• How long is your stop over in Maldives? You will need an approved holiday address which is acceptable to immigration at the airport. You will need no more than two nights in Male. Each of the 70-plus resorts have an office in Male and you can shop around for any specials. Be warned, though - you may end up paying more by doing it yourself rather than taking the all-inclusive package.

The dhoni (boat) from Male to your resort island and then from the resort island back to the airport island can be expensive if you choose a resort too far from the airport. Bed and breakfast packages on resorts can leave you with expensive bills for meals and drinking water. The Nasandhura Palace is a tourist-type hotel on the harbour, convenient for the airport. It is relatively expensive - as is most holiday accommodation - cheaper is the Blue Diamond, en suite rooms, run by an ex-VSO with excellent food.

Don't be put off by the difficulties, as the Maldives islands are really fabulous and well worth a visit.

John and Rhian Blakey