Maldives

 

The accommodation is set up according to western standards with the necessary luxury for an unforgettable vacation in the Maldives, combined with local life on a typical local island. In addition to fishing, excursions are possible to sandbanks, uninhabited islands and pristine reefs. And of course, while fishing, you can also take a break on a local sandbank and take a refreshing dip.

 

There are three different locations on the island where three different levels of accommodation are also offered.

 

You are staying in double rooms where the beds can be seperated. All rooms have full air conditioning, private showers, sinks and toilets. Clean and fresh bedlinen, towels and bath towels are included and rooms are cleaned daily. There is also free wifi, open kitchen, a cozy living room and the in-house restaurant. Smoking is only allowed in the garden and outside.

 

The difference in the type of room is in the space and comfort. In general, the "standard room" is good, the "superior room" better and the "deluxe room" the most comfortable. 

 

In the separate restaurant all meals are served for the guests. Delicious local food with lots of fish, fruits, rice and delicious local dishes. You are not going to be short of anything here. This location is going to pamper you completely with the incomparable "ALL-INCLUSE-PACKAGE" where three meals, snacks and soft drinks (water, cola, juices, coffee and tea) are included. Depending on the day's schedule, lunch can be held as a picnic or BBQ on one of your stay days. It is also possible to snorkel at no extra cost, or visit a deserted island or sandbar on NOT fishing days.

 

On the island the owner also has a fairly extensive and complete angling store where you can buy any necessary materials such as extra poppers, stickbaits, lures, leaders etc. Not very cheap but most of it is available in case you are short of something.

 

Note: Alcohol is not served on the island because of religion and it is not allowed to bring your own. It is expected that this may change in the future.

 

The dhoni is the traditional mode of transportation in the Maldives. Originally they were fishing boats or boats to transport goods, and they now serve multiple purposes. Equipped with a diesel engine, the dhonis take tourists from Male to the various islands of the atolls or are used for excursions to the nearby islands.

 

The construction of a dhoni has remained unchanged for centuries and is pure handicraft that takes place only in the Maldives. Over the years, dhonis have been perfectly adapted to the prevailing conditions of Maldivian waters and weather conditions. The hull is made of the very hard wood of the coconut palm tree. The wood has the property of being so strong and resilient that a collision of the boat will hardly cause any damage.

 

Today's modern dhoni has gained speed due to larger diesel engines, making the hulls narrower than in earlier years. Additional structures have also been realized to protect the engines and passengers.

 

At this location there are two regular and one smaller dhoni (Jupiter, Submarine & Whiteshark), a special fish dhoni with a live bait bun, a dhingee, a modern center console boat and a boat for fly fishing. The team has several experienced technicians and captains who take care of all the boats. For safety there is a radio on every boat, life jackets and a comprehensive first aid kit with bandages and disinfectants.

 

Boat                                      length     # fishermen        fishing

 

Jupiter                                     15 m          4                    T, P, J, B

Submarine                               15 m          4                    P, J, LA, B

Fishing Dhoni                           15 m         4                    T, P, J, B, LA, LAMB

Whiteshark                            11,6 m         3                    T, P, J, LA, B

Dhingee                                  6,6 m         2                     F

Centre Console 2 x 60 HP      7,6 m         2                     P, J, F

Jupiter 6 (flatboat) 1 x 60 HP     7 m         2                     F

 

B = bottom fishing, T = trolling, P = popping, J = jigging, LA = Live bait, LAMS = Live bait Maldivian style, F = fly fishing

 

The boats are for different types of fishing such as jigging, popping, bottom fishing, trolling, live bait fishing. On the bow, stern and upper decks suitable rod holders are mounted as well as Hummingbird fish finder, Canon downrigger, outrigger, nets, gave and AFTCO Tailer (tail loop). Since "stand up" fishing is preferred, a Blackmagic Gimbal & Harness (Standard tm XL) is also on board. This does make the drill of a serious fish more comfortable. 

 

In case you do not have the material yourself it is possible to use it from the location. Perfect material from Penn, Daiwa, Accurate snd Shimano which can be used for jigging, trolling and popping. The material can be used free of charge but anything that will be broken has to be replaced and paid for. It is neccessary to bring your own terminal tackle as poppers, lures, jigs, hooks and leader material.

 

 

There are two seasons in the Maldives, and each season offers a variety of fishing due to changes in currents, small but significant differences in water temperature and plankton movements. 

 

NORTH EAST MONSOON (November-April)

It takes the water from east to west through the atolls from December onwards. Water clarity improves to over 30 or more metres on the eastern sides of the atolls. This current feeds all life forms at the channel edges and reefs. A variety of fish species gather here. The current is generally stronger in February, but the surface water is somewhat calmer then. Water temperatures rise to 30 degrees and billfish often hunt in somewhat deeper water. These conditions remain calm until early April when rain clouds slowly build from the southwest. From then on, the current runs through the atolls to the west. 

 

SOUTH WEST MONSOON (May - October)

In the southwest monsoon season, you have a good chance of catching yellowfin tuna on the west side of the atolls at 10 to 20 kilometers distance from the atoll. The current is usually weaker and  water clarity reaches 30 meters plus. The water temperature is slightly lower on average, which means the fish are closer to the atolls. Since weather conditions are less predictable during this period (possible wind and rain for a period of 3-4 days), it is important to consider fishing during this period. This is the period with the most rain per month. However, this period can offer you the greatest variety of fish if you can get to the right fishing grounds. In the Maldives there are hardly any days that are completely gray. The sun often shows itself in between showers.

