Go to the Maldives Digital Magazine Issue #2

Go to the

Maldives #02 / November 2018

#1 DIRECTORY & DIGITAL MAGAZINE PROMOTING LOCAL ISLAND GUEST HOUSES IN THE MALDIVES 1

Guraidhoo Palm Inn Guest Hous e Guraidhoo North Central Provin ce

We offer an outstanding service by using personal past experience and leadership knowledge which was gained from one of the mo st public related service in tourism and hospitality and also as a Padi master scuba dive trainer.

Boutique Beach All Inclusive Diving Hotel Dhigurah Island Dive now and work later

https://www.gotothemaldives.com/ dhigurah-/diving-maldives/ boutique-beach-all-inclusive-diving-hotel

https://www.gotothemaldives.co m/ maldives/guraidhoo/guest-hou se/ guraidhoo-palm-inn

Kuri Inn. Omadhoo Island

-back feeling The guest house «Kuri», has a laid mock with a cozy, secluded patio, ham – and lounge chairs for sunbathing ay aw lk wa ’s and the beach just a minute

m/ https://www.gotothemaldives.co se/kuri-inn maldives/omadhoo/guest-hou 2

Eco Dive Club, Maafushi Lets make a difference

https://www.gotothemaldives.co m/ maldives/maafushi/diving-mald ives/ eco-dive-club-maafushi

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THE REAL MALDIVES EXPOSED

EDITORS NOTE

PAGE 8-10

SOLO TRAVEL IS ON THE RISE IN THE MALDIVES!

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LATHEEF FROM BEACH STAY MALDIVES

PAGE 6-7

ECO TOURISM AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE MALDIVES

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DHIGURAH ISLAND 3

As I sit in Ireland on this cool autumn morning I am looking forward to my quarterly trip to the local islands in the Maldives. Little did I think 5 years ago that an idea in my head would become a reality and I would be visiting one of my favourite places in the world so often.

HEIDI GRIMWOOD

Digital Marketer & Owner of Go to the Maldives

I’ve seen a lot of changes over the past five years in the Maldives viewing it from a far and also experiencing it first hand during our visits. I think we have to be careful what information we take from the media as truth, or a perception from afar. The political unrest is a perfect example. I was visiting the Maldives in January when it hit world news headlines about the protests on the streets and political leaders urging their citizens not to travel to the Maldives because it was unsafe……. I was sitting in a coffee shop in the nation’s capital Male on one of the days when the protests were taking place we were watching how the news channels were reporting on the situation and it looked nothing less than chaotic. I asked my local friend where all this was happening and he replied ‘just around the corner from here’. You see from the news channel it looked like an entire country in disarray, but I walked the streets of Male after our coffee that day, never once feeling unsafe or unsettled. Yes, there were issues but the fight wasn’t with the tourists it was between local island residents and their government, in reality it was absolutely fine to travel.

Since all the unrest there was finally an election where Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was elected into power. No doubt there will be many changes over the next while and it is looking like it will have a positive impact for the local island residents of the Maldives.

Let’s not forget the grand opening of the new Sinamale Bridge that now connects Male to Hulhumale and the airport island.

«The Sinamalé Bridge officially opened at the end of August 2018 with fanfare and fireworks! The bridge links the capital of the Maldives, Malé with Hulhulé and Hulhumale. The 1.39 km long bridge has two car lanes and separate lanes for motorcycles, and pedestrians.

It was originally called the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge due to funding having been received from the Chinese government. Accessing the bridge from Male you pass through the main entrance which depicts Islam, unity and nationalism of Maldives.»

Part of Secret Paradise Maldives blog So my next trip at the end of the month will include a trip over the new bridge! Local island visits, interviews, live Facebook feeds, blogs, excursions and I am hoping a Maldivian cooking lesson too as I want to master how to make a traditional Maldivian curry for when I come back home.

Heidi

Namaste 4

Marina Bay Villa Guest House HIMANDHOO ISLAND We are always here with a warm welcome for those who choose our guest house.

Our aim is to be a friendly holiday for all.

