Maldives has been awarded “Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination” and “Indian Ocean’s Leading Cruise Destination” in the 18th World Travel Awards 2011.

The Maldives won 9 awards from Indian Ocean category. Other nominated destinations from this category are the Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar.

Maldives won 9 out of 22 awards:

1. Indian Ocean’s Leading Boutique Hotel – Cocoa Island, Maldives
2. Indian Ocean’s Leading Cruise Destination – Maldives
3. Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination – Maldives
4. Indian Ocean’s Leading Luxury Resort – Soneva Gili by Six Senses
5. Indian Ocean’s Leading New Resort – Ayada Maldives
6. Indian Ocean’s Leading Spa Resort – Hilton Maldives/Iru Fushi Resort & Spa, Maldives
7. Indian Ocean’s Leading Travel Agency – Vermillion International Maldives
8. Indian Ocean’s Leading Villa – Baros Residence, Baros Maldives
9. Indian Ocean’s Leading Water Villa Group – Adaaran Prestige Resorts

The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge and celebrate excellence in the world’s travel and tourism industry. With thousands of votes cast by travel professionals from 167,000 travel agencies in over 160 countries across the globe, winning a World Travel Award has become one of the highest accolades a travel product can achieve.

Have you ever eaten underwater? Well, at the Ithaa Underwater Restaurant you can have your chance! This is a one-of-a-kind restaurant where diners are surrounded by glass, which provides a unique view of marine life while dining. Dining at 16 feet below sea level is something you will only experience while visiting Conrad Maldives Rangali Island in the Maldives. This is a fine dining restaurant, but it is a tourist attraction as well so plan to make reservations well in advance if you want your opportunity to have dinner while enjoying underwater views of the reef and fish swimming by. It is an experience like none other so be sure you add it to your “to-do” list while vacationing in Maldives.

While Ithaa Underwater Restaurant would surely be enjoyed by young children, the restaurant does not cater to children under 12 years of age. If you have young children the Ithaa Underwater Restaurant may just have to wait until they are older unless you bring grandma along! Enjoy dining underwater from 11 am until 12 am seven days a week. Keep in mind the restaurant has a “smart” dress code and the menu does change seasonally. There is only enough room for 14 diners at a time so be prepared for an intimate atmosphere and delicious Maldavian-Western fusion meals. Diners should budget $120 to $250 USD for an average meal, and although pricey it is definitely worth the experience to dine inside the aquarium and watch marine life in its natural habitat.

There is nothing better than going on holiday, unless it is going on holiday and staying in a luxurious Maldives resort especially for singles! When you stay in one of these upscale resorts you will be guaranteed to have a wonderful time and mix and mingle with lots of other singles from all over the world. Whether you are traveling alone and interested in meeting others in the same boat or you are traveling in a large group made up of singles you will find many great places in Maldives.

Hakura Island Club Resort

This resort is located in Meemu Atoll and is highly ranked by all travelers, especially singles. The allure of this hotel is that it is surrounded by beautiful beaches and clear blue waters. It is a great place for snorkeling, swimming, beach combing, and getting to know the other travelers. The hotel staff is extremely competent and makes sure guests are happy and enjoy their holiday. If you are planning a singles trip to Maldives be sure to check out the Hakura Island Club Resort.

Bodu Huraa Maldives

Located on South Male Atoll, the Bodu Huraa Maldives resort is a wonderful place for singles who are looking for rest and relaxation. This resort offers many rooms that are over the water, which is an experience within itself. There aren’t too many excursions planned at this resort, so singles can meet up and create their own magic or just get to know each other.

There are many different Maldives resorts with all levels of service, accommodations, price range, and amenities offered. If you are planning a vacation to the Maldives make a list of your most important aspects in a resort ie budget, amenities, location, food, single friendly, etc, and then begin your search. That’s the best way to find the perfect accommodations for your Maldives holiday.

Maldives have a reputation of being an exclusive vacation destination for adults, but these enchanting islands are also wonderful for families. There is so much to do that any family can pick and choose their favorite activities and still not have time to fit everything in! Keep reading for a list of some of the top family vacation activities on Maldives.

Snorkeling

Kids and parents all love to snorkel and the Maldives is geographically located in one of the world’s top snorkeling locations. Try heading to the islands towards the end of the dry monsoon when snorkeling is at its best and be sure to pack the sunscreen. Oh, and don’t forget your underwater camera because you will definitely want photos to help you remember this family vacation!

Deep Sea Fishing

Maldives is known for great deep sea fishing and families can really enjoy spending time together while fishing for some of the ocean’s larger fish. This is a great time to bond and have a lot of fun. Some kids, and parents, may be prone to sea sickness so be sure to prepare for this possibility in advance.

Windsurfing

Maldives offers great wind surfing opportunities and families can have a great time together. There are quite a few different places that can set up windsurfing sessions so ask your hotel’s concierge for a recommendation. That way you will be sure you are getting a great deal with a reputable windsurfing company.

There are lots of other fun things to do, too, as a family. Like exploring local villages, shopping for souvenirs, and just having a great time relaxing and enjoying each other’s company!

Find more about the Maldives family resorts

Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has begun fund raising activities for the UNICEF Check out for Children™ Challenge 2011.

The UNICEF Check out for Children™ Challenge is a staff fundraising competition among Starwood Hotels which began in 2003 and has continued to garner strength and support throughout the various Starwood Hotels and Resorts in the Asia Pacific region.

Sheraton Maldives began this year’s fund raising activities by organizing a special ‘Fishing Competition & BBQ Night’ for guests with performances of traditional music Bodu-Beru by local Maldivian artists. The operator of the Water Sports Center at Sheraton Maldives, Extreme Maldives Water Sports supported the fund raising event by providing the boats free of charge.

The resort will also be hosting a Ramadan Break Fast later in the month for various key local travel agents, tour operators and partners where the attendees can make their own contribution to the fund by purchasing raffle tickets for memorable prizes for just US$1.

General Manager of Sheraton Maldives, Ursula Schoefl said that “Associates of Sheraton Maldives are delighted to be working with the UNICEF Check out for Children again in 2011. The Starwood Cares program is at the heart of our daily work principles and caring for our global community is a way of us connecting with each other through these fundraising activities for the greater good of others.”

Participants of the fund raising events will stand a chance to win free nights among other great prizes offered by the Sheraton Maldives Resort.

For the past 16 years UNICEF and Starwood Hotels and Resorts have been working together to raise funds for the world’s most vulnerable children – with over AUD$7M raised since the program began. In 2010 UNICEF Check out for Children Challenge raised over US$132,000 in the Asia Pacific region.