Am I the only one who hasn't been to the Maldives???
Aug 12, 2013, 1:06 pm
#76
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Join Date: Sep 2000
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Indeed and the thought it provoked recently from me was "what was he thinking or was he?" when he wrote about there being little adventure to find in Canada, my home and native land, after visiting only Toronto & Vancouver. 
http://mileadventures.com/canadas-fa...the-oil-sands/
Luckily he appears to have come to his senses and actually visited somewhere else beyond our two urban extremes.
http://mileadventures.com/canadas-fa...the-oil-sands/
Luckily he appears to have come to his senses and actually visited somewhere else beyond our two urban extremes.
with the exception of TBB.dh
Aug 27, 2013, 12:18 pm
#78
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Silver Spring, and Eastern Shore Md. USA
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Went to the Maldives earlier this month...
I've never been, but sent my son and his wife there on their honeymoon. I used AA and UA miles. Half of which were from cc signups from the old Frugal Travel Guy website (when it was owned by Rick).
Even if I were to go to the Maldives, the thought of expensive roundtrip flights or water taxis defeats the fly4free/stay4free mentality. Let's not even discuss the $28 cheeseburger that's brought to you by rude British staff.
Many of my friends wonder why we go to Hawaii (an all day adventure), when they think Puerto Rico or Nassau is just as nice. I ask the same question to all of you, why go to the Maldives when there are so many other affordable choices? ie Hawaii.
Answer... Bloggers go there as a business expense.
Even if I were to go to the Maldives, the thought of expensive roundtrip flights or water taxis defeats the fly4free/stay4free mentality. Let's not even discuss the $28 cheeseburger that's brought to you by rude British staff.
Many of my friends wonder why we go to Hawaii (an all day adventure), when they think Puerto Rico or Nassau is just as nice. I ask the same question to all of you, why go to the Maldives when there are so many other affordable choices? ie Hawaii.
Answer... Bloggers go there as a business expense.
Hi Dan. Don and I were lucky enough to go to the Maldives as part of an Abu Dhabi/ Maldives DO. Our coordinators negotiated discounts for our group at Hyatts in Abu Dhabi and the Park Hyatt Maldives.
The Middle East is a good stopping point on a trip to Maldives; as then it is only 4 hours to Male. While the Park Hyatt Maldives was a terrific location, it did require another one or two internal flights and a 30 minute speedboat ride to get to Hadaaha the island where it is located. It also does cost $546 per person roundtrip for these transfers(not $450 or $475 as others have said)
Now here is the positive part--it was an AMAZING experience. Being in the 10 largest atoll in the world with pristine healthy coral was terrific--we were sheltered from the rough Indian ocean and even if you waded into the water anywhere on the beach there was coral and the most beautiful fish and sea creatures. For two of the five nights we had a water villa--the experience of sitting on our deck and seeing millions of stars and looking down on bioluminescent fish was priceless! It was also great to climb down our own ladder to go snorkeling
It is expensive, but with the discounts negotiated for our group, much more affordable than it would ordinarily be. This is a once-in-a lifetime experience that we checked off our list.
Aug 27, 2013, 12:58 pm
#79
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
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Hi Dan. Don and I were lucky enough to go to the Maldives as part of an Abu Dhabi/ Maldives DO. Our coordinators negotiated discounts for our group at Hyatts in Abu Dhabi and the Park Hyatt Maldives.
The Middle East is a good stopping point on a trip to Maldives; as then it is only 4 hours to Male. While the Park Hyatt Maldives was a terrific location, it did require another one or two internal flights and a 30 minute speedboat ride to get to Hadaaha the island where it is located. It also does cost $546 per person roundtrip for these transfers(not $450 or $475 as others have said)
Now here is the positive part--it was an AMAZING experience. Being in the 10 largest atoll in the world with pristine healthy coral was terrific--we were sheltered from the rough Indian ocean and even if you waded into the water anywhere on the beach there was coral and the most beautiful fish and sea creatures. For two of the five nights we had a water villa--the experience of sitting on our deck and seeing millions of stars and looking down on bioluminescent fish was priceless! It was also great to climb down our own ladder to go snorkeling
The Middle East is a good stopping point on a trip to Maldives; as then it is only 4 hours to Male. While the Park Hyatt Maldives was a terrific location, it did require another one or two internal flights and a 30 minute speedboat ride to get to Hadaaha the island where it is located. It also does cost $546 per person roundtrip for these transfers(not $450 or $475 as others have said)
Now here is the positive part--it was an AMAZING experience. Being in the 10 largest atoll in the world with pristine healthy coral was terrific--we were sheltered from the rough Indian ocean and even if you waded into the water anywhere on the beach there was coral and the most beautiful fish and sea creatures. For two of the five nights we had a water villa--the experience of sitting on our deck and seeing millions of stars and looking down on bioluminescent fish was priceless! It was also great to climb down our own ladder to go snorkeling
It is expensive, but with the discounts negotiated for our group, much more affordable than it would ordinarily be. This is a once-in-a lifetime experience that we checked off our list.
Aug 27, 2013, 2:45 pm
#80
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
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Hi Dan. Don and I were lucky enough to go to the Maldives as part of an Abu Dhabi/ Maldives DO. Our coordinators negotiated discounts for our group at Hyatts in Abu Dhabi and the Park Hyatt Maldives.
