MALDIVES - A Dream Come True (Part 2)

For the first installment, I have shared about how we got the super cheap airfare to Maldives and our encounter with the Customs officials.

I hope to be able to cover more in this blog entry -- activities and expenses (which I'm sure everyone is more interested in).

(STILL) February 13, 2014 (Thursday)
I forgot to mention that we met a young Pinoy couple in the plane (same row) -- Dianne and Jes. We only started talking to each other when the flight attendants instructed all passengers to straighten up our seats because we were about to land in Male. Apparently, they will be staying as well in Maafushi Island.  Dianne and Jes also got the glitch tickets. They had checked-in baggage so we went ahead. For sure we'll see them at the ferry terminal to the island. 

TIPS: 

1. Exchange some of your dollars to MVR (Maldivian Rufiyaa) for small transactions -- ferry ticket, taxi fare, food items in the island. Gracie and I decided to have our US$50 converted to MVR (equivalent to 750 Rufiyaas). There are no ATMs in the island so it is better to do this at the airport. Keep your receipt because you can have those excess Rufiyaas exchanged to dollars again before you leave Maldives.
2. Bring with you small dollar bills (US$1 or US$5), in case you forget to exchange some of your money to Rufiyaas. They don't give you loose change in dollars! 

MVR is the official currency but the US dollar is accepted everywhere in Maldives.

How to get to Maafushi Island:

(1) You need to catch a ferry outside the airport to go to the capital city of Male. Fare is 10 Rufiyaas (US$0.65) and travel time is 10 minutes. The ferry leaves every after few minutes. 

This is how the ferry terminal at the airport looks like. The first time I saw the water, I wanted to jump in! It was soooo beautiful!

The staff loading the bags and boxes of goods.

(2) When in Male, you need to go to Villingili Terminal. A taxi ride costs 30 Rufiyaas (US$2) for 2 passengers already. Grace's friend, who went to Maldives the week prior, was charged MVR25 (US$1.62) because he's traveling alone. The ride to Villingilli is around 10 minutes. (FYI: Dianne and Jes walked to the terminal.)

Note: If the driver will charge you $5, find another cab. That's way too much for a really short trip. $2 is fine.

Welcome to Male City!

(3) At Villingili, you need to buy a ticket to Maafushi which costs 22 Rufiyaas (US$1.43).

Gracie and I arrived at Villingilli Terminal around 1:30PM, Male time. We were early for the 3PM trip. NOTE: This is the only schedule of the ferry bound for Maafushi everyday. There's no operation during Fridays so you have to factor this in when you book a flight. However, if you refuse to spend the night in Male on a Friday night, you should advise your hotel in Maafushi so that they can arrange a speedboat to pick you up at the airport ferry terminal. That will cost you around $100 for the speedboat. (I choose the ferry!)

buying our tickets to Maafushi at Villingilli Terminal

The boarding area at Villingilli

And so we were early for the 3PM schedule. But we were surprised that we didn't find Dianne and Jes in the same terminal. We were hoping they didn't hop on the wrong ferry or get lost somewhere else. The couple arrived 30 minutes after we got there and we found out they walked all the way from the Male terminal to Villingilli.

this was posted in the boarding area. 2nd stop is Maafushi Island (left column).

Our ferry arrived at 2:30PM and passengers started boarding at 2:45PM. We left at exactly 3:00PM. The trip to Maafushi will last for 1 hour and 30 minutes. 

this is the ferry that will bring us to Maafushi

The four of us :)

Getting to Maafushi takes a while (1.5hours) but the view of the Indian Ocean will take your mind off the long wait. It was really fascinating!

1st stop - Gulhi Island (one of the inhabited islands)

the water is very clear as well

one last photo with the driver before we arrive in Maafushi

I see you..

 And we are finally here. Welcome to Maafushi Island! The staff of the hotels lined up at the port to welcome their respective guests. 

Here are our bags. The hotels make use of wheelbarrows to carry the bags.

This is Arena Beach Hotel.

(Gracie and I are actually booked at Arena Lodge Sky.)

Preparations are ongoing for the pre-Valentine's Day buffet dinner at the hotel

table set-up for 2 people

Our room for 3 nights has been fully paid (through Agoda, which offered the best rates) 2 weeks before we left the Philippines. Room rate for 2 persons per night is $87 (inclusive of 18% tax and NO bed tax of 8%).

NOTE: All published room rates are subject to 18% tax (10% service charge and 8% goods & services tax.) Factor this in when you are preparing for your budget.

When we arrived in Maafushi, we were led to Arena Beach Hotel. This, apparently, is the newest of the 3 Arena hotels in the island. Arena Lodge Sky, where we were supposed to stay, offers the lowest rates among the three. (The other one is named Arena Lodge). After emptying our glass of fresh orange juice (welcome drinks), we were told by the manager-on-duty that the hotel was fully booked! WTF! Gracie had to explain to him the complicated process of reserving and paying for the room. Leaving us room-less was a huge problem! But to resolve the issue, Arena offered to transfer us to Shadow Palm, which is like 5 steps away. At first, Gracie and I were complaining. We've suffered enough inconveniences already for the day! But upon learning that Shadow Palm's rooms are more expensive, we both agreed to stay there. Anyway, the manager promised to transfer us to Arena Sky as soon as a room becomes available (which is the following day).

