Actually, I read a lot of article about Maldives culture, just to make sure I don't offend them during travelling. From a lot of articles, which advise tourists wear more conservative which more cloth cover body and legs when we travel to Male. Therefore I think I will wear my long yoga pant during my arrival because I will have a night in Male, before transfer to a island resort.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g293953-s606/Maldives:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html
Etiquette
Islam is the predominant religion in the Maldives. However, the resort islands are very relaxed and casual dress is the norm. Note though that beachwear is not acceptable in the restaurant(s) on resort islands or away from the resorts. Guests entering the restaurant in swimwear will be asked by a member of staff to cover up. See-through cover ups eg: sarongs made from sheer fabric, are also not acceptable in the restaurant. When visiting the capital Male, or local islands, visitors should adopt a more modest form of dress and ensure that shoulders and thighs, at least, are covered. Topless sunbathing is against the law, although it is seen from time to time from tourists who choose to show a lack of respect for local customs.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Tipping in Maldives
Due to we are going to Maldives soon, therefore I did some research on their culture, of course including tipping etiquette to make sure that we tip accordingly during our stay.
Accoording to what I searched online, actually tipping is not a mandatory item for travellers but it still depend on traveller's decision for whether gives tips or not. However, porter or people who carry bags for me might expect about US$1 per bag.
However, for those hotels/resorts add a 10% service charge actually doesn't request tipping, it still depends on traveller's decision as some might happy with some services and some might not.
So, I think we would only decide on how to tip on the end of our vacation depend on how we recieve service from hotel. Does it sound fair?
First source: http://maldives.tourism-srilanka.com/travel-tips/tipping.html
Tipping in Maldives
Tipping in Maldives is not actually an accepted norm. Officially, it is discouraged to give tips. However, if you find the service good, you can acknowledge the person's effort by giving a small tip. It is a common practice to tip the waiters at restaurant and the room staff at the hotel. Read to know on how to give tips in Maldives…
1. It is prohibited to tip at the airport, so avoid doing it.
2. There is no need to tip the staffs of hotels and resorts, which add a service charge of 10%.
3. Tipping should not be more than 10% of the total bill at the restaurant.
4. There is no need to give tip to the prepaid taxi drivers.
5. At the hotel, a weekly amount of US$10 is more than sufficient to be paid as tip.
Second source: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maldives/practical-information/money-costs
Tipping
Tipping is something of a grey area in the Maldives, where 10% service tax is added to nearly everything from minibar drinks to room prices. In many places this would mean that you don’t need to tip in addition, but it’s still the case that people serving you personally will often expect something. It’s good form to leave a tip for your room staff and in smarter resorts, your thakuru (butler). Give any tips to the staff personally, not to the hotel cashier – US dollars, euros and local currency are equally acceptable. A few dollars a day is fine for room staff, while anyone carrying your bags might expect US$1 or so per bag.
In Male’ the fancier restaurants usually add a 10% service charge, so you don’t need to tip. Tipping is not customary in local teashops. Taxi drivers are not tipped, but porters at the airport expect Rf10 or US$1.
Third source: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g293953-s606/Maldives:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory in the Maldives as 10% service charge is added to everything - but given the low salaries earned by the staff and the excellent level of service generally offered, it is a nice gesture to help the staff of resorts to earn some extra money. It is also not entirely certain that the 10% service charge is passed on to the staff.
Over the years the tipping culture has changed in the Maldives, mainly due to Europeans and visitors from other continents giving varying amounts of cash as tips. This article is designed to give an insight as to what is an acceptable level of tipping. This will obviously vary from person to person based on the term 'what is acceptable'. All quotes are in United States Dollar as this is the most widely accepted currency. It is a good idea to take small denomination notes to aid the tipping process.
The figures below are intended purely as a guide and the dynamics of the island you stay on may impact considerably on who and how much you tip: ie shared dinner tables/ more than one waiter/room boy:
Baggage / Porters - 1-5$ per bag
Room Boy - 10-20$ per week
Waiter(s) - 10-20$ per week
Bar staff - 10-20$ per week
Garden maintenance/sweeper - 1-5$ as a gesture ??
