My husband and myself originally considered going to the Maldives for our honeymoon. After all, when you think of the Maldives, you imagine white beaches and crystal waters in isolated splendour, perfect for romance. However, we decided against it in favour of the Caribbean, mainly because we were worried about the intense sun (I burn easily) and because, frankly, we were worried that we might get bored sitting on a beach for two weeks. I wasn't sure that I would enjoy snorkelling or scuba diving, and that was all that I had heard that there was to do in the Maldives.
Ironically, on honeymoon we both caught the diving bug. We didn't think that we would ever make it to the Maldives though, as we were keen to start a family and saving hard for this. You also shouldn't dive when there is a possibility of being pregnant. However, nearly two years later, still childless and facing the prospect of infertility treatment, we decided to spend the (by now unnecessarily large) baby funds on a holiday to cheer ourselves up.
We found a last minute deal online to the four-star Meedhupparu Island Resort for the first two weeks in January 2001. The price was around £800 each for full board, which seemed a real bargain. However, we struggled to find the resort in any of the mainstream brochures (including our carrier - JMC) as it only opened in June 2000, so I guess we took a small gamble. The resort is now carried by major operators including First Choice and Thomson, and a similar fourteen night break with Thomson departing from Gatwick on the 1st Jan 2006 would set you back £1,399 each.
Fortunately, we had time to have the recommended vaccinations for Typhoid and Hepatitis A, two weeks before departure.
LOCATION
Meedhupparu is located in the Maldive Islands in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India. The Maldives comprise 19 "atolls", or groups of islands, and Meedhupparu is the only resort in the RAA atoll; this lies to the northwest of Male, the capital, and location of the international airport. It is 130km from Male to the resort, making it one of the most outlying.
CLIMATE
Unsurprisingly, Meedhupparu has a tropical climate, being only 5.3 degrees north of the equator - generally warm (around 28-30 degrees) and humid. The good news though, is that with no standing fresh water, there are no mosquitoes. The dry season is from December to April; between May and November it is still warm, but can be cloudy and more humid, with more chance of rain. I have to say that when we were there, every day saw perfect bright blue skies. You should also note that, being the tropics, the days end abruptly, and relatively early, around 6pm. The sunsets are spectacular, but short.
GETTING THERE
The flight to Male took around 11 hours. We stopped in Bahrain on both the outward and return flight for around an hour to refuel - just time to stretch our legs and browse the legendarily cheap duty-free shops. Finally, we approached the Maldives and started to spot tiny dots of green, fringed by white sand, strung out across the ocean. As we descended further, I spotted an island crammed with skyscrapers and guessed that it must be the capital, Male. Sure enough, the plane banked and lined up for landing. The landing was surprisingly smooth, considering
the sight of the runway extending out into the ocean on an artificial concrete bed.
We were warned prior to landing about the strict restrictions on imports to the Maldives, where the religion is Sunni Muslim: you may not import any alcohol, pork products or pornographic material. Several copies of "The Sun" newspaper duly made their way into a rubbish bag handed around the plane, as did our half-empty bottle of in-flight alcoholic refreshment.
Immigration was quick and pain-free, and we were issued with a free 30-day tourist visa. We collected our luggage and were directed outside to a minibus to take us over to the air-taxi terminal. Most of the tourist resorts are situated in the atolls nearest to the capital, which means that the onward journey can be made by boat, but the distance to Meedhupparu meant that we needed to go by seaplane. For this reason alone, Meedhupparu is never likely to be the least expensive resort in the Maldives.
The minibus drove us round the end of the runway and into the air taxi "terminal" - well, let's be honest, it was a small tin shed with three sides and an open front. No air conditioning here, and the place was bedlam. A sandwich board near the front of the building had flights chalked on it, and we recognised "Meedhupparu" and the desk we should go to. We checked in for our air taxi, and were waved outside to the waterside. Here seaplanes were moored to a floating wooden walkway, with a jetty out to each, and we got our first up-close view of the exquisite blue ocean.
Soon I became very relieved that I had packed in my hand luggage a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a bottle of water and a pair of sandals as it slowly became apparent that it would be a long wait. There was very little shade out on the waterside, and no one seemed to know when we would transfer, as it quickly became apparent that the schedule was, at best, a very rough estimate. Finally, after about three hours, it was our turn to depart, and we boarded the little red seaplane, which accommodated around 16 people. Two pilots climbed into the front seats, and our luggage was piled up at the back, before one more member of staff climbed in and pulled the door shut. We taxied out onto the clear water for take-off, while the pilot cracked a few jokes about the in-flight service.
Now, I have flown in small planes on a few occasions, but this flight was a very different experience. It was very bumpy, and very loud. Conversation was impossible, and quite a few passengers had their fingers in their ears. We had a great view of some of the other islands as we flew, but I was relieved when, about 40 minutes later, we reached our resort. What I hadn't appreciated, however, was the manner in which a seaplane lands - the pilot plunged the plane straight towards the sea at a terrifying 45-degree angle, just pulling up at the last minute to skid to a halt on the outboard floats. I was glad to get off.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
By now, we were hot, tired and dirty but the first impression of the island was just joyous. Meedhupparu immediately measured up to my mental image of the perfect tropical island, with swaying palm trees, white sand and a brilliant turquoise lagoon surrounded by a coral reef. It is larger than several of the other resort islands (the tourist resorts occupying their entire islands), but it does not have any artificial breakwaters, making it particularly picturesque.
