Showing posts with label Maldives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maldives. Show all posts

Thursday, 17 September 2015

About Maldives

General knowledge about Maldives... 

Malaysian don't worry,,..  Plug socket are the same,. So leave your international adapter behind.
TV channels are mostly in English, and got Indonesian language subtitles. So again, feel like home.

Before arriving in Maldives, check with your hotel about the transport. Public transport (boat/ferry) are only available from airport to nearby island. The rest u might need to get hotel transfer or sea plane, cost is superrr!... high!

Currency used are mainly in USD.. Even though they have Ruffiya, but it's not widely used. In Male city they accept mainly all top currencies I.e USD, Euro.. 

There are like hundreds of Atolls (island) forming Maldives. Pick yours 
The best month (really sunny) would be March - Apr... Whilst rainy season would be July - August..  Dec until Feb are normally fully booked here in Holiday Inn due to end of year school holidays worldwide and also valentines in Feb.

Ferry transfer from Male to Airport are available almost every 30mins. Trip only took 15mins and costs Rfy10 or USD1 (USD1 = Rfy15). They don't give change if you pay usd so better pay in Ruffiya lahh :)

About Holiday Inn Kandooma

The rate? Yes,. Crazy expensive.. But it's worth every penny.. 

There are so many activities here.. And very kids friendly...  The Kandoo Kids welcomes children and they can take care of your kiddos while you enjoy other facilities. Activities like frame making, face painting, origami etc are all FOC. Enjoy as much as they like.

PS4 game are also available..  Movie nights (or day) can be requested if they feel like watching one.
Surfing, diving, sailing, paragliding, etc are all chargeable but it's worth the try!

Even if u don't plan to spend extra on those activities, there are a lot more things to do here on this island... Just have a stroll along the beach, or snorkel on your own at the lagoon (equipments I.e. Mask, goggle, life jacket etc are available at the sports center...  At no charge of course!).
Kayaking is also complimentary. 

Kids eat free here.. With at least 1 paying adult (for dinner and lunch only. Breakfast are free). Food are awesome... 

The staff are super friendly. They called each of us by name.. Even Nana! Ha ha. I didn't know when did she knew Nana's name. Hiihi.  Salute tu Bandula and Janice









Wednesday, 16 September 2015

Worth every penny!!!

Wow! We surely did not make any mistakes by choosing this resort at the first place.
Yes the rate are crazy but everything else are COMPLIMENTARY 

Since I booked a double room and turns out five that arrives, they informed that it is compulsory to pay for an extra bed for USD60 per night for syasya. Aril and Nana gets to stay for free! Phew. Somehow with the crazy Ringgit drops and 22% extra taxes charged by Maldives government, we ended up paying around RM1,400 ++ per night.

When we arrived Male airport, the hotel staff were already waited for us with his Holiday Inn sign. I only discovered last week that there are no public transport to this private island so we have to pay US200++ per adult and USD100++ per kids.. Nana travel for FREE.! Yay!!!
In Maldives, from Male airport, public transport only goes to Male island (the city center), and few island nearby. Others are all private speedboats.. Or even sea plane.

In 30 minutes or so, we arrived Holiday Inn Kandooma at South Male Atoll... The welcoming greet are awesome!! Everybody knows us, they know exactly each and everyone of us.. Welcomed us with sweet drink and they even offered to do the documentation in the Kandoo Kids center as the kids started behaving "wild". He he

We booked the sea view double room. It was awesome,.  We've got a garden with hammock. And of course the kids most favourite, outdoor shower! 
In this resort almost everything is complimentary. Kayaking; snorkeling gear, lesson and trips; diving for beginner; and even dolphin cruise because we booked very much earlier.
Breakfast was for 2 adult,. And kids below 12 are all completely FREE!
If we purchase dinner for 2, again kids are all FREE!

