Anyone been to the Maldives?

PullMyFinger!

Its on a list of possibilities. Could anyone reccomend a nice resort and a reliable travel agent to get there? How hot would it be in say early October?

Bloody*Mary

Maldives are stunning once you don't try and do it on a budget
Weather in Oct should be about 30C coming into the best time weather wise but its very dear over there basically as they are a bunch of small islands everything is imported so say a bottle of beer is about 10 euro a coke about 5 euro bottle of wine about 40 euro (dear dear dear) an island near to Male is your best bet not too far a transfer(by sea plane ) when you arrive

Sleipnir

White sandy beaches...oh and this.

Maldives' reform plan put on hold
COLOMBO: Plans to discuss democratic reform in the Maldives were put on hold indefinitely yesterday, after the island nation declared an emergency and rounded up activists following a rare mass demonstration.

A special assembly called to debate the changes had been due to convene yesterday, but several of its members were taken into custody following the crackdown.

"So far, none of the parliament members who were arrested have been released," said a resident of Male.

Opposition politician Mohamed Latheef, a Sri-Lanka-based member of the Maldivian Democratic Party, called for a tourism boycott in the country. "I am very angry with the Western world. They see all the reports in the papers and they are not taking enough action."

Activists said they gathered last Thursday to press President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to make good on reform promises, but the government accused demonstrators of attempting to destabilise the country.

"These people didn't have a single demand to make. They were asking for the release of certain criminals. This kind of demand the government cannot accede to," said government spokesman Ahmed Shaheed.

A Male resident said casualties were coming into hospitals after being beaten by police.

Latheef said his three children has been arrested and taunted in public, and one of his daughters hooded and beaten.





Organization and participation in unlawful
gatherings prohibited
It is illegal to organize and participate in unlawful gatherings, said the Ministry of Defense and National Security.

In an announcement published by the Ministry yesterday it said that a number of people were gathering at various locations in Male’ each night, and said that at these gatherings writings encouraging criminal activities were distributed and posted and acts were carried out to disrupt the public peace.

The Ministry said that this has caused anxiety and alarm amongst the public and reminded that such meetings were illegal. The Ministry also appealed the general public to cooperate and assist in stopping these sort of activities as they are like to have lasting negative affects on the whole country.

PullMyFinger!

Bloody*Mary wrote:

but its very dear over there basically as they are a bunch of small islands everything is imported so say a bottle of beer is about 10 euro a coke about 5 euro bottle of wine about 40 euro (dear dear dear)

Thats crazy money on top of what was already looking like an expensive holiday to book. Anywhere else similar thats just as relaxing, hot and beautiful looking?

Bloody*Mary

you could have a look at Dubai ....stay in one of the nice hotels on the beach
your only 10 mins from the City then and it's not expensive to eat out drink etc ...The hotels around the beach area can be expensive to eat/drink in but not on par with The Maldives ....other options are the islands off Thailand and Malaysia again amazing views but not expensive once your there !

Sleipnir

Cuba?

ToxicPaddy

Sleipnir wrote:

Cuba?

Cuba is supposed to be a fantastic country and very very cheap.. but its the
place to go to have a relaxing holiday as there is little else to do apart from a
day trip to Havana.. There isnt even much to buy in the way of shopping..

A lot of my family have been there and they all have come back raving on about the place..

At the moment the country is in the middle of a sever drought so probably best to keep an eye on the situation..

Try and get an all in package in one of the big resorts.. you will have everything on offer in a big compound, all you can eat and whatever you want to drink, all covered withing the charge.. and no need to move outside unless its for a daytrip somewhere..

Tox

sharkman

I was in the Maldives in April , we stayed on Kuramathi and it was paradise .

If you book all-inc you dont have to worry about the prices when you get there . We booked with Cassidy travel in Dublin ..

PM me if you want more details ...