Gracie and I chose to avail of the Valentine buffet dinner at Arena since we needed to fill up our stomachs. Price of the dinner = US$14 per person ($15 with taxes). Not bad at all because I liked everything they prepared, except for the french fries! Lol.

After dinner, Arena announced that they have a surprise for all the guests. Then a group of young Maldivian men, clad in a traditional costume, filled up the space in front of the hotel. They started to hit the drums and played Boduberu music.

some of the guests joined in the celebration

It was indeed beautiful folk music. At around 12:30AM, Gracie and I decided to call it a night because tomorrow is a big day. 

A Happy Valentine's Day in Maldives! :) 

========================================

Summary of Expenses for Day 1:

Ferry to Male -                USD$0.65

Male taxi to Villingilli -   $1 ($2 for 2 pax)

Ferry to Maafushi -        $1.43

Sandwich -                     $1.62 (25 rufiyaas)

*I got hungry while waiting for the ferry

Dinner -                         $15

------------------------------------

TOTAL - USD$19.70

My Maldivian Dream Came True (Part 1)

I am a certified beach lover. I love the feel of warm sand between my toes. I don’t mind getting dark with tan lines. But never in my wildest dreams did I think of being able to go to my ultimate vacation destination.

A lot of people have been asking me how I was able to grab that super cheap round trip ticket to Maldives. Here’s the story:

It all started when I was FB chatting with 2 of my traveler friends (whom I have never traveled with before this trip) and planning a getaway to South Korea. After agreeing on travel dates, Marky suddenly mentioned that one of his pals was able to book cheap tickets to Maldives via AirAsia. And so our other friend, Gracie, checked and tried booking the three of us for a Valentine celebration in Maldives. I was very surprised when Gracie told me the price of the ticket – Php 90. Yes NINETY Philippine Pesos for a round trip ticket to Maldives from Kuala Lumpur. PLUS, we’re flying business class! Here's what Gracie had to go through to confirm our trip.

I still can’t believe that I'm about to live this dream. Friends, please do not curse me for not including you in the same booking because Gracie and I got scared that AA might charge us with the regular ticket price (that’s P30,000!).

Fast forward to February 12, 2014 (Wednesday).

My 9:00PM flight to KL via Cebu Pacific arrived as scheduled (flight time is 3h, 40m). Gracie and I previously agreed to just meet in one of the coffee shops at the LCCT. She, by the way, was coming from a trip in Miri, Malaysia. (Marky, however, decided to not join the trip. He chose Batanes over Maldives.)

A side story: Gracie and I last saw each other in 2007! After seven long years, we are finally getting together, and this time on a trip to an ultimate destination! :) 

February 13, 2014 (Thursday) 

1:00AM - 7:30AM 

I met Gracie at Starbucks. We stayed there, took short naps, charged our gadgets and used the airport's free wi-fi. Sleeping at a cheap hostel was not an option because it will just be an added cost. 

8:00AM - 9:30AM

We transferred to McDonald's as we noticed some Starbucks customers could not find any seats (I guess that was a sign for us to leave). Gracie and I were both hungry and we ordered the Big Breakfast Meal (13MYR = P176). After breakfast, we still had enough time to go to the restroom and put on a little make-up. Of course, we'd like to look fabulous when we land in Male. :) 

10:00AM Time to check in! Gracie already checked us in online several days ago. We presented our printed boarding passes and waited for final boarding call. Consensus: no checked-in baggage since we both want to make sure that we get to the ferry terminal on time. 

It's time to board.

The excitement is building up! As you all know, we are flying business class to Male. This will be my first time in that category and I think will be the last (I hope not). I am a budget traveler and business/first class flights will murder my pocket. 

 Welcome to Business Class! (12-seater)

 wide leather seat with lots of legroom  

our lunch 

(Chicken Marsala, salad with Balsamic vinaigrette, sweet bread for dessert., orange juice & bottled water)

Well, hello there. I'm now ready to sleep. 

The flight to Male will take 4 hours. That will give me ample time to sleep and re-energize. ETD in KL is 11:20AM. We are expected to arrive 12:25PM, Male time. (FYI: Maldives is 3 hours behind Manila/KL).

It was a very smooth flight. We got super excited when the pilot said that we are on final descent. As we approach Male, the sight below (even though the islands appear very little from where we are) was already breathtaking. I don't know how exactly I will react if i actually step on Maldivian land (or waters). 

And we just landed.

It's as if the Indian Ocean is waving at us, welcoming us with a warm embrace as it was hot that afternoon. 

