Location Maafushi

Finally I can show the lower half of this gorgeous dress on the blog. This was my outfit for New Year’s Eve on the Maldives and has been my go-to outfit for any fancier occasion during my trip. But first I want to tell you the story about my New Year’s Eve experience on the Maldives because it’s a story worth telling, if only for the entertainment value. Next to being a stunning country with the most beautiful colors of water (upon arrival the first thought is: Does this really exist?!), kind people and the best dive sites in the world, the Maldives is also a Muslim state. This means that they do not serve alcohol, not a drop, nor are you allowed to bring it across the border, at least not onto the local islands. The country is divided between resort islands and local islands, which also has different laws in place. The resorts basically buy an entire island and run their hotel like any retreat worldwide. A local island is different in the sense that it abides by local muslim laws, which means no bikinis on the beach and no alcohol. A bit different from what you expect when you’re first planning a trip to the Maldives, right? The reason why you should visit only local islands anyway? It’s the only way to experience the local culture and also … budget. Resorts are not just pricey, they are very very expensive. But more on that in a different post.