And owh,. Free flow of drink at the beach station. Weehooo
The paying activities are like surfing and wind sailing.. This is because it is operated by other company. 

This is what I call peace of mind 


Dolphin cruise

We found them,, yay!

hello kandoo boys

It's the day

It's the day!
It's finally here!!
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim..  Rabbi yassir wala tu assir.

Kids have been asking for weeks. We've been waiting for months. The day is finally here. Our most awaited Maldives Trip. Yay
Did I share before thay MAS has contacted us to inform that starting August 1st, there was no more direct flight to Male from KL. So they re-routed us to Colombo and then to Male via Sri Lanka Airlines (Code UL) 

We arrived KLIA very early to pick up the hotel and meal voucher, as per advised by the call operator. Upon arriving at counter C17 at Level 5, nobody knew abt the voucher. They said that thw collection shall be at Colombo airport. They confirmed our reservation at Tamarind Tree Hotel via the system.

Ok then,. So I took the paper and direct for check in.. Hoping everything will be smooth once we arrive in Colombo.
We should be arriving near to midnight (local time) and our connection flight will be at 7am the next morning. 

Settling everything, we then went to Plaza Premium Lounge. Awesome. We used both our priority visa platinum cards from Maybank and Citibank for a free access, and guess what.. All our kids get to get in for FREE! Awesome.!! 

I am now on board the plane. Alhamdulillah So far so good. Will be updating more later InsyaAllah 














Wednesday, 17 June 2015

Maldives - all about cost !

Here goes...

1. Flight tickets (2A 3C) return : RM2,200
2. Hotel Holiday Inn Maldives (3n) : RM3,213 (Sea view villa with breakfast)**
3. Boat transfer

** They offer garden view villa (without breakfast) from USD190++ per night. Book via IHG website for better deal and extra discounts

- Snorkeling
- Water sport
- Food
Others

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Details for hotel

Reservation Price Summary

View Price Details
Average Nightly Rate
$ 235.00  USD
Price for 1 rooms 3 nights
$ 705.00  USD
Total Tax
$ 163.56  USD
Estimated Total Price
$ 868.56  USD

Maldives lesson learnt

Hi,

I'll be listing our lesson learnt from this trip.. hope will benefit all

1. Book hotels early. Walk in will be very risky. Price will be very high and if not available, you  have to go to the next Atoll (island) !!

2. Boat transfer from atoll to atoll is very expensive. Water plane will cost even more. Ask hotel if they provide transfer. very costly also (refer my previous post!)

3. Careful in selecting your incoming flight. Arriving at Male Airport at night might end up you sleeping at the airport. The boat transfer will finish at around XXX pm. And i think it's not advisable to go on a boat ride at night

4. Hotel rates in Maldives are subjected to 10% svc charge and 12% TGST !!!

Holiday Inn Overwater Pavilion.. Dream on!! cost Couple thousands per night

Maldives packages - Holiday Inn Maldives

I've got this reply from the resort;




Dear Iryani,

Warm greetings from Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives!

We are delighted to hear that you wish to visit our beautiful resort.  Following the receipt of your email request, we are pleased to offer you our current availability and rates as follows:

Dates Required: 15 - 19 September 2015 

Room Type /Rates: BEST FLEXIBLE RATE
(Amendable until 7 days prior to the arrival date. One night deposit requires to be charged, 7 days prior to the arrival date)

· Garden View Villa - US$284.00++ per room per night, Inclusive of Breakfast.
· Beach View Villa - US$304.00++ per room per night, Inclusive of Breakfast.
· Garden View Beach House - US$324.00++ per room per night, Inclusive of Breakfast.
· Sea View Beach House - US$354.00++ per room per night, Inclusive of Breakfast.
· Two Bedroom Beach House - US$884.00++ per room per night, Inclusive of Breakfast.
· Sea View Overwater Villa - US$834.00++ per room per night, Inclusive of Breakfast.

