Mullinsegna Maldives

July 7-17, 2023

Know before you go:

This is a Muslim country with severe Sharia Law in place, complete with very nasty anti-gay laws!

Although the situation for LGBTQ+ locals is not great, fortunately for gay tourists, the economy of the Maldives relies so heavily on tourism that as a gay tourist, they won't dare touch you, particularly when staying at the large privately owned resort islands.

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is consistently highlighted as a LGBTQ+ safe (and comfortable) location.

This property has twice been voted as the best hotel in the world. It is part of the Hilton Hotel group, famous for being gay friendly, which is why it is a popular choice for gay honeymooning couples.

Pricing options:

*All pricing & availability is subject to change until completed through the booking process. If your vacation package includes airfare, baggage fees may be an additional cost. For international travel, a passport book is required. Most locations require at least 6 months before expiration on your passport, as well as 2 blank visa pages. Please make sure to have the correct and updated documents if applicable. If you have a criminal background, you are responsible for knowing the travel restrictions pertaining to the offense.

All options include:

• Round trip business class airfare to Maldives Velana International Airport (MLE)

• Round trip shared seaplane transfers

• 7nights accommodations at the 2 Bedroom Rangali Ocean Pavilion with Pool

• All complimentary resort included amenities and activities

• All non-refundable plan to go fees, commissions and airline planning fees

• 10% Service Charge, 12% GST and Government Green Tax of USD 6.00 per person per night
  

Half board: $84,840 total
Full board: $87,872 total

Non-Alcoholic package: $103/pp/day
Alcoholic package: $250/pp/day

Private Seaplane Transfer: $6,300 each way

DEPOSIT AND CANCELLATION POLICY:

$31,050 is due upon receipt of invoice.
Full payment is due at least 45 days prior to arrival, which is non-refundable in the event of cancellation / no-show or early departure.
We will honor a date change, in case you are not able to travel due to Covid restrictions or Covid positive Result.

Creating platforms for women
Inspired by the fiery female spirit and vision of JOALI’s founder & owner, Esin Gural Argat, one of our primary goals is to honor the economic and creative aspirations of women. As passionate supporters of female education and vocational training, our efforts are aimed at opening up avenues of self-sufficiency and new opportunities for social entrepreneurship.

Launched in 2020, the Women in Art initiative at JOALI Maldives offers a vital platform for emerging Maldivian women artists to showcase
their talent and participate in creative collaborations. We also partner with local schools to conduct art workshops for girls. As a company, JOALI is committed to gender equality and the development of talented women at all levels of the organization. The brand’s Leadership and Gender Diversity Program is aligned with our commitment to the UN Women’s gender equality campaign.

Pricing options:

*All pricing & availability is subject to change until completed through the booking process. If your vacation package includes airfare, baggage fees may be an additional cost. For international travel, a passport book is required. Most locations require at least 6 months before expiration on your passport, as well as 2 blank visa pages. Please make sure to have the correct and updated documents if applicable. If you have a criminal background, you are responsible for knowing the travel restrictions pertaining to the offense.

All options include:

• Round trip business class airfare to Maldives Velana International Airport (MLE)

• Round trip shared seaplane transfers

• 7nights accommodations at the 2 Bedroom Water Villa with Pool

• All complimentary resort included amenities and activities

• All non-refundable plan to go fees, commissions and airline planning fees

• 10% Service Charge, 12% GST and Government Green Tax of USD 6.00 per person per night

Half board: $59,065 total

Private Seaplane Transfer: $9,000 each way

DEPOSIT AND CANCELLATION POLICY:

$31,050 is due upon receipt of invoice.
Full payment is due at least 45 days prior to arrival.
50% charges will apply if cancelled between 14 – 08 days prior to arrival - 100% charges applies if cancelled within 07 days prior to arrival

• The Resort reserves the right to cancel any reservations that have not been fully prepaid for.

Registration Form

PLEASE TYPE CAREFULLY! INACCURATE INFORMATION WILL RESULT IN TRAVEL DELAYS AND/OR AIRLINE CHANGE FEES.

Maldives FAQ’s

Gay rights in the Maldives

A quick glance on Wikipedia's breakdown of LGBTQ rights in the Maldives and it's enough to put you off visiting for a lifetime! The law is quite clear – being gay in the Maldives risks you getting:

“up to 8 years imprisonment with the possibility of whippings, house arrest, fines, or deportation”

When it comes to other LGBTQ rights, such as recognizing gay couples, anti-discrimination laws, the right to change legal gender, the right to serve openly in the military etc, we'll be quite clear, there are none!

Yet, despite the lack of any progressive LGBTQ laws in the Maldives, LGBTQ tourists flock here in their numbers every year, particularly honeymooners. We put this down to the fact that whilst the country has such a horrific LGBTQ reputation, in reality, these nasty laws are rarely enforced, particularly against foreigners.