Specialist Chef - 10-20$ per week
Boat crew - 5 - $10 per trip to be shared (depending on number of crew)
Spa staff - 5 - $10 per treatment
Unseen staff tipping box - usually found in Reception or Main Restaurant - $10-20 per week (this is for all the staff you do not see). Generally staff outnumber guests by 2-1 but on some resorts by as much as 5-1 - it is the unseen staff that usually do not feature highly on tips so it is important to find a tipping box for this purpose.
If you dive, then you will probably want to include all or specific members of the team when handing out tips.
There are a variety of ways in which you can tip. Many people like to tip on a weekly basis, some everyday, while others prefer to leave it until the end of the holiday. Each has its merits and will not affect the service you receive. However, be aware that your last evening/morning may co-incide with time off for one or more of your regular staff and plan your tipping accordingly.
Accoording to what I searched online, actually tipping is not a mandatory item for travellers but it still depend on traveller's decision for whether gives tips or not. However, porter or people who carry bags for me might expect about US$1 per bag.
However, for those hotels/resorts add a 10% service charge actually doesn't request tipping, it still depends on traveller's decision as some might happy with some services and some might not.
So, I think we would only decide on how to tip on the end of our vacation depend on how we recieve service from hotel. Does it sound fair?
First source: http://maldives.tourism-srilanka.com/travel-tips/tipping.html
Tipping in Maldives
Tipping in Maldives is not actually an accepted norm. Officially, it is discouraged to give tips. However, if you find the service good, you can acknowledge the person's effort by giving a small tip. It is a common practice to tip the waiters at restaurant and the room staff at the hotel. Read to know on how to give tips in Maldives…
1. It is prohibited to tip at the airport, so avoid doing it.
2. There is no need to tip the staffs of hotels and resorts, which add a service charge of 10%.
3. Tipping should not be more than 10% of the total bill at the restaurant.
4. There is no need to give tip to the prepaid taxi drivers.
5. At the hotel, a weekly amount of US$10 is more than sufficient to be paid as tip.
Second source: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maldives/practical-information/money-costs
Tipping
Tipping is something of a grey area in the Maldives, where 10% service tax is added to nearly everything from minibar drinks to room prices. In many places this would mean that you don’t need to tip in addition, but it’s still the case that people serving you personally will often expect something. It’s good form to leave a tip for your room staff and in smarter resorts, your thakuru (butler). Give any tips to the staff personally, not to the hotel cashier – US dollars, euros and local currency are equally acceptable. A few dollars a day is fine for room staff, while anyone carrying your bags might expect US$1 or so per bag.
In Male’ the fancier restaurants usually add a 10% service charge, so you don’t need to tip. Tipping is not customary in local teashops. Taxi drivers are not tipped, but porters at the airport expect Rf10 or US$1.
Third source: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g293953-s606/Maldives:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory in the Maldives as 10% service charge is added to everything - but given the low salaries earned by the staff and the excellent level of service generally offered, it is a nice gesture to help the staff of resorts to earn some extra money. It is also not entirely certain that the 10% service charge is passed on to the staff.
Over the years the tipping culture has changed in the Maldives, mainly due to Europeans and visitors from other continents giving varying amounts of cash as tips. This article is designed to give an insight as to what is an acceptable level of tipping. This will obviously vary from person to person based on the term 'what is acceptable'. All quotes are in United States Dollar as this is the most widely accepted currency. It is a good idea to take small denomination notes to aid the tipping process.
The figures below are intended purely as a guide and the dynamics of the island you stay on may impact considerably on who and how much you tip: ie shared dinner tables/ more than one waiter/room boy:
Baggage / Porters - 1-5$ per bag
Room Boy - 10-20$ per week
Waiter(s) - 10-20$ per week
Bar staff - 10-20$ per week
Garden maintenance/sweeper - 1-5$ as a gesture ??