Remarks:
-       Rates quoted are for double/twin share rooms.
-       All rates are quoted in US$ Dollars, Bed and Breakfast Basis
-       All rates are based on a per room per night basis and subject to 10% Service Charge, 12% TGST Tax per night.
-       Maximum occupancy is 2 Adults +1 child below 12years of age or 3 Adults only. Except for Two Bedroom Family Beach.
-       It requires payment in full by credit card within 24 hours of confirming this booking.
-       Third Adult Supplement - US$ 229.15nett per adult per day.
-       Child (02 – 11years) Extra Bed Supplement US$60.00nett per room, per day.
-       This booking cannot be cancelled without penalty. Cancelling your reservation or failing to arrive at the hotel on the above date will result in a charge for the entire stay per room to the credit card provided. You are however able to make changes to the dates of this reservation however this will be at the discretion of the hotel’s availability and subject to a rate change if applicable.
Please be informed that all our resort transfers are arranged based on international flight schedule, hence we would require the flight details 72 hours prior to the arrival day. Please find below two options of transfer as follows:

Shared Transfers:
Return Speedboat transfers from Airport to resort and Resort to Airport (Roundtrip) will be at US$219.00nett per Adult/ US$134.00nett per Child (04-11 Years). (Inclusive of 10% Service Charge and 12% GST Tax)

Private Transfers:
Private Speedboat Transfers (max 4 Guests) USD 549.00nett, per boat per way (Inclusive of 10% Service Charge and 12% GST Tax)
Private Speedboat Transfers (max 8 Guests) USD 981.00nett, per boat per way (Inclusive of 10% Service Charge and 12% GST Tax)

Airport transfer will take approximately 40 to 45 minutes from airport to resort.

Airport Directions
A Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma airport representative will be waiting for you at the arrival exit terminal at counter #45 and he will assist you with your transfer to the resort. If you have any inconvenience locating our Crew, please contact Reservations at +960 664-0511.

For hassle free holidays we also offer the following meal plans:
Kandooma Café is the resorts main restaurant, serving full buffet meal.
  
Meal Package Detail
Price Per Person
Set Lunch at Kandooma Cafe
US$40.00++per adult, per night
Buffet Dinner at Kandooma Café
US$69.00++per adult, per night
Full Board - (Buffet Breakfast, Set Lunch and Buffet Dinner)
Enjoy a rich and varied array of flavors in Kandooma Café for breakfast, lunch and dinner with an ever-changing menu and an interactive dining experience, every meal is a delight! Travel the world without leaving Kandooma with our huge selection of international flavors and spices.
US$109.00++per adult, per night
Stay Spirited - SELECTED BEVERAGES IN ALL RESTAURANTS AND BARS
Treat yourself to a wide variety of international drinks, cocktails and juices:
Coke, Sprite, Diet Coke, Fanta Orange, Chilled Orange Juice, Chilled Apple Juice, Chilled Pineapple Juice, International Draft Beer, Vodka, Gin, Rum, Whisky, Brandy, White & Red Wine, Kandooma Coco, Mojito, Cosmopolitan, Caipirinha, Caiproska, Pina Colada, and the Tom Collins, Mocktails; Fiesta Punchless& Virgin Mojito
US$89.00++per adult, per night
US$45.00++per child (04 – 11.99 years), per night
All Inclusive - (Buffet Breakfast, Set Lunch, Buffet Dinner and Beverages)
Enjoy a rich and varied array of flavors in Kandooma Café for breakfast, lunch and dinner with an ever-changing menu and an interactive dining experience, every meal is a delight! Travel the world without leaving Kandooma with our huge selection of international flavors and spices.
Treat yourself to a wide variety of international drinks, cocktails and juices at all restaurants and bars.
US$198.00++per adult, per night
US$99.00++per child (04 – 11.99 years), per night
Premium All Inclusive
(lobster dishes excluded)
DRINK: Everywhere
All stay spirited drinks and all cocktails, coffee & tea, smoothies, milkshakes anywhere —
mini-bar and ice cream included!
DINE: All around (lobster excluded)
The truly indulgent package! Have breakfast, lunch and dinner in any outlet of your choice
or in your room. Immerse yourself in our stunning events—Fisherman’s Market, Dine IN!
the Kitchen and the Maldivian Beach BBQ.
ENJOY: Non-Motorized Sports
All non-motorized water sports and recreation activities included: kayak, catamaran, SUP boards and windsurfing
RELAX: Como Shambhala Massage
Indulge in a 60 minute nurturing massage (per person per stay) using our signature
blended massage oil to calm the mind and rejuvenate your body at our Spa.
US$249.00++per adult, per night
US$124.50++per Child (04–11.99 years), per night

