all due respect to offline travel agents and the hard work and expertise they can provide, those traveling to the Maldives for a private-island holiday don’t really need them, and will almost certainly save money without one. If you’ve only ever booked luxury holidays with your friendly neighborhood travel agent, then you might as well carry on doing that. But if you don’t have a travel agent and unsure of the value they bring, read this article and you’ll discover that you are probably better off without them.
With nearly 80 different private-island water bungalow resorts in the Maldives, it would be very easy t spend a week or more sorting and combing through all the prices, features, and guest reviews to find the one that suits you best at a decent price. Because we have spent many months sifting through this information, we’re publishing our “Editor’s Choice” resort recommendations to save you time finding the best resort and deal.
Now that you’ve decided you’d like to visit Tahiti or Moorea, most likely you’re trying to figure when the best time to visit is. This isn’t exactly an easy question to answer, but the good news is that this is because there really isn’t a bad time to visit. In other words, the best time to visit Tahiti or Moorea is simply when you’re available.
As with any destination, each time of year has both its positives and negatives, so each visitor will have to weigh their options themselves to find what’s best for them.
The Maldives, with their tropical inspired water bungalows, spa escapes, and adventurous activities, beckon travelers of all kinds from around the globe. Thus, you’ll find lots of competition between the resorts with each one trying to outdo the next by offering the best of the best through a variety of resort amenities and views. One of the most talked about amenities that helps to separate certain overwater resorts from all the others is the presence of glass floors.
The AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort opened in 2011 with much higher room rates and the early reviews were quite poor, but they have been getting steadily better ever since, and room rates are now very appealing for a “water villa.” So I booked myself 2 nights here as part of a short trip to Malaysia, after two nights in Kuala Lumpur.
The AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort has 392 water villas, which made it by far the largest such resort in the world until a nearby competitor called the Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson recently opened with 522 water villas.
Honduras is definitely a country on the upswing with its tourism industry, featuring excellent weather most of the year in addition to extremely reasonable prices for everything. The islands just off the coast of Honduras even contain 3 eco-resorts that have overwater bungalows, though they aren’t a proper substitute for the honeymoon-style resorts in Bora Bora of the Maldives.
If you are looking for a deluxe 4-star or above room with air conditioning and an entertainment center then you won’t find such a thing anywhere but French Polynesia or the Maldives, but those who are looking for an active vacation and affordable all-inclusive rates will find a few very good choices here.
Unfortunately for many of us, overwater bungalows and water villas are expensive, sometimes shockingly expensive. So it’s a common question about how to book one of these beautiful rooms at a discount, and there’s some good news about that below.
If you are booking a honeymoon trip and, for example, you want to stay at the same resort where the Kardashians stayed in Bora Bora, then you might have to pay full price.
Due to the location, daytime and evening temperatures in Bora Bora, as well as throughout the rest of French Polynesia, are generally stable from month to month. Since Bora Bora is even closer to the equator compared to nearby islands, it tends to be even more consistent than Tahiti and Moorea, which are about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the southwest.
Most people would describe the climate to be nearly (if not) perfect in Bora Bora, at least for a week or two at a time.
Most overwater resorts cater with bungalows and villas that house a luxury bedroom in addition to a seating area and private deck, but did you know that there are also resorts that take it up a notch and offer two bedrooms, and sometimes even three bedroom suites? These resorts do have a higher nightly rate and are considered to be in the super luxury category, but are well worth the money if you have it.
Bora. These two words may be small in size, but they hold special meaning to many. In fact, the phrase ‘Bora Bora’ brings to mind swallow tropical water, drinks in the sand, mountain views and picture perfect moments to last a lifetime. Not only is Bora Bora a dream for many, but a popular wedding and honeymoon destination for visitors from around the world.
Surprisingly, Bora Bora can also serve as a family destination for those seeking a family getaway during the summer or a tropical reunion.