1.1 Peak Season*
Kindly note that, the fluctuations of prices during different seasons reflect the demand. The Peak Season, 5 December to 26 January and 21 March to 15 April is the busiest period with the highest demand of the entire year. The usual high-season period is 27 January to 20 March as well as 16 April to 15 May and rooms get booked several months in advance for peak and high season. Furthermore particular conditions might apply e.g. a deposit (which can be non-refundable for certain high/peak periods) or a chargeable festive/Gala dinner might be compulsory at Christmas/New Year, which will be advised upon booking. Moreover some suites or higher villa categories come in very few numbers, some are even the one of its kind. Therefore, we recommend to book months in advance, minimum 180 days, to avoid disappointment. Low season normally starts on 16 May and ends on 04 December.

1.2 Minimum Nights
Minimum night requirements usually apply for peak/high seasons (ref. 1.1) based on resorts' discretion and might therefore vary. For the Peak Season* during the Christmas and New Year period usually 10-14 nights apply. For Easter a minimum stay of 7-10 nights might be required. If applicable, these will be advised at time of booking.

1.3 Meal Plan Options
Most resort rates are quoted on bed and breakfast (BB), very few on room only basis. If you are travelling on a budget, we would recommend to book half (HB) or full board (FB) for a fixed extra charge. Half board consists of two meals per day, usually breakfast and dinner (some resorts offer lunch as an option too), full board of three meals per day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Usually all meals (as part of BB, HB and FB) are to be taken at the resort's main restaurant (often buffets) except the resort offers dine around option for a surcharge, while certain a la carte dishes would be charged extra (e.g. caviar, lobster). Beverages are normally not included, if you book a certain meal plan. There will be no refund for unconsumed meals. The advantage of bed and breakfast is that you are free to enjoy lunch and/or dinner at any restaurant while being charged for consumed meals only. Many of our partner resorts offer in-room dining with the menu available in your room, which is normally not included in any meal plan and will thus be charged separately subject to an additional surcharge. Please advise your personal Travel Consultant upon booking on any special dining arrangements (e.g. vegetarian, diet requirements, non-alcoholic, food allergies etc.).

1.4 Children
Some resorts are more suitable for children than others due to their specific concept and the kind of facilities on offer (e.g. Kids Club, kids' pool, baby-sitting service, family villas). With regards to safety aspects over-water villas for example are not advisable for younger children and most of the resorts do not accept children in this villa category. However, some resorts make exceptions, if you sign a disclaimer. The minimum age required may differ from resort to resort. Kindly note that a child aged 12 years and more is usually considered as an adult referring to room rates, meal plans etc. but the child policy and age criteria might differ from resort to resort. For this reason we kindly urge you to inform us about your children's age when requesting for an offer. Our professional Travel Consultants will be pleased to advise you on the best available options accordingly.

1.5 Groups
Normally bookings for a minimum of 4 rooms or more are considered as a group booking. Depending on availability and season, special rates might apply. Your personal Travel Consultant will inform you of possible options upon booking. ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , telephone number: +960 333 5775). Upon booking we cannot guarantee specific villa allocations for groups or large families (ref. 1.13).

1.6 Room Availability
Since we are based in the Maldives ourselves we are able to advise you on the accurate availability of our partner resorts at the time of your request without facing the usual time difference. Please note that the room availability depends on the time of your request and consequently can change. We are not holding any rooms on your behalf unless you receive a written confirmation from us.

1.7 Website
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of descriptions and information featured on our website. However, we are not always able to control all the components of the holiday arrangements and it is possible that an advertised facility may be withdrawn or changed due to weather conditions, lack of demand or for hotel maintenance, renovation etc. We kindly advise you to check any crucial details with you personal Travel Consultant at the time of booking. If you are booking in advance, your personal Travel Consultant will keep you posted on upgrades etc., if applicable. To protect your privacy our website is protected by VeriSign the leading SSLCertificate Authority in the world, the most trusted mark on the Internet which helps companies and consumers all over the world to engage in trusted communications and commerce. Please refer to data protection and privacy for further details (ref. 1.10).

