Luxury Maldives Experts

Since our launch 10 years ago we've become one of the leading specialists in Maldives Holidays. From the most extreme and stylish of 5 star resorts, through to the affordable luxury, all inclusive Maldives, we have a choice of 68 tropical resorts to chose from.

We are proud to launch our new luxury maldives micro site aimed specifically at those looking specifically at 'luxury maldives'.

You can visit it online today at www.notjustmaldives.com and get a feel for our full range of 68 fantastic Maldives resorts.

Over the coming weeks you'll see the site grow and expand as we add more content and information about each of the 68 exotic and luxurious Maldives resorts, as well as information about flights to the Maldives, choice of flight upgrades and lots of exciting news and information about the Maldives.

Of course you can still book online via www.notjusttravel.co.uk which has an extensive range of options for 3, 4 and 5 star Maldives resorts.

Find out more at www.notjustmaldives.com

Free Airport Lounge

Yes, free airport lounges courtesy of Not Just Travel. No catches! Book any holiday over £499pp during January and Not Just Travel will automatically give you free VIP access to airport lounges at any of the major UK airports.

With our VIP airport lounges you can relax in style and comfort before jetting off on holiday. You'll also enjoy:

* Free drinks including soft and alcoholic
* Free snacks
* Wifi / Internet access
* Lounge style environment
* Peace and relaxation
* Departure boards
* Easy access to your departure gate

With a free vip airport lounge you can miss the stress of busy airports and start to enjoy your holiday that much sooner. Enjoy the lifestyle of the rich and famous as part of your holiday.

Diving in the Maldives

Diving in the Maldives is considered one of the best diving destinations in the World. As beautiful as the Maldives islands are above the water, the same can be said for below, a veritable treasure trove of life, colours and sensations.

Over 1000 coral islands make up the Maldives have been described as 'emerald gem stones in a sea of turquoise'. Many islands have their own natural reefs which make them perfect for diving with life on the reefs being prolific and more than enough to keep you occupied on a dive.

The great thing diving in the Maldives for me is that its perfect for either beginners or experts. What could be better than learning to dive in the warm crystal blue sea.

Every year we send thousands of holiday makers off to the Maldives. From feedback and personal experiences we've selected what we think are the top 6 islands to go to if you're thinking of diving.

Our top 6 choices for diving:

1. Royal Island Resort and Spa, Baa Atoll - 5*
2. Bandos Island Resort and Spa, North Male Atoll - 4*
3. Kuredu Island Resort, Lhaviyani Atoll - 4*
4. Cinnamon Island Alidhoo, Haa Alifu Atoll - 5*
5. Iru Fushi Beach and Spa Resort, Noonu Atoll - 5*
6. Baros Maldives, North Male Atoll - 5*

How much does diving in the Maldives cost?
Well - if you've never dived before you will need to do a training course. These are called 'PADI' courses. We always recommend using a PADI certified school as its an internationally recognised training course. There are different levels but the 'basic' level will take 2-3 days and consist of 5 dives and 3 theory lessons. Each school is different but to give you an idea of price, it's about £185.

If you can already dive then you can book to go out on a series of dives before you go. To give you an idea of price (again it varies) but these prices are based on going to the Chaaya Reef Ellaidhoo island:

8 Dive Package: £186
12 Dive Package: £250
6 Days Diving (non-limit): £280

You'll get all of your kit, air etc included in this price. Sometimes boat transfers out to the dive sites are extra cost, depending on which dive site you wish to go to.

What is diving like in the Maldives?
You can chose from diving straight off of the beach or boat dives. The later is better if you like more variety or are more experienced. If you've never dived in the Maldives or are new to diving, you'll find diving straight from the beach is great fun.

Diving may be in shallow reef gardens filled with fish, or round thilas (submerged reefs) in strong currents. The channels between reefs also make good drift dives

Wreck Diving:
Within the Maldives there are a few wrecks which are great for breaking up the reef diving. You'll find these are dived more for the fish life found on them rather than for the wrecks themselves.

Liveaboard Boat Diving
These are great for varied diving. Each dive will be at a different location through the Maldives. You'll be surrounded by fellow divers to learn from and share expereinces. You'll live aboard a well equipped dive boat (but don't expect it to be quite like a cruise ship). You will be required to have at least twenty logged dives to dive from a liveaboard.

Liveaboard itineraries vary dependent on season and weather conditions and although prices may seem more expensive than day diving, but don’t forget that prices are all inclusive.

If you have experience of diving in the Maldives please do let us know and give us your top tips.

Transfers in the Maldives

As Maldives holiday specialists we find many holiday makers are confused by the options for transfers in the Maldives. With the country spread over such a wide area of sea, and each island generally only having one hotel on it, the Maldives is unlike any other destination.

There are 3 main ways of getting to your Island:

Regular Boat transfer (or Dhoni): A work boat chugging between islands, slow and steady.
Speed boat transfer: Faster and bouncier.
Seaplane transfer: a floating plane that takes off from the sea near Male Airport, and lands on the sea close to your island, where it is either met by boat, or sometimes can come alongside a jetty.

Each has advantages and disadvantages. The Seaplane is fastest, and has wonderful views of the islands from the air, but is more costly, may be restricted on weight of luggage, and is a bit scary to some travellers! (Personally, I love it!)

The Speedboat is quite quick, but can be a bit rattling to the unseasoned seafarer. It is really only suitable for short trips, up to about 1 hour.

The Dhoni is much more steady, but can take ages. Often your luggage may be sent by Dhoni, even if you have used a speedboat or Seaplane.

Whichever one you want, you MUST book it in advance. It is not possible to organise transfers on arrival at Male - even though I have heard some travel agents saying it is! Most reputable accommodation suppliers include the cost of transfers in their pricing.

You may not have a choice in what sort of transfer you have, depending on where your island is in relation to Male Airport. The furthest Islands can be 6 to 12 hours away by Dhoni, and these are generally offered only with Seaplane transfers. The closest islands would not leave enough room for the plane to take off and land again, and these are offered only with boat transfers. There are only a few islands in the "in between" range, where either option may be viable.

When an upgrade to Seaplane is an option, it costs £120 to £150pp to book the return transfer.

Check the details on your intended island online to see what options you might have. If you'd like advise about traveling to the Maldives then please feel free to call us or email us. If you've been and have experience of any of these transfers, please let us know what you thought.