The Middle East is a good stopping point on a trip to Maldives; as then it is only 4 hours to Male. While the Park Hyatt Maldives was a terrific location, it did require another one or two internal flights and a 30 minute speedboat ride to get to Hadaaha the island where it is located. It also does cost $546 per person roundtrip for these transfers(not $450 or $475 as others have said)
Now here is the positive part--it was an AMAZING experience. Being in the 10 largest atoll in the world with pristine healthy coral was terrific--we were sheltered from the rough Indian ocean and even if you waded into the water anywhere on the beach there was coral and the most beautiful fish and sea creatures. For two of the five nights we had a water villa--the experience of sitting on our deck and seeing millions of stars and looking down on bioluminescent fish was priceless! It was also great to climb down our own ladder to go snorkeling
It is expensive, but with the discounts negotiated for our group, much more affordable than it would ordinarily be. This is a once-in-a lifetime experience that we checked off our list.
The Middle East is a good stopping point on a trip to Maldives; as then it is only 4 hours to Male. While the Park Hyatt Maldives was a terrific location, it did require another one or two internal flights and a 30 minute speedboat ride to get to Hadaaha the island where it is located. It also does cost $546 per person roundtrip for these transfers(not $450 or $475 as others have said)
Now here is the positive part--it was an AMAZING experience. Being in the 10 largest atoll in the world with pristine healthy coral was terrific--we were sheltered from the rough Indian ocean and even if you waded into the water anywhere on the beach there was coral and the most beautiful fish and sea creatures. For two of the five nights we had a water villa--the experience of sitting on our deck and seeing millions of stars and looking down on bioluminescent fish was priceless! It was also great to climb down our own ladder to go snorkeling
It is expensive, but with the discounts negotiated for our group, much more affordable than it would ordinarily be. This is a once-in-a lifetime experience that we checked off our list.
). Since my return, I have had a lot of "I'd love to go to the Maldives, but it's sooooo far away" commentary from friends/family/co-workers. My standard response is "But you won't regret making the effort." I also remind them that the Maldives is sinking into the ocean (which I was able to see for myself from seat 2A on Maldivian from Kooddoo to Male), so if you are serious about going, treat it with a sense of urgency, and bump it up on your To Do Queue.Budget for 3 days to get there, 3 days to get home.......and a week to luxuriate in the unique experience that is the Maldives.
Sep 8, 2013, 3:42 pm
#82
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Join Date: Jun 2006
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Posts: 31,797
easier to get award flights to MLE, compared to PPT
in terms of private island award stays, id think necker island via VS (and laucala island via LHW) would beat maldives
but conrad and park hyatt maldives do offer good beachfront/overwater (private island) award value regardless
in maldives, i certainly look forward to paying cash for some unique rooms at four seasons and upcoming cheval blanc, and four seasons explorer and banyan tree velaa are also pretty unique offerings (book a cabin on a yacht) but i dont see any reason to go "tomorrow"
in terms of private island award stays, id think necker island via VS (and laucala island via LHW) would beat maldives
but conrad and park hyatt maldives do offer good beachfront/overwater (private island) award value regardless
in maldives, i certainly look forward to paying cash for some unique rooms at four seasons and upcoming cheval blanc, and four seasons explorer and banyan tree velaa are also pretty unique offerings (book a cabin on a yacht) but i dont see any reason to go "tomorrow"
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Feb 3, 2014 at 8:18 pm
Sep 8, 2013, 3:48 pm
#83
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
easier to get award flights to MLE, compared to PPT
in terms of private island award stays, id think necker island (and laucala island) would beat maldives
in maldives, i certainly look forward to paying cash for some unique rooms at four seasons and upcoming cheval blanc, and four seasons explorer and banyan tree velaa are also pretty unique offerings (book a cabin on a yacht) but i dont see any reason to go "tomorrow"
in terms of private island award stays, id think necker island (and laucala island) would beat maldives
in maldives, i certainly look forward to paying cash for some unique rooms at four seasons and upcoming cheval blanc, and four seasons explorer and banyan tree velaa are also pretty unique offerings (book a cabin on a yacht) but i dont see any reason to go "tomorrow"
Jan 11, 2014, 4:40 pm
#84
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,586
Well...looks like we are going!
It was my wife's first choice for her birthday in May. So we booked IAD-DOH-CMB then CMB-BKK-PEK-IAD.
It was my wife's first choice for her birthday in May. So we booked IAD-DOH-CMB then CMB-BKK-PEK-IAD.
Jan 11, 2014, 5:52 pm
#85
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
Jan 11, 2014, 6:10 pm
#86
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
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Posts: 58,586
Jan 11, 2014, 6:20 pm
#87
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
yep that is a great fare... and an awesome product.... we just did yvr-jfk and loved it... first time i've done the new j... it really is one that deserves the "as good as other carriers f" hyperbole
Jan 13, 2014, 8:14 pm
#89
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
Well there you go and incite me.... now I have dropped our own MLE-AUH-JFK return in favor of the MLE-HKG-JFK fare!! Even better there is a child discount so "only" $1,150 each for the kids. About $5k all-in for four of us to fly back. It's a lot of $$$s but with the AA miles saved (315k) and Avios earned I will do well out it. Plus this is actually the fastest way home for us which is important with the kids going back to school the day after - we now leave 2 hours later and get home 5 hours earlier ^
Jan 14, 2014, 8:26 am
#90
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,586
Well there you go and incite me.... now I have dropped our own MLE-AUH-JFK return in favor of the MLE-HKG-JFK fare!! Even better there is a child discount so "only" $1,150 each for the kids. About $5k all-in for four of us to fly back. It's a lot of $$$s but with the AA miles saved (315k) and Avios earned I will do well out it. Plus this is actually the fastest way home for us which is important with the kids going back to school the day after - we now leave 2 hours later and get home 5 hours earlier ^
But let's not get started on kids in premium cabins...