Booked to go in Feb 08, have read on various websites that the date for opening was Nov 06, then April, May, July and Oct 07. Have now just read that confirmed date for opening is 20 December 07. Anyone heard anything different? Starting to get a bit concerned!!
Machchafushi
Hi Lilypam,
May I ask where you got the information about Machchafushi%26#39;s opening date from?
I found a blog on the web from the prospective dive centre manager, he has been delayed from opening on the dates you mentioned on your post.
My Wife and I together with another couple are going in April and like you are itching for more information on the Island, once we know its open we can breath a sigh of relief and count the days away.
If it doesnt open in time for our holiday I suppose we will have a choice of one of the less popular Islands (that I did not choose) as that%26#39;s all that will be left or a refund and no holiday.
Doesn%26#39;t bear thinking about does it.
On a possitive note, the Island and reef will not have seen guests for over twelve months so will be fantastic.
Wouldn%26#39;t it be nice to see some actual pictures of Machchafushi now it been refurbished.
Machchafushi
HI
Like yourselves we have booked to go to Machchafushi, We are flying on the 3rd Feb 08. I am finding it very frustrating that i cannot find any info or up to date photos. Hope that the island is open. I have asked my travel agent if the Island is open and they assure me it is !!!!
All very strange that info is so hard to come by !!!!
If you hear anything please post any info.
I was thinking about going to Machchafushi in February and emailed a tour operator about this and other resorts. I asked if the resort would definitely be open by February - this is the reply I got:
';Regarding Machchafushi, your guess is as good as ours (unfortunately). Many travel agents and tour operators have been let down due to the drawn-out %26#39;opening date%26#39;. Current estimates suggest the end of January 2008.';
Not sure how definite/reliable this info is, but didn%26#39;t want to risk it and have booked to go to Vilamendhoo instead. Hopefully it will be open by the time you get there but maybe you should ask your travel agent for more info.
Hi Londongirl,
As I said in my earlier post, I had noticed the same thing as you mentioned, lots of opening delay%26#39;s.
I believe they were once due to open last March.
My wife is my Travel agent and she can not find any info either but I am sure Tui (Thompson) wouldn%26#39;t have put it in the brochure if they did not receive some kind of assurance, the last thing they wan%26#39;t is to cancel or re-schedule peoples holidays, they don%26#39;t want any bad press.
As for Vilamendhoo, we went a few years ago, it was one of the prettiest Maldives islands we have visited, you will love it!
Kindest regards
Mark
A bit of an update - I%26#39;d emailed the dive centre manager you mentioned previously (I found his blog too) and he%26#39;d just mailed me back, he said:
'; I was supposed to fly to Machchafushi on December 6th to install the dive center. Now it has been again postponed to January 10th together with the official opening.
This is what I know for now and it is absolutely without any guarantee, as it not me or Lagona Divers who are responsible for any delays.
Hope that helps for now... I will keep my website updated. ;)';
So hopefully the opening will go ahead in time for your holiday, maybe check his website in a few weeks!
I have been in speaking live to Machchafushi resort as well as dealing with them on email for several months. I decided to try and go to the Maldives very late, and was looking for a resort that had good diving. Machchafushi made the cut, and when I contacted them in October (2007) they told me that they were opening on Decmeber 20 (and has had several delays to get to this date). The UK travel agency also told me that they were opening on December 20.
We had held a spot from December 23 onwards. On November 5 the resort emailed me and told me that the opening had been delayed from December 20 to ';January';. I called them, and confirmed that they think they are opening in January. My sense from the phone call with them is that they are close to opening, so I don%26#39;t know the exact date.
I will suggest that they have been very good at communication both via email as well as taking direct phone calls to the resort. Skype is fairly inexpensive to call with.
If someone goes, I would love a report as to how the resort is after the renovation.
Further to original posting, sorry for the delay, I got the info re opening from
www.regal-diving.co.uk.
There are also computer generated pics of the island on mondomaldive.it/Foto/Machchafushi/index.html
The pictures look superb so fingers crossed will be as good in reality. Roll on February!
Hi. My husband and I our travellig to Machchafushi on 18th Feb and I have just spoke to Osbourne and Ebel, I believe the main independant agent for the island and I have been told that the proposed opening date is now the 15th January. He didn%26#39;t make any promises, but felt that the delay this time (from 20th Dec) was due to a lack of bookings for christmas, as everyone was getting cold feet and cancelling!!?? If anyone hears anything else then please let me know, this could drive you nuts if you let it, I%26#39;m def gonna need this holiday.................... Suzanne
Has anyone heard anymore about when this is due open or can tell me the Dive Leaders address, really would like to go but not sure about the continued delays
On Friday I received an e-mail containing a quote from Machchafushi Island resort..........';With much regret we have to inform you that we will not be able to open the resort as scheduled on the 15th of January. While not meaning to make excuses, we would still like to explain you the reasons.
1. Due to so many projects underway in Maldives (not only new resort building, but making harbours etc. on most islands) labour is currently next to unavailable. Labour cost is now more than 3 times it was 6 months ago and even at that rate labour is just not available. We are currently bringing teams of carpenters, tile layers etc from India and Sri Lanka. To make things worse, we are currently having almost a week’s holiday due to Eid and lots of local workers have gone to their island and will return as usual long past their sanctioned leave.
2. Bad weather is another factor.
3. We are building the resort so beautifully; we do not want to compromise the quality by doing substandard work. Though we are billing Machchafushi as a 4 star resort, the truth is it is even better than a 5 star. For e.g. even all the deluxe land villas are also getting Jacuzzis, all rooms have dedicated shower cubicles with more than 6 shower / massage nozzles, all rooms have bidets and so on.
We are currently doing interior work and tile laying.
While we hope to finish work around end January, we would like to propose a new opening date of end of February, just to make sure of things. We will keep you informed on all progress we make from time to time.
We would like to thank you for your undivided support and understanding which you have shown through our construction period.';
Our agents are now refusing to use them until June 2008! We are now being told that %26#39;alternative%26#39; accommodation will be found for us :O( Please keep your fingers croassed for us, thanks
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