Sri Lanka & Maldives

The Maldives had been on my list for years. No idea exactly why, but as a kid it was already some kind of dream destination. When I was in Sri Lanka and realised I was practically right next to it, the decision was quick. Two weeks in Sri Lanka, then a week flat on the beach. There's no better transition.

The logical route: suffer first, then chill

Sri Lanka is fantastic but intense. You're constantly arranging things, sweating on buses and hiking through mud. The Maldives is the counterpart: snorkelling, diving and otherwise lying on your arse. That contrast is exactly why the combo works so well.

The route I recommend:

Start in Negombo (right next to the airport) and work your way down. Cultural triangle via Sigiriya, then Kandy, the famous train to Ella, a safari in Udawalawe and finish on the south coast near Mirissa or Hiriketiya. Two to three weeks is ideal.

After that, take the train or a taxi back to Colombo (CMB) and fly on to Malé (MLE). SriLankan Airlines and flydubai fly this route. Book this ticket separately from your Sri Lanka flight.

Budget islands or private resort?

Budget: local islands

You stay in guesthouses, eat local curry and take the regular ferry between islands. Cost: €50 to €80 per day, depending on how many excursions you do. Slightly more expensive than Sri Lanka but absolutely worth it.

Want to burn through your savings?: private resort

Those islands where you sleep in a bungalow on stilts above the water. I didn't do it myself, but it looked absolutely insane to me. You're picked up at the airport in Malé and thrown into a seaplane for a transfer costing €300 to €500. Just for the flight. The view is supposed to be wild, and you're all-inclusive on an island where the dry law doesn't apply.

Which island?

Maafushi (the backpacker paradise)

Busy, lots of excursions, lots of restaurants. Not the deserted island feeling, but the most sociable. This is the Lloret de Mar of the Maldives, but without the drunk teenagers. Sounds pretty good, right?

Book your snorkelling trips here. Because there's a lot of competition, prices are the lowest of all the islands. For thirty euros you'll spend a full day spotting turtles and sharks.

Note: you're only allowed in a bikini on the designated Bikini Beach. Don't walk through the village in your swimwear, that's simply disrespectful to the local Muslim population.

Dhigurah (for nature lovers)

Much quieter and longer than Maafushi. Authentic, white sand, palm trees hanging over the water. This is also the spot to see whale sharks, year-round. You need a speedboat to get there and that costs money, but when you're swimming next to an 8-metre creature the price stops mattering.

I spent a day searching but unfortunately didn't see any. Hopefully you'll have better luck.

Final tips

Local islands now have ATMs, but bring some dollars as a backup just in case. You're on a tropical island, not a big city.

Buy your sunscreen at home or in Sri Lanka. The Maldives is known for counterfeit products that look exactly like the real thing but do nothing. Just bring enough of your own brand.