You often see The Maldives and Dubai advertised in the Sunday papers by mainstream holiday companies as a classic “two centre” holiday. The two destinations are frequently bundled together because Emirates operate a large percentage of the flights to the Maldives and happen to fly via Dubai. I recently took a holiday in the Maldives and with a toddler in tow decided that a stopover would make the journey more comfortable; the cheapest flights were with Emirates so we decided to stop in Dubai. This left me pondering the question of whether the two destinations make a good combination and should Experience Travel Group be offering Dubai and Maldives twin-centre holidays to our customers?
The Maldives and Dubai are strictly Islamic with a history of British governance. They are both hot with beaches and some of the world’s best hotels. But beyond those similarities, it’s the stark differences that make the destinations an interesting combination. The Maldives is geographically stunning, a chain of beautiful atolls formed by the subsidence of oceanic volcanoes. Tourism has developed because people want to experience this true natural beauty first hand and explore the marine life of the surrounding turquoise waters. Conversely, Dubai’s attractions are predominantly man-made and sometimes so elaborate that you wonder if developers are playing a crafty game of oneupmanship that has got completely out of hand! Where once was just an arid desert is now a sprawling city most of which was recently constructed as part of a successful master plan to attract tourism. I found an interesting fact that I think sums up this particular contrast; The Maldives has the worlds lowest natural high point (2.4 m) whilst Dubai has the world’s tallest man-made building (828 m).
Despite their fundamental difference, hotel accommodation is the zone in which both destinations excel and this brings consistency to a Dubai and Maldives twin-centre trip. There are few places in the world where I have come across such exquisite resorts as exquisite as in the Maldives or Dubai. There are a handful of hotels in the Maldives with features as obscure as the snow domes and palm-shaped islands of Dubai, but gimmicks aside there is real quality to be experienced and hotels where great care has been taken to preserve the surrounding coral and marine life.
Many people travel as part of a Dubai Maldives twin-centre, all-inclusive trip. Our holidays are tailor-made so the experience won’t be a pre-made package, but more about what you want to experience on your holiday. That said, many hotels and resorts in The Maldives are all-inclusive, and our holiday quote will detail everything that you are paying for so there will be no unwelcome surprises when you arrive.
So I think a Dubai and Maldives package works pretty well, especially for families and honeymooners and as such we’ll be working on some Maldives and Dubai itineraries for our website over the forthcoming months. Relax in paradise and take in the beauty of the Maldives, there are no shops, water parks, or ski resorts, nightlife is minimal, marine life is abundant and it’s a great place for quality time in paradise. But if you want to vary it up, Maldives twin-centre holidays are ideal and Dubai makes a great contrast. It’s brilliant fun with every type of restaurant, hotel, shop, water slide and crazy construction you could ever dream of and beyond all that, the journey is much more comfortable when you break it up.
To find out more about a Dubai and Maldives holiday, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Experience Travel Group today. We also specialise in Sri Lanka and Maldives twin-centre holidays, Maldives multi-centre holidays and many more destinations in Asia. You can find out more about the kind of holidays we create here.