maldives safe for woman traveling alone?
#1
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maldives safe for woman traveling alone?
I am considering a vacation to the Maldives traveling alone. I am a woman in my 30's. I am pretty self sufficient and sensible. Any cause for concern? I appreciate an honest answer.
#2
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Where are you planning on staying? If you are planning on going to a resort which is basically one tiny coral island = one resort then you should be fine! If you are planning on going to the city and staying there then perhaps you should take the regular big city cautions as it did look a bit "rough" when we did a walk around.
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You can't just pop from one resort island to another. Any visits must be pre-arranged in most cases. If you do visit a resort island, then single women are there regularly and there are zero problems.
When travellers visit 'the Maldives' without a resort destination in mind, usually they are visiting its capital island/city - Male. It is a city and agree with Hanuman to 'take the regular big city cautions' walking around. That said, based on statistics for crimes like muggings and thefts, Male is a lot safer than London or New York.
Bruce
www.maldivescomplete.com
When travellers visit 'the Maldives' without a resort destination in mind, usually they are visiting its capital island/city - Male. It is a city and agree with Hanuman to 'take the regular big city cautions' walking around. That said, based on statistics for crimes like muggings and thefts, Male is a lot safer than London or New York.
Bruce
www.maldivescomplete.com
#4
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http://www.mymaldives.com/travel/biy...nd-resort.html
good personal experience here in past... plenty of singles too
booking.com agoda.com otel.com good rates...
Metro areas dodgy stick to the resorts you will be fine.
travel.state.gov for a heads up.
good personal experience here in past... plenty of singles too
booking.com agoda.com otel.com good rates...
Metro areas dodgy stick to the resorts you will be fine.
travel.state.gov for a heads up.
#5
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uncbigdog, you may have a misunderstanding of “touring” in the Maldives. It is not really possible to tour from island to island. There are only a handful of inhabited islands, and other than Gan, IMO none of them would merit a visit. Instead, one goes and stays on a resort island. There is one resort per island, and no inhabited island shares space with a resort (other than in Gan, see below). Sometimes there are other resorts nearby where one can go for a meal or the day. You can also go to uninhabited islands for the day for a Robin Crusoe experience. Sometimes, there are small inhabited islands nearby where you can make a short visit, these tend to be rather canned as they are sponsored by your hotel (who provide the boat, as otherwise you have no way of getting from island to island.) It is difficult to see island life (other htan on Gan, more below), so IMO hwile the Maldives are gorgeous phsucallya, and the people are quite nice, it is not a place to go to wander form island to island seeing “island life”.
Male, the capital and where the main airport is located, is tiny, quite congested and offers virtually nothing for a tourist. While quite safe (I have wandered almost all of it on my own over the years), it is NOT AT ALL worth spending any time in unless you have a few hours before a flight. (It is also shut up pretty tight on Fridays, so bear that in mind.) There are no bars or nightlife of any sort.
Gan, which is located at the bottom of the very southernmost atoll in the Maldives, is actually a very charming little place. It’s a string of islands linked together by bridges, there are some small villages, and a good bit of the original coral buildings still left, some shops and a few restaurants along the beach roads. You can bike most all of it. The southern Maldivians try to do their own thing and are somewhat less conservative than the northern people who have the political power (for a small country, there is a huge amount going on politically). To get to Gan, you most likely have to first fly to Male and then connect to a flight on to Gan. (Gan is an international airport, but I think it only takes charter flights from overseas, I don’t think you can fly there from anywhere but Male.) The flight down to Gan is by the way spectacular and be sure to do it at least one way during the day to appreciate the views. Its like flying over emerald and sapphire jewelry.
There is one resort hotel in Gan, called Equator Village, see http://www.equatorvillage.com/; its got a lot of run down colonial charm actually and might not be a bad choice. There may be guest houses in other parts of Gan village, you mighty try Lonely Planet.
The Maldives are not a place to visit if you need shopping, museums, lots of restaurants, night life, cities or even villages. It is a Muslim country and alcohol is only permitted on the resort islands, but it is not an overly conservative place, women are out and about and take active roles in the professions.
On a resort island, you have no safety isssues. IMO in travelling in many parts of the Maldives on my own (include Male), you would not have any safety issues. I would just advise against a trip to the Maldives unless you are OK with spending the bulk of your time on your hotel island. It’s great if solitude is what you want, but if you want to experience village life, the arts, restaurants, etc, then it would not be a good choice. The beach areas of India or Thailand would be better, and Bali would also be a good choice. (Even Gan, charming as it is, would not offer anything like India, Thailand or Bali could offer.)
