The opinion of those who have been to Malè and beyond, on holiday with Maldives Alternative, the small guesthouses, excursions and snorkeling, this is how it went on the trip.
Who has never dreamed of Maldives? Small islands with fine white sand, crystal clear sea with a thousand shades, colorful fish and sea turtles. A destination for the lucky few because one always thinks of luxurious and super expensive resorts. Searching the internet for more accessible solutions, I found the site www.maldivealternative.com that opened a world that I did not know: how to visit the Maldives in an authentic way and also economical.
You are staying in small guesthouses managed by Maldivians directly in the fishermen's islands. The idea immediately thrilled me and reading the various comments of the people who were there I no longer had any doubts. And so in the blink of an eye, at the end of April, my dream became reality: 10 amazing days in Dharavandhoo in the atoll of Baa.
Once I checked the available dates I booked the flight to Malè and then Maldives Alternative thought of everything else (pick-up at the airport, internal flight and transfers to the guesthouse - full board with soft drinks and daily boat excursion).
The guesthouse is well-kept and welcoming. It has a beautiful palm garden just a stone's throw from the beach. The rooms are only 7 and therefore even when it is full there is a maximum of 14 people. THE Maldivian boys both at the reception and in the kitchen are absolutely fantastic, always friendly and helpful.
A word should also be spent on the buffet that every day has delighted my palate: grilled fish and exotic salads are never lacking, but there is always pasta or rice too. The Maldivian evening is the one I liked the most, where coconut and tuna are the main protagonists. But above all I still remember the very good one carrot and coconut cake: a real goodness.
The dining room overlooks the garden, you always eat with the sound of the sea in the background.
THEexcursion boat it is undoubtedly the best experience of the holiday. Every day (excluding Fridays) we go out with the dhoni, the typical Maldivian boat, to discover small islands and tongues of sand lost in the sea. We leave at 10 and after about half an hour we stop for snorkeling. We are always accompanied in the water by some Maldivian boys and this has always made me feel calmer. Snorkeling is the best I've ever done: the coral reef is wonderful. There are tons of colorful fish and I have always seen at least one sea turtle every day. From May to November you can meet the mante that arrive every year in the Hanifaru lagoon. Unfortunately I missed them for a handful of days…. All the more reason to come back.
After the snorkeling continue towards an uninhabited island or a strip of sand where you can have lunch and then stay in this paradise until about 15 pm: an entire island available to very few people is an absolutely unmissable experience.
A new island every day: I've never seen gods most beautiful blue colors. The beaches seem to be made of talcum powder and the water around the tongues of sand looks like that of a swimming pool.
Once back at the port of Dharavandhoo you still have plenty of time to go to the beach and wait for the sunset. In the meantime, I was doing another snorkeling session: the coral reef is very close to the shore and is just as beautiful.
THEDharanvandhoo island despite having its own airport it is very small, in 20 minutes you can easily walk around. The town is made up of a handful of houses and the people all know each other. There are two souvenir shops, a couple of bars and restaurants, the small harbor and the mosque. Maldivians are exquisite people, always smiling and very hospitable. In the evening, people sit outside the houses or on the many hammocks that are in each garden. Life goes slow and seems to go back in time when man followed the rhythms of nature. A holiday here is ideal for detoxing from the busy life and everyday stress.
