Maldives – Kandoomafushi

HEAVEN ON EARTH !!!

Apart from only loyalty tips and tricks, TRAVELOYALTY is also committed to providing you with ways to save enormous amounts of money before and during trips. Maldives is no cheap place, infact its one of the most expensive destinations on earth. My tips below will be highlighted with the pics.

Kandooma is situated in South Male Atoll, it has a super perfect barrelling right hand wave, surfing for 21years+ I was just in my element here, that said and done here are the tips.

You will need a boat to get to your island or a sea plane. Boat is either by speedboat, dhoni or Government ferry.

Travel agencies and hotels charge a substantial amount for this service. Most Hotels charge in the region north of about $200 per person per one way or $950 per boat per one way.

I found private operators via the tourism website, complete with emails and type of vessels.

http://tourism.gov.mv/facilities/

http://www.mtcc.com.mv/transporthome.aspx

http://www.vermilliontransport.com/fleet-ferries.html

I have the contact numbers to rent a speedboat for around $200 or you can take the local ferry its like $1 to $5 depending where you going. Check your flight times as the ferrys have once or twice a day departures, If you seriously into saving big spending a night on Male island and catching the ferry next day will save you heaps.

Smuggle a ton of drinks and snacks in your bags, most private boat captains will gladly stop off for you at a local island where there are supermarkets. You don’t want to be paying $6 for a can of coke at the resort now do ya?

Pilot please put me down there!

The private dhonni rental, a slow (2.5hour) one way transfer , on return I rented a speedboat (40mins) back to airport

The dhonni was perfect for fishing behind the boat on the journey

Stop one was the local island of Gulhi to stock up on snacks and beverages

Cheap coconuts and great priced foodstuffs = Happy shopper

Energy supply sorted for the 40 surf sessions that lies ahead

Gulhi Island

Finally arrived at HI resort

There is like too much to absorb in beauty once you arrive, if you have ever landed on a island after 3 flights and a boat ride spanning 21hours through 3 cities you will know what Im talking of

Check in was smooth and fast.

I had initialy booked 2 stays in two different rooms, one included a meal plan.

*** points beats cash ($380 vs 35000 points /$245) *** but check the math on your meal plans.

1) overwater villa which was upgraded to the 3 bedroom overwater house – best upgrade I ever saw or had. Value $1400 per night

2) standard garden villa was upgraded to a 2 story surf view beachhouse – wow again. Value $480 per night

really no pros and cons of either except the distance to walk to the wave from the overwater villa side for sunrise surf checks aka dawnpatrolls

The standard garden villas. In a place like Maldives you WANT to be at the ocean ifnot ontop of it. Garden villas should be saved for trips to the Karoo or resorts in Gauteng or wild life game reserves in Kenya or whatever..

The boardwalk leading to the overwater villas

The standard over-water villas are situated close to each other

This pad was just awesome, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms inside, 2 outdoor deck showers, relaxation net on back deck with pillows over the water, 3 flat screen sony plasma TV’s dining room tables inside and outside on deck, outdoor enclosed sofas and a private butler…