CRYSTAL SANDS – MAAFUSHI ISLAND

If you love beaches, diving or snorkelling, then the Maldives is well worth visiting. You can now visit the Maldives on a budget by staying in affordable guesthouses on local islands, rather than having to splash the cash on a resort.

Since 2009, guesthouses are widely spreading across the country under local tourism policy which started in Maafushi island, which is 1270 x 265m in size and 27km away from male' with a population of 2700 people.

During my very first visit to Maafushi island, I stayed at Crystal Sands which is among one of the first guesthouses in maafushi, located one to two minutes walk from the harbour shading in the densely grown trees. The eighteen-roomed cosy guesthouse radiates positive energy with its turquoise and white interiors. I stayed in their standard guest room equipped with all the amenities. Wi-Fi worked as a charm throughout the property with cable TV channels in the room.

Crystal Sands host one restaurant that is owned and managed by Symphony Group Holding in the Maldives. They offered a standard continental breakfast buffet with cereals, toast/bread, eggs, veggies, omelettes, sausages, baked beans, juice, tea/coffee, and more. My meal plan was bed and breakfast so that I can check other options around the island. I had lunch in a beachfront restaurant just nearby the guesthouse and took dinner at Kaalama Restaurant by Velana Beach Maldives.

In front of the guesthouse, traditional stringed joali, benches, hammock, tables and chairs are arranged over raked white sand, where they host dinner buffet and barbeque. Activities outside room include bikini beach, snorkelling, scuba diving, watersports, night & day fishing, dolphin safari, resort day trip, sandbank trips and more. The hosts are friendly, helpful and are happy to recommend an itinerary based on the stay.

How to get there?

Took me thirty minutes on a speedboat ride which is available every day for $25 to and from Maafushi. Alternatively, the cheaper ninety minutes public ferry ride is available from Monday to Thursday departing from Vilingili Ferry Terminal for $2 (depending on the weather).

How to book?

I booked my stay by contacting them directly on this link http://crystalsands.mv

Booking options are available at your preferred website since crystal sands deals are on a variety of Online Travel Agents, such as booking.com agoda.com, expedia.com. For further deals and customer reviews visit Tripadvisor at the link provided https://goo.gl/eedrdD