Safe, across budgets plans for a Maldivian holiday

AdventureTour amp TasteRelaxingEducationalAncient amp HistoricalAfter Dalgona coffee and sourdough holidaying in the Maldives became the most flaunted social media activity last year But as we discovered it doesnt need to be limited to superexpensive luxury holidays which most of us cant afford Much like Goa and Sri Lanka these islands are now wooing all kinds of holidaygoers Four pandemic vacationers tell you how to enjoy it in a variety of ways and budgetsThe ultraluxury experienceWho Riaan George 38 lifestyle bloggerWhere Soneva FushiHow did it feel What they are trying to do at Soneva is promote sustainable luxurymdashor as they call it barefoot luxury The policy is no news no shoesSo the whole time you are there you dont wear any footwear and it sort of makes you feel connected to the earth There is no plastic on the island and no beef is served as the carbon imprint of beef is high Everything you use in your roommdashright from the pen at your bedsidemdashisnaturally made with either tree bark or coconut shell Its also a maskfree environment so it was liberating The water bungalows are super luxurious and the roof opens up so you can sleep under the starsCOVID safety metre You are whisked away to your villa as soon as you arrive and the resort doctor conducts a test Only when they get a negative report you are allowed to roam the groundsCost Rs 45 lakh per nightLog on to sonevacomThe diving holidayWho Karan Jhaveri 30 music directorWhere LiveAboardHow did it feel We got certified for diving in Andaman last year and my fianceacute and I wanted to repeat that experience We had heard that the Maldives has a great undersea life so we picked it We did theliveaboardexperiencemdashwhere you stay on a boat the entire time It goes to different diving spots and you can get off at some ports Our boats name was Sachika owned by an Italian girl who has done over 5000 dives Every day we experienced a different dive We swam with a whale shark and travelled to the bottom of the ocean On the last day we saw manta rays We were all vegetarians so they made vegetarian meals for us on the boatCOVID safety meter We got a test done before we came to the island and before we returned to India Masks are not mandatory outside but one must wear them all the time when indoorsCost Rs 17 lakh for 7 days stay diving and foodLog on to liveaboardcomThe couple vacationWho Devika Patel and Neil Chowdhury 28 34 brandbusiness strategist producerWhere Varu by AtmosphereHow did it feel We chose this property as it was close to the airport and offered good value for money as it included everything We were there for a week and we couldnt get enough of the place We felt connected to nature and ended up appreciating the world around us We were inside the water most of the times Its perfect if you enjoy swimming or snorkelling It took us two days to get over how blue the water wasCOVID safety metre We had been infected a few months ago We consulted with our doctor who said we were clear to travel as our antibody count was high Many people we met had also had COVID19 in the past We were still very careful and tested ourselves a couple of times while there Since most properties have stringent internal protocols its safeCost Rs 50000 onwards includes food and activitiesLog on to varuatmospherecomThe almostbudget holidayWho Rohini Ramanathan 37 RJ and emceeWhere Oblu SangeliHow did it feel Many people come to the Maldives and get upset because they realise it doesnt look like the way it does on social media Do your research Check with your resort if your room has a pool jacuzzi Does it open out to the beach Is it a water villa I would also recommend that you split the cost of the room with a friend or partner to make it affordable Its a coupleheavy destination so remember that before you come here It has great food so forget about looking good in a bikini and enjoy the cuisineCOVID safety metreYou forget that a pandemic is raging when you are here Its a maskfree environment and most resorts conduct their own tests Its also easy to social distance here and most activities are only meant for two people at a time and there are partitions everywhereCost Rs 50000 onwards per nightLog on to oblusangelicomCOVID19 check in the Maldives All tourists must have a confirmed hotel reservation for their entire stay in one hotel no change of address allowed Proof of this will need to be submitted at immigration Passengers must complete and submit a Traveller Health Declaration 24 hours before arrival at httpsimugaimmigrationgovmv It is advisable to download the Maldives contact tracing app TraceEkee before travelling Those travelling for tourism must have an RTPCR negative certificate for COVID in English issued no more than 72 hours before departureHow to get thereAll major airlines including domestic carriers like Indigo and Go Air run flights to Maleacute Fares start at Rs 10000 and it takes around four hours to get there Most resorts offer private transfers to and from the airportWant to hear from youWe are looking to visit and write about interesting places of stay and travel near and far If you wish to host us for a fair engaging experience review write to us at smdmailmiddaycom