The Maldives

Bodufolhudhoo Island, Alif Alif Atoll, November 2017

The Maldives.   On a budget?

Our first flight from Heathrow to Columbo, Sri Lanka, departed well over one hour late and we missed our short connecting flight to Male in The Maldives.  Sri Lankan Airlines booked us on the next one - five hours later!  Double (or even triple) trouble as from there we had a short ferry crossing from the airport (which is located on a small island), then a speedboat transfer to our hotel on Bodufolhudhoo Island at 4.00 p.m.

Fortunately, we managed to contact the guest house owner by 'phone from Colombo Airport who was really helpful.  He met the later flight at Male having booked us into a hotel there and sorted out the speedboat transfer for the following afternoon.

Despite the delays, it worked out very well for us.  We had the opportunity to stroll round Male on Tuesday morning and after a good nights sleep following a long journey, were able to really appreciate the speedboat transfer.  

There is not a great to see in Male but on this busy capital city island with streets crowded with motorbikes and scooters, it is a pleasant surprise to see their clean artificial beach so close to all the activities of the town centre.  Here it is:

The speedboat stopped off at a couple of islands before Bodufolhudhoo and the journey took about 1 hour 45 minutes - an exciting, exhilarating, white-knuckle trip but a great experience on this very fast boat which accommodates about 25 passengers, passing just a few of the 1000+ Maldivian islands.

Yonder Retreat is a small guest house with just four very well appointed rooms and the private beach, reserved for three small guest houses is located about five minutes walk away. This beach is referred to by several names.  Tourist Beach, Sunset Beach but more commonly as Bikini Beach and here it is:

The island, as the rest of the Maldives, is virtually 100% Muslim under the Islamic Shariah Code.  Consequently, on this 'inhabited' island tourists can only wear swimwear on Bikini Beach.  To show respect for the local culture when walking through the village, visitors must dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered.  And there's no alcohol available!

Another option for visiting The Maldives is to stay on a resort island where there are only hotel staff and foreign guests. These resorts are very, very expensive but alcohol is available and you can wander all over the island in swimwear. But we prefer somewhere like this where you can also experience local village life – and still have money left in your bank account!

The island is only about 300 metres x 300 metres, with simple well-kept village houses and sandy 'streets'. There are no cars, just bicycles and several scooters. There are a few small grocery shops, a bakery which strangely only opens by request (how does that work?), a school, small pharmacy and one or two sparsely-stocked and occasionally open souvenir/gift shops.  Oh, and two Mosques.  Here is a view along one of the not-so-busy village streets:

There are very limited items in the few small mini-markets.  All goods have to be brought to this island (and all the others) by small boats from Male.  And with a population of only around 600 and probably no more than 20-25 tourists here at any one time, there is a limit to the amount of stock which can be kept especially fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, which arrives by boat in small but regular shipments from the capital. Throughout The Maldives if it doesn't arrive by ferry, speedboat or seaplane, it doesn't arrive!

There are no farm animals here such as cows, sheep, goats, etc. But we have heard a few chickens and as the island surface is sand, serious farming is presumably not an option.  Until fairly recently, the main industry has been fishing; now tourism is beginning to take over.

For a tiny speck in the Indian Ocean, Bodufolhudhoo would appear to be a well-governed and progressive island.  It was the first island in The Maldives to ban single-use plastic bags. The place is very clean & tidy and litter-free with a well-equipped school, a modern health centre, floodlit football pitch and a large, colourful outdoor children's play area:

The snorkelling here is amazing. Unfortunately, the coral had suffered serious bleaching as a result of damage caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami and more recently as a result of El Niño effects.  So much different from the vivid colours we have seen in the Red Sea during our two visits to Egypt.  But there are patches of colourful coral and it is encouraging to see new growth.

However, the different colours, size and species of fish around the reefs are spectacular and a real highlight of our time here.  It would be impossible for us to begin to describe or even remember them.  Along the reefs, we have never been surrounded by so many fish - ever!  It has also been great to see turtles, blacktip and whitetip reef sharks and Elaine spotted a very well disguised octopus.

The weather here and throughout the 1,200 islands (approximately) of The Maldives can be changeable and unpredictable.  Even on a clear sunny day, clouds can appear late afternoon. Different weather patterns can be experienced on islands only a few miles apart.  

But throughout the year, temperatures hardly vary at an average of between 29° & 31° during the day and 25°at night.

We have had mostly good weather so far but on one day it rained (in tropical style!) all day.

You will not be surprised to hear we simply spend lazy days on the beach and snorkelling in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.  Some evenings before dinner, a stroll through this tiny island for a few supplies - items for our picnic lunch and not forgetting chocolate treats for our evening coffee and hot chocolate while watching iPlayer.  Can you stand all this excitement?

After leaving here, we continue our journey to Western Australia, with an overnight in Perth before the short flight to Kalgoorlie to stay with David’s daughter and family.  

Then on to Malaysia and Thailand but more about that later!