Are the Maldives totally overpriced

THEIRISHMOB

Have been researching the Maldives and they seem totally overpriced for what you get!

Villas not the same luxury as a great 5 star hotel but all €1000+ a night?
Food and drinks totally crazy money.
Transfers from Male the same price as international flights?

Your thoughts?

Anyone planning Honeymoon there?

lazeedaisy

Wanted to go there on honeymoon 20 years ago, still can't afford it.

It always has been horrifically overpriced, but will always be on my bucket list,

keithclancy

lazeedaisy wrote: »

Wanted to go there on honeymoon 20 years ago, still can't afford it.

It always has been horrifically overpriced, but will always be on my bucket list,

How is it overpriced ?

Its a remote cluster of islands with the closest places being India and Sri Lanka, almost everything is imported.

You can get some bargains sometimes but if you want a specific date with a luxury resort all inclusive it will cost a lot.

http://www.holidaypirates.com/holidaypackages/cheap-holiday-to-maldives20315

THEIRISHMOB

keithclancy wrote: »

How is it overpriced ?

Its a remote cluster of islands with the closest places being India and Sri Lanka, almost everything is imported.

You can get some bargains sometimes but if you want a specific date with a luxury resort all inclusive it will cost a lot.

http://www.holidaypirates.com/holidaypackages/cheap-holiday-to-maldives20315

Have you been?

munchkin_utd

I'm seeing packages (from germany) for 1100 per person for 7 nights at peak summer school holidays travel time in a very well reviewed hotel incl flights and transfers and breakfasts and other extras like transport to airport on the departure side.

Are you looking to build your own holiday? For a holiday resort destination like the maldives you might be better do it the old fashioned way through a package and a travel agent.

If I wanted the package i mention above, a 2 minute call to my travel agent would have the thing sorted .
Theres time it pays to waste days trawling the internet (city trips especially when theres Ryanair or the likes involved) and theres times a professional can save you time and money.

keithclancy

munchkin_utd wrote: »

I'm seeing packages (from germany) for 1100 per person for 7 nights at peak summer school holidays travel time in a very well reviewed hotel incl flights and transfers and breakfasts and other extras like transport to airport on the departure side.

The problem is when you get there, a can of cola works out at about 4-4.5 euros.

People are saying its overpriced when its an island that has an import of around 950 million dollars and an export market of around 165 million dollars everything is going to cost more.

grahamor

keithclancy wrote: »

The problem is when you get there, a can of cola works out at about 4-4.5 euros.

People are saying its overpriced when its an island that has an import of around 950 million dollars and an export market of around 165 million dollars everything is going to cost more.

Have you been there ?

keithclancy

grahamor wrote: »

Have you been there ?

No, Why ?

Tabnabs

I've been, for a honeymoon and it was paradise. We stayed in a 5 Star Hotel as well in the Middle East and it didn't compare to the Maldives. If I could afford it, I'd pay any money to go back there. Go all-in, during the best weather months and get a villa on stilts over the sea. There's nowhere in the world like it. The sea-plane was worth the cost too, fantastic experience.

cocker5

Op, I have been twice (counting my lucky stars)

First time to Kuredu 8 years ago and the to Kuramathi two years ago.

Are the very expensive? Id be lying if i said no.... are they over priced i don't think so if im honest. There have to transport / import EVERYTHING to each island.. they are 100's of miles apart and outside the Atoles the seas are VERY rough so the transportation from everything from Shampoo for guests to milk to toilet paper... so id imagine that's a huge cost to each resort. Not to mention they have 100's of staff 24/7...

Kuredu is lovely we stayed in the water villas (AMAZING), you can go for other accomodation depending on your budget. Kuramathi more expensive again - it was brilliant also

Their house reef is pretty cool.. dived their most days and saw MASSIVE lion fish turtles etc..

walking up the beach each evening saw HUGE manta rays swimming up in the shallow waters right beside us....

Dived a place called turtle island... 100's of 50 year old turtles sleeping in caves.. all alighting at the same time to resurface for air (hence the name turtle airport)

Most amazing thing we ever saw was coming back from a dive trip (that wasn't anything to write home about)... our feet dangling over the edge.. around 200 baby dolphins started racing us... now they were only the size of like medium dog (so very young) all dancing along beside the boat, jumping up at the edges tipping off the soles of our feet etc... as far as the eye could see , the sea was alive with baby dolphins... truly amazing..

so yes maybe over priced... but the memories will last a life time.. if you can afford it treat yourself... its a trip of a lifetime

ps go "all inclusive" so no spends when your there...

goldenhoarde

went to Kuredu 9 years ago and was fantastic - basically follow cocker5's post above as we did the same - water villas and all inclusive - was fantastic

Expensive yes but not overpriced for what you get ( we did 7 days there and 4 nights in Dubai on the way home).

lucylu

yes we went for 7 nights on our honeymoon 8 years ago .it costs 3200 all inclusive..
It took 3 mins to walk around the Island. To be honest after day 5 we were bored. We took a pedal boat around the island for a bit of escapism and a few trips sunset fishing and a sea plane trip for about 20 mins.. fab seas, sands, diving and food but it you are limited to what you can do depending on the resort you got to.

Also note the airport is on 1 island the Capital Male is on another lsland. the Rubbish tip is on another island as is the Fuel Depot.. no wonder the money adds up.
Surprisingly the Phone Reception was excellent!