We are finally here at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

The experience with the Maldives Immigration was hassle-free. Lucky me, there were no questions asked. BUT, as I exit the Customs Area for final baggage screening, that's where the 'trouble' happened. I say trouble because that might have caused deportation. A lot of things were going on in my head that time. The story goes: I chose a different line to exit the Customs Area because tourists/guests have started filling up the space after the Immigration Section. One Customs official saw me and pointed his finger asking "Why? Are you alone?" So I told him I was with a friend who is in the opposite line. He signaled to put my bag in the X-ray machine and step on the side. The official said "May I see your passport and ticket." So I handed both to him. 

Customs Official (CO): Are you working here?

Me: No.

CO: Who are you with?

Me: My friend. She's right there at the Currency Exchange. (I yelled out to Grace and begged her to come to me.)

CO: What do you do? 

Me: I am a _________________. 

CO: May I have identification?

I handed over my Philhealth ID.

CO: Is this ID issued in the Philippines?

Me: Yes.

The CO continued to scan through the pages of my passport -- checking every stamp, visas attached.

CO: So, you've been to Korea, HK, Taiwan (blah blah blah)

Me: Yes, Sir.

CO: Before here, where did you come from?

Me: Kuala Lumpur. Before Malaysia, I went to Vietnam.

CO: Oh, how many days in Vietnam?

Me: Just for 3 days, for my birthday.

CO: Okay. 

While we were having this conversation, Gracie was being "interrogated" by another Customs official. When the guy saw that she had a UK visa, he stopped asking her questions.

After one last look at our passports, the Customs Officials let us go. 

Whew! While we were walking out of the airport, both of us were very quiet. I almost fainted because if they were not satisfied with our answers, we might have been sent back to KL! Thank you, Lord, for not leaving our side the whole time.

Anyways....

Many of you now know that holders of Philippine passport are issued visa upon arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days. An extension may be allowed (up to 90 days) with a fee of MVR750 (Php2,167 or US$48).

Some basic information about the island nation of Maldives:

Capital:        Malé 

Religion:      Islam

Currency:    Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) (US$1 = MVR15)

# of atolls:   26 (composed of coral reefs and sandbar)

President:    Abdulla Yameen (president is elected every 5 years with a limit of 2 terms)

Economy:    Tourism (on a major degree)

(This is the first part of a long write-up. Please give me more time to organize my thoughts as I do not want to miss any detail. Will post Part II very very soon.)

How to Compete for that Seat Sale

A lot of my friends have been trying to convince me to put up a sort-of list of how to grab promo fares especially with Cebu Pacific Air.

To begin with, let me share with you the many trips I've gone to with plane tickets at very low prices.

1) In 2008, I was able to book 10 FREE (no taxes, take note!) round trip tickets for different people (including for myself) because CEB won their very first award. I don't remember anymore what kind of award that was but I'm sure many of you remember this one. I think I slept around 3:00AM after they broke this fabulous news online because I wanted to go to sooo many places. One friend was so thankful she had a free trip to Cebu, another to Camarines Sur.

2) Holy Week of 2011 - I was able to book round trip tickets to Cebu for my family of 7 people for only P10,000!

3) September 2011 - I went to Taipei. My RT ticket cost me only P3,000.

4) February 2012 - HK (RT ticket for only P2,000)

5) Holy Week 2012 - Seoul, my roundtrip ticket was priced at P5,000! If my memory serves me right, one-way fare is only P888.

4) November 2012 - Bohol with family. I spent P5,000 only for round trip tickets for 4 people. That's one helluva deal!

5) For June 2013, which is supposedly a birthday treat for my father (may he rest in peace) to HK, one round trip ticket cost me only P2,500.

6) In January of this year, my birthday month, I finally was able to visit HCMC and I purchased my round trip ticket for only P3,400. Tickets to Vietnam usually costs P5,000-P6,00 depending on the season.


Here are some ideas if you would like to grab those cheap fares:

1) Make sure to have a copy of Philippine holidays for the current and the following year. Yes, that's how OA I am :) When the Office of the President released the list for 2014 (Proclamation No. 655), I immediately printed copies -- for my desk and my phone for quick reference. Take note of the long weekends. This year we have 4 awesome long weekends:

January 31 (Chinese New Year), February 1 and 2 (DONE!)
April 17-20 (Holy Week)
August 23-24 and August 25 being National Heroes Day (falls on a Monday)
December 26 (non-working Friday), 27-28

2) USUALLY, if a holiday is coming up, CEB will also come out with a promo. The EDSA anniversary is in a few days, I'm guessing there'll be a seat sale so be sure to be online when midnight strikes.

3) Most of the time, and if you are too late to check, promo seats on a long weekend are the first to get taken. If this is the case, try checking flights the night before your intended trip. Usually they are cheaper, if not on sale. And for your return trip, take the early morning flight (arriving in MNL between 4AM-5AM, esp. with international flights).

4) Create an account with CEB Club. It will save you time filling up the name and address fields. Also, you get to see the remaining seats on that flight.

Feel free to add to this list. :)

Let's travel!