DAY16  -  Dhonveli Beach - The Maldives

January 13, 2024


Our advanced planning was supposed to allow us to stay overnight on one of the small beach islands in The Maldives, a group of islands in the north Indian Ocean.  We had booked - in advance - one of those over-the water-villas that you see on all of the time in the South Pacific pictures. We picked the beach island that had the ship's excursion destination going both days. We (me) just figured we could ride out, spend the night, and ride back with the next day's excursion.   Yes...a nice fresh catch with a bottle of white wine.... looking over the ocean from your own villa.....watching the sun set while lying back on your cabana chair....you know the story.  

But the night before the arrival, the captain came over the intercom explaining that the rough seas expected the second day would not allow for us to take the "tender boats" from the ship to the shore.  It would be too dangerous. We were leaving The Maldives the following day and will not be staying overnight in the port. UGH!

We did truly enjoy the island for the one half day....but the cancelled second excursion refund would never make up for the non-refundable prepaid room rate.... (the hotel did eventually offer us a 25% refund).....which they did not have to do....we were sad, but understanding.  So, in the end, we got the FANTASTIC upgraded room at the Taj in Mumbai, but ended up biting the bullet here.  So much for advance planning!








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