If you are looking for Maldives travel deals and information on how to plan and book your holidays in the Maldives then please continue to read.

You have decided to spend your next vacations in the Maldives because your friends or family just came back from a Maldives holiday trip and now they can’t stop talking about it. Or maybe you have read wonder full comments about the last existing paradise. Either way, you have made the right decision and here you find some important information on how to plan your vacation and get the best Maldives Travel Deals. Firstly, you must know that there are over hundred different Maldives island resorts all over the country. Each Island Resort is built on a private Maldives islands. No local village or markets can be found on the island resort but the resort itself provides facilities such as Restaurants, WaterSportCenter, Bars, Swimming Pool, Spa, Souvenir Shop, Disco etc. Normally the islands are rather small and you can walk around in around 10-30 Minutes depending on the size of the island. There are many different kinds off Maldives island resorts. Don’t just surf the internet for the cheapest Maldives travel deals but ask yourself what kind of resort you prefer. Do you want to spend your holidays in a small and idyllic Island with only a small number of guests or do you prefer a large Island Resort with lots of activities and facilities such as Spa, diving center, swimming pool, restaurant a la carte, bars and discos. Or maybe you prefer something in between.

Off course, if you travel with your kids you would choose a resort that provides kids facilities’ or maybe you even consider to spend your vacations in a Maldives Club. If you on honeymoon you would rather choose a romantic Island Resort with a good Spa for instance. As you see there are many options to choose from. If you don’t know which island resort is offering which service and facilities then simply let your Maldives Travel Agent know your preferences and they will let you know which Maldives Island Resort would be best for you. When you have found your ideal island resort you can decide the accommodation category. In the Maldives you find beach or water bungalows in all types and categories from standard rooms to luxury suites. Choose a water bungalow if you are on honeymoon. Spending your Maldives honeymoon in a water bungalow is the most romantic thing to do. Beach bungalows are recommended when traveling with children or if you like to stay near the beach. By the way, for some safety reasons children under 12 years are not allowed in water bungalows.

For bookings I recommend local Travel Agency’s since they are based in the Maldives with good relationship to the resorts and all the suppliers. If you need help during your stay, or if you have any issue with the room, then they are here for you. I also like to support local business and not bring my money to a big tour operator. Big tour operators are used to move around mass tourist. I choose not to be part of that. Don’t think that Maldives Travel Agents are more expensive. That’s not the case because local Agents have competitive contract rates with the resort and they check out regularly the latest offers that can be passed on their guests. We usually book with one of the local Maldives Agent who offer Packages with additional services such as excursion or spa treatment.

Why not book directly with the resort and skip the Maldives agent? Resorts have contracts with Travel Agencies, and off course the rates are lower then what resort offer direct booking requests. In addition to that, Maldives resorts pass on special offers to travel agents while charging you the high rates. Additional services that the Maldives Travel Agent provides is meeting and greetings at the airport, organizes the transfers and is there for you when you need assistance. If there is an issue during your Maldives holidays, your local Agent is one call away, acting efficiently since they know how the system works and they speak the local language. Ok, honestly said, I don’t know if all Agents are providing this services but this has been my experience during so far. Let me give you an example. In our first trip to the Maldives my wife got an ear infection. Since the resort had no doctor we had to go to Male. To organize all that we called up our travel agent and he arranged the speedboat, picked us up in Male and took us directly to the doctor for an ear check up. After my wife received proper treatment the speedboat was organized back to the island. We were quite happy to loose only a couple hours of our precious holidays and my wife was fine again the next day.

The Maldives Travel Agent will organize the entire Land arrangement without the flight to the Maldives. To find a flight to the Maldives you can compare and buy directly at www.expdia.com or www.kayak.com. In these days it’s cheaper to buy the flight directly online since the booking administration fees are lower.

The transfer from the airport to the resort is done by speedboat or seaplane. Seaplane transfers are operating daily until 3:30pm while speedboat transfers operate until late night or even during the night depending on the distance to the resort. Therefore, if you, for instance, booked a flight that arrives at 8pm, staying in a resort which can be reached only by seaplane, you must stay for one night in the Airport Hotel called “Hulhule Hotel” or in a City Hotel in Male. If you stay in Hulhule Hotel there is a free transfer available that goes every noun and then taking only 5 Minutes. However, Hulhule is quite expensive and if you don’t want to spend an extra USD 300. - I recommend a Hotel in Male. To reach a Male Hotel you have to take a Dhoni (local Boat) from the Airport to Male because the Airport is an island and Male is another island. To avoid staying one night in the Airport or Male Hotel just book a flight that arrives in the morning or early afternoon. By the way, if you really have to stay one night in a hotel because you have no other options then to arrive late, then ask your Travel Agent to include this additional night in the Maldives travel deals.

The transfers to your Island are always combined. Normally a maximum of 12 People for speedboat and a maximum of 14 People for seaplane apply. I do not recommend to book private transfers because it’s rather. Give your Maldives Agent your arrival and departing details and he will organize the best way to transfer you to your Maldives island fastest possible. And off course the transfer is included in the Maldives travel deals as everything else such as food, taxes, assistance etc.

You probably know, Maldives holidays are a bit more costly then “normal” holiday destinations. But after spending a week or two in the Maldives you will know why you paid a couple Euro more and you probably go back again next year with friends and family.

Here my favorite MaldivesIsland resorts where normally good Maldives Travel Deals are available:

Maayafushi and Dhiggiri Island Resorts are great four star Islands located in the Ari Atoll. The all inclusive Packages are great. My other favorite Island is Velidhu Island Resort. All three islands are very typical Maldivian style with great food a beautiful lagoon for swimming, snorkeling. Absolutely great value Resorts.