Breathtaking Maldives: Male 4/4

Promise, this is the last entry on Maldives, unless we go back and create another fantastic summer escapade. But nah, it might take quite a while for us to go back because we want an adventure in a new country/place! But I digress, we're still in Maldives as far as this entry is concerned. 

Thank you, Medhufushi!

The four days and three nights that we spent in Medhufushi Island Resort were filled with awesome experiences. We couldn't forget the amazing details up to now and if we can only teleport to see any thing blue and green in our surroundings, you know where we want to go pronto. On our last day in Medhufushi, we were surprised by the staff with a gumamela-decorated table. Perfect for breakfast!

Our last day table

We opted for the latest check-out they can give us. Our seaplane flight arrived around three in the afternoon. And we were off amidst the smiles and waves of the Medhufushi staff. Thank you, everyone! It was an EPIC vacation!

Our ride! Bye, Medhufushi!

Upon landing in the Hulhule Airport, we were greeted by Mohammad of Skorpion Travels and he directed us to a smaller port where ferries plying the Airport-Male route are. We went with the Express ferry for $2. We were booked in a simple hotel in the city, just a few steps away from the ferry station... Hotel Relax Inn. ($100 per room for two persons with free breakfast.)

After resting a bit, he toured us around the small island. Malé is the capital of Maldives. And it's quite interesting to note that the country name (Maldives) came from the name of the city (Male). Medyo baligtad.  Maldives literally means "islands (dives) of Male".

Our "taxi" to Male.

Male is just a 10-minute ferry ride away from the Hulhule island where the Maldives International Airport is. The whole island is only 2.239 square miles. Kuya RJ of Medhufushi Resort said that he used to jog around Male in under one hour. That goes to show how small this island is but it's also the most populous. Most citizens and a few expat workers are based here. Every thing is "walkable" or can be reached using motorcycles, which is the most popular mode of transportation. There are cars and taxis but they seem to be a smaller version of the regular ones. 

Even our hotel is quite small. We had to squeeze ourselves in the hallways which is about a meter in width... and you've seen our photos right? We're not exactly the free size which you can just stuck in a dim hallway somewhere and will fit perfectly. Not after this super luxurious, super wide water villa. That doesn't even seem to make sense. What happened?! Well, mafi fulos happened. Haha!

The view from our hotel room

Anyway, I have to tell you that upon arriving in our hotel in Male, we were tired. We were also hungry because we haven't had lunch and we were not supposed to eat until the dinner our friend Janeth prepared. We were also hurting from the sunburn we've acquired in Medhufushi. Our shoulders hurt from carrying our bags! So much for being island girls! And so, going on the city tour with Mohammed was pretty much like the worst idea ever. But then... we couldn't pass up the chance. Because who knows when will we ever pass by this way again, right?

Here are the points/buildings of interests:

The Hukuru Miskiyy (Friday Mosque) built in the 1656 is made up of coral block walls. 

Again, we are not allowed inside.

Built across the Friday Mosque is the Mulee Aage (Presidential Palace). Yes, that's the official residence of the president. If that doesn't explain how small Male is, I don't know what will. Nah kidding. The building is painted with cool colors! The president must be a fun man. But then again, there was no president when we were in Maldives. Politicians were still campaigning. (The elections is coming to a close.)

The Presidential Palace 

Beside the mosque is a cemetery, which is probably weirding you out right now because I'm not supposed to put a cemetery picture in this sunny, happy feature! But please hear me out read me! It's actually interesting to see their tombs because they were not of equal height. The tombs erected depends on the age and gender of the deceased. It also takes power and influence into consideration. Some of their heroes, sultans, and nobles have more intricate tombs.

Where the nobles lie

We also visited the garden compound where the Sultan Park and National Museum are. 

Waaah! Santan! A flower from my childhood!

A tree that has many stories to tell.

The museum grounds; it was already closed when we visited.

We passed by the Islamic Centre that has a geometric stretch of white steps leading up to the grand mosque. It also has a tall minaret that has a full moon at the top instead of the usual half moon. And I was hoping I can climb it because I assume the view from above will be great... haha! But alas! Non-Muslims cannot enter this place.

The grand mosque

Like the chevron pattern!

In the middle of Male is the administration building with a huge flag pole carrying the Maldives flag. The flag of Maldives feature a red rectangle (bravery of their heroes), a green rectangle (peace and prosperity), and a white crescent moon (Islamic faith). This overlooks a simple park where families spend their time. 

