Saturday 19 October 2019

What should NOT pack for Maldives




I guess my previous article about Must pack list for Maldives wouldn’t be complete unless I tell what should not pack for Maldives.
According to history, Maldives embraced Islam in 1153 AD, since then Maldives is a 100% Sunni Muslim country. There are different versions of folklore associated with this historical event and I will share you the most famous one.
It was believed that Maldivians were haunted then by a fierce demon called “Rannamaari” who came out of the sea once a month and threatened the islanders to destroy the island and its people unless they sacrificed a beautiful local girl. This unfortunate girl was chosen by a lot and she has to stay in a temple near the beach to be raped and killed.
During these times a Moroccan traveller, an Islamic scholar, Abul Barakaath Yoosuf Al Barbary visited the Maldives and the daughter of the house where he was staying was selected to be the girl to present in the temple on that month. The entire family along with the rest of the islanders were sad as usual, so he volunteered to save the girl and dressed just like her and spent the night in the temple reciting Holy Quran. In the morning as usual the islanders gathered to the temple to see the fate of the girl were amazed to see him live and continuously reciting Holy Quran. The people along with the then king accepted then and there, the demon was defeated by the power of Holy Quran, therefore he embrace Islam and ordered all to follow the principles of Islam.
Since then Maldives remains as a Muslim country where certain things are illegal or prohibited to import. In this article I will highlight the main items which you should not pack for Maldives
LIQUOR AND ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS
Please do not purchase any liquor or alcoholic products on your flight or duty free shops while en route to the Maldives. Your items definitely will be confiscated upon arrival by custom staff. Though you can’t import it, you will get branded alcoholic beverages and international cocktails in your resorts.
PORK
Eating pork in Islam is forbidden and therefore pork too remains as an illegal product to import to Maldives. However just like liquor you will get pork and its by-products in your resorts as much as you want.
FIREARMS/EXPLOSIVES/WEAPONS/AMMUNITION
According to Maldivian laws the aforementioned can only be imported by the Maldives National Defence Force under a special license by the government. So please don’t attempt to import any of such things as it will be confiscated on arrival by the custom officials and you will end up in jail
NARCOTICS OR PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES
Importing of such for personal or any other purpose will end up in jail as the penalty is life imprisonment.
PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS
That includes sex toys, books, magazines, films, DVDs
RELIGIOUS MATERIALS
Please respect the culture and the religion of Maldives while visiting and refrain packing any religious books, magazines or software which promotes other religions than Islam
IDOLS
Idols for worshipping is strictly prohibited and will not be allowed in Maldives
image


(Remember to Pack your camera to capture your moments. preferably underwater camera GoPro HERO )
Just like above there are few things you are prohibited to do in Maldives that includes collecting and fishing, Giant clams, Black corals, turtles, small lobsters, dolphins, whales, whale sharks, napoleon wrasses.
As mentioned before Maldives is a Sunni Muslim country with a fragile environment and expects visitors to have due respect for their religion and environment.

Thursday 17 October 2019

What you need to pack on your holiday to Maldives


Many people get nervous when it comes to packing for Maldives. Maldives is a tropical island nation in the Indian ocean consists of 1190 low-lying islands with highest point roughly about 6 feet from sea level. However all the islands are naturally protected by a fabulous marine fauna- rich reef which stretches around every island. Out of this about 112 islands are exclusively developed for tourist resorts. 

Unlike city hotels there are no local grocery shops or big shopping malls in the resort island. This makes tourists to wonder what to pack for their holiday.

Here are few suggestions of “must pack” items apart from the light clothing, flip-flops and cosmetics. Though you get 30 kg luggage allowance from international flights, please keep in mind you would be getting 25 kg (20 kg/luggage allowance and 5 kg for hand luggage) in sea plane, if you are taking sea plane transfer to your resort.

 Sunblock / after sun
Maldives enjoys a constant temperature which varies from 29 to 34 degree Celsius and you will be under this hot fierce sun all day. Therefore your skin needs protection from its rays.

Sun glass
Same as sun block this a necessity to protect your eyes from the strong sun rays

Mosquito replant
Just like any other tropical (hot and humid) areas, Maldives too is not an exception when it comes to mosquitoes. Most of the resorts and local islands they do fumigate against mosquitoes however its recommended to bring your own replant.
  
