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 Views from the seaplane by CustodyspiceLeave a Comment Theme: Airplane
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 Dubai Airport by LisaMJ
The flight from LHR to DXB was around 6 1/2 hours, and then the flight from Dubai to Male was about 4 hours.
I was glad for the break, and there is so much to do at Dubai airport, so you won't be bored, waiting around for your flight.
Upon check in at Heathrow, you are given your boarding pass for both legs of the journey. When you arrive in Dubai, you take the 'in transit' route, and go straight into the shopping area/departure lounge. So easy, and you don't have to worry about your luggage, as it's all taken care of.
If flying economy, I'd recommend taking a flight via somewhere, as you get to stretch your legs for a couple of hours, AND do some great shopping. Leave a Comment Theme: Airplane
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We chose to go for the included boat transfer from Malé International Airport to Kuramathi island - and decided to pay extra for seaplane transfer on return to the airport.
Upon arrival in Malé everyone bound for Kuramathi were quite swiftly grouped together and, rolling our suitcases along (it is a good idea to have a wheeled suitcase...!), we walked the few hundred metres to where our boat was waiting. It turned out that the seaplane transfer had been cancelled that day, so those who were supposed to go by seaplane had to make do with the boat.
The boat transfer was scheduled to take 1 1/2 hours, but took ca 2 hours. The boat was quite large, it was airconditioned and had fairly comfortable seats - so I figured it would be a comfy journey. Well...the sea wasn't rough, I can't say that I thought there were much (or any) waves, really - but quite a few people on board got seasick (sickbags are provided...) - the poor woman sitting behind us must have thrown up at least ten times during the 2-hour trip! (We were travelling with a British charter company, everybody except us were Brits - and I figured that perhaps the British aren't used to being at sea?;o))
A good tip if you're feeling queasy on board the boat, is to look out the windows towards the horizon (would be even better to go out and get fresh air, but that wasn't possible on this boat). You can of course also get motion sickness medication at any pharmacy, but these do tend to make people drowsy.
We saw lots of dolphins during the trip, which was a nice added bonus (and helped keep our minds off the ...umm... various sounds and smells on board!) Leave a Comment Theme: Ship/Boat
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 by bijo69Leave a Comment Theme: Airplane
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The dhoni is the traditional mode of transportation in the Maldives - it's an all-purpose boat, really, used to transport both passengers and freight, and as fishing boats, local ferries... Traditionally, the dhoni had a tall, curved prow (see photos) - but you'll notice that not all dhonis have got one.
The dhonis come in various sizes and shapes, but they are generally quite small and fairly basic - the ones we were on were open-sided (but with a roof), and with wooden benches along the sides to sit on.
It's fairly likely that you'll be on board a dhoni at some point during your holiday! We were transferred from Kuramathi island to the seaplane landing area (near Rasdhoo island) by dhoni - and we also spent a good hour on board waiting for the seaplane to get there (more in my "seaplane transfer"-tip!). Some of the short trips from our resort island to the local island of Rasdhoo were also done by dhoni. Leave a Comment Theme: Ship/Boat
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We went from Malé International Airport to Kuramathi island by boat - and decided to splurge and go by seaplane back to the airport. We paid ca 60 GBP/person for the seaplane, the boat transfer was "free" (included in the flight + accommodation price). We thought the seaplane would both be a fun experience, and a relaxing end to our holiday - so we figured it would be worth the extra cash!
The seaplane flights are operated by Maldivian Air Taxi, and the little Twin Otter seaplane took ca 20 passengers. The flight between Kuramathi and Malé airport takes around 20-25 minutes.
On departure day, we were taken to Kuramathi Village and told to wait in the lobby until departure time half an hour later. Almost 2 hours later, and still no sign of the plane (or rather, the boat supposed to take us over to Rasdhoo island, where the seaplane would pick us up) - the staff did not give us any information, they kept repeating that "the plane will be here soon". No time frame. Quite a few passengers were grumbling and mumbling at this point... ;o)
Eventually, the boat arrived - and after the short boat ride over to Rasdhoo we spent another hour or so (!) waiting in the boat, before the seaplane finally appeared. Most passengers were now rather worried about getting to the airport on time - and the seaplane crew seemed pretty stressed out as well: we were hurried on board the plane, our bags and suitcases were piled up in the back (I always thought weight control / distribution was important in small planes, but apparently not) - and off we went!
The views were amazing - on some islands you can spot strings of water villas jutting out into the ocean, and watching the atolls from above is simply fantastic. You won't see much if you don't get a window seat, though - the windows are small and the plane pretty crowded!
Upon arrival at the seaplane port we were immediately transferred to a minibus and rushed to the airport (a 5-10 minute drive) - before rushing through check-in and security. So much for a "relaxing seaplane ride" - but at least we didn't miss our flight! Leave a Comment
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As far as Im aware the only island with cars is the Capital, Male. The owner of our island once told us he used to get excited about driving in England because once he hit 60mph he didnt have to hit his brakes to stop himself from driving off the end of the island. Leave a Comment Theme: Car/Motor Home
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 Distant Sunrise by LisaMJ
So, it's a good idea to have your camera handy to capture moments such as these (as well as the islands as you arrive as shown above). Leave a Comment Theme: Airplane
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 by thelittlevoiceLeave a Comment Theme: Car/Motor Home
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 by thelittlevoiceLeave a Comment Theme: Ship/Boat
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