Himandhoo Island is one of the inhabited islands in the Ari Atoll.

Marinabayvillahimandhoo Retreat offers a selection of 3 rooms with 2 different styles.

Marinabayvilla himandhoo Guest House offers a gorgeous private beach for you to relax and enjoy your stay.

Dining arrangements and fruit tasting experience are offered to every guest who stays at Himandhoo.

Book direct and save https://www.gotothemaldives.com/ari-atoll/guest-house/marina-bay-villa-himandhoo 5

Eco Tourism and Sustainability in the Maldives

ARE OUR EFFORTS IN THE MALDIVES TO REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE REALLY WORTH IT?

We

are overwhelmed with the fantastic response from businesses and like minded travellers looking at ways to improve sustainability through sustainable initiatives like banning single use plastic straws in the Maldives and around the world. Everyone is discussing what we will lose if we don’t take action now, but what will we gain? Is there really any benefit to this massive international surge of environmental awareness and initiatives? We discuss here some exciting things we will gain from all our efforts: CREATING EMPLOYMENT Once people get into the habit of bringing reusable bags when they are shopping people will seek more durable bags so they last longer, thus creating new job opportunities for manufacturing durable sustainable shopping bags, thus creating employment! In Male Maldives Authentic Crafts Cooperative Society (MACCS) an advocate for alternatives to single use plastic bags in the Maldives are producing bags for life and working with corner stores, supermarkets and households to reduce the usage of single use plastic bags.

SAVING ENERGY WITH A MORE EFFICIENT PRODUCTION PROCESS To produce nine plastic bags it takes the equivalent energy of driving a car 1km. Considering the typical life span of a plastic bag is about 12 minutes of use, this is a very inefficient use of time, energy and prod6

ucts. Creating sustainable, reusable bags makes more sense and uses far less energy.

HAPPY MARINE LIFE! There is an estimated 46,000 to 1,000,000 plastic fragments floating within every square mile of the world’s ocean. Often they are mistaken for food by animals, birds, and marine life like fish and sea turtles.

The consumed plastic then congests the digestive tracts of these animals, and can lead to health issues such as infections and even death by suffocation. By us all working together to reduce this waste, marine life, birds and other animals won’t have to suffer these terrible infections or slow painful deaths from excessive plastic waste. Meaning they will have a safer, happier environment to live in and both guests as well as those who live in the Maldives can continue to enjoy our marine life bio diversity.

HEALTHY HUMANS Plastic fragments in the ocean can absorb pollutants like PCBs and PAHs, which are known to be hormone-disrupting chemicals.

These chemicals can be consumed and make their way through the ocean’s food chain which then pass into humans who eat fish and other marine organ-

isms.Given that tuna forms part of the staple diet of Maldivians and that the fishing industry is also a key exporter of fish products, less pollutant means healthier humans!

MONEY SAVED ON CLEAN UP CAN BE USED FOR OTHER THINGS A lot of time, money and selfless effort from individuals and groups are contributed to the efforts of ocean and beach clean ups. Image what this money could be spent on if we were no longer fighting the plastic battle. Not to mention the extra time we would all have on our hands! A week doesn’t go by where there is not a beach clean-up organised on at least one island in the Maldives.

Let’s estimate that there is 50 people cleaning for 4 hours once a week;our conservative estimate is over 10,500 hours a year being donated for free time by locals

SOME TOP TIP ON STAYING PLASTIC FREE ON YOUR HOLIDAY TO THE MALDIVES eusable Containers R The popular traditional afternoon snack hedhikaa is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. However take outs are often presented in the blue plastic bags. So by bringing your own reusable container you are refusing a single use plastic bag.

Refuse Plastic Straws Let’s face it most of us don’t need to use a straw and those that do can use alternatives. So the next time you order a drink or enjoy a local coconut, refuse the plastic straw and tag us online #strawwarMV Re-useable Water Bottles So many more places are offering fresh, clean drinking water to re-fill your water bottle. So instead of drinking small bottles of water and throwing them out, refill your own water bottle. and tourists. Together with the expense of rubbish collection bags, gloves and travel.