 

For popping for GT and fly fishing, the conditions and fishing opportunities are good all year round. And also fishing around the reefs for grouper, snapper, barracuda, several trevally species, Giant Trevally, pompano, etc. can be caught here all year round.

 

                 

 

 

 

 

Upon arrival at the airport, you will meet one of the staff at the exit to welcome you and escort you to Vilingili Ferry Terminal. There you will first take the ferry that leaves every 10 minutes from the airport to Male. The trip takes only a few minutes and costs per person per one USD. Further ferry transportation to Keyodhoo is possible, depending on the arrival option, up to three times a week:

 

MALE - KEYODHOO | Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays: The ferry departs at 10 am from Vilingili Ferry Terminal from Male.

KEYODHOO - MALE | Monday, Wednesday, Saturday: The ferry arrives at Vilingili Ferry Terminal in Male at 14:20. 

 

This is the route: Male - Maafushi - Fulidhoo - Thinadhoo - Felidhoo - Keyodhoo

 

You may have to leave the ferry at Fulidhoo and transfer. The crew members will inform and assist you in that case. This route takes about 6 hours and the cost is $10 per person each way. There is a toilet on board! In case of bad weather, there may be shifts or the ferry may not depart!

 

 

This boat departs from the capital Male and is possible on these days:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: Departure at 11 am with route Male - Keyodhoo

 

The route back from Keyodhoo to Male / airport is possible on :

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: Arrival at 16:00

The boat then goes first to the capital and then to the airport. The trip takes 2 hours and the price is 70,- USD one way per person.

 

 

The transfer by private speedboat allows you to set a personal time upon arrival at the airport. This transfer can be booked upon request and takes approximately 1.5 hours. The current price is 600,- USD per one-way trip. For this option we try to find several guests to reduce the costs.

 

Due to religion, Friday is a day of rest and there is no fishing on the island. It is therefore recommended to arrive on Friday and travel to the location by private ferry. If you want to arrive on a different day, that is no problem, but you have to take into account that Friday is a day of rest and no fishing.

 

 

The inhabitants of the Maldives are Muslims. Therefor it is important to mention some important customs and traditions.

 

The consumption of alcohol and pork is prohibited in the Maldives. Alcohol may only be served in tourist resorts. In this location, on an island inhabited by locals, alcohol will NOT be served and consumed. Not even by bringing it yourself! The importation and use of drugs is also strictly prohibited!

 

Female travelers should keep their shoulders and knees covered on the island. For all trips with our Dhoni, wearing European swimwear is of course allowed. There is also a separate area on the beach on Keyodhoo where you can stay in swimwear!

 

Muslims pray 5 times a day. In doing so, the first prayer is at 5 o'clock in the morning and this may be heard.

 

This location supports the initiative "Protect the Maldives." In order to protect the delicate ecosystem of the Maldives we follow the rules of the project and ask our guests to respect them as well. Upon arrival, you will receive the brochure of "Protect the Maldives" and be asked to follow these simple rules. The information material should remain in the house for use by subsequent guests.

 

To visit the Maldives you need to have a valid passport that is valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure. On the plane or at the airport you will be given a tourist visa form to fill out. Bring the booking documents we sent you by e-mail as well. You will need these documents for passport control upon entry. Without these documents you may be denied entry! Your luggage will be screened upon entry. You are not allowed to bring alcohol, drugs, pornography or pork into the Maldives. The Maldives is a 100% Muslim country.

 

Upon arrival, you will be met by one of our team members at the exit of the airport. You will recognize him by his T-shirt and sign with the Jupiter logo. If you miss him, please go to the "Help Desk" counter left of the exit. Our staff will also assist you at the speedboat terminal (at the airport) and/or at the ferry terminal (in Male).

 

If you have any questions or concerns during your trip, please contact the following people:

 

Nafiu Ahmed (speaks English) 00960-7938883

Kubbe (guest manager, speaks Italian and English) 00960-7875519

Hafiz Hussain (speaks English and Italian) 00960-7973856

 

All payments on arrival (ferries, speedboat) should be made in cash and US Dollar only. So make sure you have small denominations in your pocket. Exchanging dollars on the spot will not be easy. Other forms of payment or currency are not accepted for the ferries. 

 

In the residence itself, you can pay in cash in US dollars or by credit card. 

For payments by credit card and bank transfer, we are required to apply a transaction fee:

 

• Visa & Mastercard: 3.5% of the bill

• Amex & American Express: 4.5 % of the bill

• Bank transfer: 2.5 % of the account

 

Please note: Maldives only accepts new dollar bills (2006-2016)! Additional services or usage outside of the inclusive services are registered on a separate account and settled at the end of the stay.

 

Because of its location around the equator, the intensity of the sun is strong. Unprotected sunbathing or swimming will by definition lead to sunburn. So regularly apply a good sunscreen with the highest protection factor, even in cloudy weather. For those of you who go snorkeling, it is recommended that you wear a long-sleeved T-shirt as protection from the sun. For your entire stay, the motto is to avoid the sun as much as possible. For fishing, a long-sleeved sunscreen shirt and buff with UV protection are recommended in combination with a fishing cap.

 

For protecting your feet in the water, we recommend bringing neoprene shoes as well as a mosquito repellent for the evenings.

 

Tipping allows you to express how satisfied you are with the team's service. You can give it to employees individually or put it in the tip jar in the restaurant. Tips from the tip jar are divided equally among the entire team.