We caught up with Lindsey Wallace, Founder and CEO of award-winning Linara Travel, which specializes in travel to the sublime islands of the Indian Ocean \u2013 the Maldives, the Seychelles and Mauritius. Learn all about visiting these exotic destinations and the special features each has to offer.<\/p>\n
Q:\u00a0Describe the islands of the Indian Ocean for travelers considering vacationing there.<\/strong><\/p>\n Maldives<\/strong>\u00a0are coral islands, meaning they are completely flat, surrounded by coral reefs, and are home to the most luxurious overwater villas in the World! There are over 1,100 islands in the Maldives. Each resort is on its own island in the Maldives so selecting the best one for travelers is critical. Some resorts are better for couples, families, snorkeling, diving while some have a more casual barefoot feel, a more traditional elegance, or are more modern and chic. Maldives is great for travelers wanting privacy, luxury, and beautiful water.<\/p>\n Seychelles<\/strong>\u00a0are largely granitic islands, meaning they have huge granite mountains and boulders that line the beaches. There are 115 islands in the Seychelles. There are rare flora and fauna on some of the islands in the Seychelles. Island hopping is popular as the main islands of Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue offer varying sites, national parks, and activities. Seychelles is great for travelers wanting stunning scenery, the ability to experience unique flora and fauna, and sailing and island hopping.<\/p>\n Mauritius<\/strong>\u00a0is a large volcanic island with a diverse economy. A number of luxury resorts dot the beaches and this gives Mauritius the largest selection of activities and cultural excursions. While perhaps not quite as pretty as Seychelles or Maldives, Mauritius offers great value for money and a wide range of activities, especially if combining with a safari in Southern Africa.<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0What is the best time of year to visit?<\/strong><\/p>\n Maldives<\/strong>\u00a0is a year-round destination. It gets more rain in the May to August time period but often that rain is like the dry season in other destinations where it receives a couple hours of rain in the afternoon or evening a few times a week. The rest of the year typically sees very nice weather. It\u2019s always warm weather and warm water in the Maldives. Surfing is best from May to October.<\/p>\n Seychelles<\/strong>\u00a0is very nice for most of the year but does get rain from December to February. Outside of this period it’s usually very nice. The weather is always warm and the water is always a nice temperature.<\/p>\n Mauritius<\/strong>\u00a0experiences a larger range of temperatures and can be a little cool from June to August. Mauritius does get some rain from December to February as well.<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0What travel services do you offer for the islands?<\/strong><\/p>\n We have specially negotiated rates at all the luxury resorts and we we arrange transfers and excursions in our destinations. We have amazing guides and access to unique experiences. Q:\u00a0What air routes do you recommend?<\/strong><\/p>\n Maldives<\/strong>\u00a0– Emirates Airlines is the most popular with flights via Dubai. There are flights from over 10 cities in the US to Dubai every day and then multiple flights each day between Dubai and Maldives (4 hours). Other airlines that fly to the Maldives are Etihad, Qatar, Turkish, British Airways, Singapore Air, Cathay Pacific, Sri Lankan Air, Bangkok Air, and more!<\/p>\n Seychelles<\/strong>\u00a0– Emirates Airlines is the most popular as well. There are flights everyday between Dubai and Seychelles (4.5 hours). There are also flights on Etihad Air, Turkish Air, Sri Lankan Air, Ethiopian Airlines, and Kenyan Airways.<\/p>\n Mauritius<\/strong>\u00a0– Emirates Air has flights as do a number of carriers out of the Middle East, Europe, and South Africa.<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0Tell us about some of your favorite luxury resorts on the islands and their innovative features.<\/strong><\/p>\n Maldives<\/strong>\u00a0has an amazing array of luxury resorts. Some of my favorites are:<\/p>\n Seychelles<\/strong><\/p>\n Mauritius<\/strong><\/p>\n Q:\u00a0What are the most popular things to see and do on the islands?<\/strong><\/p>\n Maldives<\/strong>\u00a0– Snorkeling, diving, spas, surfing, and watersports. Some of the best anywhere!<\/p>\n Seychelles<\/strong>\u00a0– Unique bird, animal, and plant life. Stunning unique granite beach scenery.<\/p>\n Mauritius<\/strong>\u00a0– Activities such as golfing and hiking.<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0Where are the best locations for snorkeling?<\/strong><\/p>\n Maldives<\/strong>\u00a0– Resorts such as Raffles Maldives Meradhoo and Outrigger Konotta Maldives have amazing house reefs for snorkeling. Resorts in the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in the Baa atoll are conveniently located to Hanifaru Bay \u2013 a famous snorkeling spot for seeing manta rays. We love Amilla Fushi and Finolhu Resort in the Baa atoll.<\/p>\n Seychelles<\/strong>\u00a0– Six Senses Zil Pasyon has the best snorkeling house reef in the Seychelles. Neighboring Cocos Island (a 10-minute kayak ride from Six Senses Zil Pasyon) is great for snorkeling as well.<\/p>\n Mauritius<\/strong>\u00a0– The South of the island has some fun spots for snorkeling although they are not the\u00a0 Q:\u00a0What other water sports are popular in the Islands?<\/strong><\/p>\n Maldives<\/strong>\u00a0– In addition to snorkeling and diving, a number of resorts are conveniently located to great surf spots. The crystal clear waters make kayaking, windsurfing, and all watersports a lot of fun.<\/p>\n Seychelles<\/strong>\u00a0– A great destination to sail around and island hop. We can arrange sailing vessels from small day trips to large luxury catamarans to full on yachts.<\/p>\n Mauritius<\/strong>\u00a0– Kitesurfing is a popular water sport in the Southern portion of the island.<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0What unique dining experiences can travelers enjoy here?<\/strong><\/p>\n Maldives<\/strong>\u00a0– Meals in restaurants that are located underwater, overwater, treetop restaurants, underground, on a private deserted island, or on a remote beach. The unique dining options create long-lasting memories.<\/p>\n Seychelles<\/strong>\u00a0– A fusion of African, Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines have created tasty seafood cooked in an array of vibrant sauces and curries. Fruit bat curry is a tasty, unique dish!<\/p>\n Mauritius<\/strong>\u00a0– A melting pot of African and Asian cuisine with a variety of vibrant food.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We caught up with Lindsey Wallace, Founder and CEO of award-winning Linara Travel, which specializes in travel to the sublime islands of the Indian Ocean \u2013 the Maldives, the Seychelles […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":10255,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[275],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-islands"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nYou will get better rates booking through us than directly due to the volume we provide the resorts. We work closely with the resorts to ensure travelers receive the best room locations, butlers, and wait staff. This helps give travelers a better resort experience!!!<\/p>\n\n
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\nsame caliber as the coral and fish of the Maldives or the fish life of the Seychelles.<\/p>\n