My "Dream" Vacation In Maldives

Who?: My boyfriend and I

What?: It's all about rest and relaxation! Most mornings, my boyfriend and I will lie on the beach; tanning and drinking martinis. In the afternoon, we will get massages and enjoy extravagant dinners, prepared by world renowned chefs. At night, we will drink more and then go dancing at the resort's night club. Some days, we will plan day excursions that are offered by the resort. 

When?: Since Maldives is known for it's beautiful weather during the dry season, my boyfriend and I will go at the beginning of May, right after we finish exams. The trip will be in honour of us graduating university. 

Where?: There are TONS of different islands and resorts to choose from, but why not stay in the most extravagant and luxurious of them all? Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa is one of the most beautiful resorts, and that is where my boyfriend and I will be staying. We will book the Villa Muthee. 

Why?: Travelling is one of my passions, and I am confident that at some point in my life I will backpack through Europe and Eastern Asia, I will explore more of North and South America, and hope to see the Middle East! I am not sure, however, if I will ever have enough money to visit a luxurious hotel in Maldives, to do absolutely nothing! The nature of my vacation is not to learn about a new culture, but to be pampered, be surrounded with extravagance, and have as much fun as possible!

All About Maldives

Maldives Picture Slideshow

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=maldives+slideshow&oq=maldives+slideshow&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=147l2198l0l2329l18l12l0l5l0l1l305l1320l0.3.2.1l6l0

Where is Maldives?

- The Republic of Maldives is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean, about 400km South-West of India

- The nation consists of over 1,100 islands, and is home to almost 100 resorts (many of them quite luxurious!) 

Climate

- the climate in Maldives is consistently hot and humid

- average temperature ranges from 25 to 31 degrees Celsius 

- because of heavy rainfall, it is best to visit Maldives in the dry season: Between February and April 

Maldives People and Culture

Maldives National Flag

- The nation of Maldives is home to approximately 314, 000 people

- Sunni Islam is the national religion of the Maldivian people

- Dhivehi is the national language of Maldives

- The Maldivian economy largely relies on the tourism industry

Pre-Trip and Transportation

What To Bring?

- Sunscreen!

- bathing suits

- Lonely Planet- Maldives Travel Guide 

- Fancy clothes for dinners at expensive restaurants!

- Money for excursions (ideally about $10,000)

http://www.worldofmaps.com/showitem.cfm?lcd=maldives&pcd=maldives_lonely_planet&isbn=9781741790139
Transportation

- What would a dream vacation be without first class flights?

- My boyfriend and I would hop on a plane at Toronto Pearson airport, and about 20 hours later, would land in Sri Lanka
- From Sri Lanka, we would take a connecting flight to our destination: Maldives! 
- A round-trip, first class flight to Sri Lanka can range from about $5000-6000, but it is worth it!

Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa- Maldives

- there are almost one hundred resorts in the nation of Maldives
- many of these resorts, including the Villingili Resort and Spa, are extremely luxurious

A Typical Villa at Villingili Resort and Spa

Bird's Eye View of the Resort, Pool and Bike TourOur Villa

Bedroom- there are nine different villas to choose from at the resort, and they all differ in terms of size, amenities, and of course, cost
- since this is my dream vacation, my boyfriend and I will of course, stay in the most expensive villa: Villa Muthee

Private Pool in the Villa Muthee

Bathroom in the Villa Muthee

- As you can see, the villa has two bedrooms inside, and one outside for those really beautiful nights!
- the villa has it's own private infinity pool and a private beach!
- Clearly, this Villa is unnecessary for only two people, but when I dream, I dream big!
- A single night in the Villa Muthee: $7,500
- Total living cost for the trip: $75,000
- Living life like a Queen and King for ten days: Priceless!


FOOD!
- what is more important than an amazing meal? NOTHING!
- apparently, the staff at The Villingili Resort agree with me, because the resort has three 5-star restaurants that focus on cuisine from the Indian Ocean, The South China Sea, and the Arabian Gulf
- Award-winning Executive Chef Emil Minev has more than 20 years of international culinary experience
- My boyfriend and I, however, will have our own personal chef (for a small cost of course.) 
- The resort offers their guests with the opportunity to dine in some of the island's most secret locations
- My boyfriend and I will enjoy a torch-lit dinner in the middle of the Maldivian jungle, or in a meditation pavilion overlooking the ocean
Leisure
- Since our vacation is all about resting and relaxing, my boyfriend and I will spend a lot of time on the beach! (our private beach)
- Various group relaxation activities are offered by the resort including a Breathing Class that teaches guests various breathing techniques that help develop a steady mind and sound judgement. We will definitely take part in this one day!
- Each day, we will have a private massage on our beach, and will then take part in a two-on-one yoga class led by an experienced teacher

The Private Beach at Villa Muthee

Video Tour of the Villingili Resort and Spa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC9UGrrdGeM

Leaving the Resort- Day Trips!

- I hope that most of the days of my trip will consist of lying on the beach and staring at the beautiful scenery with a martini in my hand
- However, some days, my boyfriend and I will go on day trips
- The Shangri-La: Villingili Resort and Spa offers many fun and exciting day trips and excursions that guests may choose to take part in 
- Since my dream vacation will be ten days long, at least four of the days, and one night will be spent outside of the resort
Day One
- Bike tour along the 17-kilometer road that connects Villingili with its five neighbouring islands
- this will give us a chance to experience the nature of Maldives, and maybe even get a glimpse of the nation's wildlife 
- not only will this be fun and exciting, but it will help us burn off some calories! 

Day Two
- Snorkelling 
- the The Shangri-La website states that Villingili is "a veritable haven for for divers and anyone curious about the underwater world"
- the water surrounding the island is known for its abundance of wildlife and exotic sea creatures
- Since I have never been snorkelling before, I will start the day off with an experienced diver
- This will help me get some exercise on my trip, yet will also be a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! 

Day Three
- Sunset sailing
- guests are encouraged to relax, take pictures, and ingest the scenery around them while they sail on the resort's 21-metre long luxury yacht
- Even though this doesn't really involve any exercise, it will give my boyfriend and I a chance to see more of the island
Day Four
- Guided walking tour
- one of the resort's experienced staff members will lead us on a personal tour through the Maldives jungle
- This will push me outside my comfort zone, as I have always thought jungles (and the animals that live inside them) to be quite intimidating
- the resort's website states that the tour guides teach guests about the flora and fauna
- walking through the jungle will be educational and also romantic :)

Night Excursion
- Night fishing
- along with tourism, fishing is one of the most important sectors to the Maldivian economy
- guests are taken by experiences fisherman, on a traditional hand line night fishing trip
- this will be so exciting, and will give us some insight into the important fishing culture of the nation
- the five-star chefs at the resort will ever cook you the fish you caught for dinner (if you are lucky enough to catch one!) 
Shangri-La International Hotel Management. (2011). Shangri-la's villingili resort and spa- maldives. Retrieved from http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/male/villingiliresort/health/activity/kidsandyoungadults

Snorkelling in Maldives- Video Diary