Working in travel, it’s no surprise the Maldives has been on my bucket list for years, but it always seemed a little complex to get to. Indirect flights, stopovers and multiple connections was not my idea of a relaxing holiday.
But Luxury Escapes’ direct flight changed all of this.I travelled with my sister on a girls’ trip, and the journey was smoother than we expected – from check-in and boarding to how well we slept on board. Here are the five things I loved most.
1. You have the whole day to get organised
An overnight flight means I didn’t have to be packed and ready to leave at some crazy hour in the morning. I could work a full day, finish some errands and take my time getting organised before heading to the airport. Especially handy because I could kiss my kids goodnight before leaving them for the week…
The weekly departure on a Monday night at Melbourne Airport had a relaxed feel – it wasn’t overly busy, but it still felt welcoming and well-staffed. We parked in long-term parking (Value North) and caught the quick five-minute bus to the terminal. There, the airport team helped us move quickly through check-in, passport control and security with minimal queueing. The whole process felt calm and uncomplicated, leaving us time for a drink and some hot chips before boarding.
2. The flight is set up for sleep
Once on the plane, we settled in quickly. The flight took off on time, we had a surprisingly delicious dinner (ginger soy chicken, rice and greens) that was cleared quickly and then the lights were dimmed for the night. They stayed off as we flew through the darkness, creating a quiet, calm atmosphere for sleeping.
Walking through the cabin after waking, I could see people asleep in almost every row. It felt as though the whole plane had settled into the same overnight rhythm. Ready to relax before landing in paradise. I surprised myself and ended up sleeping for eight hours – something I almost never manage on a flight.
3. You save almost half a day in transit
Most routes from Melbourne to Malé require a stopover in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Doha or Dubai. Even the more efficient connections can take around 16 to 20 hours, while routes through the Middle East can stretch beyond 20 hours, depending on your layover.
The direct route from Melbourne to Malé took just over 11 hours on the way there and less on the way home – saving around nine to 10 hours compared with many connecting routes.
That is almost half a day back, each way. There’s no changing planes, waiting around in a transit airport or factoring in an overnight stopover.
4. You arrive with the whole day ahead of you
We arrived at Velana International Airport in Malé early in the morning and moved through the new terminal quickly. After passport control and baggage collection, we walked straight out to meet the team waiting to take us to COMO Cocoa Island. We were ushered to the speedboat departures just out front and loaded quickly onto the boat.
By 8am, we’d arrived at the resort, checked into our breathtaking villa and unpacked our bags. From departing Melbourne to settling into our villa took around 13 hours door to door – far less time than it would have had I been travelling a year earlier.
We grabbed a coffee, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, collected our snorkelling equipment and explored the resort. By 10am, we were back in our villa with the entire day still ahead of us.
5. The timing works just as well on the way home
The same timing works in reverse.
On our final day, we had the whole day to enjoy the Maldives. We didn’t need to wake up early, rush through breakfast and start packing before checkout. Instead, we had a relaxing day and made the most of our final hours at the resort before departing for the airport.
Back at Malé’s brand-new airport terminal, check-in was smooth and easy once again, making for a relaxed end to the trip. Once on the flight home, I settled in for another night of sleep.
After another night’s sleep on board, we landed back in Melbourne at lunchtime with the afternoon still ahead of us. The journey home had felt just as straightforward as the flight over; the perfect way to finish our relaxing holiday.
Luxury Escapes’ direct flight to Malé changed the way I thought about travelling to the Maldives. It cut almost half a day from the journey, made the airport experience much easier and gave us more time on the islands. By the time we landed, I couldn’t imagine why anyone would travel to the Maldives any other way.
If the Maldives is on your list, the direct flight makes getting there easier than ever. It really is that simple.
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Feature image: OUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru Resort