SAVING MONEY ON THE WEEKLY SHOPPING Plastic bags cost about 3-5 cents each to produce, and that cost is either incorporated into prices of the items sold at stores or you as the shopper have to pay for the

bag, either way you as the consumer are absorbing all the costs of these plastic bags. It is said that the average American shopper will use 500 bags per year, 80% of these are plastic. Image the money you will be saving if stores didn’t need to apply these additional costs into your shopping.

More money to save for your vacations to the Maldives!

J oin a Beach Clean Up We know you are on your holidays when you visit the Maldives but as you will be visiting the local islands why no find out if there is a beach cleanup organised during your stay. We work closely with Save the Beach and The Cleaning Quest, if you let us know before you arrive we can incorporate it into your tour package.

If you are yet to join the #strawwarMV campaign with us, then check out our blog here Make sure you tag us in your efforts to refuse single use plastic straws and use the #strawwarMV and #letusguideyou.

We will give you a re-tweet and shout out as a thank you.

Ref following website for info https://www.quora.com/Why-cant-we-ban-plastics https://www.gotothemaldives.com/maldives/hulhumale/travel-agent/secret-paradise https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/reasons-why-plastic-bags-should-be-banned.php 7

l e v a r T o l So IS ON THE RISE IN THE MALDIVES!

At

Secret Paradise over the past few years we have seen an increase in solo travellers booking their trips with us. People are becoming more confident with exploring the world alone; gone are the days when we only book a trip if we have a travel buddy; sometimes spending months planning and plotting new adventures. These days people tend to be well travelled and have no problem jumping on a plane and heading off on new adventures alone.

However solo travel can still be met with some reservations; a recent survey commissioned by Intrepid Travel of 2,000 American travellers found that 73 percent of respondents worry about safety while travelling completely alone, 53 percent worry about getting lost, and 39 percent worry about the stress of planning a trip.

Not all travellers are alone through choice, some have had friends cancel at last minute, and some don’t have friends who have the same travel interests. So whether you are travelling by choice or through other circumstances, Secret Paradise is 8

the perfect tour and travel company to help you plan your perfect trip to the Maldives.

SAFE TRAVEL The Maldives is considered a fairly safe place to travel and even on local islands as a solo traveller you will feel relaxed and at ease. Maldivians are known for their warm hospitality and are very well accustomed to tourists so are more than happy to help you.

GETTING LOST Getting around from island to island can be a little confusing if you are unfamiliar with the Maldives and this is where a pre planned trip can make travelling solo a little easier.

Our team of expert tour guides will give you as much assistance as you need throughout your trip. If it is simply assisting with transfers from the airport to the islands/your accommodation, this can be arranged, if you would like someone with you throughout your trip to guide you on the local islands, this can also be part of the service. Our bespoke tours and packages mean you can feel safe and secure knowing

every part of your trip to the Maldives will be looked after. The great thing about booking a private tour guide with us is that you don’t have to worry about any aspect of your holiday and you can just focus on enjoying our island paradise.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP If you like to travel alone but just need assistance with the logistics, we can organise your trip from start to finish and offer support with island transfers with one of our tour guides on hand to collect and drop you to the right jetty.

There are also some opportunities to join group tours should you wish to hook up with like minded people. You may get the opportunity to share a room so the costs can be split rather than paying single supplement but remember once again the local island guest house prices are not like the resorts so you may be able to afford to book a single room on your budget.

NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT It can be a gripe of solo traveller having to pay extra for travelling alone, but with our 7 night South

Male Island hopping tour, there is no single supplement if you book on the scheduled departure dates.

This tour to us is best way to experience the natural beauty of the Maldives and gain an insight into the Maldivian culture and tradition of an inhabited local island. You will experience local life with popular excursions, watersports and even a little relaxation. Accompanied by your Maldivian guide, travel to four local islands in South Male Atoll; Hulhumale, Guraidhoo, Maafushi and Gulhi. Staying in guesthouses you will have the chance to visit local homes, share traditional meals and stories with the family. Discover how the local dhoni boat is built and perhaps learn the art of the BoduBeru dance. Add in snorkelling, sandbanks, breathtaking sunsets, great company and you have the perfect Maldives local experience.

