Golden Ticket Travel

Desroches Island

Explore the surroundings

Destination introduction

Holidays in the Maldives conjure up images of white sands, swaying palm trees and crystal blue waters, creating that quintessential picture-perfect holiday bliss. Kuoni’s hand-picked island resorts offer everything from all inclusive Maldives holidays, to rustic island retreats and the world’s finest luxury accommodation. Savour gourmet dining, sensuous spas, spectacular diving and the most enchanting ocean sunsets.

• Admire sea views with a stay in a water villa, elevated over turquoise waters.
• Whilst most of our resorts have fabulous spas, look out for our ‘SPA’ labelled resorts for the finest in pampering indulgences.
• Discover a vibrant underwater world with a professional, supervised scuba-diving expedition. Browse some of our comprehensive dive packages.
• For the ultimate experience join the Atoll Explorer for a Maldives cruise around this beautiful country’s most magical atolls.
• All Inclusive Maldives holidays - For the complete hassle-free holiday look out for our specially negotiated All Inclusive deals.
• All Maldives holidays travelling on scheduled flights include access to the VIP lounge in Malé International Airport on your departure.

Diving

These idyllic coral islands rank amongst the best dive destinations in the world. In conjunction with Euro-Divers, we can offer quality diving packages in the Maldives which can be pre-booked in the UK.

The rare beauty of the magnificent underwater world has made these islands one of the most enchanting diving destinations in the world. When conditions are good the underwater visibility is at the highest level – sometimes exceeding 50 metres – and the warm water temperatures year round make diving in the Maldives a pleasure.

The North Malé Atoll is home to the Lion’s Head and Wattaru Kandu dive sites both of which are frequented by reef sharks. Wattaru Kandu is also home to stingrays and
garden eels whilst Lankanfinokhu, or Manta Point as it’s locally known, is a great place to see manta rays being cleaned by local colonies of cleaner fish.

Hukrueli in the South Malé Atoll is another place to see rays and cleaner fish and Maaya Thila, a protected marine area in this atoll is home to white-tip sharks, turtles, zebra morays and the elusive guitar shark.

Hanifaru lagoon in the Baa Atoll is one of the best places to see whale sharks and manta rays. June to September is the best time to see them as this is during the monsoon season and equinox when the lagoon is filled with plankton.

Important Notes: A medical certificate of physical fitness may be required and qualified divers must bring proof of diving certification and logbook. Please ensure that you purchase adequate insurance.

If you are travelling with any other form of insurance, we strongly recommend that you check the terms of your policy and if necessary take out extra cover. Dive prices shown do not include boat trips to and from dive sites. Boat trips approx. $10 per dive are payable locally. If you intend to learn to dive whilst you are in the Maldives, you must book a holiday of at least eight days duration (five days for the Scuba Diver courses). Open Water and Scuba Diver courses include the necessary equipment as required. Cost for logbook, certificate, course book and other course materials are not included. Costs per person approximately: US$140 (Certification alone: $85).

* Extra equipment required including mask, fins, snorkel, regulator with octopus and pressure gauge, BCD with inflater, 10 litre tank, weightbelt, weights and dive computer (compulsory for every diver) can be obtained locally at an extra charge. Full terms and conditions available on request.

Shopping

In Malé you’ll see plenty of street merchants selling beautiful Maldivian postage stamps. Those ragged dentures suspended outside gift shops are sharks’ jaws. Attractive T-shirts are stencilled before your eyes, generally with brilliantly coloured tropical fish.

The islanders are expert in carving coconut wood and use it to decorate their houses. Mat-weaving, basket-making and coir rope-making are other long-standing crafts. Mats are woven from haa grass. There is some highly developed lacquerwork and you may see examples of handloom weaving or jewellery handcrafted in gold and mother of pearl.

Explore the surroundings

Destination introduction

Tiny dabs of intense green fringed with white gold, the Seychelles are scattered like exquisite jewels across the dark, velvety blue expanse of the Indian Ocean.

Everything about these islands is beautiful and enticing - the swaying coconut fronds, sweet scent of frangipani, dramatic violet and orange sunsets, lush plantations and characterful animal life - a holiday to the Seychelles with Kuoni is a pure paradise.

Seychelles Holiday Highlights

• All Inclusive Seychelles holidays - For at completely hassle-free holiday, check out our specially negotiated Seychelles all inclusive offers.
• Discover an underwater world - the Seychelles islands are ideal for snorkelling and diving, surrounded by coral gardens teeming with colourful tropical fish. 
• Indulge in the colonial charm, peaceful gardens and superb shops of Victoria on Mahé island. 
• Sail around these beautiful islands on an unforgettable island-hopping Silhouette Cruise
•  Relax on spectacular white sand beaches - absolutely made for doing nothing!

Shopping

To dress up your beach clothes you’ll be presented with a multitude of bracelets and necklaces, including unusual iridescent green snail-shell jewellery. You will also see beautiful model ships and marquetry boxes in hardwoods from local forests. Favourite timbers are calice du pape and bois noir.

The weaving and basketry reach a high standard, and some of the palm-fibre hats are temptingly crazy. Batik prints prove attractive, as do the resort clothes which range from international chic to paréos (wrap-arounds) and T-shirts with a bright Seychelles motif or signature.

Good Seychellois artists’ work and handicrafts are available in a private gallery in Victoria; some specialize in attractive scenes of island life.