1.8 Rates
Rates featured on our website are per person, per night in US Dollar, if not stated otherwise. These are only estimated, indicated rates since the final price depends on various factors such us season, number of persons, villa category, meal plan etc. Please contact one of our Travel Consultants at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , telephone number: +(960) 333 5775

1.9 Personalized Quote/AP Invoice
Our Travel Consultant will send you a personalized quote based on your preferred travel dates, indicated budget and additional information/preferences provided. You will receive a limited number of offers since these will be already the ones best suiting your requirements and preferences. Our prices stated in your personalized quote are usually valid for 14 days unless stated otherwise. Once you confirm one of the quotes, we will process your booking. You will receive a booking confirmation, BEST CHOICE MALDIVES pro forma invoice and payment receipt accordingly as soon as we have received your written consent to the booking confirmation as well as the verified prepayment as per 3. Our proforma invoice will mention all the services you have booked and prepaid to Best Choice Maldives. Please note that you are required to settle any additional services (if any), not quoted in our AP pro forma invoice, directly with the resort at resort's charges respectively. Upon your arrival, (ref. 5.3) our airport staff will hand over the original hotel/resort voucher to you. We would like to inform you that we do not provide detailed cost breakdowns of our invoices.

1.10 Data Protection and Privacy
We request your personal data for the sole use of processing and finalizing your reservation. Any information provided will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Therefore, this data will only be used for the purposes of carrying out bookings and communicating with our partner resorts in respect of your booking. To this extent, you authorize Best Choice Maldives to use your data and disclose it to our partner resorts or third parties providing services requested by you. Being accredited by VeriSign, the leading SSL Certificate Authority in the world, you can rest assured that your personal data is transmitted securely while using our website. Please visit http://www.verisign.com/ for further details.

1.11 Professional Team
Being based in Male', the capital of Maldives allows us to conduct site inspections and organize familiarization trips to all our partner resorts which often include overnight stays for all our Travel Consultants on a regular basis. This first hand experience and knowledge about the resorts' facilities and services enables our Travel Consultants to assist you perfectly in finding the most suitable resort for your personal dream holiday in the Maldives.

1.12 Working Hours
Our well-versed Travel Consultants will be happy to call you and discuss your travel requirements with you personally in more detail, if you inform us about the most convenient time for us to call you. Our working hours are daily 8.30am to 10pm (UTC/GMT+5 hours), 7 days a week. In case your personal Travel Consultant is off duty and you need assistance urgently, you may contact any of our other professional Travel Consultants and they will be more than happy to assist you, telephone number: +(960) 333 5775 (please note that there are 18 direct lines) or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . In order for us to provide a smooth service and to look up your records, please mention your case ID (AP followed by 5 numbers) when calling.

1.13 Booking
Reservations/bookings are subject to availability at the time of booking. Upon contacting one of our Travel Consultants ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , telephone number: +(960) 333 5775, you will receive a Referenec Number to be used as an ID reference in the subject line of every email. A written booking confirmation will be sent to you only when we have received and verified your payment. For last minute bookings we strongly suggest to use a Visa/MasterCard for immediate verification of your payment since rooms can sometimes be on hold for 12-24 hours only depending on season and availability, which will be advised, upon booking. Please note all other modes of payment (e.g. by American Express, telegraphic transfer/bank wire, Internet banking) take 3-7 banking days to be verified by our Finance department since banks in the Maldives are closed on Fridays and Saturdays in addition to public holidays. Please refer to 4. Also visit www.bestchoicemaldives.com/new/bookings for further information including payment by credit card and to download the credit card authorization form.

1.14 Request for specific Room Number
Since the room allocation is a complex process, it is usually done by the resort upon the day of arrival based on availability at the time of check-in. For this reason we cannot guarantee a specific room number or location upon booking but we will always do our utmost to honor your request. We would like to assure you however, that you would of course get the room/villa category/type you have booked and paid for.