SET THE CULTURAL SCENE FOR YOUR HOLIDAY You may not want a full trip organised by a tour company, you may be ready to embark on your

own solo trip, but when visiting a new country where do you start?

Why not book a day tour or activity with us to find your footing.

Take a day trip around North Male where our experienced guides will accompany you on a tour of two local islands, Himmurfushi and Huraa sharing information on their culture and tradition.

In-between islands we offer the opportunity to snorkel and discover the underwater world. Take the time to quiz your guides are the must do during your stay and what top tips they have for your onward travels.

EAT LOCAL, TRY NEW FOODS, MEET NEW PEOPLE Its one thing we think you should try in every country – the local cuisine. Here in the Maldives a local restaurant does not always mean you will be able to taste authentic local disheswith many places focusing on Western and Asian foods. Why not come join our local family and your guide for an authentic Maldivian dinner in their

home. Maldivian meals include the staple ingredients of fish, coconut and chilli. Rice and curries have also become an integral part of Maldivian food. Our lunch or dinner will provide the opportunity to savour the exotic flavours of home cooked Maldivian cuisine not found often in local restaurants. In the traditional way we finish our evening dinner on the beach for coffee under the stars!

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REVIEWS FROM LONE TRAVELLERS: But don’t take just our word for how much fun it is to travel solo in the Maldives check out what some of our past guests have said:

«

Secret paradise is the perfect organisation for anyone on a budget and/or wishing to see the real Maldives. Lovely Ruth was so helpful in organising all my activities when I emailed her my stay duration and interests just a few days before (having already booked a hotel and flights). She also gave a lot of honest, simple information about local customs, costs and getting around the islands etc. During my brief stay (I was travelling onwards) I went on a city tour of Male, snorkelling trip and picnic island, all of which were fabulous the perfect balance of full of Maldivian culture, wildlife and total tranquillity. I would liken the experience to being shown around the Maldives by a friend, (taking you on public ferries and to local dive centres and Maldivian restaurants) which was ideal for me being a (first time) lone traveller. My guide Kamey was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic but also super laid back and easy to talk to.

He came to collect me and walk me back to my guesthouse every day and was even kind enough to invite for meals and coffees with his friends in the evenings. Wonderful company, well done Ruth! I will certainly be back for a longer stay next time!»

Lizzy Kaye

«

After getting an incredible flight deal from JFK to the Maldives, I started researching and looking to put together a trip to the Maldives. As an experienced solo traveler, I knew I did not want to stay on resorts. Shortly into the planning process, I was extremely overwhelmed with the huge number of islands and challenges of getting between them. I found Secret Paradise. I reached out to Ruth, and her replies were extremely quick and extremely thoughtful. I gave her an idea of my budget and that I am an avid diver and what I was looking to do. I knew I wanted a bit of island hopping and to see different aspects of the Maldives. She was able to discuss the different atolls/ reefs/islands and what each has to offer. She addressed questions and concerns as well. I was concerned as the Maldives is usually promoted as a “couples” destination and I was going to be doing it solo. Originally I also had a need to be able to telecommute several of the days I was in town. She took everything into account and put together a wonderful package, well detailed and well priced.

She never seemed to tire of my endless questions including things like a realistic budget and her replies were almost instant. Her blog was really helpful too. From the moment I contacted Ruth to getting on the plane to fly back to the US, Ruth made sure everything was taken care of. From the moment I got off the plane to the moment I departed, the Secret Paradise team seamlessly took care of the logistic.»

