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Maldives Honeymoon ..... where to start?

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Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 15 February 2011 - 19:44

Excellent - thanks Claire - 3 more tabs opened as I check it out :-) Ooooooooooo so exciting.

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 15 February 2011 - 19:21

The overwater rooms at the Hilton Iru Fushi have plunge pools and ladders down into the sea - amazing - we had to stay in a beach villa because our kids were just too young to stay in the overwater rooms but the beach villas were stunning and you got a gorgeous garden with a lovely private gazebo. When we were there most of the water villas were occupied by honeymooners or seriously loved up couples! Superb! Check out Hilton.com because they often have amazing deals - we just booked a 50% discount room at Hilton Resort and spa in Ras al Khaimah and it was fab......depending on the dates of your honeymoon you might be lucky enough to get one of those deals..... <em>edited by Clairehdp on 15/02/2011</em>

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EW GURU

Latest post on 15 February 2011 - 19:16

Starting to narrow it down....... Must haves = 5 star Over water room Within 30 (ish mins) from Male by speed boat or plane (I'll deal with the nerves!!) All inc if poss! Budget - well, errrrr, well I'm starting to the idea of what it's likely to cost for 10 days!! If I can find something perfect for £3,500 I will be a very happy lass!!! Keep any suggestions flowing ladies! x

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EW GURU

Latest post on 15 February 2011 - 18:32

JS - thank you SO much for your valuable feedback, especially as a tired new mum (congratulations!!!!). Our wedding will be just the two of us (with a party later in the year back home), so as you can imagine for a honeymoon we want everything to be totally perfect and if we're paying for 5* then we'll be expecting 5*!!! I am currently [b'>ALL [/b'>over Agado, Trip Advisor, Booking.com & Hotels.com - comparing prices, reviews, location etc etc. It's still a total minefield and you can never tell a resort by the pics as anything in the Maldives can look like paradise! I've started a spreadsheet logging all info found with a tab for each resort - logging info from each of the main booking channels inc prices direct from the resorts. My task is to narrow it down to 3 (ok maybe 5) then sling it in his lordships direction to help make a final decision :) Thanks again to everyone for their input! x

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 15 February 2011 - 14:06

Just seen this thread, please please do not go to Kurumba absolutely the worst Maldives resort I have been too. It is listed as a five star resort by EK holidays and we would have bearly rated it a 3 star. I could write pages and pages about this place, but to sum up terrible service ( I never once got what I asked for -and it wasn't anything other than on the menu) The buffet and food in general was very poor, the room (one of the best opitions) was very dated and not a patch on any of the other resorts we have been too. Anyway tons more things - not a true reflection of a 5 star property at ALL. Even when we checked out they were rude, didn't ask if we had a nice stay, infact barely spoke just took the money! Oh and then our supposed Butler who was also poor harrased us to filling in a comments form about him!!! Sorry if there are any spelling mistakes and it sounds a bit jumbled I'm a sleep deprived newborn Mummy, but had to write as I wouldn't want anyone to waste there money on this place. On a better note some great places - Hilton - now Conrad is fab Soneva Fishi - fab Reethi Rah - fab Kanduraha - Good Have a great time.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 13 February 2011 - 18:23

Thank you SO much everyone ........ some brilliant info and soooooooo much to research now :-) Thank you thank you thank you!! :):) x

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 13 February 2011 - 12:37

We went to the Maldives for our honeymoon and stayed at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu and then moved to Coco Palm Bodu Hithi - the Escape Water Villas there are absolutely AMAZING, we had the best holiday. Excellent diving on both islands as well. However one of the islands is a seaplane transfer and the other is a speedboat transfer so not good for you. We booked through Maldives Direct (based in UK as it was before we moved here) and I spent quite a long time chatting to Jim there - he has personally visited all of the islands they sell holidays to and his advice was fantastic, we told him exactly what we wanted and he found us the perfect holiday.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 13 February 2011 - 12:14

We stayed at Kurumathi. It was fantastic! I'm scared of flying, but loved the seaplane!

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 13 February 2011 - 10:52

check out Baros www.baros.com It's about 20 mins with a speedboat... DH isn't a fan of boats either, but it was well worth it! Spent 7 days there as part of our honeymoon ... heaven on earth for us :)

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EW GURU

Latest post on 13 February 2011 - 10:40

I booked through Dnata & stayed at Anantara Resort for which access was by speed boat. It was awesome and we got a graet deal.

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 23:10

Can recommend the Anantara, Veli, Maldives. Book the over water bungalow. About 20mins approx boat journey from the airport. Big sturdy lux boat so no worries there. You will be fine and enjoy the sights. Nothing short of absol amazing. Couldn't fault a thing! Yes, yes, yes. It's the most amazing place I have ever been in my life and I want to go back.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 23:04

Can recommend the Anantara, Veli, Maldives. Book the over water bungalow. About 20mins approx boat journey from the airport. Big sturdy lux boat so no worries there. You will be fine and enjoy the sights. Nothing short of absol amazing. Couldn't fault a thing!