1.15 Resort Check-in/Checkout
The resorts' check-in time is 14:00 hrs (2pm) and checkout time is normally at 12:00 noon (rarely at 11am), which will be advised at time of booking. At the time of booking it is not possible for the resort to confirm early check-in or late checkout in advance since this depends on availability (transfer timings of the in-house guests) on that particular day. The only way to guarantee early/immediate access to your room or to keep it longer on your departure day according to your international flight timings is to book the room already one day in advance and/or one day longer to avoid uncomfortable waiting times e.g. at the resort's lobby or Male' International Airport with limited or no access to rest or changing rooms especially, if you are travelling with children. Should you wish a guaranteed early check-in or late checkout, please let us know, so that arrangements can be made accordingly. Otherwise you can request for an early check-in upon arrival and/or late checkout on the day of your departure directly at the resort, which is then subject to availability at that time. The following charges will apply for late checkout:

1.16 Late checkout Charges
To keep the room/villa until 18.00 hours (6pm): 50% of the room rate (subject to availability at the time) To keep the room/villa after 18.00 hours (6pm): 100% of the room rate (subject to availability at the time)

1.17 Booking Amendments
Booking amendments depend on availability at the time. Any booking amendment will result e.g. in modifying your transfer, meet & greet services, vouchers and other related documents etc. For this reason an administration fee of USD 150 per change will incur for amendments requested after receipt of booking confirmation (e.g. with regards to change of: date of stay, number of persons, ages, villa category, resort etc.). The administration fee is not applicable for e.g. a change of meal plan or an upgrade to private transfer. Depending on the amendment details, these changes might result in higher booking costs too.

1.18 Health
If you have significant allergies or chronic medical problems, please inform us accordingly upon booking. Most of our partner resorts are rated among the finest in the world with a doctor on site providing limited medical services. If the resort does not have its own doctor, there will be access to a nearby resort with a doctor. Our partner resorts are not specifically designed for handicapped people. Please inform us 7 days prior to your arrival, if you require a wheelchair or additional assistance upon your arrival/departure. As the vegetation of the resorts is well maintained and fumigated by professional gardeners regularly using environmental friendly products (European standard), you will hardly find any mosquitoes. In general Maldives has good medical services, pharmacies, a large government hospital named Indira Ghandi Memorial Hospital and a private hospital named ADK Hospital in the capital city of Male' providing a broad range of modern medical services and catering for emergencies. In the event of diving emergencies there are two decompression chamber facilities in the Maldives' islands, one at Bandos Resort (fifteen minutes by speedboat from Male') and the other at Kuramathi Resort (one hour by speedboat and about twenty minutes by air taxi from Male'). If you are on medication, please ensure to bring adequate supplies of all medications in their original containers, clearly labeled. We recommend carrying a signed, dated letter from the primary physician describing all medical conditions and listing all medications, including generic names. If carrying syringes or needles, please be sure to carry a physician's letter documenting their medical necessity. Kindly pack all medications in hand luggage and carry a duplicate supply in the checked luggage. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, please bring an extra pair. Although yellow fever is not a disease risk in Maldives, the government requires travelers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present (Africa, Central and South America) to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. For current information please consult official resources such as the WHO website http://www.who.int/ith/countries/vaccination/en/ prior to travel. Please refrain from drinking tap water at the resort, which is produced by the resort's distillation plant, not intended for drinking.

Scattered across the equator in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives' archipelago (about 500 km from Sri Lanka and India) possesses an exceptionally unique geography as a small island country. Nature has fragmented the archipelago into 1,190 tiny islands that occupy a mere one per cent of its 90,000 sq km territory. Only 185 islands are home to its 300,000 population, while a selected few islands are used for economic purposes of which tourism, fishery, and agriculture is the most dominant. Several hundreds of islands are still untouched and the climate is tropical with no major seasonal differences. Male', the capital of Maldives,is an island itself and only a 10 minutes boat ride away from Male' main International Airport, located on a separate small island called Hulhule. Today, there are more than 100 licensed resorts in the Maldives (of which not all are operational yet), whereas each resort is located on its own island. Due to these geographical specifics, we depend on speedboats, seaplanes or domestic flights to bring you to your dream resort. The transfer modes to/from the resort islands and the duration of the transfers vary due to their respective distance to the International Airport in Male' and will be advised upon booking. Please note that all transfers are combined transfers originating from or to Male' International Airport unless private transfers are requested and confirmed by us in writing (ref. 2.3). We require your international flight details no later than 7 days prior to arrival in order to organize the transfers accordingly. Below are the transfer options in Maldives available for your choosing.

