Visiting the Maldives – What You Need to Know Beforehand

The Maldives is one of the most spectacular travel destinations in the world. The islands are famed largely for its natural beauty. Anyone who has ever laid eyes on a photo or video either falls in love straight away or seriously thinks about going to visit.

Despite all the spectacular views, there are still many things that can take you by surprise. This is why luxury hotels in the Maldives, Jumeirah, have put a list together of a couple of things worth knowing before you visit.

The water is actually that colour

Before you say it, no, the photos are not filtered or photoshopped. This is what the Indian Ocean really looks like. With sand so white it looks like sugar and water so blue it looks enhanced, this is essentially the closest you can come to paradise. With no traffic on the islands as well, the only sound you will be hearing is the fizz of the sea hitting the sand.

There are 1100 islands

Yes, really! There are over a thousand coral islands that make up the Maldives, grouped as a chain of 26 atolls with 105 hotels all together. The largest of these islands is 6 km, and effectively each island is it’s own resort, only adding to the private and secure feeling you get from the Maldives.

It’s not just for honeymooners

Although the Maldives is immensely popular with honeymooners, it’s great for families and active couples too. The kids will love playing in the soft sand and spotting rainbow fish in the clear water. Couple who don’t just want to soak up some rays on the pristine beaches can enjoy plenty of activities, from yoga to cookery classes and finish the day of partying into the early hours

It’s a dry country

The Maldives is an Islamic country and alcohol is banned. But don’t stop reading here. We would quickly like to tell you that resorts are an exception and do serve alcohol! Phew! However, everyone else is no no. If you try bringing in alcohol, even from duty-free you will have them whipped away faster than you can Jack Daniels. In some cases, tourist and locals have been fined. Some tourists have even politely been asked to leave the country.

Good weather all year round

Yes. It’s amazingly consistent all year round. It may be a bit rainier in certain months, but it will never last long, leaving you with lots of sunshine to enjoy through the day.

Half board will save you some cash

A great way to save a bit of cash is to go half board instead of full board. If you plan your breakfast right, you will find that you won’t be hungry enough for lunch time as well. In the Maldives, the breakfast tends to be enormous, so it should keep you going for a few hours.

Final thoughts

You may really regret not bringing a waterproof camera!

This post was sponsored by Jumeriah. All photos my own.