Maldives Republic

The Maldives is based in the Indian Ocean which consists of over 1,000 coral islands within 26 ring-shaped atolls, and is known idealistic beaches, reefs and high-end resorts. It's a fascinating place and somewhere that we figured we may only get to once or twice in our lifetime.

Where you stay is one of the first considerations, and your budget is likely to drive which island you choose and accommodation you'll end up in. Accommodation options are varied, from budget options in Malé, through to high end luxury reports that can cost several thousand dollars per night.

Malé is an interesting capital and feels like the polar opposite to other the islands in the archipelago. It's loud and hectic, bustling with people. There are cars, markets and 000 people crammed into a 000 sq space, which makes you feel like you could be in any other city in Asia. Yet, at the waters edge, that wonderful bright blue water shimmers. A day or 2 is all you need to explore the city.

In order to fully experience what the Maldives has to offer, you need to jump on a boat or sea plane and explore the archipelago further, which is what we did.

To work out where we went took some careful planning and a whole lot of time searching for a good deal that allowed us to fully enjoy the Maldives, without sending us broke!

We chose to stay at Filaidhoo island, at Reethi Faru Resort that had recently opened in December 2017. They were looking to get their name out there and were offering a package with breakfast and dinner each night that was too good to refuse!

We stayed in a garden villa for the first 3 nights and then our last night in a bungalow that was positioned over the water. The resort was fantastic; tastefully created, luxurious and done in a way that seemed to take nature into consideration. The staff and facilities were world class!

We spent our time relaxing by the ocean, eating great food, exploring the island and hour after hour of snorkelling. The marine life was incredible, perhaps the best snorkelling we have done and we've been to other great places such as Dahab, the Great Barrier Reef, Panama and the Galapagos Islands. Here the water was teeming with rays, small sharks, turtles, an array of colourful fish, coral and so much more.

The food was world class. A different international cuisine was offered each night, and a local option was also available. Each sitting was a buffet was, which was dangerous as it was difficult not to overindulge on such delicious food !

A magical time, that we'd love to do again.