The Maldives is stunning, but let’s be honest, every picture basically looks the same. So how can you decide on the right private island? Having investigated hundreds, first hand, here we share our top 5 resorts to help you find the right one for you. The Maldives are where people come to experience island life at its most relaxed — and most beautiful.
Tourism in the Maldives includes ecotourism, natural beauty, scuba diving, snorkeling, underwater scenery and listed as best recreational diving destinations in the world.
Here are our top 5 islands in Maldives
Fihalhohi Island
Photo credit: agoda.com
Fihalhohi Island offers a great holiday with family and you will see the tropical natural beauty of the Indian Ocean.
Alimatha Island
Photo credit: visitmaldives.com
Alimatha Island of Maldives is rated as one of the best dive sites in the country and famous for its white beaches and aquamarine lagoons.
Ambara Island
Photo credit: wallpaperstock.net
Ambara Island is located in Felidhoo Island. Our Vaavu Atoll sightseeing planner makes visiting Ambara Island and other Vaavu Atoll attractions simple and helps you make a travel plan personal to you.
Biyadoo Island
Photo credit: snorkelaroundtheworld.com
Biyadhoo Island is located 29 km from Male International Airport and famous for water sport activities such as windsurfing, canoe paddling, snorkeling, scuba diving and Catamaran.
Halaveli Island
Photo credit: constancehotels.com
Halaveli Island is a real paradise of the Maldives where the blue sky is as blue as the sea and the white sand of the beach are as white as the clouds in the sky.
Many people think about the Maldives as a dream holiday destination and never turn these dreams into reality because they believe that a Maldives holiday is too expensive. But with little research, we say that you can easily find deals that fit your budget! The differences are huge in service and in price level between the islands, there are 6-star luxury resort islands but fair hotels at affordable prices too. We recommend to set your maximum budget first, find a few hotels you like and start comparing prices on booking sites. It is always worth giving chance to travel agencies’ package prices. They might have good offers on complete (flight+hotel) options.
Maldives is an all-year destination with a hot, humid climate with two seasons. The monsoon season starts in May and ends in October. The rainiest months are June and July. The dry season runs from November to April. The best weather you can except between December and April
The Republic of Palau, a tropical archipelago located in the western Pacific and made up of over 340 islands. All these islands make up a land area of approximately 180 square miles with a population was over 21,000. Palau is also home to some of the world’s healthiest and most impressive UNESCO-listed reefs.
Palauans may represent many parts of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. However, they are not traditionally considered to be Micronesian. English and Palauan are the official languages, although some islands also give official status to their own languages. The state of Angaur is actually the only place in the world where Japanese is an official language, as Japan has no official language.
It is our responsibility to show our guests how to respect our island home, just as it is their duty to uphold the signed pledge when visiting.
– said Tommy Remengesau,
President of the Republic of Palau.
Palau’s pledge
Palau is the first nation on earth to change its immigration laws for the cause of environmental protection. Upon entry, visitors need to sign a passport pledge to act in an ecologically responsible way on the island, for the sake of Palau’s children and future generations of Palauans.
Every tourist who takes the pledge needs to follow this sustainable tourism checklist or risk a fine.
Don’t collect marine life souvenirs
Do support local businesses and communities
Don’t feed the fish and sharks
Don’t drag fins over coral when swimming
Don’t touch or step on coral
Don’t take fruit or flowers from gardens
Do learn about the culture and people
Don’t touch or chase wildlife
Don’t litter
Don’t smoke in restricted areas
This Pacific archipelago of about 200 natural limestone and volcanic islands, covered in lush forests and surrounded by an aquamarine lagoon. However, large-scale mass tourism is threatening to destroy its fragile environment, rich in biodiversity. Tourism can provide wealth, but when large numbers of visitors go to a destination, it can have positive and negative impacts.
Education will play an important part in supporting the pledge as locals commit to protecting and celebrating the uniqueness of their sacred home.
The country has become the first country to ban many kinds of sunscreen, in a move to protect its coral reefs from chemicals
History of Palau
Palau islands were made part of the Spanish East Indies in 1885. Following Spain’s defeat in the Spanish–American War in 1898, the islands were sold to Imperial Germany in 1899 under the terms of the German–Spanish Treaty. In 1947, the United Nations decided the United States would administer Palau as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Palau voted in 1994 to freely associate with the United States while retaining independence under the Compact of Free Association.
Like other Pacific Island countries, Palau is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including severe weather events and rising sea levels.
Pacific Island nations are facing threats and challenges to their seas and lands, cultural heritage, and livelihoods from development, climate change, and increased global demand for resources.
The cities are well developed and clean.
Almost all internet and telecommunications are provided by the Palau National Communications Corporation (PNCC). An international SIM card can be assigned a local number upon arrival. Free Wi-Fi can be found in many hotels, restaurants, and coffee bars, but this is relatively slow and unreliable.
Biodiversity
Dense tropical broadleaf forests cover most of the volcanic and all of the limestone islands, with the exception of Babeldaob
The upland forests of Palau are the most species diverse in Micronesia and contain several endemic species. There are six native palm species, generally found in the understory or middle canopy layers of the forest.
Because of agroforestry, little remains of the native atoll forests, except on uninhabited atolls. Atoll forests are found toward the interior of the larger, wetter uninhabited atolls and along coasts of the high islands.
