Best of the Maldives: House Reef Drop Off – Filitheyo

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Filitheyo House Reef
One of the absolute joys of the Maldives is the snorkelling. There is plenty of debate in the diving community about the top dive spots in the world. The Maldives always ranks up in the elite top with the likes of the Great Barrier Reef, Cayman Islands and the Red Sea. There don’t seem to be as many ‘top’ lists or guides for ‘snorkeling’, but it would be hard to see how the Maldives could be bested for its clarity of water, comfort of water temperature, diversity and quantity of fish, and a range of other variables.

For a snorkelling neophyte, there is a sort of progression of steps one should take to build up to the main event…

  1. Sandy lagoon – Start in the white bottomed, impossibly shallow sandy lagoon. Look at the little sand gobies, garden eels, silvery goat fish ambling by, mini humbug damsels darting in and out of tiny crevasses, trigger fish munching on strewn bits of small coral croppings.
  2. House Reef – Proceed to the area of the island where the coral aggregates into an underwater sculpture garden teaming with ever more colourful and diverse fish from the classic surgeon fish, colourful wrasses, angel fish and parrot fish, perhaps a turtle or small reef shark will make an appearance.
  3. House Reef Drop-Off – But the big event to any snorkelling is the ‘drop off’. Where the depth goes from a few meters to virtual oblivion. As you swim along the precipice, it is the closest feeling to flying without being in the air that one can have. Out in this open water, the island reef is a massive canvas of aquatic colour. The bigger space affords room for schools of jacks, oriental sweet-lips and the occasional larger visitor like a Napoleon fish or a ray.

Once you visit the ‘drop off’, the rest of the snorkelling will seem rather tame though it will always have its comforts and charms.

The resort with the deepest drop off, according to Emu72 on TripAdvisor appears to be Filitheyo, “Filitheyo has the deepest drop off in the Maldives at 90m on the NE corner, and the reef remains in fairly good shape.”

I can personally attest to how great the Filitheyo house reef is and its drop off from personal experience with me pictured above here diving into its depths.

Posted in: Best of the Maldives, Snorkeling \ Tagged: , , , , ,

Best of the Maldives: House Reef – Kandolhu

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 Kandoludhoo House ReefKandolhu House Reef

One of the very first and most common questions to ask of any ‘Maldives Best Of’ selection is what is the ‘Best House Reef’.

Maldives is easily one of the world’s top dive areas up there with the Red Sea, the Great Barrier Reef, the Caribbean. But it really stands out for snorkelling. It’s topology of eroded atolls (check out Atoll Terms and Atoll Formation) provide endless shallow and protected areas for leisurely snorkelling as well as steeper reef walls for a different perspective.

The subject was raised on the premier travel review site, TripAdvisor – “Which are the Top 10 Best Resort Reefs?” – and the expert opinion for the top one is Kandoludhoo. The assessment comes from one of TripAdvisor’s top Maldive forum experts, ‘spammie’ with 1,946 posts on the Maldives to his credit. He writes…

  • “Kandoludhoo has been not been harmed in the ’98 el nino due to lucky currents. So while the other reefs have had to recover from severe coral bleaching, Kandoludhoo looks just like the Maldives used to. To my knowledge its the only actually intact reef in the Maldives. It’s generally considered the number 1 reef because of that. It’s full of huge table corals and just impressive. Also easily accessible. However, several of the other reefs are recovering nicely and are quickly catching up again.”


Posted in: Ocean, Snorkeling \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

Maldives Complete Reviews

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Maldives Complete reviews

If you wondering whether to lend some support to Maldives Complete through its recently launched Patreon site, have a look at what some of its fans have said to date.

Many websites of creative works feature “Review” sections to provide testimonials and endorsements. I figured this post could serve that purpose.

