The Maldives consists of 1,192 islands of which only 192 are inhabited. This destination is considered a heaven on earth and the prestigious and luxurious resorts are located on different secluded islands.
The Maldives experience is an extraordinary, dreamy and magical experience due to its magical beaches and the serenity of the place.
The place has amazing views – a lonely island with turquoise water, white sand, and tropical vegetation. It is impossible to understand the beauty of the place and no image can illustrate the reality.
“What can I do on an isolated island for so long?”- I get this question a lot. It is true that in the Maldives you stay in a resort and you mostly chill, however, the resorts offer many activities and attractions so you won’t get bored.
We spent 11 days in the Maldives.
About The Resort
We stayed at a five stars resort called LUX* South Ari Atoll Resort. The resort has about 193 villas, some on the shoreline facing the sea and some located on the water itself. The resort offers restaurants, activities, and various attractions, hammocks scattered around the resort, and the pools face the sea.
The resort has a shuttle service that travels back and forth on the island and can be used when you want to get to any part of the resort. Moreover, as part of your stay at the resort, you get a bicycle so you can get around easily.
Hospitality
The accommodation at the resort is without a doubt at the highest level possible. The employees are welcoming, pleasant and courteous.
We then checked in and made reservations for the various restaurants, activities, spas, and attractions for our stay at the resort.
Before entering our room we were given a resort tour, they showed us where everything is.
Throughout the holiday we were accompanied by a lovely staff member who was responsible and available to us by phone. Every day he brought us the schedule for the next day.
The hospitality at the resort is amazing in every way whether it is in the restaurants, pools, reception, or the activities.
A lot of people asked me if the treatment we received was different because we are an Israeli couple and the population in the Maldives is Muslim, the truth is the opposite.
Some of the workers were enthusiastic about us being Israelis, asked about our country, and were interested to hear about us.
At the Mediterranean tapas restaurant, Israeli food was prepared for us, such as shakshuka and challah, and on Friday evening, Muslims and Christians joined us for a kiddush service.
In general, the resort treats everyone equally and pleasantly.
The Hotel Villas
We stayed at 3 different villas during our vacation. Beachfront villa, romantic villa with pool on the water and villa on the water. Every villa was amazing and each had a different uniqueness.
Beachfront Villa
For the first 3 nights, we stayed in a villa on the seashore – a stunning villa with a luxurious double bed, a beautiful white bathroom, and of course access to the beach.
Everything is tastefully decorated, clean, well equipped, and most importantly with a view that steals the whole show.
Romantic Villa With Pool
After the first 3 nights, we moved to the romantic villa with a pool for another 3 nights.
The first thing that comes to my head when thinking of a vacation in the Maldives is a large villa on the water. There are no words to describe the experience of staying in such a villa.
The room was beautiful, well equipped, and included a large double bed, a projector so you can watch movies, and a nice large bathroom.
The highlight of the villa is the terrace facing the sea. At the end of the terrace, there is a large pool built above the seawater, a large hammock, and even stairs that lead to the sea.
A luxurious, intimate villa that gives the guests a feeling of calmness and joy.
Villa On The Water
From the romantic villa, we moved to the villa on the water and stayed there for 4 days.
The villa is located in a different part of the resort.
This villa is also located above the water, the room is beautiful, well equipped, and includes a large bed and a white bath that faces the amazing view of the sea.
The room has an exit to the balcony, there you will find a large hammock above the water, two sunbeds, and of course stairs that lead to the seawater.
The Maldives sunsets are spectacular and the villas on the water were built specially so guests can watch the sunset from their rooms.
Another amazing thing is that in that area of the resort there are lovely reefs so you can snorkel in the villa area.
Activities And Attractions
There are many activities and attractions to do in the resort. Most activities and attractions should be booked
in advance.
Spa
The spa is beautiful and has pools and a sauna.
The place offers spa rooms above the sea-facing the view and spa rooms on the beach. The spa has various spa treatments. We did a back and leg massage for
half an hour.
Diving And Water Activities
The diving club in the resort offers water activities such as kayaking, pedal boats, scuba diving, reef snorkeling, snorkeling with sea turtles and whale sharks. Snorkeling with a whale shark is an amazing and unique experience – highly recommended for lovers of sea life.
Sport Activities
The resort offers yoga classes, meditation, jogging, Pilates classes, and more.
Day Activities
The resort offers all kinds of activities during the day such as painting and art workshops, lectures of a marine biologist, and various workshops.
Evening Activities
During the nighttime, the resort holds parties, movies, sunset cruises, bingo evenings, and many more.
Award-Winning Activities
The bottle activity – every day 25 bottles are hidden throughout the resort inside each bottle there is a prize.
Another award-winning activity is the wish tree activity – all you need to do is to write a wish on paper and to stick it on the wish tree, every year a lottery is held, they pick one wish, and if you are fortunate enough you can win a free vacation in the resort.