The only slight flaw was that we had to troop right across the island (all several hundred metres of it) to the reception area to check-in, and I realised that I needn't have bothered to pack any shoes. The entire island was little more than a sandbank, and the "paths" across it were just sand from which the vegetation had been cleared.
We were desperate to swim, so as soon as we were shown to our bungalow, where our luggage was already waiting, we changed and ran into the water. With snorkels at the ready, we eagerly looked for tropical fish - and didn't see any. This was a huge disappointment, but we soon figured out that our bungalow was on the southwest side of the island, from where we could see the sunset, but most of the amenities - including the fish - were on the other side. This may have been connected with where the sewage outfall was (yes we snorkelled past it later in the holiday), but I couldn't possibly speculate.
ACCOMODATION
Our accommodation was a semi-detached bungalow, which was very spacious. It contained a king-sized bed, with a lounge area and veranda to the front, and a wardrobe and dressing area to the rear, leading into the inside bathroom. The bathroom was very well equipped, with his-and-her twin basins, a good quality shower in a cubicle, bidet and toilet. The bathroom led out into a small courtyard containing the outside shower and an area for drying clothes. The room had air-conditioning as well as a ceiling fan, and tea and coffee making facilities. There was a direct-dialtelephone, but thankfully no TV. Although the room faced the ocean, we could barely see it through the vegetation, but this wasn't a big issue for us, as it was only around three steps out onto the beach. At dusk we would stroll along the water's edge and look at the baby rays and sharks that would come in close to shore, seeking shelter from larger predators.
AMMENITIES
People come to the Maldives to "get away from it all", and that is certainly what you got at Meedhupparu. The island never felt crowded, and you could lounge in tranquillity on the beach or around the pool. Topless sunbathing is not allowed though. If you were desperate to regain a connection with the outside world, there was apparently a TV lounge in the reception area, but we never looked for it. The reception area was part of a cluster of buildings housing the main bar area, the swimming pool (a fabulous "infinity" pool overlooking the beach), a games room containing table-tennis tables, a pool table and darts, and the main restaurant. On the fringes of this complex were a spa (an Ayurvedic centre) and a small entertainment amphitheatre, which we never really grasped the point of. Finally, and a source of some amusement to us, there was allegedly a coffee shop somewhere on that side of the island, which somehow we failed to find during our two week holiday, despite the fact that you could walk right around the island in less than half an hour.
A long jetty extended from the beach in front of the reception area out into the ocean, just beyond the coral reef that encircled the island. The fine sand shelved gently into the enclosed shallow lagoon, which was absolutely teeming with exotic fish. The first time that we jumped in here, we felt like we were in an aquarium, with the 28-degree water and goldfish and angelfish swimming by. At the end of the jetty stood a "roof on stilts", and this was a favourite stroll at night, listening to the lap of the ocean and watching the fish highlighted by subtle lights. During the day, we jumped off the end of the jetty to snorkel the outside of the reef, but we were always slightly wary; the water suddenly increased in depth here and we had not failed to notice the man who stood on lookout. I consoled myself that he was probably a lifeguard, but we did ask him one day, "Are you looking for sharks?" to which the answer was a short, "Yes". We wished we hadn't asked. There was only one occasion though when we saw something large and silver in the depths below, and it was almost certainly a tuna, although we didn't hang around to find out. There are sharks around the Maldives, but they tend to be on the outermost fringes, not in the shallower waters between islands.
On "our" side of the
Pictures of Meedhupparu Island Resort, Maldives
Meedhupparu from the sea
island there was a dive centre and neighbouring watersports area offering windsurfing and sailing. There was also a small bar, where you could choose to eat in the evenings as an alternative to the main restaurant.Evenings were mostly spent in the main bar area after dinner, where we chatted to other guests, studied our diving manuals, or played chess and table-tennis (not at the same time).
FOOD AND DRINK
The main restaurant was buffet-style, and you were allocated the same table for the duration of your stay. This was quite valuable to us, as my husband has a severe allergy to crab and our waiter was helpful in pointing out which dishes he should avoid. All the food was included in the price of our holiday, as were most drinks at the bar, but any drinks served to you in the restaurant were at an additional cost; therefore, we unashamedly picked up a couple of drinks at the bar every evening before entering the restaurant! The brands of drink were not familiar, but the quality was good. In common with other tourist islands, alcohol and pork were freely available.
The food was excellent, in quality and in range. There were different "stations" serving a choice of pasta dishes, roast meats, curries, and fish, along with all sorts of interesting starters and side dishes. The local speciality was a mix of crumbled dried tuna and coconut (both in plentiful local supply), which was delicious but not to be confused with the much, much hotter mix of dried coconut and chillies! I appreciate a good curry so was in heaven, but even if you like much plainer food, or don't like fish, you still had plenty of choice. I'm not sure how well strict vegetarians were catered for though.