2.1 Private Transfer
If you book a private transfer (usually originating from/to Male' International Airport), you are not required to wait for other passengers nor stop over during the journey. Instead you have immediate access to your private speedboat or seaplane, according to your personal travel itinerary, all tailored to your specific needs including refreshments and/or snacks. We recommend a private transfer in particular if you are staying at more than one resort to save time by bypassing Male' International Airport for the resort change. Moreover it will guarantee you maximum privacy and comfort if you are travelling on a special occasion or with small children. Your personal Travel Consultant will be pleased to advise you on your luxury private speedboat or seaplane transfer options and costs involved available at the time of your booking.

2.2 Staying at more than one Resort
If you are planning to extend your vacation and alternating your stay between two or more resorts, we strongly urge you to book a private transfer for the resort change to save time by bypassing Male' International Airport. Only the private transfer brings you directly from one resort to another at a time most convenient to you providing maximum privacy and comfort.

2.3 Combined Transfer
All transfers are combined transfers originating from or to Male' International Airport unless private transfers are requested and confirmed by us in writing. Combined transfers accommodate normally a group of passengers. Therefore, combined transfers include waiting time for other passengers who might be arriving on different flights, varying between few minutes and a few hours (rarely). Please kindly respect the scheduled confirmed transfer timings. The resort reserves the right to depart and book you on a later transfer (additional charges might occur) if you are not on time since other passengers will be waiting. If there is no other combined transfer available later, you will have to wait (subject to availability at the time) and pay for a private transfer at an extra cost. Furthermore, stopovers are often necessary to drop off passengers at resort islands along the route. The time of your departure from the resort will depend on the resort's transfer departure schedule in line with the international airline timings and the resort will inform you accordingly on the evening prior to your departure.

2.3.1 Combined Speedboat
For many, the serene speedboat ride over crystal clear waters to the resort island is the first highlight of the holiday. The transfer time varies from 10 minutes to 2 hours whereas bookings are subject to availability. Speedboats are equipped with the latest in GPS navigation systems, sunroofs, and life jackets. There are no luggage limitations and traveling at night is possible.

2.3.2 Combined Seaplane
Not only a quick and smooth way to travel, a seaplane transfer allows a unique way to see the beautiful azure panoramas of the Maldives from above. The seaplane, seating up to 15 passengers, does not travel during night but normally travels from 6 am to 4 pm. Depending on the resort's location, the scenic flight takes between 20 minutes to 1 hour. The flight will either be direct or “hopping” between islands in an atoll (group of islands) to drop off passengers along the way. The maximum luggage allowance is usually 20 kg checked in and 5 kg hand luggage per person.

2.3.3 Combined Domestic Flight
The air-conditioned propeller airplanes used for domestic flights are bigger than the seaplanes seating 16 to 75 passengers. A domestic flight might be required to reach more secluded island resorts e.g. Island Hideaway. It takes 50 minutes from Male' International Airport to Hanimadhoo Island Airport followed by a 20 minute speedboat transfer to the resort. The maximum luggage allowance is usually 20 kg checked in and 5 kg hand luggage per person.

Valid from 10 July 2009

The following scale of charges will be payable upon receipt of booking confirmation. Please note that special payment policies are applicable for Peak Season*.	% of invoice payable 1st payment	% of invoice payable 2nd payment
Confirmed bookings up to value of USD 3,000 irrespective of arrival date	100% upon confirmation	n/a
Period (excluding Peak Season*): 27 January to 20 March , 16 April to 31 April, 1 May to 4 December
Bookings confirmed 181 days and more prior to arrival	USD 1,000 refundable deposit	100% 60 days prior to arrival
Bookings confirmed 180 to 61 days prior to arrival	50% upon confirmation	50% 60 days prior to arrival
Bookings confirmed 60 to 1 day prior to arrival	100% upon confirmation	n/a
Period Peak Season* (ref. 1.1): 5 December to 26 January, 21 March to 15 April (Easter)
Bookings confirmed for Peak Season*	50% upon confirmation	50% 121 days prior to arrival