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 21:51

Once you decide where you want to go try looking at Agoda.com for rates, I found them much cheaper than direct with some hotels. I also asked a local travel agent for the same holiday package and I have managed to save a few extra dirhams too! (didn't expect a travel agent to be cheaper than booking myself)

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 20:19

I went to lily beach resort 45 min by sea plane and then 10 min boat ride the sea plane was amazing and the view of the maldives outstanding and i got some amazing pictures the maldives needs to be apreciated from above. The pilots are mostly ex milatary so are very experienced even if they do fly the plane in flip flops!! for me the highlight of the hol was the mode of transport.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 19:49

i agree with the last post. kurumba village is 10mins boat ride from Male airport. A friend of mine has been twice and she is very scared of flying but loves it and can not wait to go back!

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 19:47

The kurumba resorts are just 20 to 30 min away from airport,kuramathi is a bit farther,we got a water bunglow in kuramathi resorts its was really paradise on earth....

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Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 19:46

Not had alot of success with sea or air.... don't get me started on the helicopter in Cuba that hit a flock of birds... :\: OMG!!

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 19:28

Not had alot of success with sea or air.... don't get me started on the helicopter in Cuba that hit a flock of birds... :\:

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Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 19:27

sorry, funny question, if you are not a fun of boat trips or sea plane, why are you going to Maldives? choose some other place with neither way of transportation involved. Fair question! I've been before (12 years ago) and once you arrive at your destination it's paradise on earth so worth the travel traumas!! OH hasn't been before and is very keen..... it really is the perfect honeymoon destination!! But, the point of my opening post .... I'd like to minimise travel from Male if at all poss! Saying that I am coming round to the sea plane idea and will put my nerves aside :-) Emlsnre - eeeeeekkkk!! I'd rather be on a plane for sure!! CM - you're helping my cause big time :-) I think I can handle the plane :-) x <em>edited by Loopy Lotti on 12/02/2011</em>

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EW GURU

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 19:07

Took advantage of sitting outside upfront to get a few last rays..... going along quite nicely.... then it started getting a little choppy, then we were very high up on the wave and crashing back down felt like we were hitting side on. Couldn't get back inside and clinging on for dear life. I remember seeing the captain's face through the window, terrified. They couldn't even keep a chain of men together to grab us and pull us in... awful and it felt like forever... Yikes! Now THAT'S my idea of a nightmare, I get seasick in the bath, you must have been terrified! :\:

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EW GURU

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 19:06

Oooo CM that sounds sheer bliss!!! I'm coming round to the seaplane idea ....... :-) How scary is the take off / landing? I'm a strong swimmer so shouldn't really be too scared!! lol It really is amazing and the view is sooooo worth tackling any anxiety. Take off and landing are totally different to a normal big plane and let's face it - they are built to land on water, so if there are any problems, they would just glide back down onto the water... no worries, not like a big plane that isn't designed to do that. Honestly, apart from the noise, the seaplane is fab! It is such an unusual experience, that it's not like going on an ordinary plane!

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Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 19:06

sorry, funny question, if you are not a fun of boat trips or sea plane, why are you going to Maldives? choose some other place with neither way of transportation involved.

1692

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 19:02

Took advantage of sitting outside upfront to get a few last rays..... going along quite nicely.... then it started getting a little choppy, then we were very high up on the wave and crashing back down felt like we were hitting side on. Couldn't get back inside and clinging on for dear life. I remember seeing the captain's face through the window, terrified. They couldn't even keep a chain of men together to grab us and pull us in... awful and it felt like forever...

610

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 18:55

Go by plane..... having had an absolutely terrifying experience on a boat transfer never ever again.... Please expand! What went wrong?

1692

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 18:53

Go by plane..... having had an absolutely terrifying experience on a boat transfer never ever again....

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Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 18:53

Oooo CM that sounds sheer bliss!!! I'm coming round to the seaplane idea ....... :-) How scary is the take off / landing? I'm a strong swimmer so shouldn't really be too scared!! lol

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Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 18:49

I agree with Claire, the seaplane is fab, we chose our honeymoon island because we could go by plane! Sit by the window and your breath will be taken away by the view, you won't think about being scared. Also, the fact it is so noisy (take advantage of the free earplugs they offer you) and the pilot and 'cabin crew' are barefoot and it seems more like a bus ride than a plane ride! We went to Komandoo and had an amazing time, everything from the water villa we stayed in, to the massage in the little spa, to the dive school, to all the lovely staff, including room boy, to the fantastic (with a capital F) food... and I'm a very picky, fussy person. There wasn't a thing wrong with the place! Small and perfectly formed! :) Oh, now you have me wishing I was going again...

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Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 18:41

I'm terrified of flying!!! Maybe if I topped up the blood alcohol levels on the way to Male I'd enjoy a sea plane trip ............. ;) Will be brave and will look up Iru Fushi .... thanks Claire x

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Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 18:22

The seaplane part is the best bit! You get to see the most amazing views and you get to go to some of the best places. If it was my honeoon I'd make it part of the experience. I love iru fushi Hilton resort.

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Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 12 February 2011 - 17:02

Just starting the research mission for a 10 day honeymoon in the Maldives in June ............ would like somewhere fairly close to Male as I'm not a huge fan of long boat trips, and don't even suggest I get in a sea plane!! (wimps are us!!). Can anyone recommend anywhere lovely? LLx

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