Restaurants
Breakfast
Breakfast at the resort includes a rich selection of dishes, eggs, yogurts, bread, pastries, fruits, desserts, cheeses, and sausages.
You can order different types of drinks and high-quality coffee. It is possible to have breakfast indoors and outdoors in front of the sea for the guests’ convenience.
Beach Restaurants And Bars
Throughout the resort, there are beach bars and restaurants that offer delicious food from all kinds of cuisines from burgers to pizzas and many more.
Restaurants
The resort has four restaurants for dinner and each restaurant has a different cuisine such as Italian, Japanese, Mediterranean, and Indian. All the restaurants are beautifully designed, the waiters are pleasant and the food they serve is of very high quality. Our favorite was the Japanese restaurant, “Umami”. This restaurant is authentic and serves one of the best sushi I have ever tasted. We also loved the Italian restaurant, “Allegria”, which offers all kinds of Italian food from risotto to seafood.
Private Dinner
Having an amazing meal at sunset is an extraordinary experience. We had a table set right on the seafront, surrounded by fairy lights to create a dreamy and romantic environment. A private chef cooked a BBQ dinner that included entrees – shrimp with kadaif, bread, dips, and a large salad. The main courses included meats, seafood, potatoes, and roasted corn, all served on a hot personal BBQ. For dessert, a wonderful chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream was served. This dining experience on the beach in front of the sunset is unforgettable and I highly recommend it. It is important to mention that to have this private dinner the resort requires an additional payment.
Floating Feast
The floating feast is a room service that can be booked as a breakfast or a dinner if you stay in a room that has a pool. We ordered the floating breakfast to the romantic villa with a pool. The menu offers a lot of options. We chose a meal that included bread, pastries, a variety of sausages, cheeses, fruits, yogurts, cold drinks, and coffee. The experience is very special, opening the morning by sitting in the large pool facing the beautiful view of the sea and having breakfast with your loved ones.
Lux Coffee
A coffee complex is located at the reception of the resort. Guests can find different types of coffee and cakes there. The coffee itself is prepared at the resort. If you want to start the morning with a nice coffee, it is worth ordering the coffee there.
Travel Agency
I booked our vacation through the Livne Tours Agency, the official and exclusive agency for representing the lux * resort in Israel. They were available on the phone for any question or request and took care of everything before and during the holiday. The agency is professional, organized, and gives a pleasant and quick response.
They recommended which villa was best to stay in, advised us, and arranged attractions and restaurants for us in advance. I highly recommend using travel agency services.
Email: livnetours@gmail.com
Phone number: 0524768716
More Info About The Maldives
About The Locals
The Maldives people have Immigrated to the islands over the years from all over the world.
Most of the population lives on the main island and 98% of the population is Muslims.
In resorts, you will not be able to see the locals’ way of life but many of the locals work in the resorts in different positions.
During my vacation, I found out that the resort workers live in the resort throughout the year and go on only one-month-long vacation and meet with their families.
Language
Dhivehi is the national language of the Maldives and has been shaped by various languages including Arabic, French, Portuguese, Persian, and English.
However, in the resort, everyone knows and speaks English.
Currency Type
Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR) is the currency used in the Maldives but it is also common to use dollars as well.
Weather
The weather is tropical and is divided into two seasons: The dry season: from December to April, is defined by hot weather and low humidity.
The rainy season: from May to November, is defined by strong winds and rains.
The weather in the Maldives is hot and tropical and the water temperature remains the same throughout the year.
It is important to mention that the weather in the Maldives is unpredictable and the weather forecasts are not always accurate so you always have to be prepared.
The Geographical Structure
The Maldives is the flattest country in the world, with a maximum elevation above sea level of approximately 2.3 meters. The Maldives islands formed about 60 million years ago from a series of submerged volcanoes.
Additional Recommendations
Electrical Outlets
The electrical outlets in the Maldives have three square holes and are different from the outlets in Israel. You can bring an adapter but there is also an option to connect the USB cable to the wall.
Sun protection
It is very important to bring or buy sunscreen. In the Maldives, the sun’s radiation is dominant even if you don’t feel the sun at all.
Souvenirs and shopping
In the Maldives, there are not many places to shop but if you want to buy a souvenir for you or your relatives you can buy it at the resort’s souvenir shop or the full airport. My recommendation is to purchase souvenirs at the airport because the prices are reasonable and more convenient and there is a larger selection of products.
Planning the trip
The Maldives is not a cheap destination so I recommend booking your vacation as far in advance as possible and through a travel agent.
When booking, pre-book accommodation on half board or all-inclusive so you will save money.
Dining at the resorts is very expensive so it is advisable to book a package that includes meals in advance.
What to pack?
For all of you who want to know exactly what to pack I made a guide on my website, so you can go check it out.
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