The center of Male

Next to the Male square is the port. It is quite obvious that most Maldivians live on fishing. Their TUNA IS AMAZING!!! Sorry, sorry I just remembered that. :P Anyway, we happen to see the men load their supplies for several weeks of stay in the sea. The Maldivian sunset is also lovely. And their TUNA IS AMAZING!!!

Where VIPs arrive

Where the boats come and go.

The Maldivian port-scape

Love the sunset and the colors of the boats

After this quick city tour (thank you Mohammad for putting up with us), we had to go back to the hotel. Yes, we were just walking the whole time! I don't think that was even walking. It's probably more apt to say dragging our tired feet across Male! Hehe. Good thing, Janeth saved us from hunger! I swear I can already hear my insides trying to eat each other. We had a delicious dinner and a good laugh of our (mis)adventures. We also went out to get pasalubongs (treats) for our families and friends in Riyadh. Thank you very, very much, Janeth! 

Male is a Muslim city so we didn't miss Riyadh much when it comes to the absence of alcohol and pork. A Male night life can be found in Hulhule Hotel located in the international airport island. Being the old ladies that we are, we didn't have the energy for this night life anymore so we decided to pass (wooooow!). 

Good night, Male!

We had an early flight in the morning so we checked out around 6 in the morning and traveled to the airport by ferry again. 

Male City!

The check in was smooth and fast and we were in the plane in no time at all. Sigh, so this is finally goodbye to Maldives.

Goodbye, Maldives! See you soon? :)

Riyadhizens, go to Maldives! Please go to Maldives!!! That's all we can say.

And oh, their tuna is amazing.

And oh... Shukuriyaa Maldives. Dhanee Maldives!  ~ Sundrenched

*Dhivehi (Maldives' official language) for Thank you and Goodbye respectively.

Breathtaking Maldives: Medhufushi 3/4

I had to change the three-part series on Maldives into four because, well, I still have a lot of things to say and photos to share. I mean, it can't hurt right? You're not yet overly saturated with our Maldives trip right?!? Haha! Actually, I had to add another entry for Male City, the capital of Maldives. But before that, here are the activities the friends and I enjoyed in Medhufushi Island Resort… These activities are not included in our package. We signed up for them separately and paid for them in the resort already. 

Medhufushi has a sheet of paper given to us on our arrival where the activities, cost, and schedules were provided. 

1. Dolphin Watching (around $30 each person)… without the dolphins. My friend Jamila and I decided to see some dolphins and we signed up for the 2pm trip. Well, the dolphins were either too busy playing in other parts of the ocean or we're too unlucky to spot them. There were no dolphins that afternoon but we enjoyed the boat ride! We had a fun time acting like we owned Maldives (or the boat) and captured our moments on camera. It was also a good time to see the early sunset too.

Our sweet ride!

Leaving Medhufushi for awhile!

Sunset viewing instead of dolphin watching. :P

The lovely sunset

Breathtaking sunset

2. Kayaking (around $30). I'm not into water sports so I left the water sports to Eyecandy and some of our friends who signed up for kayaking. I stayed in our villa and took photos of them werkkking their muscles to row, row, row thy kayaks. They were given an hour to roam around the waters freely. 

Eyecandy and the friends to the horizon!

3. Jet skiing and Banana Boating. Medhufushi has only 2 jet skis and visitors are only allowed to use one because the other one will be for the guide who will be with you on the duration of your time in the water. The girls enjoyed the banana boat ride.

Do you wanna 'banana boat'?! (Sorry, an inside joke with the friends.)

4. Snorkeling. It was quite funny that this activity is the only free activity in the sheet and we ignored it. Snorkeling is one of the must-dos in Maldives so if you go there, please do it! Simply put, we didn't see any underwater action (reefs, fishes, corals) in Maldives because we didn't go snorkeling (totally unacceptable, haha!). 

5. Island Hopping. My idea of an island hopping is that we go to uninhabited islands, soak in the sun, and swim in the beach for a while. At least that's what most people refer to as island hopping in Palawan, Philippines. In Medhufushi, island hopping is going to the inhabited islands of the Meemu Atoll and seeing the locals. The community islands in the Meemu Atoll are so small. You can walk from one side to the other side in minutes! Being a culture and history nut, this is the part I enjoyed the most, even if the sun is glaring at us most of the time.

On our way to the islands!

Our island hopping buddies.

We hopped on the boat again and went to Muli first. If you remember, I explained in the first few Maldives entries that Medhufushi is located in the Meemu Atoll, one of the administrative divisions of Maldives. It is also known as Mulaku Atoll (or Mulakatolhu). It has 33 islands with only 9 inhabited islands. Muli is the capital of these islands.