INDUSTRY REVIEWS:

  • “There is a blog around Maldives.. and for me it is THE blog that I MUST follow and regularly check…No doubt about!!…When I look for something that I need to know about a specific resort but don’t find it around.. and even not in its own webpage.. the answer or at least a clue to get the answer is always here.” – Paola Mattana Lamperti
  • “Maldives Complete is arguably the best reference site for the Maldives. Bruce is a Maldives enthusiast and completes this with no commercial interests. He prides himself on integrity and recognises the positives and differences in all Maldives resorts and that not one resort is right for all guests. I highly recommend Maldives Complete.” – Jason Kruse General Manager Amilla
  • “The Maldives Complete site is one of the best ‘go to’ places for information about the Maldives.” – Katherine Anthony, Marketing Manager, Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa, former TripAdvisor Maldives Destination Expert
  • “You have picked up on some amazing parts or USP’s there and this will help me immensely in the sales process as we also talk lots about hidden ‘rabbit holes’ and the small amazing nuances that we offer against the competition.” – Scott Le Roi, Director of Sales & Marketing, Reethi Rah.
  • “One of the best bloggers of the Maldives.” – Dolores Semeraro, Marketing Director, LUX Maldives
  • “I highly recommend that anyone who is planning a trip to the Maldives use the Maldives Complete search before booking a hotel.” – Chic Family Travels
  • “If you are wondering how I researched the 3 criteria for choosing the best luxury hotel in the Maldives, it was rather simple. I found a Maldives blog that has a search feature that allows you to plug in your criteria to find the your best match! I highly recommend that anyone who is planning a trip to the Maldives use the Maldives Complete search before booking a hotel”.—Chic Family Traveller
  • “It is wonderful that you put together a truly complete basis for comparison between Maldivian resorts. THANK YOU!” – Francisco Negrin, Barcelona
  • “Lovely to read all the ‘Best of the Maldives’ posts on you page…quite interesting….keep posting…” – Aminath Huda, former Europe rep for MTPB
  • “Maldives specialist, out of the box thinker and prolific writer on the non-mundane and oft missed subjects about Maldivian resorts.” – Amit Majumbder, Manager, Jumeirah Vittaveli
  • “Your articles are fantastic. Really helpful , nicely done.” – Ahmed “Jay” Jihad, Head of Operations, Huvafenfushi
  • “Dolores and Dominik mentioned you and what you have done. Extraordinary.” – Shaun Dünhofen, General Manager, LUX* Maldives
  • “Your blog is fascinating. You are truly an expert on the Maldives…Your site is a great resource.” – Steve Dobson, Unusual Hotels of the World
  • “If you want to know what’s the “best” in Maldives – the ‘Best of…’ every imaginable topic, read this blog by Maldives Complete, you won’t feel bored!” – Oceanholic Maldives

