When we arrived at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, we noticed a peculiar thing scattered around the resort and by our bungalow. There were these large porcelain vases filled with water and a ladle made with a hollowed out coconut. At first, we were quite puzzled since it didn’t come with any instructions but over the course of our stay, we figured out how to rinse your feet.

Read more about the Conrad Maldives

How do you get to the Maldives?

  • There are many ways to get to the Maldives but my preferred route from North America is to go through Asia. This way you can combine adventures in say Hong Kong and Singapore with the Maldives especially since Singapore Air has good reward availability if you’re points hacking with credit cards.

Conrad Maldives Vases of Water

Conrad Maldives, King Beach Villa

This is what the vase and ladle looked like sitting right outside our King beach villa towards the beach.

How to rinse your feet in the Maldives

For the first couple of days, we really struggled with how to use these and complained how the design was totally flawed.  It seemed almost impossible to pour water from a coconut that didn’t have any sort of proper spout to rinse our feet.  We tried so many things but failed miserably.

And then we asked a local and the Maldivians sure know how it’s done.  Rinsing was a breeze after we mastered the technique.

Watch how to rinse your feet at the Conrad Maldives

This is funny to look at now since this was the very early days of Going Awesome Places. I hadn’t quite figured out how to do videos but we thought this would be a funny one to try.

Travel Resources For Your Next Trip

If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100%.
Credit Cards

Don’t get burned by hidden fees on top of terrible exchange rates. When we travel now, we use the Wise Card. Simply load it with the currency you need before you go and use it as a regular VISA or their digital wallet card. Use their free app to track how much you have and top up when you need to.

Flights

In our opinion, of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature. Kayak is also another that’s we will often check.

Car Rental

If you’re looking to save money, these car rental coupon codes will be a true game-changer. Otherwise, DiscoverCars and Booking’s car rental platform are great places to start.

Rideshare

You probably already have accounts but if you don’t, for new Lyft users, use code WILLIAM4825 to get 50% off your first 2 rides (max $10 per ride). Offer valid for 14 days after you take your first ride. For new Uber users, use code cbh4j6plxt8p for the same offer except it’s valid for 30 days.

Airport Parking

You’ll need a spot to leave your car at the airport so why not book a spot at a discount. Use code AWESOME7 to get at least $5 off at Airport Parking Reservations or Park Sleep Fly packages.

eSIM

eSIM: This is our go-to way of staying connected.  Below are the discounts we have acquired for our readers.

  • AmigoSIM – Use GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 25% off. Code is re-useable.
  • Gigsky – Use TANG149 to get $3 USD when you sign up, then use code GOINGAWESOME to save 20% on all eSIM orders.
  • Airalo – Use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase.
  • KnowRoaming – Use code GAP10 to save 10%.
  • AloSIM – Use code GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 15%.
  • UbigiAWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.
  • Holafly – Use code GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 5%.
  • Roamless – Use code AWESOME20 to save 20.
  • Saily – Use code GAP15 to save 15%.

Make sure to read our article on breaking down the cheapest eSIMs for travel to learn more.

Wifi Hotspot

We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices such as PokeFi (use code GAP24300) because their rates are are hard to beat and it works globally. Solis is another that we recommend. Pros are that you can share the wifi with your whole group but cons are that you have to invest in a device and you have to charge it every night.

Hotels

Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts. Expedia is also worth using especially with their One Key rewards program which is basically like cash. The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. Always do a quick check on TripAdvisor as well.

Vacation Rentals

Your first instinct will be to go to Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental (now eligible for One Key).

Tours and Activities

When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.

Travel Insurance

Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.

  • HeyMondo – Popular insurance provider for frequent travelers and comes with great coverage and special perks. By booking through our link to get a 5% discount!
  • RATESDOTCA – Search engine Canadians looking for the cheapest insurance including multi-trip annual policies.
  • SafetyWing – A perfect fit for long-term nomads.
  • Medjet – Global air medical transportation.
  • InsureMyTrip – Best for seniors, families, and those with pre-existing conditions.
Check Out Our Toolbox

If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.

William Tang of Going Awesome Places
About The Author

William Tang

Will is an expert and award-winning travel content creator with 54 countries under his belt. He has a passion for outdoor adventure and experiential travel and loves writing insanely detailed itineraries, travel guides, and packing lists. Will’s travels have been featured on Huffington Post, Men’s Journal, and Entrepreneur. He’s also a member of SATW, TMAC, and ATTA.

Read More About Will

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