The Maldives-style overwater villas that are cheaper and a short flight away – but there’s a catch | The Sun
A HOLIDAY in the Maldives is on the bucket list for many Brits, with their stunning overwater villas being the most popular.
Yet there are some that look just like the Maldives – but are cheaper and just a short flight away.
A number of hotels in the UAE have opened their own overwater bungalows, which let you go straight from your deck into the water.
There is the Banana Island Doha resort, as well as the Anantara The Palm resort in Dubai.
Some of the rooms let you jump straight into the ocean while others have ladders into the lagoon, depending on the style of villa you prefer.
Other perks include glass floor panels and infinity pools – just like the Maldives.
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One of the biggest perks, however, is how much closer they are to the UK.
Currently, direct flights to the Maldives from the UK take around 12 hours and start from £735 return, although you also need to add on the seaplane to get to your resort, which can be as long as an hour and cost hundreds of pounds on top per person.
Yet flights to both Dubai and Doha take less than seven hours to get there, and start from £390 return – so you're saving five hours on the plane, as well as £350 per person.
And rooms start at a much lower rate too.
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