Review: Park Hyatt Boat Transfer And Maldivian Dash 8 Kooddoo to Male

I have to say I appreciate the detail and depth of this trip review.

I always thought I wanted to go to the Maldives, and now I know I never want to. I'm programmed like you - cities over beaches - and although I fly a ton, props still freak me out. Being held prisoner on a deserted island, no matter how good the bar is...

Nope nope nope.

It's kind of fun to also hear about the no-frills part of the journey. Such a contrast to the usual luxurious tales. You made me laugh out loud writing about the oders. 😉

I appreciate this step-by-step and detailed review. Thank you for the photos as well as the Express Jet cart observation; I enjoyed that part very much.

This seems like a perfect "round" birthday trip. I can't quite determine if the fact that it's such a hike to get to is a good thing or a bad thing. It seems like the epic journey would make it feel more special than if it was the Park Hyatt St. Lucia or some such.

Any thoughts on how this access process compares to other Maldives resorts? I know none of them are exactly easy to get to, but the description of the W's access process, for example, does sound a bit easier at least. I have to say the process you describe for the Park Hyatt really does sound like a major turn-off for an otherwise lovely hotel.

i liked the conrads process better - 1 30 min seaplane ride and you are there, mostly all western pilots, plus I figure going down in a seaplane is safer than in a Dash

It looks like the "Maldivian" catering cart used to belong to Iberia. I knew some airlines were poorly funded, but never to the point of needing to buy used carts from Spain.

For that cost, it seems like the hotel could charter a float plane to fly guests directly between Male and the property!

Dangerous boat transfer, Maldivian Air turboprop experience, and MLE hotel scene top the lengthy list of reasons I would not return to PHM. Night-time boat to the PH actually became airborne and landed outboard-motor first, which I assumed would have snapped off the motor from the stern. Boat returning from PH blew an engine valve halfway to back airport which stranded us for 45 minutes mid-Indian Ocean waiting for a back-up boat. Long term, PHM cannot compete simply due to lack of direct MLE sea-plane transfer. At $550 pp, should be enough margin for direct sea plane transfer, but then how would the 3 boat captains per boat get paid? I would pay up to $750pp to avoid turbo-prop, boat transfers. Take the back-of-the-house PHM tour to see the shockingly stark contrast of operations juxtaposed to the customer-facing veneer.

Haha...at least you had plenty of time to rest during your CX-flights. Did the muscle-addicted family travel in Y on those flights? The should have arrived in New York like 'zermatschte Tomaten' as we use to say in Germany:)

I flew to Koodoo last year to go the The Residence Maldives and flying Maldivian was like going into a local bus that flies. I preferred the seaplanes for some reason. On the way back to Male from Kooddoo we had a passenger in a stretcher occupying 8 rows and we landed in a nearby island to get him and the medical team off before heading to Kooddoo. Being that Maldives is composed of islands and atolls it seems that planes and seaplanes are part of locals' everyday life and transport. l

A few years ago, my partner and I stayed at the Constance Halaveli (amazing resort) which is the only resort I am aware of where the over water bungalows (amazing with private pools) are cheaper than the beach bungalows (also amazing and with pools)... The trek there was annoying - BNE - KUL - MLE and over-nighting at an airport hotel. They at least use sea planes for transfers which is quicker and an experience in itself - plus there was a decent lounge to use while waiting for departures.

As a resident of Maldives, I find it quite amusing to see Maldives in a tourists' point of view. I'm no fond of Maldivian (Airline)'s service, heck, they charge $150 (MVR 2300) for a domestic flight from Gan to Male, in contrast, a flight from Male to Trivandrum via Air India costs only $99 (MVR 1500). And this is in a country where the islands are spread so further apart the only way of travelling is air travel, or the slow-ass boats. The locals literary call them 'Wallet Squeeze' Airways, talking about low income airlines, the other airline, private owned 'FlyMe' flies passengers from Gan to Male for $65, but only two aircrafts-an ATR 42 and a 72- can provide so much flights/month

The flight you came to Kooddoo on, 8Q-AMD, is currently the oldest flight operating in the Maldives, operating as a flight from the now defunct Air Maldives back in the late 80s and as the only flight operating in Island Aviation Services in the early 00s and now as a flight used only on the busiest seasons in Maldivian. You're lucky to fly it. The one you went to Male on, 8Q-IAS is a newer flight which is leased to the airline from Iberian, no surprise to that as the largest A320 and A321 are previously used aircraft by them.

Again, many years since the articles were written, but you could have done a bit more research into how the Maldivian Airlines schedule is built (based on traffic volume for each destination by guest arrival and departure whims). Also, you say the transfer to the resort very awkward, but... you chose when to arrive in Male and basically, when to depart. You could have advised the resort that you wished to sleep longer in Male, though obviously in this case you wouldn't! There is now a hotel at the airport, too; probably not when the article was written.