TOP BLOG COMMENTS

  • “Absolutely amazing work you have here! Many thanks for sharing your knowledge and time. You’re definitely a top Maldives expert and I hope the country appreciates all you’re doing for that bit of Paradise. I’ve spent a few hours going thru your site, including blog posts, comments sections and the filter page. It’s great and miles ahead of anything we can find elsewhere. We’ve used your filter and I appreciate your database has most of the information needed to short list a few…Your help and dedication is second to none. Maldives is really complex for newbies, considering all the variables! I’m valuing your work more and more each minute I spend researching.”
  • “I was struggling through the choices of resorts once we decided to go to Maldives, then I stumble across your website. I wouldn’t even attempt to guess the amount of time and energy gone into develop the database and make it available for the benefit of all. This is absolutely amazing! Thank you for your time and passion.” – Deb Pandit
  • “Thanks for this great site” – Eby
  • “First, thank you for the comprehensive Maldives analysis on your site, it has been very helpful!” – Daniel
  • “Thanks for this great blog.” – Shubhod
  • “First, thank you for putting together such a website. The information available is second to none.” – Warren
  • “Bruce, thank you very much for this very useful & informative blog.” – Brenda
  • “I love your website!!” – Dee
  • “Thanks so much for all of your helpful information.” – Lu
  • “Your blog is so informative & helpful.” – Jimmy Adam
  • “Thanks for an excellent site! Really informative.” – Sonja
  • “Thank you so much for all the information!” – Corina Garcia
  • “Bruce: We love and deeply appreciate the helpfulness website u put together.” – Wayne Lin
  • “We just happened upon your blog and have learned so much already!” – Betty
  • “Thanks so much for sharing your experiences! I found your blog on Tripadvisor and I am reading everything, it’s amazing!” – Valeria
  • “First of all thanks a lot for the blog and sharing your knowledge and insight here,this is indeed helpful.” – Saumit Deshmukh
  • “First I would like to thank you for providing such informative website on Maldives.” – Anita
  • “Hi Bruce, I wish I had come across your site sooner.” – Faheem Khan
  • “Your info is amazing. I have been researching the Maldives for weeks now and this helps so much.” – Kyle
  • “Your info is absolutely amazing and vast.” – Mohit
  • “Really loving this blog and all the help you give everyone on the Tripadvisor forums.” – Suhani
  • “Came across your website and its super helpful, thanks so much for sharing your experiences.” – Imran
  • “Many thanks for running this site, such a brilliant resource.” – David
  • “Thanks for this great website!” – Naz
  • “Absolutely love your blog! – Anu Godara
  • “Loved your website and thank you for something so comprehensive!” – Janvi
  • “Hi, thanks for the guide! What a great website with so much of info!” – Rohit
  • “Hey Bruce, just wanted to start with saying really appreciate the website, it’s definitely the most helpful Maldives resource I’ve found!” – Helen Woodhouse
  • “Love the website and the obvious effort you have put into it.” – Andrew Carter
  • “Came across your fantastic web site as we are looking for a resort with great house reef.” – Mattias“We are now on our 17th trip to Maldives.We have been waiting for 10 years for this website…Spot on.” Jeb Payce, UK
  • “Your website has truly been my bible, gold standard reference … since I started my research on looking for my perfect resort.” – Archie Mok, USA
  • “LOVE your blog. It’s definitely the best.” – Susie
  • “I’ve been making extensive use of your website which has been an amazing help, thanks for your efforts there. It really is one of a kind.” – JCHBScouser.

  

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Maldives Tour 2014 – Day 9: Dusit Thani

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Dusit Thani tour

It’s all about the experience at Dusit Thani.

All of the Maldives has great snorkeling. Probably the best in the world. But how do you turn that into an exceptional experience? First, you start with a great house reef (one of the best in the Baa atoll). Second, you add exceptional excursions. In the Baa atoll, this is going to Hanafaru Bay where you can snorkel with manta rays. In fact, just before our arrival the Dusit Thani folks had been on an excursion where there were dozens all over the place. And you don’t stop there, but you also add a truly inspired snorkeling programme orchestrated by your top flight dive centre (stay tuned for details in upcoming Best of the Maldives).

All of the Maldives resorts have fine food. With fresh reef fish in the surrounding sea and a range of tropical fruits in plentiful supply, add savory traditional curry recipes and it’s not difficult to put together a delectable meal. Add toes wiggling in warm sand, a canopy of bright stars overhead, and a serenade of gently lapping water on the shore and any meal becomes a stunning experience. But wheel in a talented chef and then a whole host of gustatory delights take the meals to another level.

Eating at Dusit’s “Sea Grill”, my expectations were modest. I was expecting the conventional array of basic meats and fish lovingly flame cooked. Instead, I found an extensive menu of taste treats that would impress hard core foodies in London’s West End never mind on some remote island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

One of my acid tests for great cuisine is the soup (I’ve written a number of times about two of my favourites – bisque and gazpacho). These are the dishes where diverse flavours can be melded into a unique taste sensation. My first challenge at Dusit was choosing. Instead of a normal “soupe du jour”, I faced a several enticing options. So I did the obvious thing being a soup fan…I ordered them all. I’m not sure I have enough data and samples to go on to award Dusit a “Best of the Maldives” for soup, but it certainly was the most appetizing that I had ever enjoyed in the Maldives.