Snorkelling gears
Though you could hire snorkelling equipment from the resort its much better to pack your own, maybe its cheap for you.

Flash light
Its fun to stroll in the night on the peer or on the white sandy beach trying to find unique fishes near the peer or small crabs strolling around the beach. Its also important on your way back to your villa as the path ways are mostly not well lit.

Underwater camera
Be always ready to capture your moments as Maldives is one of the best place to photograph the marine life.

Kindle/ipod
It’s a beach holiday and you need lots of reading materials/music


I hope this article will clarify all the questions which comes up to your mind when it comes to packing for Maldives

for more information, please visit travelgusto.



Monday 7 October 2019

Sunday 6 October 2019

BEST-FAMILY-HOLIDAY-IN-THE-MALDIVES




Maldives is most famous as honeymoon paradise, but family holidays are also very common in Maldives. Some of the resorts are equipped with facilities to take care of your young ones. Parents can leave them at the kids-club and enjoy the Maldives holidays. Kids clubs are equipped with various toys and play grounds. Of cause, an attendant would be there. Family friendly resorts offer kids menu in different restaurants. Some resorts are very flexible and love to take good care of your kids while you enjoy your Maldives holiday. Exciting excursions are organized by the resort.


Monday 23 September 2019

THINGS YOU CAN DO ARE ENDLESS

THRILLING SIDE OF LIFE


With 99% of its region being ocean, the Maldives is one of the world's driving water sports center points with its condition of islands and turquoise blue waters framing the ideal blend for a characteristic water sports field. 

Not every one of the hotels support mechanized water sports like stream skiing due to the contamination and clamor unsettling influence to the peacefulness of the retreat. 

A portion of the mainstream rushes to be had from experience water sports are recorded here.

FUN SIDE OF LIFE


The Maldives is abnormal as a vacation goal in view of the fun activities whether you are remaining on a rich retreat, in Male', or in a basic guesthouse on an island in a faraway atoll. 

Trips will incorporate angling and cruising just as visits to the capital, Male', and to truly left islands, maybe for swimming and an excursion, and shopping campaigns to neighboring possessed islands. 

In the event that you remain in a guesthouse on a possessed island, you will get the opportunity to meet Maldivians, experience neighborhood culture and cooking, and participate in what the islanders accomplish for unwinding, for example, playing football in the late evening or unwinding over a soda pop and eating "Short eats" in a shoreline bistro.

DINING




A fusion of local and international tastes, Biyadhoo Island Resort offers a variety of cuisine to indulge during your stay on the island. Whether enjoying a meal in the lively Palm Restaurant or sipping a drink at the relaxing Coconut Bar, the dining options on the island reflect the taste of Maldives.


Palm Restaurant 1


Palm Restaurant 2


Coconut Bar 1


Coconut Bar 2


Palm Restaurant 3


Monday 9 September 2019

RELAXING IN THE SPA

Travel Gusto_RELAXING IN THE SPA


Mixing an all encompassing mending approach with normal fixings, Aavun Spa at Biyadhoo Island Resort expects to improve well being during your stay in Maldives. With a lofty Banyan tree canopying this calming space, talented advisors offer an assortment of customs to loosen up the body and soul. Aside from mark customs utilizing seashells and unadulterated coconut oil, Aavun Spa offers a dash of Asian propelled medicines with Abhyanga, Balinese, Thai and Kativasthi kneads. For those looking for the exemplary European touch, enjoy a Swedish or Deep Tissue back rub to improve muscle tone and blood flow. Concentrating on self-recharging, Aavun Spa likewise offers shedding body cleans with Javanese impacts, cooling foods grown from the ground body wraps and arousing characteristic facial medicines. At Aavun Spa, Zen is a method for being.
Please send the query to travelgusto







Tuesday 3 September 2019

Travel Gusto's Mysterious Events

DAY TRIPS TO VIRGIN ISLAND



After a good catch it is time to head to a deserted island to eat and celebrate. With over 1,190 islands and only few hundred being utilized, it is easy to find an uninhabited island anywhere in the Maldives.
While the fish you caught gets grilled to perfection over red hot ambers, make sure you take time to enjoy the experience of being alive on this untouched part of nature; the softness of sand that has not seen a human foot print for a long, long time, and the undisturbed sounds made by nature. Without a single light on the ground, the stars above come alive in abundance, while tiny lights of phosphorescence get washed up by the beach side with the wave. For a moment, it is as though you are floating among the stars.
A day-time trip to a desert island is an experience of its own. The raw, unspoiled vegetation surrounded by blinding beaches and dazzling sunbeam-lined waters are like a phantasm; everything feels imagined, and you are the only person in this beautiful universe.
Please send the query to travelgusto