Male, the capital and where the main airport is located, is tiny, quite congested and offers virtually nothing for a tourist. While quite safe (I have wandered almost all of it on my own over the years), it is NOT AT ALL worth spending any time in unless you have a few hours before a flight. (It is also shut up pretty tight on Fridays, so bear that in mind.) There are no bars or nightlife of any sort.
Gan, which is located at the bottom of the very southernmost atoll in the Maldives, is actually a very charming little place. It’s a string of islands linked together by bridges, there are some small villages, and a good bit of the original coral buildings still left, some shops and a few restaurants along the beach roads. You can bike most all of it. The southern Maldivians try to do their own thing and are somewhat less conservative than the northern people who have the political power (for a small country, there is a huge amount going on politically). To get to Gan, you most likely have to first fly to Male and then connect to a flight on to Gan. (Gan is an international airport, but I think it only takes charter flights from overseas, I don’t think you can fly there from anywhere but Male.) The flight down to Gan is by the way spectacular and be sure to do it at least one way during the day to appreciate the views. Its like flying over emerald and sapphire jewelry.
There is one resort hotel in Gan, called Equator Village, see http://www.equatorvillage.com/; its got a lot of run down colonial charm actually and might not be a bad choice. There may be guest houses in other parts of Gan village, you mighty try Lonely Planet.
The Maldives are not a place to visit if you need shopping, museums, lots of restaurants, night life, cities or even villages. It is a Muslim country and alcohol is only permitted on the resort islands, but it is not an overly conservative place, women are out and about and take active roles in the professions.
On a resort island, you have no safety isssues. IMO in travelling in many parts of the Maldives on my own (include Male), you would not have any safety issues. I would just advise against a trip to the Maldives unless you are OK with spending the bulk of your time on your hotel island. It’s great if solitude is what you want, but if you want to experience village life, the arts, restaurants, etc, then it would not be a good choice. The beach areas of India or Thailand would be better, and Bali would also be a good choice. (Even Gan, charming as it is, would not offer anything like India, Thailand or Bali could offer.)
#7
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Hi. I would love to speak with you to find out how your travels was to Maldives as a single woman. I am suppose to travel there this year to meet a gentleman, but am a little scared since this will be my first international trip. I look forward to hearing from you.
#9
brainznbeautiii: I think the safety of the Maldives is the least of your worries -- you are actually traveling to the Maldives do chat up a guy?
And just where are you traveling from? This is likely half way around the world. Maybe only half of your screen name is applicable
And just where are you traveling from? This is likely half way around the world. Maybe only half of your screen name is applicable
#10
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I know this post has been ineffective for a few months but I hope to get a response from some of you.
I am travelling to the airport island for work and have a day off in between. I would really like to see the city of Male as I find the colours of the city pretty interesting. Mind you, I have only seen the photos.
Is there any better use of my time there? Can I catch a ferry to Gan? Can that be a day trip?
Also, as the original poster has mentioned, my biggest worry is safety as well as dress code in Male. Resorts have different rules but Male is perhaps different.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I am travelling to the airport island for work and have a day off in between. I would really like to see the city of Male as I find the colours of the city pretty interesting. Mind you, I have only seen the photos.
Is there any better use of my time there? Can I catch a ferry to Gan? Can that be a day trip?
Also, as the original poster has mentioned, my biggest worry is safety as well as dress code in Male. Resorts have different rules but Male is perhaps different.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
#13
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As long as you're sensible, safety isn't really much of an issue in the Maldives.A small island has a much more intimate feel, particularly if you pick one like athuruga or thudufushi, where there is daily activities and entertainment and the staff are always trying to get people involved,,,from the house reef snorkelling with the resident marine biologist, to yoga in the gardens, beach volley ball etc, to the evening entertainment where they want people to join in, so you would not feel left out. As you will see the same people often and the entertainment and water sports staff are always hanging about, you would find it more difficult not to be occupied, the islands are so small.
The only difficulty may be meal times, depending on how you feel about dining on your own, but you would encounter this whatever the size of island.
The only difficulty may be meal times, depending on how you feel about dining on your own, but you would encounter this whatever the size of island.
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