Soups and snorkeling are just two examples of Dusit Thani’s meticulous efforts to provide guests with an experience as distinctive as the paradise they are visiting. I came away from my memorable stay with 14 candidates for Best of Maldives

 

 

Posted in: Tour \ Tagged: ,

Even More What I Haven’t Seen

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Binoculars

And now the third annual “What I Haven’t Seen’. Despite more resorts in the Maldives and more resorts I’ve seen and researched, the list of crazy things one could do in the Maldives (if some venturing soul decided to offer them) just keeps growing. Here is the latest line-up of bizarre possibilities…

FOOD

Lobster Ice Cream – As I recently noted, Lobster is the luxury seaside dish which is why you find it prominently in nearly every resort as the special treat meal. And since ice cream is the universal hot weather treat, you have to wonder when lobster ice cream is going to come out of one of the creative resort kitchens.

Lobster ice cream

Lobster mac & cheese – Quite the trendy dish in posh USA restaurants combing the quintessential luxury ingredient into the classically budget recipe.  Mehan’s Kitchen recipe (below) adds the bonus posh ingredient of truffles.

Lobster macaroni and cheese

SPORT

Water Bikes – I’m thinking that Jason at Kurumba will have his eye on this one.  Waiting for the “Tour de Kurumba” peloton.

Water bike

Grass tennis court – On the heels of Wimbledon, the obvious question is where is the ‘grass court’. The ultimate in tennis sophistication. It turns our that One & Only Reethi Rah had one but it was replaced which is not surprising since they are very high maintenance.

Grass tennis court

Ballroom Dancing – With the television rise of the “Strictly Come Dancing” franchise, Ballroom and Latin dancing has made a come back in mainstream popularity around the world, but especially in UK, Germany, Italy, Russia, Australia and China. And we happen to know that one of the top World Ten Dance couples in the world, Richard Still and Morgan Hemphill have been keen to see the Maldives in their world travels. They give dazzling shows, but are also superlative teachers who can get groups of people doing basic steps very quickly.  If I were a resort owner, I would invite them down for a week.

Richard Still and Morgan Hemphill

Archery – Hulhule used to offer this activity, but no longer.

Beach archery

Water rope swing – Where in the northern hemisphere the best bodies of water we could hope for would be a swimming hole tucked away in the woods, they were invariably dressed up a bit with the ubiquitous rope swing.

Rope Swing

UNDERWATER

Breathing Observation Bubble – Aka “BOB”. Seriously, where are these?

Breathing Observation Bubble

Underwater sculpture garden. I read this story “Trying to Protect a Reef With an Otherworldly Diversion” and thought that this would be an excellent idea for those resorts not amply blessed with great house reefs, but situated in broad sandy lagoons. Four Seasons already sort of does this with Reefscaping topiary that creates a sort of visual interest. As it happens, when we were diving the Chaaya Reef Ellaidhoo house reef last week, one of the sights was a sunken mermaid statue which was a fun discovery. After years of coral growing on it, it had developed an aquatic patina like you had stumbled upon some mysterious antiquated relic.

Underwater sculpture garden

Underwater snorkel signs – I read this article “Exploring Nature” writting about the Maldives by Clear Water Surf Travel that mentioned “submerged signage” on the house reef. After some investigation with Shangri-La Villingili, it turns out that they were no longer there. But I thought that it would be a delightful idea. Probably not for an entire house reef, but perhaps a section of house reef. Maybe a weak section of house reef that would otherwise be underwhelming, but adding a few signs identifying coral types could liven it up with a bit of education. Increasingly resorts are adding such helpful guides to the above-water nature.

Underwater snorkel signs

RELAXING

Gondolas – Prior to last week, this seemed like a natural. Gondolas are iconic of relaxing, exotic romance just made for calm water. Maldives is sort of a tropical Venice anyway with a profusion of Italian resorts. It turns out that Nika even has a Venezia theme including palazzos in the lagoon (used as channel markers) so I’m looking at Nika for this idea.

