Boy wearing orange ear protection stands barefoot in front of four large generators in a room in Ayada Maldives.

MALDIVES RESORT BACK-OF-HOUSE TOUR – Questions Your Kids Can Ask

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If you’re visiting a Maldives resort with your family it’s really easy to focus on the turquoise water, white sand beaches, colorful fish you see while snorkeling, and delicious tropical fruit.

But, there’s so much going on behind the scenes!

If you have a chance, take a ‘back-of-house’ tour (aka eco tour or behind-the-scenes tour) to see what keeps your Maldives resort island functioning.

Good To Know: Back-of-house tours may not be advertised on your resort’s website. Just ask (we did) and it’s likely your resort will make it happen.

My middle son (elementary age) toured Ayada Maldives ‘back-of-house’ and my mom and I tagged along. Our guides were great at showing us around, and they answered all of our questions. We left with a greater appreciation for what goes on 24/7 here on the island, almost all of it not even noticeable.

If you’re planning on doing a back-of-house tour on your island, it’s nice for your kids to have some questions ready. Here are some to get you started:

Employees

Two staff members, a boy, and a grandmother in a staff area of Ayada Maldives. The boy is getting onto the back of a golf cart while the others look on. Mint colored building on left and other buildings to right and up ahead. Palm trees and other green trees to left of cart and ahead in distance.
  1. How many employees work on the island?
  2. Do employees take vacation? How much time off do they get? Where do they go?
  3. Which countries do your employees come from?
  4. Where do employees live on the island?
  5. How does the resort support employees? Travel opportunities, trips back home, continuing education, maternity leave, etc.
  6. Where do employees eat? What do they eat (Maldivian cuisine, mix of cuisines?)?

Water

Boy stands in front of water tanks in a water treatment room at Ayada in the Maldives. Two large water jugs on floor on left.
We learned about the resort’s water desalination process
Indoor water bottling room at Ayada Maldives. Blue crates are stacked and hold filled bottles and some are empty and waiting for filled bottles to be placed.
We stopped in to see the desalinated and treated water being bottled for guest use
  1. Do you have a desalination plant? What are the steps taken to desalinize water for shower use and then drinking use?
  2. How do you treat waste water? (This was my 8-year-old’s top question.)
  3. Do you avoid using plastic water bottles? If no, why not? If so, do you bottle water on the island?

Supplies & Maintenance

Lush green plant and vegetable garden at Ayada Maldives. Spinach growing in front as well as squash behind it. Lights and fencing from football pitch in background on right. The garden is surrounded by lush greenery and tall trees.
The healthy vegetable garden at Ayada
  1. Where do supplies come from? Building supplies, food, bicycles, diesel, etc.
  2. What happens if seas are too rough for the supply boat? Do you ‘wait it out’ or do you have supplies shipped by air?
  3. How often are villa thatched roofs changed?
  4. How do you prevent or deal with island erosion?

Power

Boy and staff member stand in front of the generators in the generator room at Ayada Maldives.
My son checking out the generator room at Ayada
  1. Do you have generators? How many? How do you keep the noise down?
  2. Do you use solar power or other power sources?

Other Questions

Metal coral regeneration frame under shallow water in the Maldives. Some coral is growing on the frame.
Coral regeneration frames
  1. What do you worry about?
  2. Does the resort interact with local communities/islands?
  3. Do you have coral regeneration programs?
  4. Where does the island’s garbage and recycling go?
Boy walks down dirt road on Rasgetheemu island in the Maldives. Stone wall borders road on right and a school with a playground is on the left. Tall palm tree ahead on right and other greenery on both sides.
My older son exploring the local island of Rasgetheemu on our visit to Emerald Faarufushi

Our most memorable parts of the Ayada visit:

  • learning about how water is desalinised
  • learning how waste water is treated and used on the island
  • seeing the workshop area where everything is fixed and created (from building enormous Chinese New Year signs to fixing boat engines)

I hope you get the chance to learn more about the resort you’re staying on!

Large bunch of green bananas growing. It's in the garden on Ayada Maldives.
We learned that a banana plant only produces one bunch in its lifetime. So, after these bananas are harvested, the plant will be cut down so a new shoot will grow.

Be sure to check out all of my Maldives with Kids posts:
Maldives with Kids – How to Plan the Perfect Trip
7 Reasons to Book a Family Trip to the Maldives
6 Helpful Tips for Your First Visit to the Maldives with Kids
30+ Maldives Family-Friendly Resorts – Compared by a Mom (Includes Table & Notes)
How Many Days to Spend in the Maldives
Family Packing List for the Maldives
Maldives with a Baby – Yes or No?
Maldives with Teens
Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Review – Family Paradise in the Maldives
Emerald Faarufushi Review – Our Experience
Where to Eat at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi with Kids
Overwater Villa or Beach Villa – Choosing One for Your Maldives Family Trip
Family-Specific Questions to Ask Your Maldives Resort – Before You Book
Taking a Seaplane in the Maldives
Tips for Taking a Seaplane with Kids
Maldives Regrets – From Resort Choices to Packing Mistakes
Books to Read Before Heading to the Maldives (for Kids)
What to Do on a Rainy Day in the Maldives
Reef-Safe Sunscreens for the Maldives
Maldives Resorts with Water Slides
Maldives Resort Back-Of-House-Tour Questions

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