Shannon

Want to know more about solo travel in the Maldives? Contact one of our team sales@secretparadise.mv 10

THODDOO RETREAT GUEST HOUSE

Thoddoo Island We offer relaxation and memorable holidays https://www.gotothemaldives.com/maldives/guest-house/thoddoo-retreat

TROPIC TREE

Gulhi Island A stay at Tropic Tree Maldives will be a perfect opportunity to experience a truly unique Maldivian holiday without compromising on modern comfort. https://www.gotothemaldives.com/maldives/gulhi/guest-house/tropic-tree

Dhigurah Island The island of Dhigurah is located in the South Ari Atoll also known as the Alif Daal Atoll. Dhirurah Island is about 100km from the airport and the capital Male.

You can reach the island by speed boat or domestic flight, check with your local island guest house host who will assist you with your transfers.

The island of Dhigurah is the longest of the Maldivian islands, its direct translation from Divehi the local spoken language is ‘a long island’. It is about 3km long but only 250 metres wide!

With only about 600 inhabitants the island has everything you need, there is a school, kindergarten, all the amenities you need including a hospital, different shops, cafes, souvenir shops, and even an information centre.

But what the island is most famous for is the Whale Shark diving. It is one of the few places in the world where you can see large numbers of Whale Shark as well as rare sea turtles, manta rays and an abundance of colourful fish and coral reef. The underwater world surrounding the island is marked with over 30 well known dive sites.

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Express Inn at Hulhumale We are transit property in Hulhumale, that consist of 15 rooms with basic amenities, however. Hulhumale is slowly evolving into a destination island as well with the opening of the bridge and the skate park, dive schools, water-themed park etc.we provide services that enable you to enjoy the Maldives with your budget. We are owned and managed by local women. we are strategically located 15 min car ride away from the Male’ international airport and l min walk from airport bus stop. and 5 mins walk from the bikini beach.

https://www.gotothemaldives.com/maldives/ malé/guest-house/express-inn

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS WITH GO TO THE MALDIVES We are delighted with the success of the Go to the Maldives web directory. In the past 18 months we have introduced guest houses, excursions, local islands and even journalists to the islands.

We are excited to announce the development of an online magazine connected with our guest house web directory www.gotothemaldives.com But wait – if you are Full Digital Member on the Go to the Maldives directory your business will be promoted absolutely FREE! Plus we will give you a full page feature once a year at no extra charge.

So feel free to add or claim your business listing right here www.gotothemaldives.com/join

Our quarterly subscription will be full of local island information, guest house promotions, blogs and feature promotions on your business. As an introductory promotion we are offering you an opportunity to promote your business in a paid advert at the below rates: ¼ page ad $50 ½ page ad $100 Full page ad $200

THE REAL MALDIVES EXPOSED

We

better clear this up from the start – we are not dissing places like zoos, aquariums and theme parks. Many are doing very important work to rescue animals and marine life as well as save many from extinction. But we do like to brag about the fact you can visit a NATURAL theme park here in the Maldives where there are no tanks, no enclosures – you get to see marine life in its natural habit.

To us as a family (the Go to the Maldives family) is it important that we drive awareness alongside our Maldivian partners like Secret Paradise Maldives to increase awareness of about how important eco tourism is to the Maldives, sustainability and improving the environment for not only our marine life but also local island families for years to come.

When you visit the local islands in the Maldives you won’t have to pay for fancy marine life shows, seeing dolphins perform tricks, see sharks, mantas, and even sea turtles behind a glass screen – you get to see them in their natural habit behaving in the most natural way they know.

We are really fortunate because we get to travel out a few times a year to the Maldives we get to break away from the urban element to our lives where it's busy, fast-paced and a lot of pressure. We are in West Cork so we are lucky to be close to the water but there's no sea turtles when we do go for a rare dip and there is no need for any snorkeling gear because we're not going to see anything in any way near spec14

Experience the REAL Maldivian Marine Life – No Enclosures, No Tanks – Their Natural Environment tacular to what we would when we walk 5 minutes away from our guest house on the local islands.

When we visit the local islands we don’t have to venture far from our guest house to experience the most spectacular things. Popping on our snorkelling masks around the home reef we see the most beautifully coloured fish just gliding through the water, depending on where you snorkel sea turtles can be hanging around too. Be sure not to try and touch them though, you are in their play ground now and they like their own space!!

