Travel Tips to Know – Before You Travel to Maldives

Food and many varieties of drinks are imported to the Maldives. Arriving in Male the capital, they are then sent out to the resort islands. This means that these items are sold with 2 taxes added; a service charge and a goods and services tax. The price inclusions are not restricted to just the 5-star resorts and may even be higher at the 3 and 4-star hotels. The tax inclusions are added to just about any commodity on the archipelago covering rentals, spa treatments and any other service provided. Therefore when ordering extras outside of your pre-planned deal with the resort, ask for the final price; some restaurants may include the tax in their prices while others will add it to the final bill.

All-inclusive packages are popular but they may not include everything you require on holiday. Check certain points such as; if travelling with kids is a special meal plan included, are additions of espresso or cappuccino included, which activity and excursions are in the plan, is the mini bar accessible under the pre-booked rate and what about those relaxing cocktails are they part of the package. Look around before deciding on a resort, there are many that offer excellent family plans and all-inclusive deals. Consider the difference between booking your resort through a travel agent or direct; for instance, many places like Kurumba Maldives offer a special discount on bookings made directly with the resort and if it is one of the established resorts you can rest easy knowing there are no unpleasant surprises on arrival. Look at the cost differences against booking a luxury Maldives resort and the benefits as opposed to limited facilities at the cheaper options.

The Maldives is a destination that many to go to disconnect and relax but for those of us who need to stay connected for personal or business reasons a good Wi-Fi connection is important. Check with your resort if Wi-Fi is available. Is it throughout the resort or limited to rooms, lounge or other sections. Ask the all-important question – is Wi-Fi free; having to pay for Wi-Fi access is very costly in the Maldives and when the connection is slow you may have to pay for all those extra minutes or hours.

These activities are the country's main allure with snorkelling being an activity you can indulge in right off the beach of your resort. This, however, is conditional; check that your resort has a house reef, if it is surrounded by a lagoon there won't be a reef. Swimming to the nearest reef is the most viable depending on individual swimming skills. Even so, there may not be an abundance of coral and fish to see, as such booking a snorkelling tour to the most rewarding sites is the answer. Some resorts offer snorkelling or diving tours as part of the package while others will charge for the service.