Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives is located on South Ari Atoll (Alifu Atoll) in the republic of Maldives and relatively close to Male International Airport (MIA) with a seaplane air transfer time of just 25 minutes to the island. As the Maldives is an island nation, a compulsory purchase of seaplane transfer service from/to Male International Airport is necessary and required for all reservations.
Seaplane Transfer Services at Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives:
Maldivian Air Taxi (MAT) operates domestic Seaplane Services. Any room reservation with a purchase of roundtrip seaplane services (25 minute air transfer time per way) will also include meet, assist, and transfer to domestic seaplane terminal. Seaplane services only operate during daylight hours. Seaplane reservations are only available for bookings made outside 48 hours, subject to availability, tides, weather, and sea conditions, & Maldivian Air Taxi (MAT)'s terms & conditions. MAT does not operate a scheduled service to any island. All guests booked on a seaplane service are reported to the MAT operator based on their scheduled arrival time into Male. MAT will then provide transport to or from the resort at the closest possible connection time. It should be noted that this will incur waiting time at the domestic seaplane terminal, the waiting time is subject to MAT's domestic flight schedule and beyond the resort's control.
Disclaimer: Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives is not responsible for poor tides, weather, and sea conditions causing the journey impossible to operate at the scheduled times (cancelled/delayed transfer services), and the charges will be non-refundable. However, Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives will assist the guests to organise an alternative overnight accommodation with breakfast in Male instead with no additional charge including finding the alternative transfer option & arrangement for guests on the following day (subject to availability).
Domestic Seaplane Services by Maldivian Air Taxi (MAT) – Luggage Allowance:
Free Luggage Allowance: 20 kgs per passenger
Free Hand Luggage Allowance: 5 kgs per passenger
Maximum Permissible Weight for any Single Piece of Luggage: 32 kgs per passenger (any luggage weighing in excess of 32 kgs will be required to be repacked before acceptance at check-in)
Overweight Luggage: Passengers are welcome to carry additional luggage in excess of your free luggage allowance, and understandably we charge USD 4 per kg for return trip. The luggage will be forwarded on the first available flight and may not be transported on the same flight as the passengers' travel.
Evening Transfers to Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives: Evening Air Transfers to Centara are also available removing the requirement of 'late night arrivals' having an overnight stay in Male. A scheduled domestic flight between Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (MLE) and Maamigili Airport, completed by a 15 minutes speedboat connection allow direct transfers for evening arrivals. cirm@chr.co.th
Departure TAX
All international departure passengers will be charged a set USD 25 per person departure TAX at the time of International check-in, this is payable by USD cash or major credit card.
Male is the capital city of Republic of Maldives, located on Male Atoll. It is also the biggest commercial centre and the place from where the government of Maldives operates. Major important landmarks, from the view of history and religion, are mostly located in Male. Known in ancient times as the Sultan's Island, Male is a clean and tidy city with markets, mosques, and small streets. The city has a certain charm of its own. It is the busiest and the most populous island in Maldives. The population of Male is around 83,000.
Male International Airport (MIA) is located on Hulhule, Male Atoll. The Maldives is accessible via Male International Airport where is a major gateway for the tourists and businessmen from worldwide today. Male International Airport is open to air traffic 24 hours daily and is the only international airport in the country. There are four more airports around Maldives, but only operating domestic fights. For more information, please visit www.airports.com.mv.
Male's most famous architectural landmark is the three-storey Islamic Centre. The Islamic Centre, opened in 1984, is located between Meduziyaaraiy Magu and Ameeru Ahmed Magu. The Islamic Centre’s most important feature is the Grand Friday Mosque, Masjidul Sultan Mohammad Thakurufaanu al A’zam which is the biggest in the Maldives and accommodate more than 5,000 worshippers. The shining golden dome of the mosque is standout as also the interior walls decorated with beautiful woodcarvings and Arabic calligraphy. In addition to the Grand Mosque, the Islamic Centre houses a conference hall, an Islamic library and classrooms.
Among the famous tourist attractions of the Male city, the main attraction is the National Museum & Sultan Park. National Museum & Sultan Park are part of the old Sultan’s Palace. The Palace grounds during the time of the monarchy. The Museum opened in 1952 and displays a large variety of objects and artifacts from times gone by. The collection comprises of relics from the pre-Islamic times to royal antiquities belonging to different monarchs.
The other important sites in Male include the tombs of legendary saints, Mulee-aage, built just before the First World War by Sultan Shamsuddeen III for his son. The Sultan was deposed, and his son never took office. In1953, during the First Republic Mulee-aage was designated as the Presidential Palace and was the official residence of the president until the new Presidential Palace was built.
The Presidential Palace has been built on the site of the previous presidential palace, Theemuge. This is one of the most important attractions for those visiting Male and is on the itinerary of any tour in Male. The design and architecture of the palace combines the grandeur of local tradition with modernity as known for the most beautiful building in the country. The palace is on Orchid Magu west of the main shopping area.
If one's interests lie in shopping, very close to the local market you will find the souvenir shops and of course these are a must. The main commercial area of Male is located on the northern waterfront of Male. This area is the main hub of trade and is a hive of activity through out the day. The waterfront and the by-lanes in the area are crowded with shops stocked with a variety of goods. Also in the area are the Male Fish Market and the Local Market, selling a range of local produce. While some 'dhonis' from all corners of the country unload dried fish, fresh fruits and vegetables from the atolls others are seen loading everything from foodstuffs to construction materials. The pace increases in mid-afternoon as fishing 'dhonis' start returning with their day's catch. The catch, mainly tuna are carried across the road into the open-sided market and laid out on the tiled floors. As fast as the fish are brought in they are bought and taken away. The market is kept scrupulously clean, washed down each day and disinfected.
A visit to the Maldives is incomplete without experiencing the realms of the underwater world. If you thought the aerial view was breathtaking, exchange your sunglasses for a mask and take a glimpse underwater. This is where the real treasure of the Maldives is hidden. Being one of the best diving destinations in the world, the Maldives offers diving opportunities for the beginner as well as for more experienced divers. You don't have to be a diver to enjoy the fascinating underwater world of the Maldives. A snorkel, mask and fin is your passport to enrich your holiday experience and to encounter many species of playful fish, turtles and other curious sea-creatures that may be residing in the house reef.
Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives is set amongst the perfect islands and blue ocean of South Ari Atoll (Alifu Atoll) in the republic of Maldives. The resort offers diving enthusiasts outstanding diving opportunities including an excellent house reef complete with a dedicated sunken ship wreck and is within easy reach of the top dive spots in the Maldives.
The Hukuru Miskiiy or the Old Friday Mosque is the oldest mosque in the country, built in 1656 during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar 1. The interior and exterior walls of this historic mosque, built with coral shores, are intricately curved with Arabic writings and ornamental patters. The roof, window frames, and doors are made of different types of wood including teak, red sandalwood, and redwood. There is an abundance of beautiful coral carvings and expert lacquer work inside the mosque, the latter being most conspicuous in the laage, or domes, built as part of the ceiling. The compound of the mosque also encloses a number of ancient tombstones erected in memory of past sultan's, heroes and nobles.