If you want to see a little more, head out on an excursion organ-

ised by your guest house hosts where you will go past the coral reef into deeper waters and you will see even more beautiful fish, manta ray, small sharks, even more spectacular coral reef formations as well as beautiful coloured sea life. The islanders have grown up around all of this, they know the ocean like the back of their hand – no scripts, nothing taught in a school these are real authentic experiences and it doesn’t get better than that.

Remember we are not describing luxury resorts, we're there on a budget, we're not millionaires, far from it. I can describe the local Maldivian people similar to the Irish; fam-

ily people and very hospitable. It is quite possible that you will meet their family; you'll meet their friends and maybe like us make lifelong friends.

Alongside these most memorable experiences we are creating for our family and introducing to you, we have also become so inspired by their passion to clean up the plastic pollution on their beaches and in the ocean, and protect marine life including initiatives like replanting coral reefs!! It’s such a spectacular place that the team and family at Go to the Maldives have pledged to help increase the awareness as much as we can.

This includes the #strawarMV initiative implemented by Secret Paradise Maldives. They asked local Want to know more?

island partners to work with them to pledge to ban single use plastic straws in their guest houses. In return they will: Collect any remaining straws from them.

Dispose of them in an environmentally friendly way.

Provide a certificate for each business to display and use to promote their support.

Provide information that can be shared with both staff and guests as to why the plastic straw should be no more.

Request all their guests to refuse the straw.

Have you visited the REAL Maldives yet? Because if you haven’t you are truly missing out. All ages, all abilities, all adventuruers and best of all, ALL BUDGETS!

Drop us a message and we will guide you on how to find the best budget vacation on the Maldives for you. heidi@gotothemaldives.com 15

LATHEEF FROM BEACH STAY MALDIVES

We

are taking some time to get to know the owners of the guest houses we are promoting and visiting throughout the year.

Introducing Latheef owner of Beach Stay Maldives on Meedhoo Island of Dhaalu Atoll.

Tell us a little about yourself Latheef?

I come with 10 years back ground in the hospitality field in Maldives and Caribbean. Everything from reservation stage till departure of guest are handled in the professional manner.

What does Meedhoo island have to offer tourists?

Meedhoo island being located in the intersection of two atolls we have Beautiful House reef for Snorkeling, Private Bikini Beach. Luxury Resorts just 5 mins away to visit for a day. Picnic Islands. Good fishing spots, Dolphins all around. Surfing

spots nearby and Wonderful Dive Sites What facilities do you have in your guest house?

At the Guest House we have Wifi throughout complimentary, cozy rooms, amazing sea view restaurant, sun terrace and much more.

How do tourists travel to your island?

There are 3 ways to get the Island of Meedhoo. Speedboat Transfer (US$100 per person Return) Domestic Flight (US $300 per person Return) and Seaplane (US $520 per person Return).

What do you think people will love the most about visiting Beach Stay Guest House?

The genuine hospitality of the staff and fulfilling the requirements of them without hassle and flexibility of the owner to cater for demands.

If you would like to make an inquiry about your Maldives vacation feel free to contact the team https://www.gotothemaldives.com/maldives/meedhoo/guest-house/beach-stay-maldives-pvt-ltd 16

Holiday Garden Rasdhoo NIGHTS TRIPLE PACKAGE: 5 Nights Accommodation in Guest House Daily Breakfast

5 Nights Guest House

Daily Lunch Nightly Dinner Airport to Island and Island to Airport Transfer Picnic Trip/Sandbank Trip Watersports Activity Night Fishing Snorkelling Free Wifi in Guest House

Total without (TGST, Green Tax and SC)

$1,935.00

All currently applicable taxes Green Tax 3$ Per Person Per night

$45.00

Tourism Goods & Service Tax 12% Of the Total

$232.00

Hotel Service Charge 10% Of the Total

$193.50

GRAND TOTAL: $2,405.00 for 3 people

https://www.gotothemaldives.com/blog/holiday-garden-rasdhoo-5-nights-guest-house-promotions-185