A rural scene from the Philippines Muli

I miss seeing gumamela!

The dock in Muli

Have you heard of the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami? The epicenter of that huge and strong earthquake was in Indonesia but it was so strong (9.0 in the Richter scale) it created a tsunami that devastated parts of Maldives. Muli was one of those islands that was hit by the tsunami and many of its residents perished and lots of infrastructure were destroyed. Muli has long since stood up after that disaster. 

The trees that grew up well into the new Muli

Walking in the streets of Muli, I am reminded of the small baranggays we have in the Philippine provinces. The houses are small and commercial establishments are scarce but the air is fresh, the folks are friendly and simple, and the environment is conducive to live in. (I am such a probinsyana by heart!) 

After Muli, we visited the island of Kolhufushi. This one is nearer the Medhufushi Island Resort. 

Fluffy clouds, weee!

Everywhere you look, it's picturesque!

The island's mosque

Can you guess what this is? A bench. You know, where they sit and chitchat.

Maldivians are big fans of football.

Walking through the streets of these little islands are so nostalgic. They have this unique charm to them that even if in my head I don't want to stay there forever, it's not a bad possibility.

After visiting these two islands, the boat took us to a lagoon (basically in the middle of the sea) where the other visitors can swim and snorkel. Having no swimming clothes with us, we stayed put in the boat and drank our sodas. After a few minutes, we went back to Medhufushi.

Medhufushi Island Resort also has interesting mini events for its guests. They have a DJ Night where ladies and gents can party like there's no tomorrow (or okay, until midnight). There's also a manager's night where we got to meet the big bosses of the resort from the resort manager to the recreation manager to the spa manager. It's fun meeting other nationalities! They're all so friendly and warm. The resort also staged a night for the presentation of Maldives' folk dance, Bodu Bero.

Bodu Bero is one of the most popular folk music and dance in Maldives, where one leader and a band of 10-15 people sing in chorus. The rhythm will eventually pick up and a few men will come out of the huddle to dance. E and the friends enjoyed dancing with the folks.

A community dance.

The "fight dance" is fun to watch. It's different.

The Filipino staff of the resort encouraged us to watch the Bodu Bero. We'd like to thank the Filipinos who we met in the resort especially Ma'am Cherry, an English teacher in the resort, and Sir RJ, the resort's head security. We're so happy to meet you po! Hope we get to see each other again.

Maldives truly gave me the shivers. It's so beautiful and serene that it makes me feel that I've just experienced one of the best (really BEST) things that the world has to offer. It ignited a whole new passion for traveling in me. The turquoise waters and the glorious sun, they're both screaming "Stop dreaming and get going!" I hope our travel entries in the blog inspire you to do the same.

Leaving our mark.

Okay, so we're not yet done with Maldives because after our wonderful stay in Medhufushi Island Resort, we also visited Male City, the capital of Maldives. We had to include it in our itinerary because our Fly Dubai flight schedule doesn't coincide with our 4 days and 3 nights stay in Medhufushi. Of course we could've stayed 5 days in the resort but our bank accounts are busted as is. What we saw in Male and our final Eid vacation 2013 hurrah on the next entry!

Don't forget our tips in planning for Maldives!

Planning For Maldives

So we went to Maldives, and you all want to know how we did it. Even while we were lounging in the sand under the heat of the Maldivian sun, friends were already messaging us on how we did this trip. We could only sigh for a moment and sip from our glasses of champagnes. We wanted to write immediately but Maldives is one country we can't ignore. Getting our macbooks out and typing away is a serious crime in a paradise like this (as learned by our friend Jou who wanted to work, hello WORK?!?, while on vacation). So excuse us if we cannot reply to your questions immediately. Maldives is what a true holiday is. 

But now that we're back in Riyadh, I have time to write. Haha! So... where do I begin?

The truth is, Maldives is one country that's easy to go to. Filipinos don't need a visa prior to visiting the country. We can stay up to 30 days, if your budget is up for it. The difficult part is finding the right resort for your budget and finding the right time. But look, who needs a right time for vacation?! I say when you're stressed, go for it! Haha! We looked at so many travel and resort websites and we ended up with a migraine. Hello, indecisive, people! Welcome to our world. Eyecandy and I were joined by 4 of our wacky and beautiful friends in this trip.

Maldives has always been known as the honeymoon paradise. We get that. But what about us who are single and very much fabulous unattached? Can't we go too? Oh yes, we can!!! The friends and I were joking that we are setting a new singlehood trend. For us, let's just travel and get marry merry!

Goodbye for now, Riyadh!

