what I said has validity...
In other words, when I offer a perspective here, it's not from my own personal point of view, but is a generalized "best guess" of what typically appeals to a particular demographic, based on customer feedback.
Probably it has validity, I can understand that.. you may also understand that
my points do have validity as well.
Since you're an asian based reseller, you might be interested in hearing the feedback of continental european based customers coming right from people consulting for the tourism industry (yours faithfully
).
It's a while that on the european market Maldives are not considered anymore as a high end destination, the traveler choices are more and more targeting SEAsia (probably you've noticed that anywhere in Bali in august is like a french territory). I am not saying europeans are ultimately right but again, the italians, french, swiss and germans have plied the Maldives for a long time and since a few years, there's a turn for other destinations, since it has become crowded and deceivingly streamlined for average holiday market.
The numbers I've mentioned about the Maldives in my first post are
facts. Just facts... and there's a big chance that in a 2 weeks stay in the Maldives, a tourist won't even talk with a maldivian (most of the hotel staff are Sri Lankan) I am sorry I still don't see anything exotic... lotsa islands with nothing on them in the 14.000 isles of Indonesia, and probably more contact with the locals spending a night in Bali before/after taking their charter to Wakatobi.
If you want luxury in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles have still retained the upmarket feeling with fewer and more selective resorts though the diving is not really up... (and then there's also the exclusive lodges in the Quirimbas archipelago off Mozambique, where 800USD a night is the norm).
In other words, I am also reading the OP's post but I don't see any "average North american perspective", I am trying to best guess" on some people who've been to French Polynesia and Fiji. If you've ever been to the latters who can be
really high end, you'd consider that Maldives come second anytime for the reasons that I'm telling in my initial post.
My first reaction was on the word "exotic" which for me was triggered too loosely like in the glossy brochures of most TOs. That word falls in my overrated categories defining what is used for everything and doesn't mean anything anymore. you decided to stand on this point but you can't suggest either that my views are coming from a personal point
The main difference is that I think you're applying average (your words) patterns while I try to individualize the advise.
I remember we've already had this discussion, Quero, where I wasn't fully agreeing on your own analysis about what the OP wanted.
Speaking about the OPs requirements, I wonder for example which liveaboards in the Maldives are able to offer such comfort and interest for a special occasion as some in the Raja Ampat/Wakatobi/Komodo area (think pelagian/Arenui/Damai). That is why I would favor Wakatobi area as my advise (and probably extend it to wider Indonesia as it comes to the liveaboard).
I am hoping that the Maldives is better than anything I've seen in the Caribbean
Yes for sure, Rob. At least you'll come back thinking that there's even better than what you saw somewhere else in Asia.