We haven't heard of any foreigner or tourist that has ever been persecuted for being gay in the Maldives. However, it goes without saying that this is not the sort of place you're going to come waving rainbow flags or expressing your love with your partner publicly like you would in Madrid, Fort Lauderdale or Barcelona!

Is the Maldives safe for gay travelers?

The short answer is YES, especially if you are a tourist and if you take some precautions when traveling. Make sure you follow these safety tips (below) and you are unlikely to encounter any problems while traveling in the Maldives.

Despite the very draconian anti-gay laws of the Maldives, we think LGBTQ travelers will be absolutely fine based on the experience many gay travelers have reported.

The reality they encountered was that despite the absurd, nasty and ridiculous anti-gay laws in place in the Maldives, the locals couldn't give two hoots about them. They were able to get a double bed in a local guesthouse and no one cared. They were seen more as foreigners they want to impress rather than a gay couple that needs to be put in jail or more! Obviously personal safety, common sense and discretion is paramount. Always take care to be discreet by avoiding all public displays of affection. You should be fine to relax as you normally would inside your villa or in your private pool.

With regards to booking a double bed in a hotel, if you're staying in a private island, you'll be just fine! Almost all the staff are international and open-minded, adhering to the same international standards on diversity and discrimination that they would apply whether they're in the Maldives, Miami or Kuala Lumpur.

The Maldives remains a popular destination for gay honeymoons and romantic vacations. Most of the tourism industry of the Maldives is dominated by large private resorts owned by international brands, who each have their own island. These are for the most part expensive, but as a result, function as a mini private bubble with its own set of rules. For example, despite being a Muslim country, you can purchase alcohol in these resorts, and women don't need to cover up at the beach. It is very unlikely you will encounter any type of homophobia if you spend your gay honeymoon in a private resort.

The staff in these resorts will usually be from all over the world, open-minded and will have undergone thorough training expected from large brands, which includes welcoming LGBTQ couples and families.

Safety Suggestions in the Maldives:

• Avoid public display of affection outside of the big international resorts. In the resorts you shouldn't have any problems being ‘out', but if you do explore the local parts of the islands it's best to be discrete about you being gay. It's unlikely that a tourist would be penalized for homosexuality, but best not to risk it.

• Avoid excess alcohol and the use of drugs. If you're outside of a resort, you won't be able to buy alcohol anyway, so don't take it with you as it's not allowed. Within the resorts, you can relax and have some cocktails but you probably want to refrain from mama-birding outside the resort… (Marj insisted I add that line, lol) :) (Enjoy to your level of comfort in the privacy of your own suite)

• Don't wear valuables in public outside of the resort. The crime rate in the Maldives is relatively low, but it's always best when traveling not to carry around too much in the way of cash or cards in case of pickpockets. If you're staying at a resort store your valuables in the room's safe and only take what you will need for the day if you are exploring other islands.

Visa requirements:

All nationalities can visit the Maldives and receive a free 30-day visa on arrival. You must have a passport valid for at least 6 months, have a ticket to show you will be leaving the Maldives and enough money for the duration of your stay or a confirmation of reservation at a resort or hotel. You can always check here for more Maldives visa information.

Electric outlets:

The Maldives uses power plug and sockets type D (which is common in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and some African countries) as well as type G (which is also used in England). Neither of these types is compatible with other types, so we recommend bringing a universal travel adaptor with you so that you will be able to charge your devices no matter which kind of socket you come across.

Vaccinations:

The CDC recommends that all travelers to the Maldives be up to date with routine vaccinations, like chickenpox, measles and mumps. Most travelers should also be vaccinated against hepatitis A and typhoid. Depending on where you will be going and what you will be doing you may also need to be vaccinated against hepatitis B or yellow fever.

Make sure you are vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before traveling to Maldives. If you are not up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, avoid travel to Maldives.

Make sure you check the most recent advice and speak to your doctor before planning your trip to the Maldives.

Currency:

The currency used in the Maldives is the Maldivian rufiyaa which uses the currency code MVR. Common symbols for the rufiyaa are MRF, Rf and ރ. Currently $1 US converts to about Rf 15.50

Tipping culture:

Tipping is generally not expected in the Maldives and a 10% service charge is usually added to all bills anyway. If you do want to tip it will probably be very appreciated by locals, but not tipping will not earn you any snide remarks or lesser quality of service. Here is some more information on tipping in the Maldives.

When to visit:

The Maldives is warm and sunny all year long, but has two distinct seasons of wet and dry. The best time to visit is during the dry season between November and April, although this is also the busiest, most expensive time to visit as well.