- Rates are subject to 12% GST Tax and 10% Service Charge. Above rates quoted per person, per night on top of the room rate. 
- Applicable for full length of stay with minimum of 3 nights and all guests in a room must be on the same package.
-  The above meal packages rates are applicable on top of the room rate on BB basis. 
-  Kids less than 12 years eat free, and above 12 years are charged at an adult meal rate. Conditions apply.
-  Kids eat free is available at Kandooma Cafe only.
- If guests are booked on Stay Indulgent package, child supplement will apply accordingly for children age 04 -11.99 years.

Hotel Policy:
  
-       Resort check in time is 14.00 hrs and check out time is 12.00 hrs.
-       Early check-in and late check-out must be requested in advance and are subject to room availability.
-       Early check-in before 12:00 hrs will be charged at 50% of the best flexible rate of the day, excluding breakfast.
-       Late check-out until 18:00 hrs will be charged at 50% of the best flexible rate of the day.
-       Late check-out after 18:00 hrs will be charged the best flexible rate of the day.
-       On arrival, we will be requiring a deposit of US$100 per night for incidental expenses, this can be done as a pre-authorization on a credit card or be paid in cash.
Prohibited imports:
-       Pornographic literature, idols of worship, pork products and certain other animal products, explosives, weapons or drugs may not be imported.
-       Alcoholic beverages cannot be imported without an official license. Drugs are strictly prohibited; the penalty for importing drugs for personal or other use is life imprisonment.
Currency Accepted:

If you intend to use cash to settle your account please note that the bank regulations in the Maldives allow us to only accept USD, EURO, POUND, AUD, YEN & SGD. Damaged currency that is badly soiled, defaced, disintegrated, limp, torn, stapled or otherwise “worn out,” or were printed earlier than 2003 unfortunately cannot be accepted as payment at the resort, as they will not be accepted by the Banks.

Credit Card Accepted:
We accept Visa, Master and AMEX credit card for credit card payments. 

Hope the above information is helpful. Please note that no rooms are currently being held. Please let us know if this is suitable and the reservation details at your convenience. Attached is our resort e-brochure and reservation form to your perusal.  Please send us a dully filled form along with a copy of credit card (front/back) and passport copy of credit card holder in order for us to proceed with the booking. 


Should you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you,


​Ramonoa
 | Reservations
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives
Kandooma Fushi, South Male’ Atoll, Republic of Maldives
T: +960 664 0511 | F: +960 665 7195

Wednesday, 10 June 2015

Surfing on to Maldives

Starting my research
http://maafushimaldives.com/

Before May 31st,. MAS had this amazing 50% off ENRICH promotion and ironically some of my enrich point are going to expire the same time.

There are couple of choices, the finalist are Darwin Australia and Male Maldives. Hubby preferred something new so I chooses Maldives.

In conclusion, 7000 miles/way used for each totalling of 70,000 miles for 5 of us with taxes of RM2.2k! Pretty cool deal.. 

Follow my thread to know cost for :

- Boat transfer
- Hotels
- Snorkeling
- Water sport
- Food
- Others