated spa and options for dive packages, spa only packages which are perfect for your non-diving partner or a combo dive and spa package. When comparing a liveaboard trip to an island stay it’s always important to take into consideration what is included and what isn’t (especially the diving) as this makes a big difference to the final cost of your holiday.
5. Been there, done that? No, you haven’t
Been to the Maldives before? Swam with whale sharks, been surrounded by nurse sharks and been in awe as manta rays glided overhead. Well lucky you, but you can always go again! New islands are constantly being created as innovative resorts literally break ground in the Maldives and contemporary liveaboards are offering exciting new itineraries that are designed to thrill even the most seasoned of scuba divers. To check out some of these new offerings check out our updated Maldives resort listings here.