Specialist Chef - 10-20$ per week
Boat crew - 5 - $10 per trip to be shared (depending on number of crew)
Spa staff - 5 - $10 per treatment
Unseen staff tipping box - usually found in Reception or Main Restaurant - $10-20 per week (this is for all the staff you do not see). Generally staff outnumber guests by 2-1 but on some resorts by as much as 5-1 - it is the unseen staff that usually do not feature highly on tips so it is important to find a tipping box for this purpose.
If you dive, then you will probably want to include all or specific members of the team when handing out tips.
There are a variety of ways in which you can tip. Many people like to tip on a weekly basis, some everyday, while others prefer to leave it until the end of the holiday. Each has its merits and will not affect the service you receive. However, be aware that your last evening/morning may co-incide with time off for one or more of your regular staff and plan your tipping accordingly.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
clear sea, blue sky and white sandy beach
From a lot of review, these are descriptions that I read about Maldives, clear sea, blue sky and white sandy beach. Yes, this also been proved from lot of picture taken from Maldives travellers. I really can't wait for my vacation comes faster.
Well, I think for some people might not like this type of relax island life, some people like to travel with full schedule from day to night. Yes, I was that type of person actually, I was so energitic in past few year, which I never felt tired to walk from 2 weeks everyday.
However, I think we are getting old now and I like to enjoy quality and relax vacation, because we all working so hard during working day, all packed and demanding schedule has putting enough stress for us on mentality, and perhaps physically get older rapidly. So, why not just plan a vacation which allow us spent time luxury that we cannot do during workdays? Even it is only repeatitive doing the similar activities for a few days, or even just spend time idelly but looking at blue sky and clear sea for few hours.
I quite like the resort that I am going to stay because they got a well maintained website, where I found a lot of information about the island and activities that we could involve during our stay. According to resort's website, they wish to make their customers enjoy their stay with bare foot during they stay, this is what an amazing concept to me, I really wish that I manage to leave my foot bare all the while, I think we already too used to wear shoes when we are not at home, right? Actually, shoes is another type of bondage, I wish the island is safe enough to walk without shoes all the time.
Perhaps, many people would think travel to Maldives is a bored ever destination, poeple can only see sky, sea and sand, why not we just spend a few day to clear our messy mind and enjoy at this paradise where can kick all your worrisome out, reading some books which you bought long time ago but still remain unopened in your bookshelf, doing some water sport provided by resort or using facility there.
Anyways, I really looking forward for my vacation, that is a place where we can slow down our pace, rest our mind, take a fresh deep breath, shower by sun, move closer to environment, a good romantic place for a tired working couples, .... Now I really wish for good weather for our stay. Clear sea, blue sky and white sandy beach, I am looking forward to meet you all.
Well, I think for some people might not like this type of relax island life, some people like to travel with full schedule from day to night. Yes, I was that type of person actually, I was so energitic in past few year, which I never felt tired to walk from 2 weeks everyday.
However, I think we are getting old now and I like to enjoy quality and relax vacation, because we all working so hard during working day, all packed and demanding schedule has putting enough stress for us on mentality, and perhaps physically get older rapidly. So, why not just plan a vacation which allow us spent time luxury that we cannot do during workdays? Even it is only repeatitive doing the similar activities for a few days, or even just spend time idelly but looking at blue sky and clear sea for few hours.
I quite like the resort that I am going to stay because they got a well maintained website, where I found a lot of information about the island and activities that we could involve during our stay. According to resort's website, they wish to make their customers enjoy their stay with bare foot during they stay, this is what an amazing concept to me, I really wish that I manage to leave my foot bare all the while, I think we already too used to wear shoes when we are not at home, right? Actually, shoes is another type of bondage, I wish the island is safe enough to walk without shoes all the time.
Perhaps, many people would think travel to Maldives is a bored ever destination, poeple can only see sky, sea and sand, why not we just spend a few day to clear our messy mind and enjoy at this paradise where can kick all your worrisome out, reading some books which you bought long time ago but still remain unopened in your bookshelf, doing some water sport provided by resort or using facility there.