Gondola

EZ Hang Chairs – I see more type of lounge chairs and hammocks in the Maldives than I’ve ever seen elsewhere. Befitting of the indolent lounging ethos of the destination. A resort looking for even more variety of options would be well served to check out the EZ-Hang Chairs line.

EZ Hang Chairs

Ice Cave – Cooling down, especially after intense heat of a sauna or steam, is a great cardio workout. One & Only Reethi Rah has ice fountain, but our favourite local spa Pennyhill Park has taken this concept further with an ice wall that you lay your body against. Brrrr…refreshing!

Pennyhill Park ice wall

Facekinis – We learned more about the line “-kinis” in this world this trip. Reading the resort guidelines at Nika, we saw topless sunbathing referred to as sporting a “monokini”. Kurumba sells its own line of “Burkinis” aka “Burqini (post to follow). So, especially with the rise of Chinese guests, where are the “Facekinis”, ie. a “ski mask designed for swimmers and beachgoers which covers the head and reveals only the eyes, nose, and mouth. This mask is popular in the Chinese city of Qingdao, where it is used by people for protecting themselves from UV rays while tanning and from jellyfish while at the beach.”

Facekini

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Maldives Tour 2013 – Day 9: Baros

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Baros tour

Pepperoni Pizza, Hot Fudge Sundae, Dry Martini. Just a few examples that of simple concoctions for classic cravings. Get choice ingredients and blend them just right and you have an irresistible temptation. Sort of like Baros – gorgeous house reef, classy décor, lush island. Stir gently with a tropical breeze. Savour.

One ingredient deliberately avoided by Baros is distraction of children. Under 8s are not allowed and there are no family rooms so few teenagers tend to come.

Baros has had more years than most to work on its special recipe. It was the 3rd resort in the Maldives (after Kurumba and Bandos) and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Quiet elegance. It doesn’t splash around a lot with flashy features. A great over water restaurant, a great house reef (probably the best hard coral we have seen since Mirihi) and attention to details of quality and privacy. A real lovers’ haven.

 

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Maldives Tour 2013 – Day 7: Gangehi

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Gangehi tour

Two things I personally love about the Maldives – tiny islands and great snorkelling. Gangehi comes up top trumps in both categories.

Despite Gangehi’s tiny size, you won’t feel claustrophobic. Not only are the rooms extra spacious with very high ceilings, the water facing doors slide open up 7 feet wide bringing the inside out and outside in. Even the beds themselves are a commodious 7 foot wide.

The décor is a distinctive Rocky Mountain cabin chic with stained wood and slate throughout in spacious (especially for a 4 star property) chalet villas. Sort of Komandoo villas amped up a bit. The villas were designed by a Swiss architect brought in by the original Swiss owner who copied the homes of ancient Maldivian nobles.

Some Maldive purists might be put off by the wooden walkways throughout, ie. no interior sand paths, but they do lend a distinctive Japanese garden feel especially with the well tended foliage.

Like Bathala, another gem previously hidden away in the German and Italian markets, Gangehi is now increasingly available in the UK and beyond. Kuoni is offering it in the UK, and they also offer direct booking on their website. Kuoni has an offer for £1,725 for a week of full board which is very competitive to the 5 star properties that Gangehi rivals in many respects.

I came away with 10 “Best of the Maldives” candidates and a great option for another diminutive island with a great house reef and stylish accommodation.

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How to Pick the Perfect Maldives Resort

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Dreamy resort

A sunny Bank Holiday Weekend was an inspiration to invest a bit of time on Maldives Complete and revamp the Best of Maldives section a bit. With now over 300 distinctions, I’ve had to add yet another tabbed page (‘Service’) to hold them all. I split out sub-categories in a few areas like adding a ‘Sweets’ section for ‘Food’ and splitting ‘Drinks’ into ‘Soft’ and ‘Bar’. I added a new section called ‘Workplace’ distinctions since good management and workplace innovation are pet professional subjects of mine.

