Maldives Master Thread

[CS91]

Yes.  Used it on several trips and if you pack it right it can last quite a while.

But staying frozen while under a plane doesn't really speak to the quality of the cooler. Food would stay frozen under a plane regardless of what it's packed in. It's all about how long it'll last once you land or during a connection.

[leaf]

Traveled in summer from USA to Asia, overnight in hotel, then caught a regional flight, then took a boat... All in hot weather.  It was exposed to significant heat for hours at a time.  And still was frozen a couple days later.  But I reiterate, pack it right and don't open it in middle (pack your food for the actual trip to destination separately).

[CS91]

For the domestic transfer. Painful considering the rest of the trip is costing me a grand total of ~$98. But on the bright side, means the trip is almost here!

[MEIR613]

For the domestic transfer. Painful considering the rest of the trip is costing me a grand total of ~$98. But on the bright side, means the trip is almost here!

When are you going?

[CS91]

When are you going?

Beginning of March.

[Venilla]

Am I normal? I wanna do a last minute trip to MLE. I just checked and there's availability on the days of my mid winter break.

How many days do I need there?

[AJK]

As many as possible?

I'd say ideally no less than 4. More if your diving.

[Venilla]

As many as possible?

I'd say ideally no less than 4. More if your diving.

😡 Why did I think people go for 2-3 days? Up to the next plan... I have just one week left to figure things out.

[AJK]

Dan went for 1.5/2. Perhaps he'd recommend it; I would not.

If you could get 3 solid days there, you may want to consider it.

[Denverite]

😡 Why did I think people go for 2-3 days? Up to the next plan... I have just one week left to figure things out.

I think it's also what flights you get and your tolerance for flying.  Our flights are taking a full day each way so even on top of our time in MLE we added in a stopover.  If you can handle that much flying and only a few days there and make it happen for a few days why not still do it?  If you love it you can always go back for longer.

[Dan]

It's not like going to a place where you need 4 days to cover the basic sights.

You'll see the same sights in an day as in a week.

Just a question of how long you need to relax, how much relaxing you can handle, and most importantly how much time you can get away for.

I wasn't going to not go just because 2 nights there was all I could pull off. There are places I wouldn't go to for 2 nights, but MLE isn't one of them.

I'm sure a week there is great, but most parents can't just get away for 10 days.

[AJK]

... Except of course if it's cloudy for the day and half you go. The longer you're there, the better chance you have of having some sun. Traveling 48 hours and not getting any sun would be tragic.

[Dan]

Fair enough, I went in February, so it was a safer bet.

[CS91]

For anyone else that was looking to buy one, there's one back in stock, but it's "used." Seems like it was never used and just returned and repackaged though.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YB6QK8?keywords=polar%20bear%2048%20pack&qid=1453433521&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

[eliteflyer]

I think it's also what flights you get and your tolerance for flying.  Our flights are taking a full day each way so even on top of our time in MLE we added in a stopover.  If you can handle that much flying and only a few days there and make it happen for a few days why not still do it?  If you love it you can always go back for longer.

What's your routing and in what class?

[Denverite]

What's your routing and in what class?

We're flying late August on Singapore (no partners so we got the 15% points discount)  in J, Outbound Lax-NRT-Sin (stopover for two days)-MLE and returning MLE-SIN-ICN-SFO (we're gonna book cheap flights for the initial and last leg).  When I tried to include Denver in the mix Singapore said it was an invalid routing and there is a direct flight on United from Den-NRT that could shorten the flying but no J seats and I'd rather have another stop and be more comfortable on that long-haul trans-pacific flight.  Since I needed very specific dates, far in advance, to be able to leave our businesses for 10 days (with only one Shabbos away)  and have parents here to babysit, that's why we routed this way (there might be "better" or cheaper options via Middle Eastern transfers but I also much preferred an Asian Stopover). 

[eliteflyer]

We're flying late August on Singapore (no partners so we got the 15% points discount)  in J, Outbound Lax-NRT-Sin (stopover for two days)-MLE and returning MLE-SIN-ICN-SFO (we're gonna book cheap flights for the initial and last leg).  When I tried to include Denver in the mix Singapore said it was an invalid routing and there is a direct flight on United from Den-NRT that could shorten the flying but no J seats and I'd rather have another stop and be more comfortable on that long-haul trans-pacific flight.  Since I needed very specific dates, far in advance, to be able to leave our businesses for 10 days (with only one Shabbos away)  and have parents here to babysit, that's why we routed this way (there might be "better" or cheaper options via Middle Eastern transfers but I also much preferred an Asian Stopover). 

If you have AA miles to use, check QR (using PHL or JFK gateways and perhaps others) through DOH if you want to avoid staying overnight on the stop-over. Etihad could probably work on the return, though I don't think you can avoid an overnight in AUH on the outbound.

[Denverite]

If you have AA miles to use, check QR (using PHL or JFK gateways and perhaps others) through DOH if you want to avoid staying overnight on the stop-over. Etihad could probably work on the return, though I don't think you can avoid an overnight in AUH on the outbound.

I think I prefer the Asia route but how many AA miles or Avios?

[benjie1305]

I think I prefer the Asia route but how many AA miles or Avios?

67.5/90 J/F

[IsraelGuy]

Am I normal? I wanna do a last minute trip to MLE. I just checked and there's availability on the days of my mid winter break.

How many days do I need there?

We booked 2 days before our trip-so glad we did. MLE is amazing.

Just a question of how long you need to relax, how much relaxing you can handle, and most importantly how much time you can get away for.

This is exactly right. I wish I could have gone for a week but that wasn't in the cards because of work and points balance. For us with the right flight times, 4 nights and 5 pretty much full days was a perfect balance (we arrived into MLE at 10:50am, left at 11:40pm, but remember the hotel transfer takes considerable amount of time from MLE).