You may find better prices (although probably not by much as the Maldives is quite a pricey destination) during the rainy, windy season between May and October. Surfers also tend to like the wet season as the swell provides bigger waves!

Other FAQ’s

REGISTRATION 

1. Please complete a registration form (there is one form for the whole family)

2. Submit a photo copy of the picture/information page of each travelers passport

   • Please email this to: christian@zone-travel.com

3. Please fill out the Credit Card Authorization form with copy of the front and back of the credit card you wish to use in case of emergencies/requests for additional bookings while you are traveling.

   • Please email this to: christian@zone-travel.com

Ways to make payment:

We accept payment by credit card, Zelle transfer or check.

How to pay with credit card:

We accept all major credit cards; however, there will be a 3% processing fee with each payment.

• Upon receiving your registration form, where you select your payment method, we will send you an invoice via email. You can pay with credit card directly through that invoice.
  

If you have chosen to pay w/Zelle or by check- please do not pay the invoice, as we have not included the required processing fees into that invoice.
(If you accidentally pay the invoice with credit card after requesting to pay with another form of payment, we will send another invoice to collect the required processing fees.)

How to pay with Zelle:

Paying with Zelle is a fast and FREE way to pay!

• You can use our email address: christian@zone-travel.com to make payments.

• Zelle does not alert us when a payment has been made.
  Please send us an email or a text message when you make a payment just so that we
  can quickly and efficiently update your invoice.

For those who don’t know what Zelle is… it is very much like a wire transfer (but it is not a wire transfer).

Everyone’s bank is different, though, so you may want to call/go in to your local bank and ask to have the maximum amount available to transfer every day.

Example: Some banks only allow $500/day transfer. Other banks will allow $1200/day.

Always be careful when making payments through Zelle to people that you do not know. There is no protection guarantee provided and you cannot reverse the fee.

The Pros for using Zelle:

• It is FREE (no processing fees)!

• It is instantaneous (funds will go directly to Zone Travel- so this is the absolute fastest way to make a payment)

The Cons for using Zelle:

• Every bank is different when it comes to maximum amount available to be transferred every day. So, this may mean that you need to make multiple payments to Zone Travel, multiple days in a row.

• It does require an app download onto your phone, and you need to set up your account with your bank information.

How to pay by check:

If you would like to avoid the 3% processing fees, you may pay by check.
It is very important that you pay in advance of the deadlines and allow ample time for delivery.

You can make checks payable to “Zone Travel”

• Please mail your checks (allowing 3-5 business days for delivery - PRIOR to deadline) to:
  Zone Travel
  PO Box 12052
  Columbus, OH 43212
  

Payments received after the deadline could result in cancelation of your reservation or increased fees.

Travel Insurance

TRAVEL INSURANCE - AVAILABLE FOR ALL PASSENGERS - DUE AT TIME OF BOOKING

Zone Travel LLC strongly suggests purchasing Trip Cancellation insurance. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider as most U.S. medical coverage will not cover you outside of the country.

Insurance costs are based on the total package cost, including air taxes and charges listed under "Included."

Approximate amounts can be given at time of reservation in order to purchase the appropriate amount of insurance.

BASIC PLAN:

Your may think you can't afford both the fun and the insurance to protect it. The Basic Plan is so affordable that you can have it all, while still staying in a budget. The plan offers existing medical condition coverage and 24-hour assistance services, allowing you to purchase your trip with complete confidence.

Trip Cancellation: Trip Cost

Trip Interruption: Trip Cost

Emergency Medical/Dental Coverage: $10,000.00

Emergency Medical Transportation: $50,000.00

Baggage Coverage: $500.00

Baggage Delay: $200.00

Travel Delay: $300.00

Travel Delay: $150.00

24-Hour Hotline Assistance: Included

CANCEL ANYTIME: 

You can enjoy the extra flexibility of knowing you can cancel your trip for almost any unforeseen reason that the Classic plan does not already cover at 100% and receive 80% of their non-refundable trip cost back in cash. With features like comprehensive trip cancellation, primary emergency medical coverage and 24-hour travel assistance, the Classic with Cancel Anytime plan is there if life throws an unexpected wrench in your travel plans. Plan must be purchased within 10 days of the first payment date and must cover the full non-refundable trip cost ($10,000 maximum).

Trip Cancellation: Trip Cost

Trip Interruption: Trip Cost

Emergency Medical/Dental Coverage: $25,000.00

Emergency Medical Transportation: $500,000.00

Baggage Coverage: $1,000.00

Baggage Delay: $300.00

Change Fee Coverage: $250.00

Frequent Flyer Miles Redeposit Fee: $250.00

Travel Delay: $800.00

Missed Connection: $800.00

24 Hour Hotline Assistance Plus: Included

24 Hour Hotline Assistance Plus: Included