With more resorts with more distinctions than ever, it has never been harder to wade through the riches of choice to find the resort for your often once in a lifetime trip. The Sunday Times featured a piece a short while back on ‘How to Pick the Perfect Resort’, but it focused on skiing). I often get emails and other contacts from Maldives Complete fans looking for advice on choosing the best resort for them (there is no ‘best resort’, there is only ‘the best resort for you’). I thought I would document the steps I often go through to help them winnow down the selection…

  1. What’s your budget? – Don’t ever say ‘Money is no object’ in the Maldives unless you are a billionaire.  This is the single most important question to ask to start with and will narrow your search significantly (resorts vary in cost from £1,000 per week to over £10,000).
  2. Large or small island? – Some people prefer the intimacy of a place barely larger than a plot of sand and palm tree. Others prefer more to explore and more infrastructure to support a broader range of options and activities (islands range in size from 5,000 square metres to to over 2 million)
  3. How important is off-beach snorkelling? – This is also known as the “House Reef” question. You can snorkel on any Maldives island. But real snorkelling afficionadoes eschew the limited fish and coral life of the sandy lagoons for the thrill of the ‘main event’…house reefs that plummet from the shallows into deep open water where large schools of fish and forests of variegated coral fill the wall between land and ocean. The most active and enthusiastic snorkelers will often insist on a great house reef. Those who just want to try a bit of great snorkelling are happy with going on a few snorkel safari excursions.
  4. Seaplane ride? – The resorts split roughly down the middle between (a) those that are a speed boat ride away from the main Male airport, or (b) those that require a seaplane transfer to a more remote atoll (81 out of 132 resorts are a seaplane ride away). The advantages of the the seaplane ride is that it opens up more resort options, but more importantly the trip can be an exhilarating experience in its own right. The birdseye view of the mottled blue tapestry of island, reef and ocean is almost like visiting another planet. The disadvantages of the seaplane include…
    • Extra cost – Typically about $500 round trip.
    • Extra time and logistics for the transfer – Especially on the return leg where the resorts need to book lots of extra time into your transfer to make sure no weather delays have you miss your plane.
    • Noise – You can’t even talk to your seat mate the small turbo props are so loud in the cabin (ear plugs are standard issue on all flights to reduce the irritation).
    • Fear of flying – You pretty much had to get on a plane to arrive in the Maldives in the first place (unless you are on a cruise stop), but nervous flyers who can just about handle jet planes can find smaller planes a bit to unsettling.
  5. Children? – Some resorts actively cater for children. Other resorts (or sections of them like their water villas) actively discourage them (or a few even prohibit them).
  6. All Inclusive? – Some people prefer ‘all inclusive’ plans so they know what total costs they are on the hook for and don’t have to keep track of the extra charges that they are racking up. (38 out of 132 resorts offer all inclusive).
  7. Pool? – While the resorts are ostensibly surrounded by the world’s biggest swimming pool, an actual pool is often appealing to some for lounging, refreshing, exercising or playing. We often found that the children could only take so much irritation from the salt and sand of the beach and preferred spending a chunk of time at a more sanitised pool environment (86 out of 132 resorts have pools).  [ADDENDUM October 2020] In my first post, this comment referred to a common area resort pool, but a decade later, pretty much every resort has a main pool so this is no longer a distinguishing feature.  What is a distinguishing feature is whether you want your OWN private pool at your villa.  This villa feature has skyrocketed in popularity to the point that fully half of all room categories now include a private pool.
  8. Any favourite activities? – The old myth (and mystique) about the Maldives is that there is nothing to do.  Now with over 120 resorts, there is something for everyone and virtually every activity and pastime are catered for.  If you have a particular interest or hobby like kite surfing, painting or cigar smoking, finding the resorts that offer these will get you right to a short list of places that will offer these special treats for you.

The answers to the first 6 questions typically will get you down to a manageable shortlist through the Maldives Complete Resort Finder. From there people use question 7 as a tie breaker or just surf the Maldives Complete Profile section to see which property most captures their fancy.