*n/a: not applicable

Kindly note that we require prepayment (please refer to 3. for further details) to process a booking. Our Finance department always issues a payment receipt once the payment is verified and received. Please note that except for Visa or MasterCard where the payment can be verified immediately, all other modes of payment (e.g. American Express, telegraphic transfer/bank wire, Internet banking) take 3-7 banking days to be verified by our Finance department since banks in the Maldives are closed on Fridays and Saturdays in addition to public holidays. If you wish to pay by credit card: we accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express only. Upon your arrival at Male' International Airport one of our Airport Representatives will present the credit card slip for your signature. Kindly visit www.bestchoicemaldives.com/bookings for further information including payment by credit card. Please note that we are unable to accept debit cards or personal cheques. Furthermore we strongly discourage cash payments. Please find below the possible modes of payment.

4.1 Telegraphic Transfer/Bank Wire
Please find below our bank details:

Account Name: Best Choice Maldives Pvt. Ltd.
Bank: Bank of Maldives
Branch: Majeedheemagu Branch
Account Number: 7703-226026-002
Currency: United States Dollar (USD)
Swift Code : BMLMVMV


Account Name: Best Choice Maldives Pvt. Ltd.
Bank: State Bank of India
Branch: Male’ Branch
Account Number: 12603550220202
Currency: United States Dollar (USD)
Swift Code : SBINMVMV

All bank charges are to be borne by the originator of the remittance. Please fax (+960 331 7997) or email a copy of the remittance to Finance at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (telephone number: +960 333 5775) and kindly inform your personal Travel Consultant in order to complete your booking records too. Our Finance department will take 3-7 banking days to verify your payment (ref. 4.).
We accept the following credit cards: VISA, MasterCard, and AMERICAN EXPRESS

4.2 Payment by Visa or MasterCard
(Credit card authorization form: https://www.bestchoicemaldives.com/new/bookings/ )
Only by paying with Visa/MasterCard your payment can be verified immediately and consequently your reservation can be processed right away. All we need is the duly completed credit card authorization form available online at www.bestchoicemaldives.com/new/bookings. Once completed in block letters and signed, please email the form to your personal Travel Consultant or fax a clear copy to: +960 331 7997. Please ensure that the cardholder and the signer of the credit card authorization are the same person. Usually your personal quote is inclusive of the applicable card-processing fee unless otherwise indicated.

4.3 Payment by American Express Card
(Credit card authorization form: https://www.bestchoicemaldives.com/new/bookings/)
Please note that the bank will charge an additional 2% credit card processing fee for American Express. In addition to the in block letters duly completed and signed credit card authorization form (available online at www.bestchoicemaldives.com/new/bookings, card holder and the signer of the credit card authorization have to be the same person), also a photocopy of the credit card's front and back as well as a photocopy of the credit card holder's passport are required. Please scan and email the form and the photocopies to your personal Travel Consultant OR fax a clear copy to: +960 331 7997. It will take 3-7 banking days for our Finance department to verify your payment (ref. 4).

The card authorization form is available online at https://www.bestchoicemaldives.com/new/bookings/

Male' (main) International Airport is located on a separate small island called Hulhule, only a 10 minutes boat ride away from Male', the capital island of Maldives. Due to government legislation, every hotel/resort requires complete details of all travelers. If you wish a smooth check-in, please provide us with these details upon booking, so that we can arrange for a pre registration to save you time upon check-in at the resort. Kindly advise us prior to your arrival whether you are travelling with several pieces of luggage in order for us to arrange for your personal porter. Please find below further details about your arrival and departure at Male' International Airport, in addition to import/export legislations, ref. 7.9 and 7.10.

5.1 Visa/Passport
We will ensure that you receive a tourist visa valid for maximum 30 days upon arrival at Male' International Airport. Moreover we will process any extension upon request subject to applicable visa fees as imposed by the government at the time. For your ultimate convenience your presence at respective authorities is therefore not required. Passports must be valid for the period of the intended stay. All visitors must hold tickets and documents for their return or onward journey upon entry to the Maldives.

