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Maldives

Posted by R. David Van Treuren on July 17, 2016 at 12:59pm

Once again I am on the forum looking for help in this confusing place.  I have spent hours searching for the best place to stay for 5 days without breaking the bank.

I will be traveling with a Swiss lady friend who is very picky, but my budget does not allow luxury prices.

I had thought that I would just find a place in Male and then island hop each day as needed.  However, after hours of searching, all I can find are hotels there with very low trip advisor ratings.

I know resorts are very pricey so I haven't even looked there.  If one goes to another island, it seems very confusing on how to choose that place for such a short stay.

I guess I am looking for some sort or reasonable compromise in order to spend 5 days there and enjoy it. 

Can anyone help with a suggestion to this dilemma?

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Replies

  • R. David Van Treuren August 21, 2016 at 11:27am

    Thanks Janice,

    I don't have a spouse, but I will continue to be open to the credit card game that Stefan has made me aware of.

    David

  • R. David Van Treuren August 6, 2016 at 11:15am

    Janice,

    After much disabling  of ad blocks and other gyrations, I finally got your article.  However, I don't have all those points to use, so can't match what you did.

    thanks for the reply.

    david

  • R. David Van Treuren August 6, 2016 at 10:31am

    Thanks Janice,

    However, I cut and pasted your link and got something from Forbes that said we can't find your request.

    Any other way to access?

    David

  • R. David Van Treuren August 1, 2016 at 5:45pm

    Thanks again Pamela.  Will check it out.

    David

  • Pamela Barrus August 1, 2016 at 3:23pm
    The hotel IS called the Equator Village. :-) Gan is all the way at the southern tip of the Maldives; cost of the flight kinda depends on when you book it. I don't remember it being that much. Gan is interesting; it's not where the bazillionaires hang out. There used to be a British naval base there. You can take a ferry to the neighboring island, rent a boat, go snorkeling, etc.
  • R. David Van Treuren August 1, 2016 at 1:49pm

    Thanks Pamela,

    Two questions remain:  1.  How do you get there, cost, and time as it is far from Male?  2.  Do you remember the name of the place?

    David

  • Pamela Barrus August 1, 2016 at 11:47am

    Don't know anything offhand in Male, but in Gan several of us from the TCC stayed at the Equator Village. Very reasonable--around $100-150 for a double. 

  • R. David Van Treuren July 25, 2016 at 2:15am

    Joachim,

    Thanks for your reply.  Leaving today for a trip to Idaho for fishing and will decide on return.

    David

  • Joachim Schreiber July 24, 2016 at 7:24pm

    Hi David,

    I agree Male is not really a nice place to stay for 5 days. And to escape you need always a boat ride which is not really cheap also. I don't know there is an escape for this Dilemma. 

    When I was searching for cheap hotels I found the "Sala Boutique Hotel" in Male. It's Tripadvisor #2 of B&B's in Male. I was not staying there but I was passing by. It's in a quiet street which is not easy to find in Male. It looks very nice from the outside and the lobby. When I would spend a night in Male I would choose this.

    I'm not really sure this post will help you but this is the only idea I can share with you so far.

    Perhaps you have to calculate what is more expensive. A hotel in Male with all the boat rides or a good hotel at one island.

    All the best! I hope you find a nice place to stay!

    Joachim

  • R. David Van Treuren July 18, 2016 at 12:01pm

    Follow up to the last post and a little more specific .

    More specifics about the Maldives.  Here is the skinny:  my Swiss friend and I will spend 5 days there, Sept. 20-25.  I have spent 10-15 hours researching places to stay on all the hotel sights, air bnb, etc.  I am more than a little frustrated.  It seems to me that 1.  almost all hotels in Male city are dumps.  2. Male would be very boring to spend 5 days in.  3.  All reasonable priced hotels have many unfavorable ratings. 4.  One could go to Hulhumale island but it is just a man made place with no charm.  5.  Many resorts are very high priced or very far away or both.  6.  It seems that there may be some comprises on N. Male atoll or S. Male atoll, but the medium priced ones (still high to me) may have many hidden charges including boat rides, extra food charges etc.  So, that's why I am so frustrated at the moment.  Can anyone shed any light or opinion on this dilemma?

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