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Best of the Maldives: Snorkel Spotting – Gili Lankanfushi / Baros

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Snorkel Spotter - Gili Lankanfushi

Snorkel Spotter turned 12 years old this week! It’s been a great resource for us to capture and share our extensive house reef explorations (over 100 different house reefs). And various resorts and guests have embraced it as well to do the same, but none more than Gili Lankanfushi and Baros with 22 spottings logged each.

Here is the top ten table:

Gili Lankanfushi

22

Baros Maldives

22

Gangehi

21

Kurumba

15

Dusit Thani

13

Thudu Fushi

12

Veligandu

12

Biyadhoo

12

Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu

12

Fihalhohi

11
Posted in: Best of the Maldives \ Tagged: , , ,

ChatGPT vs. TripAdvisor

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ChatGPT Maldives

When I first started Maldives Complete (2009), many resorts barely had websites. When I mentioned that mine had a “blog”, most people asked “what’s that?” TripAdvisor was still in its nascent stages with the beginnings of crowd-sourced content with reviews and chat forums. Many people came to Maldives Complete because there simply weren’t many alternatives. The majority of destination research was done through paper travel brochures provided by operators and agents (which was a big source of material at the outset of the website).

As the web presence grew (as well as the number of resorts), the website was visited more for its comprehensiveness of practical information as well as ease of use in an increasingly cluttered digital landscape. The most recent stage of online evolution has been social media which has flooded the web with both casual crowd sourced material as well as more “professional” content that has shifted the online dynamics again (especially in crowding out Maldives Complete discoverability into the cut-throat search space with big budget SEO muscling to the top – fortunately, operators and agents remain long-standing, active and enthusiastic supporters of the site).

We are now standing at the dawn on the next major transformation in how online users get information from the web – AI. You’d be hard pressed to have missed the stories written (hopefully by humans) on the heels of the landmark release of ChatGPT. Perhaps Sam Harris’ podcast this week with Paul Bloom described the current developments best saying, “In one of our conversations a couple of years ago, if you’d asked when will we have a system capable of having a perfectly normal conversation saying intelligent things, I’d say, ‘I don’t know…20 years? 50 years? Maybe never.’ And yet here we are.”

I have been playing around with OpenAI and ChatGPT for a few weeks now, and I must say that I am truly gobsmacked by what it can do. It is not perfect, but that doesn’t matter. The same is true in the early days of any technology. It’s the “dancing bear” metaphor…it’s not that the bear dances like the Bolshoi, it’s just amazing that the bear dances at all.

Amidst all of the experimentation and commentary about ChatGPT, the consensus is that the dancing bear’s most nimble party piece is answering complex but fairly specific questions with information drawn from the Internet. So, I thought I would pit the engine against my Mastermind specialty subject – Maldives resort recommendations.

The three most common types of questions asked about Maldives resorts are the following:

  • RESORT RECOMMENDATIONS – “Here are my requirements, what do you recommend?”
  • RESORT CHOICES – “Which resort would you choose between these options?”
  • GENERAL QUESTIONS – “How is the weather in September?”

I went to TripAdvisor Forum to get several IRL examples of such queries and see how ChatGPT performed. The results are below. And those results echo what most commentators are saying about the AI – B+ results. They aren’t prefect but, (a) they are darn good, and (b) they seem human-like (nb. Turing Test). In my decade plus of contributing to the TripAdvisor Forum about the Maldives, I would place these responses as certainly par for the vast majority of human contributions and better than many of them. This technology is inflecting so watch this space!

