Things to take in mind before traveling to Maldives:
-Check updates on Covid regulations before planning the trip. If going consider the possibility to buy an insurance (also with the airlines you are traveling with) to cover your expenses in case you will be affected by covid.
Before going back home plan on time your PCR test, if required by your Home country
-Check the stopovers. From Naples we didn’t have a direct flight so we flew to Dubai, where we spent 2 nights, and we went to Maldives traveling during the night so that we slept while flying and we enjoyed a full day in Maldives arriving in the morning -Choose the right season. Here we have an equatorial climate meaning two different seasons. From mid-December to end of April the climate is dry while from May to November becomes humid. The temperature is always between 28 and 34 degrees while torrential rains may happen
-Prefer an accommodation far from Malè, you will avoid an intense air traffic. Every year around 1,7 million people are traveling to Maldives. When booking remember to ask if the seaplane to reach your atoll is included (it costs around 400$ per person round trip) -Consider to buy an all-inclusive plan instead of a full board. We chose a full board but actually we are usually not drinking much but prices for single items are really high. For the same reason I suggest you to bring from home all the things you may need (sunscreen, swimsuits, hats, waterproof camera)
-If you have babies check if your resort has the babysitting service and the baby club. In that case you will be able to enjoy some excursions on the reef -For an unique experience I suggest to choose an overwater villa. We really enjoyed our time there
-Last but most important: don’t bring with you too much stuff. Leave home high heels, jeans, make up. For me the one of the coolest things was the freedom to walk barefoot. Bring with you a swimsuit and a camera (if you love it you can capture such incredible scenarios down there)! To enjoy that paradise you don’t need anything more :)
To read about the accommodation keep reading! 😃
Centara Grand island resort& spa. Located in the southern part of the Ari atoll.
Accommodations: the resort has 112 villas both on the beach and overwater. We stayed in one of the overwater villa. Do you have in mind the kind of postcard with emerald water and paradisiac landscape? Perfect, there we are! Just a paradise. Everything very clean, rooms cleaned twice a day, drinkable water in glass bottles provided daily.
The resort is big but everything is easily reachable just by a nice walk (no bikes needed).
The resort has many common spaces with sofas, beds and also an indoor reading room and another one equipped with pools, ping pong table and other games.
Restaurants and bars: we have 3 restaurants
The international one, the reef, at buffet always open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It has a variety of proposals also vegan and vegetarian ones. Strong influence of Indian kitchen but also available sushi, Italian focaccia, and grilled food.
Big choice of vegetables, seasonings and bread. If you love dessert time, you are in the right place, from pudding to ice cream, every kind of cakes.
I admit that the food was always fresh and never the same proposed both at lunch and dinner. I was a bit disappointed by the fruit buffet, not really the best quality of exotic fruit.
Then the thai restaurant, Bua, a nice and cozy location partially opened with coloured pillows and staff wearing traditional clothes.
We had a full board meal option so we could choose the set menu (appetizer, main dish and dessert) or choose à la carte with a credit per person of 40$ per day.
The food is excellent! Only on reservation based.
An Italian restaurant, Azzuri Mare, placed overwater, in a nice location sunset view oriented. We didn’t eat here, being Italian, when we travel we prefer to eat something different. From the menu we noticed the food proposal has really high prices (27$ for a Pizza margherita!).
There are also 2 bars, one close to the reception, mainly opened during the day, while the other, the coral bar, close to the swimming pool, also opened during the evening. It proposes a selection of hamburgers and salads as alternative to the proposals above. Also a menu à la carte in room is available.
Activities: there are many water excursions to see with tartles, whale sharks, manta and sunset phishing, reef snorkling, parasailing and so on, all chargeable. At the beginning of the stay every guest is equipped with masks, flippers and life jacket for the entire stay.
Other water sports are free, as kayay, pedalo, kitesurf.
It’s also possible to book the overwater gym, or play tennis booking the court or play volleyball.
A weekly schedule is available, many activities mainly for kids as bracelet making, treasury hunt and others for adults as sunset yoga and aqua gym.
A 50 meters infinity swimming pool, with a dedicate are for kids is available till 7 pm with sunbeds and bar service.
It’s possible to book spa treatment also for couples and kids packages. Prices are around 200$ for 30 miutes treatment per person (500$ per couple 2 hours pack).
The is also a chill lounge for those who do the check out but want to have a shower or change clothes before leaving the island.
And also a private club, named “The club”, is available for fidelity members of the resort with a private pool and restaurant with beach.
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