SUNSET FISHING





Fishing is in the Maldivian blood. It is so entwined in the lives of Maldivians that there are celebrations when a good catch is caught, and complaints when fish is scarce at our dinner tables. Maldivian fishermen wake up to the dawn call of island roosters, collect bait in nearby reefs and start a full day’s work at the deep blue seas, using the artful pole and line method of fishing.


To experience the satisfaction of catching and cooking your own fish, a night reef fishing trip (offered by a lot of resorts) is the way to go. Your boat leaves before the sunset to find a good spot near a reef. The boat crew will show you how to use the lines, hooks, and sinkers. You will catch enough to fill your barbecue grill in about an hour’s time.
Please send the query to travelgusto

DOLPHIN CRUISE





Where else in the world would you expect to see dolphins in the wild and enjoy one of the most spectacular sunset?

Enjoy a breathtaking boat trip, search for dolphins; they usually enjoy sunset and twilight over the Indian Ocean. As you will pass other islands en route (resorts, local islands and tiny uninhabited islands), be sure to keep your eyes open also for flying fishes, mantas, whale sharks It is an unforgettable excursion for all photographers and wild life lovers.
Please just keep in mind that dolphins are wild animals and therefore most of the operators do not guarantee dolphin sighting.
Please send the query to travelgusto

WINDSURFING



Maldives is a mecca to surf-enthusiasts from all over the world, with the southwest monsoon bringing with it massive swells, especially from June to September. The sizes range from 3 – 8 feet. There are several well-known surf breaks in North and South Male’ Atoll. Resorts near these breaks are perfect for surfing aficionados, as you can get the full Maldivian experience while riding the waves to your hearts content. The lesser-known, but amazing surf breaks further away from Male’ atoll can be accessed by specialized surf cruises (often referred to as surfaces) offered by cruise operators in the country.
Please send the query to travelgusto

DIVING




The warm seas of Maldives have high visibility throughout the year, with water clear enough to see the passing fish as far as fifty meters away at times. Add to that the marvelous formation of over 3000 coral reefs and the free flowing tides of the monsoons. The result of these perfect conditions have created one of the world’s richest diving coral reef areas.
Over a thousand species of fish and other underwater creatures inhabit the Maldivian waters. The monsoon tides of the Indian Ocean create a collection of small marine creatures as well as microscopic plant cells. This in turn creates a hub for all kinds of underwater species who gather in these waters lured by the abundance of food. In the Maldives you will get to see everything. From tiny shrimp and groups of colorful swimmers to the magnificent mantas and sharks, a careful eye will give you enough to enrapture you for a lifetime.


The best thing is that you need not be a professional diver to enjoy the Maldives. All resorts and safari boats give you basic to advanced training using well-monitored diving facilities of a high standard. Even the most reluctant diver can enjoy the beauty of Maldivian underwater life on a drift dive with the guidance of experienced dive instructors. A dive in a house reef is equally rewarding, all you need to do is swim a few minutes from shore. Due to the countless number of reefs found among the 26 atolls in the Maldives, all you need to do is travel 15 to 60 minutes by boat to get to a different dive spot every day.


Dives in the Maldives usually take place along a faru (reef), a thila (a submerged aquarium like reef, on a channel where the atoll meets the ocean, or on a wreck. Night diving is particularly beautiful as is a macro dive that lets you see tiny, interesting and usually disregarded creatures up close and personal.
Please send the query to travelgusto

ACTIVITIES NOT TO BE MISSED

SNORKELING 

Over a thousand species of fish and other underwater creatures inhabit the Maldivian waters. The monsoon tides of the Indian Ocean create a collection of small marine creatures as well as microscopic plant cells. This in turn creates a hub for all kinds of underwater species who gather in these waters lured by the abundance of food. In the Maldives you will get to see everything. From tiny shrimp and groups of colorful swimmers to the magnificent mantas and sharks, a careful eye will give you enough to enrapture you for a lifetime.
Please send the query to travelgusto