Here’s why so-called ‘Maldives dupes’ don’t even come close to the real Maldivian experience
The internet is suddenly awash with ideas for ‘Maldives dupes’ – alternative destinations that share some similarities with the Maldives. These alternative suggestions range geographically from Koh Lipe in Thailand, Southeast Asia, to as far away as Albania in Southeast Europe or even São Tomé in West Africa. Superficially, you can see those destinations have turquoise water and nice sand, similar to (but not identical to) the Maldives. But that’s probably where the similarities end.
While I agree there are some benefits to the ‘dupe’ trend, particularly if your main motivation is saving money, I honestly don’t think there genuinely are any ‘Maldives dupes’. Here’s why they can never measure up to the real thing.
1 – One island, one resort
The Maldives has more private island resorts than any other country in the world. Each resort is on an island of its own. (The only exception to this is the Crossroads marina complex). And most of these islands are tiny (about half a mile/0.8km long).
So, the Maldives has the highest levels of privacy at almost every resort. This means you don’t get people trying to sell you things while you’re sitting on the beach, unlike on so many beaches across Europe and Southeast Asia. Nor do you have to navigate getting ripped off by transport providers taking you from the airport to your accommodation (a peril of most countries, everywhere). Every Maldivian resort books your transportation for you with their in-house providers.
2 – Butlers as standard
The Maldives is all about luxury. So if you’re staying at a resort in the Maldives, it’s normal to have a butler. Depending on the category of resort, you may share a butler with other guests or they may be your own dedicated butler for the duration of your trip. And while there are many other tropical beach destinations, most ‘Maldives dupes’ do not offer butler service as standard.
3 – Private beach to yourself
In the Maldives, it’s normal to find you’re the only person using the main beach. Most guests prefer to enjoy their private sundeck or beachfront garden instead. So, you will not be crammed onto a beach like sardines alongside other sunbathers, unlike in many of the other so-called ‘Maldives dupes’. It’s an incredible feeling to look at an empty stretch of picture-perfect tropical beach, and know you have it all to yourself.
4 – Powder-soft sand
Want to know why so many people rave about Maldivian beaches? The sand is such a pure white that you need sunglasses to look at it in the midday sun. And (as long as it’s a natural island, not an artificial island) – the sand is some of the softest and finest in the world.
So, while some ‘Maldives dupes’ may also have white sand, it’s not normally the same kind of powdery icing sugar sand that you find in the Maldives. That’s because most sand comes from rocks but the majority of Maldivian beach sand is coral that has passed through parrotfish. While that may sound weird, it’s the reason why Maldivian sand is so fine and easy on your feet.
5 – Clearest water in the world
Sure, lots of places have turquoise water you can see through. But is it ‘Maldives clear’? Probably not. As we mentioned in an article about the differences between the Caribbean and the Maldives, the average underwater visibility in the Maldives is 20-50 metres (65ft-164ft). By comparison, the average visibility is 18-30 metres (60-100ft) in the Caribbean, and even lower in Albania.
6 – Unique culture
The Maldives has a Sunni Muslim South Asian culture. It’s also influenced by the traders, sailors, pirates and shipwreck survivors who settled in the Maldives over 2,500 years. They came from India, Sri Lanka, the Middle East, East African nations, Malaysia, Indonesia and China.
This makes Maldivian culture very unique, as they have developed their own cultural identity whilst also taking inspiration from some of the traditions early settlers brought with them. So there’s certainly no ‘dupe’ for Maldivian culture. Studies have found that the appetite of visitors to the Maldives for authentic cultural experiences has grown exponentially. As such, many resorts now offer cultural immersions including drumming performances, cooking classes and village tours.