As I mentioned above, there was an alternative dining option, which was to eat at the small bar on the west side of the island. This had three or four tables set on the beach, right by the water's edge. You had to book in advance, and pre-select your dinner from a very small menu - basically lobster or steak. We had decided to eat there on my husband's birthday, but when we turned up, we were told that there was a problem with our booking; the barmen were a little evasive, and we went to the main restaurant. As we approached our table, several people said, "You must be Peter". Our table was decorated with flowers and coloured rice spelling out "Happy B'day Peter", which I thought was lovely. My husband was totally embarrassed - especially when, after our meal, our waiter brought out a small cake and sang happy birthday to him. We did succeed in having a very enjoyable, secluded dinner by the water's edge on the following evening.
SERVICE AND CULTURE
One thing that struck me about the resort, and possibly bothered me slightly, was the conditions for the staff. The hotel is owned by Aitken Spence Hotels, which as far as I can make out, is a Sri Lankan based business; certainly all the hotel management were Sri Lankan. The other members of staff were mainly from the Maldives, or from India - particularly the menial workers. They were accommodated in an enclosed compound in the centre of the island, and they were strictly expected to stay inside it when they were not working. Most were very young men, and from conversations that we had with them, the conditions of their contracts would be unthinkable to most of us: they had to work for a minimum of one year before being allowed time off to return home, and they only got paid if they completed this. (I gather the wages were not high either, although the cynic in me can acknowledge that they would hardly admit to being well paid). The rules seemed to reflect the wider ethos throughout the Maldives, of tourism being carefully managed and the tourists kept away from traditional Muslim communities.
EXCURSIONS AND OFF-ISLAND ACTIVITIES
The dive centre at Meedhupparu is an accredited PADI centre, and we took the opportunity to become PADI Open water divers on this holiday. Our instructor was a Sicilian who spoke excellent English. The training took place in the classroom and the lagoon, but we dived from an adapted traditional fishing boat (step-in entry, from quite a height, which took a bit of getting used to). The beautiful coral reefs in the Maldives are world famous, and I particularly enjoyed the final dive of the course, which was a drift dive along a brilliantly coloured wall. We also saw huge napoleon fish, which seemed as curious about us as we were about them. The absolute star though was a very surprised turtle, whom we met as we came up over a rise, just as he reached the top from the other side. We didn't see any sharks, but then we didn't book the "shark experience" dive, which actively goes to find them and apparently involves a reasonably long trip.
The dive centre is run by an independent specialist company, and more information, including prices for courses and equipment rental can be found on this website: http://www.thecrab.com/TheCrabEng/Listiniprezzi/listino_meedhupparu.htm
The other excursion that we made off the island was to the neighbouring Fisherman Island, where at last we managed to catch a glimpse of "real life" in the Maldives, albeit in a slightly voyeuristic way. Our guide was very informative, and we visited the harbour, the mosques and even the school, where we were surprised to learn that they have the English school system and take GCSEs.
Other excursions that were on offer included boat trips at sunrise and sunset, trips to uninhabited islands, or fishing. We don't fish, but people that we spoke to who were keen on the sport were impressed with the boats and equipment available and had had a very enjoyable time.
All the excursions and holiday "extras" on Meedhupparu were priced in US dollars, and this is the currency you need to take with you, rather than the local currency, Rufiyaa.
WHO GOES THERE
There was no rep on the island, and the first week that we were there, immediately after the busy New Year period, it was extremely quiet, with just a few British and other European tourists. The relaxation was blissful. Apparently though the resort is normally most popular with Italians. Unfortunately during the second week we were inundated by Italians, not on holiday, but on a conference for an ice-cream company (you couldn't make it up) so in the middle of paradise we had this huge group of people whom all knew each other, and would start singing and clapping the company song in the restaurant.
The resort is clearly aimed at couples, although there were a few families present, and the bungalows will accommodate one or two additional beds.
TSUNAMI DAMAGE
Since our visit, there has of course been the terrible tragedy of the December 26th 2004 tsunami. According to all reports, due to its location the Raa atoll escaped major damage. There was some minor flooding but Meedhupparu remained, and remains, open. There was no serious damage reported to the main dive sites. Sadly, other areas, particularly along the east coast, were more seriously affected and along with the loss of life, the long-term economic effects are likely to be severe. As a consequence, tourism in the least affected resorts like Meedhupparu will be particularly valuable on an ongoing basis.
SUMMARY
Meedhupparu means pearl in Divehi, the local language, and I can honestly say that it lived up to this name. This was the best holiday that I have ever had, and the cliché "paradise on earth" does not come close enough to describing it. I sincerely hope to return one day. Thank you for reading and making it through this long review, as there was a lot to say about this wonderful place.
For any further information, the hotel website can be found at: http://www.aitkenspencehotels.lk/meedhupparu/home.shtml
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Aug 1st, 2005
(Oct 29th, 2007)
exceptional by (66%):
very helpful by (34%):
