Maldives local tours We arrange local tours and travel for passenger liners, Megaships and yachts

The Maldives are a truly spectacular destination. While it's a holiday location not exactly ideal for the highly budget conscious, a variety of different star resorts does offer most travellers a chance to taste its delights.

Here are a few things to consider when deciding on a Maldives resort:

• Determine what your budget is. 

• Decide what you're likely to be interested in. For instance, the Maldives is a great place for diving. Some resorts are also naturally better for divers than others. Further, some resorts offer a wealth of activities and entertainment while others are very chilled and offer fewer activities - perfect if you just wish to laze by the sand gazing at the crystal blue waters.

• Decide what type of package would be the best for you, as most resorts are quite pricey when it comes to food and drink. So, while a bed & breakfast package (room & breakfast only) may at first appear cheaper, after paying for all food and drink it may in fact be more expensive than an all inclusive package.

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Full board may be a good choice in many cases as all meals are provided, although the guest still has to pay for drinks (a good choice for those who do not drink too much alcohol). If on the other hand you enjoy a tipple or five then the All Inclusive option may well be the optimum package for you as drinks can be sinfully expensive at most resorts.

• Some resorts may cater to specific nationalities, for example predominantly Italian, German or Japanese clientele. This may be a problem if you like to mingle but are unable to speak the dominant language.

• Most resorts offer a wide range of accommodation types. Decide which of these is best for you. For example, a standard beach villa would be a few metres from the sea while a water villa is located in the waters itself. Water villas can be beautiful and offer the chance to see the marine life swim by while looking from the window, but they are considerably more pricey.

• Travellers with children should try and choose a resort with a kids club if possible.

• If you do wish to spend a day exploring the capital Male as an excursion then you may not want to choose a resort that's not too far away.

• You may also want to consider what time of the year you'd like to go.  The optimum time with regards to weather is between December and April when there is the most sunshine and least rain. 

• Some resorts may not offer a personal TV in the rooms. This is usually intentional to promote the "no news, no shoes" feel of the island!

• Romantics and honeymooners may find that some of the smaller islands are more cosy, intimate & quiet while the larger ones may have more of a party feel to it and be more crowded.

And, don't forget the "liveaboard" option - charter a yach in the Maldives.