I'm thinking of going there for xmas and new year and am looking for suggestions for a TOP CLASS resort? I figure since it's gonna cost so much I might as well go the extra mile and make it truly memorable...

Ideally I don't really want a resort that has to be flown to from the international airport (boat transfers only) but list em if they're that good....I might be able to get strong enough sleeping tablets to persuade the missus to get on a seaplane....

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Answers

Thanks for your time...

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Can I come?(:o(

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

great place. i'm going off you Gav :0)

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Do you need an extra travelling companion ?

Somebody to walk round for you so you don't get deep vein thingy ?

Or, if you don't want to walk round, somebody to adjust your support socks ? :-))

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Mum, no you can't come! you've got virus's! ;))

Hmm....so no-one has been? :((

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Haven't been myself Gav, but know a couple of people who've visited recently. Have you done any Scuba diving? - it's world class in the Maldives area apparantly, if you don't dive however I'm told there's not a hell of a lot to do there. My brother in law is honeymooning in the Maldives next month but rather than spending the entire fortnight chilling they're going to split it with a week in Sri Lanka - sounds just the ticket to me.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Gav - give us a day or so and i'll see what i can find out - i'm working at Thomson again and i know my brother's been there...

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Gav my mate has been I'll find out and email let you know. Lucky b*gger ;-)

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Cheers gang! i've booked it anyhow cos I was getting impatient :)) going to the Baros resort for 2 weeks on the 30th of Dec :))

DSS, done a tiny bit of diving but haven't got any accreditation yet...i'll probably do a course before I go so that I don't have to do it over there...

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Second hand info and similar to what DSS says. Not much to do other than lazing and diving, but obviously beautiful and easy to find a beach if not island to yourself. Because all the water's desalinated rather than fresh and in short supply, don't expect power showers etc. Apparently you can never get rid of all the salt. Bars and restaurants obviously limited although you can island hop to a extent. Great for intimacy and chilling. Most people say a week is plenty though.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Cheers Pete! Lazing and diving is fine with me....i'll take loads of pot noodles just in case the food is shite ;))

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Gav, I've been to the Maldives mate AND I'll NEVER EVER go there again - it's the biggest rip-off on the planet!

Granted they're beautiful, but all they want is your hard-earned cash - everything's charged in green-backs; US$6 for a can of rubbish beer to start with. You're not allowed to bring duty-free in 'cos they're strictly Islamic (read, they want you to pay THEIR prices) and they''ll search you at the airport - thoroughly!

We stayed at the "Full Moon" resort, way upmarket, you can forget your name at least, 'cos all they ever say to you is, "What's your room number?", so they can charge anything and everything down to your room (even drinking water!).

You can only get to the islands from Male (the capital), by boat or sea-plane and, after that you're on Alkatraz, 'cos you can't get off 'under your own steam'.

The highlight of each day (for me) was the Manta Ray feeding session, when the rays were fed by locals wearing replica Manure shirts - I enjoyed that bit 'cos at least I could stot peanuts off their heeds!

I met some Geordies there with their bairns, on 2-week package tours, even in the middle of the UK winter they couldn't wait to get hyem after 4 days, I kid you not!

On Christmas Eve we had a seafood barbecue on the beach @US$50 a person, no seafood though, "we expected you Europeans to want casseroles, chicken + turkey, etc.", in that heat! lol

To cap it all, on New Years Day, the day we were due to leave, I was lying on the beach (slightly worse for wear, 'cos I'd smuggled a bottle of Bacardi in, in a water bottle!), this waiter strolled up the beach with a blackboard (complete with bells) bearing my room number, I rushed up to him to ask if there was something wrong with my girlfriend, he replied, "You reception now!", I panicked, rushed to reception only to be told check out time was 30 mins. ago, you must vacate your room!

We then spent the rest of the day waiting for the boat to the airport, another 7 hours and, thay wouldn't even serve me a drink 'cos there was no more "romm number" and they won't accept cash or credit cards!

Well I've been there and got a T-shirt but, my advice would be give the place a miss UNLESS, you might be going on honeymoon, even then I'd have my reservations - you might just get hoyed oot in the middle of making babies!