Anyways, I really looking forward for my vacation, that is a place where we can slow down our pace, rest our mind, take a fresh deep breath, shower by sun, move closer to environment, a good romantic place for a tired working couples, .... Now I really wish for good weather for our stay. Clear sea, blue sky and white sandy beach, I am looking forward to meet you all.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Resort and Hotel in Maldives
Why I chose Maldives as my destination? Besides it is my dream honeymoon place, there is something special that make me want to visit it.
From a lot of reviews, I know that Maldives has a tourism concept that every island owned by a resort or hotel, which where you stay, then the whole island will be your accommodation, this is kind of special for me, I wanted to experience it.
Well, for using this concept, that country need to have a lot of island, but the island shouldn't be too small, else tourists would find bored during they traveling period. On the other hand, I also don't wish to stay at a too big island, as I wish that I can walk around the island on foot.
From the hotel review that I saw, my hotel should be suitable with my size, reviewer said they can kayak around the island in about 40 minutes, I think walking should be faster than kayaking, right? I even hope that I could at least walk around island with SL twice a day, once at the early morning and once at evening, it sound romantic for me. Also, I hope that we can do kayaking and snorkeling everyday, I don't wish to miss the chance for relax our mind and body.
From review, I also read the island that we are going to stay is close to house reef and we can easy access to several snorkeling spot to see marine floral and fauna. Wow, that is really fantastic to me!!!
I really can't wait for my vacation, now I really wish time can fly.
From a lot of reviews, I know that Maldives has a tourism concept that every island owned by a resort or hotel, which where you stay, then the whole island will be your accommodation, this is kind of special for me, I wanted to experience it.
Well, for using this concept, that country need to have a lot of island, but the island shouldn't be too small, else tourists would find bored during they traveling period. On the other hand, I also don't wish to stay at a too big island, as I wish that I can walk around the island on foot.
From the hotel review that I saw, my hotel should be suitable with my size, reviewer said they can kayak around the island in about 40 minutes, I think walking should be faster than kayaking, right? I even hope that I could at least walk around island with SL twice a day, once at the early morning and once at evening, it sound romantic for me. Also, I hope that we can do kayaking and snorkeling everyday, I don't wish to miss the chance for relax our mind and body.
From review, I also read the island that we are going to stay is close to house reef and we can easy access to several snorkeling spot to see marine floral and fauna. Wow, that is really fantastic to me!!!
I really can't wait for my vacation, now I really wish time can fly.
smocking2
Finally, I chose sunflower as my smocking pattern, actually teacher asked me to put some leaves and little flower, but I found it looked weird when I sewing it on my testing piece, therefore I only use this simple pattern for my top, anyways we like simple :)
Two weeks later I will learn how to assemble my fabric to make it a cloth, hopefully I manage to complete it before my Maldives trip, I wish to bring it along and wear it when I walk on sanding beach when holding SL's hand, hehehe... so romantic.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
cinnamon swirl bread
It was long time I didn't bake till now and it was a long holiday last Friday, so that I want to make our breakfast over the weekend, then I started baked a cinnamon swirl bread.
Well, that was not my first time to bake this bread but I felt the most satisfied with the end product this time because it tasted softer, I think this due to I used a powder which so called bread softener. This is my first time using bread softener and I seen it in supermarket, then give it a try, result was quite nice and my bread stayed soft for several days.
smocking
My class resume for a few weeks till now and we are learning about smocking, which will be put on a top, this is the basic background of my smocked top, there will be some decorated pattern on it, I am still thinking about how to arrange my flower.
Hopefully, I can finish my cloth before the end of this month :)
some sewing books
I am crazy with sewing recently, therefore quite actively to look for some sewing books. Past two months, a friend was coming back from US, so I grabbed the chance and asked him to take back some books for me.
Here is my aditional collection of sewing books, I think this might be enough for a period.
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