Tips For First Time Visitors To The Maldives – Make The Most Of Paradise

This is the most valuable tip of all; keep in the mind the Maldives is a luxury escape and a once in a lifetime experience. Hence, do not look at cutting corners and saving those pennies. Before you go make sure to build up your budget and have enough cash to be extravagant and savour all the islands have to offer. Start with your Maldives accommodation; the best luxury hotels Maldives has to offer may not be budget friendly but will be the most luxurious and enchanting experience you ever have on a holiday. Besides, some of the best like The Nautilus Maldives, where time stands still, have some pretty enticing offers to choose from.

One of the more popular things to do in Maldives is to take an island hopping tour; these tours include excursions to both local and uninhabited islands. On the isolated islands you can enjoy a picnic, organised by your Maldives resort, enjoy a swim in hidden bays and chill on lone sandbars. But the most exciting part of the tour will be a visit to a local island. Until recently tourists were not allowed on the local islands without a permit, but since you can now go, savour the experience. Chat to the locals, see how the simple islanders live and maybe even get invited to savour a home cooked meal while waiting to witness a traditional 'bodu beru' drum session on the beach.

While the luxurious Maldives resorts offer all the thrills of a tropical island getaway, you must keep in mind the Maldives is a Muslim nation adhering to strict Islamic laws. As such, consuming alcohol outside of your resort is illegal. You cannot even bring alcohol into the nation. So, limit your unrestricted fun to your Maldives resort and make sure to respect local customs and laws when out touring the local islands; including the capital Male.

While bikinis and shorts are not a problem within your resort in the Maldives; you must dress conservatively when out exploring other islands. Again, as per Islamic laws, you must cover head, shoulders, and knees when visiting mosques. Avoid wearing revealing clothes when mingling with the locals, after all you don't want to offend the conservative islanders, and its always best to respect foreign cultures when visiting a new land

Most of the islands in the Maldives barely make it above the surface of the ocean. The coral reefs are the natural barriers keeping the islands from being swallowed up by the sea. In fact, over the years, some of the islands have disappeared. Do your part to preserve this delicate eco-system; don't waste water which is very precious to the islanders, be careful to not harm the fragile coral reefs, do not litter the ocean or cause harm to the marine life. And most of all try to appreciate nature for all its glory.