Limestone forest is found on the coral islands of Peleliu, Angaur, and the Rock Islands.
Originally, Palau was probably almost completely forested; today, forest cover is only about 75 percent.
Want to learn more about sustainable travel? Check our other posts about sustainable travel.
Taiping is a charming old tin-mining town in Perak, northern Malaysia, between the strong mountains of Ipoh and the murky seas of Georgetown. This small city is not known as a popular tourist spot, but it contains such a rich history of the country, the first railway, the oldest museum, good food, and scenic views of mountains, lakes, the first zoo, the oldest prison. and centuries-old rain trees.
The name Taiping is made up of two Chinese characters (tai – ‘great’) and (ping – ‘peace’). The area developed quickly in the 19th century when tin was discovered. The discovery of tin deposits in the area attracted settlers from China.
The months of June to August may be more convenient due to the slightly warmer and drier weather.
Taiping Lake Gardens opened in 1880 becoming Malaysia’s first park, built on the site of an old tin mine, its sprawling 62-hectare forest and lake offer a perfect spot for a picnic, chill out or relax. There are plenty of well-maintained tracks around the lake or you can rent a variety of small boats from the Pusat Rekreasi Dayung. There are lots of various plants, iconic rain trees that are dramatically bent downwards towards the lake that makes walking around it a wonderful experience.
Check this video taken from DJI Phantom 3 Profession from Mode Media MY
The Lake Gardens are also popular with cyclists as well as groups of martial artists.
Taiping Zoo
Taiping Zoo is Malaysia’s oldest zoo that houses more than 1,000 animals or 180 species of amphibians, mammals and reptiles. The zoo is located nearby Taiping Lake Gardens. It is also one of the popular things to do in Taiping, and the zoo has active participation in conservation and breeding efforts.
Perak’s oldest church
All Saint’s Church along Taming Sari Street is Perak’s oldest church. It was the first church in the Federated Malay States, founded in 1886. The church features a timber facade and gothic architectural design, with a small adjacent cemetery. Its cemetery is laden with beautifully crafted tombstones of European settlers.
Muzium Perak, otherwise known as the Perak Museum, was the first museum established in Malaysia in 1883. Located at the intersection of Jalan Muzium and Jalan Taming Sari, it sits directly opposite the Taiping Prison.
The 8474 exhibits displayed show Malaysia’s history, zoology, and geology, amongst many other parts of old history that have long been forgotten. Some of the exhibits show the culture and products of the indigenous tribes of Perak, including the Senoi and Negrito tribes.
Explore Taiping for FREE with an electric shuttle bus
After Taiping was established as a Heritage town, the shuttle buses were gifted to Taiping by the Japanese government. Not only are the shuttle buses convenient for tourists to go sightseeing in, the buses are also environmentally friendly. Buses stop in a total of thirty-nine places including Taiping Museum and Taiping Lake Gardens.
Visitors can board the bus along the Taiping Heritage Trail, the Zoo, Clock Tower, or Museum.
Founded in 1884, it is the oldest hill resort in Malaysia. It is approximately 1250 m above sea level. The name Maxwell comes from the first British resident of assistant of Perak. The hill was supposed to be a tea plantation, but the tea plants didn’t grow very well here, so the British planters moved to Cameron Highlands instead.
You can see different types of trees and plants here due to the slightly lower temperatures from the rest of the mainland.
Malaysia’s first railway station was situated in Taiping and was opened in 1885 when the Taiping-Port Weld Railway Line, Malaysia’s first, was opened.
Located about an hour drive away from Ipoh, Taiping Railway Station has been a heritage building in town, in which it acts as part of the history. The station remains in the state as a heritage site and serves as a tourist attraction.
Taiping Railway Station has a gallery explaining the 33 things that happened first in Taiping.
Covering an area of more than 40,000 hectares, Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is recognized as one of the most well-managed expanse of mangrove swamps in the world. Established in 1902, it is the largest mangrove reserve in Malaysia. Mangrove forests are considered as one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and have a well-established ecological, economic and cultural importance.
The state of Perak has received various international awards for its excellent maintenance of this mangrove.
The Burmese Pool is a large rock pool along a stream at the foothills of Bukit Larut, an especially popular weekend nature attraction among locals.
The area is popular with the locals who come here to bath in the river. Burmese Pool got its name from the natural rock pool fed by a waterfall.
Opened in 2015, by Malaysia’s largest bottled water manufacturer, dedicated Kidz Zone and 18-Hole Mini Golf, an ideal family retreat, the Spritzer EcoPark has a mini-golf course, and a rainforest walk with scenic views of the park. Entry to both the EcoPark and the bottling plant is free.
Watch this video from Malaysia Truly Asia to find out what are the must visit places when you are in Taiping.
Love the content. My husband and I run a diving center in Cyprus. We want to offer something more than diving to our existing customers. Anyone have any ideas? It can’t be coffee.
Photo credit: agoda.com
Photo credit: visitmaldives.com
Photo credit: wallpaperstock.net
Photo credit: snorkelaroundtheworld.com
Photo credit: constancehotels.com
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Love the content. My husband and I run a diving center in Cyprus. We want to offer something more than diving to our existing customers. Anyone have any ideas? It can’t be coffee.