  • RESORT RECOMMENDATIONS – We are heading to the Maledives late July with our two kids. We are looking (preferably) for a resort on a private island with kids club, pool and good house reef with snorkeling trips to see Mantas and/or Whalesharks. Is this realistic with a budget of approximately 500 USD including at least half board or should we look for cheaper accomodation on an inhabitate island?
  • A budget of approximately 500 USD per night for a family of four on a private island resort in the Maldives with half board included may be a bit limiting. However, it’s not impossible to find some options that fit your criteria. Private island resorts tend to be more expensive than those on inhabited islands, but they offer a more luxurious and secluded experience. If you’re set on staying on a private island, you may have to compromise on some amenities or activities to stay within your budget. To find a resort that fits your criteria, you can search online travel websites like Expedia, Booking.com, or TripAdvisor, and use their filters to narrow down your options. Look for resorts that have a kids club, a pool, and a good house reef. You can also check the resort’s website or contact them directly to ask about their snorkeling trips to see Mantas and/or Whalesharks. If you’re open to staying on an inhabited island, you may be able to find cheaper accommodation options that still offer great snorkeling opportunities. Inhabited islands are more affordable because they offer a more local experience and don’t have the same level of luxury amenities as private island resorts. However, they can still offer good snorkeling opportunities and a chance to experience local culture. Ultimately, whether you choose to stay on a private island or an inhabited island will depend on your preferences and budget. Keep in mind that the Maldives is a beautiful destination with many options for families, and with a little research, you can find a resort that meets your needs and budget.
        
  • RESORT CHOICES – We are planning a trip in early August. I have narrowed our resort to Anatara and Amila based on my previous question looking for luxury and good snorkeling from the beach. I would really appreciate feedback from people that have been to both. One of my concerns is the extra expense for drinks at AK. Amilla has a package that includes drinks for $170 pp per night. I have read that drinks run around $30++ which could add up quickly. I like the rooms much better at AK.
    As an AI language model, I don’t have personal experience of visiting these resorts, but I can offer some general guidance based on my knowledge of the hospitality industry and online reviews. Both Anatara Kihavah and Amilla Fushi are highly rated luxury resorts in the Maldives, and each has its own unique selling points. Anatara Kihavah is known for its stunning villas and underwater restaurant, while Amilla Fushi has a more laid-back atmosphere and a wider range of activities for families and couples. In terms of snorkeling from the beach, both resorts are located in areas with good coral reefs and marine life. Anatara Kihavah has a coral reef surrounding the island that can be accessed from the beach, while Amilla Fushi has a house reef that can be explored by snorkeling or diving. Some reviewers have noted that the reef at Amilla Fushi is closer to the shore, making it easier to access. Regarding the expense of drinks, it’s worth considering the package offered by Amilla Fushi, which includes drinks for a fixed price per person per night. This can be a good option if you plan to consume a lot of drinks during your stay, as the cost can add up quickly at luxury resorts. However, if you don’t plan to drink much alcohol, or if you prefer to order drinks a la carte, then the extra expense of drinks at Anatara Kihavah may not be a significant concern. Ultimately, the choice between these two resorts may come down to personal preferences and priorities. It’s a good idea to read online reviews from other travelers, compare the rates and packages offered by each resort, and consider any specific needs or preferences you have for your trip.
      

  • GENERAL QUESTIONS – Is 10 1/2 months before to early to book? Last year I left it and prices went up and up and I was only saved by booking direct (I think they made a mistake with the price). OH wants the same hotel, flights and dates so can’t look for offers. I have a price about 16% up on pre pandemic price which is a price match by a ABTA / ATOL agent. I want to book tomorrow for 3/3/24. I worried for months last year as the price rocketed. Is this a bad idea?????????????
    Booking 10 1/2 months in advance is not too early, especially if you have a specific hotel, flight, and date in mind. In fact, booking early can sometimes result in better prices and more availability. It’s understandable to be concerned about prices going up, as this can happen in the travel industry, especially during peak seasons. If you have found a price that is 16% higher than the pre-pandemic price and it is a price match from an ABTA / ATOL agent, that could be a good deal. However, it’s always a good idea to do your own research and compare prices from different sources to ensure you are getting the best deal possible. Ultimately, the decision to book now or wait is up to you. If you are worried about prices going up, booking now could give you peace of mind and ensure that you secure your desired hotel, flights, and dates. However, if you are willing to take the risk and wait, you may be able to find a better deal in the future.

   

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