Resort Life in the Maldives
Imagine you’re working place is surrounded by crystal clean ocean, white sand beaches and palm trees. It’s also one of the most expensive destinations and dreamy lands of the Maldives.
I can’t help it but feel thrilled when I say I have been in Maldives for 3 years, which is the longest place I have stay away from home.
There are many benefits to working in the Maldives if you find a right place. It very easy to find a job if you speak one of the major languages, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, German, French and Arabic.
English is the most prevalent of course.
Financial & facility
While working in the Maldives 100% of your salary can be saved.
Why?
Because the resort will provide accommodation and 3 buffet style meals every day.
The biggest expenses will be the pre-paid phone credit and data packages for internet. Not all resorts provide staff Wi-Fi and it’s not that stable if you want to watch YouTube or have video chat with friends and family.
The salary package usually includes a basic salary plus service charge, some of resort offer commissions or bonus share, tips are possible depending on the position you get.
Salaries are paid in US dollars and you’ll need a local bank account for the salary.
There’s always a tuck shop for the staff where you can buy basic things like shower gel, shampoo, and snacks.
Staff bar is not always available in every resort. Every resort will have different policies for alcohol consumption. For example, at my current resort there is no staff bar. But we are allowed to go to guest bar with discount.
Once again, it’s going to be different from resort to resort, generally speaking, it includes canteen, shop, cafe, football ground some resorts provide staff beach, pool, and bar.
Accommodation
It’s different from resort to resort and depends on the position you have.
In my previous resort, I was Guest Relations Officer and I had a four bed shared room.
My current position is a Chinese speaking GRO at a dive center which is a third party of the resort, and I have a double shared room.
Some resort staff need to stay in an eight bed shared-room. If you’re young and with a backpacker spirit, just go for it.
If you get a manager position, you could have a single room. The higher manager position, such as a resort manager, can have a spacious villa. Depending on how high of a position you are the better accommodation package you will get.
Colleagues
- We are from Taiwan, Singapore, Maldives, Italy, Spain, France, German and Russia.
Resort life is culturally diverse, there are usually more than 30 nationalities in the small island, the major nationality will be Maldivian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Indian.
It also depends on what department you work in. For example, the front office and dive center will have more Europeans and Asian expats while the spa will have mostly Thais, Indonesians and Indians.
The percentage of male staffs is about 80% and female is about 20%, most of the females are expats.
Island life & working hours
- A dream job is like riding a unicorn in the paradise.
I work at the front office and dive center.
To work at front office means I’m on standby duty for 24 hours in case guest call for help. I have to always stay flexible on my duty.
Sometimes my duty starts from six in the morning because I have to send the guest home, and finish at one in the middle of night because there are Chinese guests arriving.
To work at dive center, I start at 7:55 in the morning and finish at 6:00pm. Which means I have plenty of time to enjoy my off duty time.
The benefit of working at the dive center is that I have freedom to go diving on my day off and I even earned my advanced open water certification during my 2 years working here.
Once again, working hours often depend on which department you work in.
In a restaurant will be three shifts depending on the service time. The Spa might be 10am-10pm or something like that.
Off day & holiday benefit
- 99% of Maldives is water, the best to explore Maldives is go scuba diving.
Now we are talking!!! Day off and holiday!!
According to Maldives labor law, the staff need to take one day off after every six working days. Every twelve months, the staff should get 30 days paid holiday.
Some resorts will offer R&R and public holiday. Which means you could have up to 3 months’ holiday in a year if you managed to plan it.
Some resorts offer ticket allowance for you to fly home with the lowest cost.
Maldives culture tips
- Fishermen are back to local island and selling tuna.
The Republic of Maldives is 100% Muslim country.
Dogs are not allowed in this country.
Ladies are required to cover shoulders and knees when visiting local islands as to show respect.
It has the no 1 divorce rate in the world.
Tuna fish and chapatti are the main foods.
Maldivians love Red Bull, camel cigarettes, betel nuts, and nestle coffee.
Football is the national sport in Maldives.
The currency is Maldivian rufiyaa, US dollar can be used in some tourist places like hotels, fancy restaurant and guest house.
Conclusion
It’s going to a life time memory to work in Maldives, but be prepared to manage the simple life and focus on self-development.
Money wise, working in the Maldives is the best choice, but at the same time you have to sacrifice freedom and social life.
Shine Around the World 