5.2 Airport Team
Our professional airport team is stationed directly at Male' International Airport to assist you upon arrival and departure with your luggage and transfers. Upon your arrival we will be waiting for you at the arrival hall, holding a board displaying “Best Choice Maldives”. We will then escort you to your respective resort transfer (ref. 2.). In order to organize a smooth arrival and transfer, we would require your arrival flight number and arrival time to the Maldives by no later than 7 days prior to arrival except for last minute bookings. Upon your departure we will pick you up from your resort transfer to escort you to your respective check-in counter/lounge at the departure terminal while our porter will be assisting you with your luggage.

5.3 Hotel/Resort Voucher
Upon your arrival at Male' International Airport our Airport Representatives will hand the hotel/resort voucher over to you (if you paid by credit card, also the credit card slip for your signature, ref. 4.2, 4.3). Guaranteeing your stay, please ensure to keep it safely during your transfer to present it upon check-in at the resort.

5.4 Early/late Arrival
Due to the geographical specifics of the resort islands in the Maldives (ref. 2.), it is extremely difficult to arrange for accommodation last minute. If you arrive in Male' on a night flight, we can book a night directly at the Airport Hotel, at a hotel in Male' (10 minutes boat ride away from the airport) or at a resort located within 15 minutes by speedboat from the airport subject to availability and billed additionally. If you arrive on an early morning flight in Male', it is necessary to reserve the room one day in advance to guarantee early access. This way your holiday starts smoothly, especially, if you are travelling with children. For more details please refer to 1.15. Your personal Travel Consultant will be happy to assist you in finding the best available option for you.

5.5 VIP Lounge
In addition to Business class passengers also our Economy class/charter flight passengers can enjoy the comfort of the airport VIP lounge upon departure. If you like us to provide you with access to the lounge, please inform your personal Travel Consultant in writing upon booking. Our Airport Representatives will hand over a personal invitation to you then upon departure. Relax with a snack while watching the news or surfing the Internet until you depart. Particularly if you are travelling with children, the complimentary VIP lounge facilities will ensure a relaxed departure.

The person who made the original booking shall immediately notify/address the respective personal Travel Consultant in writing with a copy to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (telephone number: +960 333 5775) for immediate attention while mentioning your Reservations Reference number and “Cancellation” in the email subject line for clarity to prevent the cancellation fees as stated below. Cancellations or amendments will not be accepted until we have confirmed them in writing. Certain higher villa categories might have a particular, different cancellation policy, which will be advised upon booking. A written confirmation of the cancellation and the cancellation invoice will be sent to you within 7 days. Kindly note that for any booking cancellation a minimum of USD 350 as administrative fee will be payable in addition to the cancellation charges mentioned at 6.3. Depending on the mode of payment incurred bank charges or if the payment was by credit card, an additional 5% processing fee will occur.

6.1 No-Shows
No-shows will be charged 100% of our invoice.

6.2 Unexpected Departures
Unexpected departures are treated as a cancellation and 100% of the total booking value for the unused nights will be charged.

6.3 CANCELLATION POLICY
Valid from 10 July 2009

The following scale of charges will be payable depending on when the notification of cancellation is received and confirmed by us in writing.	% of our invoice payable
Period (excluding Peak Season*): 27 January to 20 March 16 April to 31 April 1 May to 4 December
Cancellation received 45 days and more prior to arrival	FULL REFUND after deduction of administrative fee of USD 350 & incurred bank charges or 5% credit card processing fee
Cancellation received within 44 to 0 days prior to arrival	100% payable
Period Peak Season* (ref. 1.1): 5 December to 26 January 21 March to 15 April (Easter)
Cancellation received for Peak Season* 121 days and more prior to arrival	FULL REFUND after deduction of administrative fee of USD 350 & incurred bank charges or 5% credit card processing fee
Cancellation received for Peak Season* 120 to 0 days prior to arrival	100% payable

6.4 Refunds
A refund will be made the same way the payment was received, e.g. credit card payment: to the credit card, which was used for payment; telegraphic transfer/bank wire: refund to the account held by the primary customer. The refund process takes normally 10 working days and additional 7 banking days to be credited to your account or credit card. Please be informed that we require a written confirmation of payment receipt.

6.5 Delayed Balance Payment
If you do not pay the balance of the holiday price by the due date (ref. 3.), ATOLL PARADISE reserves the right to cancel the booking and retain your deposit.