Centara Grand Island

Everything on the island side, yes. The villa, the meal plan you choose, return airport transfers, the government's green tax, TGST and the resort's service charge are all inside the number we give you. International flights are quoted separately so you can use miles or book them yourself. Anything you spend at the resort beyond your meal plan, such as diving, excursions or spa, is settled by you on departure. If one of our quotes ever omits something, that is our error to fix, not your cost to absorb.

A Seaplane - 25 min Seaplane from Velana International Airport, 88 km from Malé. Boats run around the clock, so a midnight landing still gets you to the island the same night. The transfer is inside the price we quote, and we hold it against your actual flight times.

No advance visa. Indian passport holders receive a free 30-day visa on arrival at Velana International Airport. You need a passport valid well beyond your stay, a confirmed return ticket, a confirmed resort booking and the free online IMUGA Traveller Declaration, submitted within 96 hours before you fly and again before you fly home. Every traveller including infants needs their own declaration. Any website charging you for a Maldives e-visa is reselling a free government form.

Reef restaurant with authentic Indian curry stations, tandoori specialties, dedicated vegetarian & Jain culinary arrangements Two things are worth doing regardless of what any resort promises. Put the dietary requirement in writing when you book, not when you arrive. And be specific: Jain means different things to different kitchens, so spell out no onion, no garlic, no root vegetables if that is what you need. Islands provision by supply boat on a fixed schedule, so a week's notice is the difference between a proper thali and a plate of steamed vegetables. We send the request in writing and keep the resort's acknowledgement on file.

Our file rates it for families. With older parents the transfer matters more than the resort. A 25-minute boat is comfortable for most people and runs at any hour.

Our file records the house reef as Outstanding, which we read as an outstanding house reef. If snorkelling off the beach is the main reason for the trip, say so before you book. We will steer you to an island that delivers it, including one that pays us less.

Centara Grand Island offers All-Inclusive. Bed and breakfast looks cheapest and rarely is. There is no way off a resort island, so every meal and drink outside your plan is bought at island prices. For most couples on a four or five night stay the arithmetic favours half board at minimum, and all-inclusive if you drink or are travelling with teenagers. We price both on your real dates and show you the two numbers.

Alcohol is served at resort islands, including this one, and is not served on inhabited local islands. You cannot bring alcohol into the Maldives; it is confiscated at Velana and returned on departure. Resort bar prices are high, which is the main argument for an all-inclusive plan if you drink.

The dry north-east monsoon runs roughly December to April: clearest water, highest prices, and a sharp premium over Christmas, New Year and Indian school holidays. May to November is the wet south-west monsoon, when rain arrives in short heavy bursts rather than all day, prices fall considerably, and manta and whale shark sightings improve in parts of the archipelago. For value, late April to early June and September to early November are the sweet spots.

You pay us in rupees. On the island US dollars are the working currency and Visa and Mastercard are accepted everywhere; rupees are not, and UPI is not usable at Maldivian resorts. Carry a little USD cash for tips, keep international usage enabled on your card, and expect a cross-border fee on anything you spend there.

Tax Collected at Source applies to overseas tour packages bought in India under Section 206C(1G). Since 1 April 2025 it is 5% on the first ₹10 lakh a buyer spends on such packages in a financial year, and 20% only above that. It is not a cost: it is credited against your income tax and comes back through your return, provided you give a valid PAN at booking. Give us your PAN when you book so it lands in your AIS correctly.

For December to March, and for any Indian long weekend, three to five months. Water villas and connecting family rooms sell out long before the island does. For the wet season four to six weeks is usually enough and often better priced. If you are flexible by even two days either side, say so: the gap between a Friday and a Sunday start is frequently wider than the gap between two resorts.