I also flew there from Sri Lanka, where I was on business, imagine having to fly all the way back to Europe :-(

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

...as for Sri Lanka, south-west or south-east (better still!) = paradise and very cheap - get yer @r$e there mate!

;7)

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Ack!! that sounds nasty mate! i must admit I still fancy it though....I know they're pretty strict about the leaving time but that shouldn't be a problem cos we've flying out at 15:00 so it should only be a couple of hours without a room....

I looked at the full moon but didn't quite fancy it...a little too busy....we're not really after sight seeing (other than the water and beach!) so again getting off the island shouldn't be a problem...

And if they think they can stop me from getting a drink when I want one then they'll WISH they could get off the island!

Thanks for the advice though mate, it's better to be prepared for it than to expect things you aren't gonna get...

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Gav, the Full Moon's only about 1.5 miles long x less than a mile wide - it was less than 25% occupied when we were there last Xmas / New Year!

Good luck mate, you'll need it - 'cos they're all the same!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Cheers bud, I hope you're wrong! however after looking a little more I notice that full moon and the Baros that i've booked into are both run by the same company!! :(( both the same class of hotel as well!

To be honest, they can charge what they like as long as i'm expecting it then it's not really a problem, as long as we've got a nice quiet undisturbed bit of beach to ourselves for the duration then i'll be more than happy.....if they decide to fuck me about then they will regret it, i'm certain of that....

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Gav.... you have too much money ;-)

whatever...... I'm sure you'll get the service you need!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

"done a tiny bit of diving but haven't got any accreditation yet..."

Come on Gav - don't be so modest :-)

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Geordie....DID have too much money, these things cost ya knaa :))

Scratchy....bum bum! how is your mum these days anyway? ;))

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

Gav, can I just provide the positive side to visiting the Maldives. I was there in February (luckily for me it is only a 4 hour flight from Kuala Lumpur where I live) and stayed at the Banyan Tree. My comments are yes it is expensive but what would you expect if you are paying sometimes is excess of 500 US Dollars a night for a room. You have to get to most islands via speedboat and very often each island only has one resort. It is best if you are not going with the kids as it is very much a "get-away from it all" holiday where you do bugger all except sunbathe, swim and scuba-dive/snorkel. Actually you dont even need to go scuba diving to see the majority of the fish, I only went snorkelling and around the corals you can see dozens of different species - I even saw some baby tiger sharks (about 5 ft). The food especially the seafood is great - I especially liked the raw yellow finned tuna. Like every holiday it is what you make of it when you are there............. A tip though dont try and smuggle in booze unless you do what Bud did as they X-Ray your baggage on arrival. As for me I would definitely go back.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2001

mikeyboy, well I live in Singapore (though I'm moving back to Hong Kong next week!,) so even nearer to the Maldives than you and, thankfully I was working in Colombo (Sri Lanka) when I went to the "Full Moon" - I felt $h!t for the Geordies I met there last Xmas, 'cos they were "marooned" there for a further 10 days or so + they had to fly all the way back to Europe :-(

Anyway, "horses for courses" and "one man's meat"...!

By the way, I was in KL today, Friday the 13th., but please don't tell my missus ;-)

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Bud, funnily enough I was in Singapore over the weekend - jsut back- thats why I havent posted till now! though dont tell my missus!!!!!!!!! So where did you go in KL - Beach Club maybe? ;0)

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

Sri Lanka is close to the top of my next to do destinations. Reports of VFM in a big way, lovely people and for approx £500 you can have a beach side apartment with air con for about 6 months! My neighbours went to the test match in the Spring and want to move there.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

Bobby, I worked in Sri Lanka (on and off) for 7 months and I went to all of the test matches - the last one (in Colombo) was nothing short of amazing, just like being at a Cup Final - except my team won for once!

Sri Lanka's beautiful, wonderful beaches, and very cheap too.

Email me if u want some pointers - even a driver (cheap and necessary!)?

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2001

mikeyboy, I stayed in a (that) hotel with the revolving restaurant at the top, ' can't think of it's name now - she booked it! ;-)

Did most of my drinking in Delaney's - no comparison with the Delaney's in HK but Islam is Islam.

I wouldn't mind a quid for every time I've passed through that new airport ;7)

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2001