Okay, this Maldives trip is not something that magically happened overnight where pieces just fell into its places naturally. To employed folks like us who have money and schedule to consider, we started planning and saving as early as March and April 2013. It was a toss up between Morocco and Maldives. The latter won because of the beach and I have swimmer friends. Haha! The "when" is almost a given... during the Eid holiday, after Ramadan, where we get a week off from work.

So, I (being the OC, research-loving person of the group) decided to make a list of things we require for our trip and got into the planning stage.

1. How To Get There (Airlines, Air Fare, etc.)

The most important aspect is, of course, how to get there. Well there's no other way than fly.

The Middle East's major airlines are servicing Riyadh to Male. There's Emirates, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, etc. but we decided to go for the low-cost airline because the resort package already took most of our travel money. Fly Dubai offers the most affordable flight rates. But they don't fly to Male, the capital of Maldives, every day so we have to adjust the dates of our travel. Good thing, our Eid holiday is quite long (a week).

Fly Dubai is not that bad of an airline too (unlike Fly... *cough*). It's like our Cebu Pacific in the Philippines, only better. Three months before, the roundtrip fare from Riyadh to Male was around SR2,000. We dilly dallied in buying our tickets so we ended up buying them at SR2,500 per person last July. We have a free 7kg hand luggage with it. We thought it would be enough for our stuff but we ended up getting 20 kgs more for SR100 per person (kami pa, we carry our houses with us! :P). You have to buy the food in the plane and the entertainment system is around 15 dirhams for the basic (tv shows and songs) and 35 dirhams for the premium (including movies).

Ready for Male!

TIP: Plan as early as possible so that you also get the lowest possible airfare rate on the airlines that you like. Fly Dubai and Srilankan offer the most affordable rates among the Middle Eastern airlines.

BUDGET for AIRFARE: Around SR2,500

2. When To Go (Dates, Weather, Schedules, etc.)
Like I said above, we only have the Eid holiday to consider for this trip. We envisioned staying the resort for 4-6 days to make the most of what it can offer. Considering that we only have 2 days for a weekend, we couldn't possibly insert it in our usual schedule at work and be absent for a few days.

There are pros and cons in going to Maldives in August. An advantage is that it's the lean season so rates are usually lower than the peak season (ex. December). A disadvantage would be the weather. It's rainy season in Maldives during these times, almost like the Philippines. But we have no choice but to go for it.

At first, I had this wild idea that in Maldives, it's always summer and it's always sunny. Apparently, being located in the equator has its downsides too. One of our friends was hyperventilating two days before our flight because she checked the weather bulletin in Maldives and whaddya know? Clouds and rain showers dot the info page of our travel dates. I told her there's nothing we can do but pray that the weather ease up and give us some break. Actually, it did. Maybe, the sundance Eyecandy did worked after all.

On a clear, sunny day

TIP: Visit during the times when you can spare a minimum of 5 days for this trip (Eid holiday during August and the Hajj holiday this October).

PEAK SEASON (aka the best time to visit in terms of weather, not in price): December to April
LEAN SEASON: May to November

3. What Resort to Choose
The Republic of Maldives lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka. (This information is for my parents who shrieked, "Nasa'n ang Maldives?!? (Where is Maldives?!?)" when I told her I'm going there. Hehe.) Maldives is an island nation consisting of a double chain of 26 atolls (ring-shaped coral reefs). Basically, every thing is reachable by boat or by sea plane. Imagine how many interesting resorts are there in Maldives. The choices are endless! When there's too many choices, we get migraines.

Good thing, our friend Ryan Comandante (hello, bi!!!) here in Riyadh suggested we contact her cousin Janeth who is working for a travel agency in Maldives: Skorpion Travel, one of the leading and most reputable travel agencies in Maldives. Without her, we would be stuck in the limitless possibilities forever. (Thank you very much Ryan and Janeth!)

Our resort seen from above, hello Medhufushi!!!

We have our expectations and needs in this trip and it would be easier if you have the same list of preferences so that resorts would be narrowed down to your liking. Here's what we wanted:

a. 1,000 US dollars per person package. That's the maximum budget we can allot for the resort package which should include food and the basic amenities already.
b. A resort reachable by sea plane. Our friend Ryan suggested we travel by sea plane because it's a great experience so that's what we asked for. Most resorts are reachable by speed boats.
c. Over water villa. We wanted to stay in a villa that stands in water, not the ordinary villas/rooms that are located on the beach shore. We know that this choice made our package a bit more expensive but this is the first time we'll go to Maldives and who knows when the next time is? So we opted for a one-of-a-kind accommodation that gives us access to the waters pronto!
d. 4 days, 3 nights. We wanted to stay for many days but that's all we can afford. We figured out that 3 days/2 nights is kind of bitin (not enough) and 5 days/4 nights is way out of our budget already so there you go. Just 4 days and 3 nights.
e. 4-star or 5-star resort. With our budget, it might be laughable to dream for such resorts but Janeth and her travel agency made it possible by securing us a place in Medhufushi Island Resort. It was amazing, we tell you! (More on our resort in the next entries.) Be reminded that most of the resorts in Maldives are expensive especially if you're looking for a great place to stay with all the perks of the islands.

What we envisioned, and what came true. (Over water villa on a low tide, yes!)

TIP: Choose the package with one-of-a-kind services and amenities which can only be found in Maldives. Don't settle for an experience that reminds you of a resort in other places/countries. Nag-Maldives ka pa?! Sana nag-Boracay ka na lang. (No offense intended but you get what I mean.)

BUDGET for RESORT: USD 1,000 or around SR 4,000 per person

For good packages in Maldives, contact:
Janeth Mollanida
Skorpion Travel Maldives 
T: +960-3327443, +960-3320521
F: +960-3327442
E: info@skorpion-maldives.com
W: http://www.skorpion-maldives.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SkorpionTravelMaldives/info

4. What Are Needed to Travel (Visas, documents, etc.)
Tourists do not require prior visa to arrive in Maldives. We are granted free 30 days visa upon arrival. Of course, bring your passport (valid 6 months before expiration date) with you. And as usual, for us expats in Saudi Arabia, we need our exit/re-entry visa from here.

You might also want to print every thing from your flight booking to resort accommodations so you can show it to the immigration officers if they ask for it.

Another optional thing that you might want to consider getting is a travel insurance. This is not to terrify you or anything but we learned from our former boss that it's good to have one, especially when you're into water sports activities. He recommended WorldNomad.com. This is where Eyecandy and I got our travel insurance for USD 36 each. Of course, it will be better not if we won't be able to use it and be safe during our stay in Maldives and arrive safely back in Riyadh. Haha! (We did! Woot!)

TIP: Print all your travel documents from your flight booking to travel itineraries, maps, and resort info. Buy insurance if you deem it necessary. Get an exit/re-entry as early as possible especially if you're traveling on the Eid and Hajj dates because government agencies close early and with the Nitaqat going on, it's quite tedious to request visas in a hurry.

5. What To Bring
Seriously, my friends and I are all crammers on this trip. We were packing at the last minute! But it's quite obvious that since we're going to the beach, we have to bring our swim suits! *cough* We also needed to bring our confidence. Haha! Pack lightweight shirts, skirts, and dresses. Have your scarves and shawls. I am tempted to say denims and jeans are a no-no just because they're heavy on the luggage.

Bring snacks too. Food in the resorts are expensive and with people like us na takot magutom (afraid of being hungry) on board, we had to stash chips, biscuits, and chocolates in our overweight luggages. But please don't bring cans and cans of tuna and sausages. Hahah! Or okay fine, just 2-3 de lata.

Bring some money too for expenses that are not part of your resort package. Exchange them for dollars in the banks here in Riyadh already. Or if you can't or don't have enough time, the airports (in our case, the DUbai International Airport) also have currency exchange booths.

TIP: Bring sunscreen. Lots of it.

BUDGET for POCKET MONEY: USD 500 or around SR 2,000

I forgot to tell you that Maldives is a Muslim country. Yep, surprise, surprise! Pork and liquor are not allowed in the capital city of Male. Modest dressing is also a must. However, you don't have to worry about the dress code if you're not stepping into Male. The Ibrahim Nafir International Airport is located in its own island, 10 minutes away from Male by boat. So chances are, your speed boats and sea planes will immediately whisk you away in your resorts after you landed.

So there you go. As far as my calculations go, budget to our travel to Maldives is racking up to around SR 8,000 per person. Yes, it's quite expensive... to think that we're already on a so-called budget. But this was just our package preferences. You can still look for more affordable rates that is not the same as ours. For example, traveling by speed boat to a resort that doesn't need a sea plane is cheaper. But seriously... you want to miss this?!

The perks of flying on a sea plane.

Also, you can be stingy with your pocket money and not spend too much on the island. It's all about what you want and what you have to spend. ;)

Our Maldives story continues in our next entry. I'll tell you why spending that much amount of money in this tropical country is sooo worth it. ~ Sundrenched

Touchdown MALDIVES!!!