Maldives

Editor's Note

Hi there! I believe this might sound familiar to you - Maldives is paradise on earth! I wanna tell you that truly, it lives up to its reputation! Maldives holds a very special place in our hearts. We first visited it in 2015, and fell in love with it so much that we returned here for our honeymoon in 2016. We came back in 2019, and after covid, we’re back in 2023 with our 2 little ones. Each trip is planned longer than the previous, and each time, without fail, Maldives just blows us away. There are so many exciting experiences here to discover that simply takes our breath away. It's no wonder it's such a popular and special destination for so many travellers around the world.

What makes Maldives so special? Well, it has everything here that you imagine paradise to have. It is the ultimate relaxation destination but it can also can be equally an eye-opening experience with you exploring the ocean life. Here you will see pristine sand beaches, azure clear blue waters, ultra-luxurious resorts, amazing overwater bungalows, beautiful garden villas, special hospitality, abundant marine life, gorgeous reefs, mouthwatering dining experiences, incredible spas, unbelievable sunrise and sunsets and incredibly memorable experiences... the list goes on. I would say it is the perfect destination to celebrate special occasions. We documented our entire Maldives journey and experiences here on this page. I hope you will feel inspired to also seek out this surreal destination for yourself, whether on your honeymoon, anniversary or family trip. Please enjoy!

What you can do
in The Maldives

Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Indulge Maldives

Luxury Resorts

Maldives has over 1,190 coral islands in 26 atolls spread over 90,000 square kilometers. 188 islands are inhabited and over 165 are resort islands. In my opinion, resorts are the best way to experience the Maldives because it offers an unparalleled, fuss-free, all-in-one holiday experience, especially if you are on your honeymoon. We've visited plenty of resort islands, and our top favourites include Anantara Kihava Maldives, The Amilla Maldives, Hilton Maldives and Soneva Fushi and The Sun Siyam Fushi. These resorts truly have it all, but most importantly, they made us feel like home. We've written in greater detail our experiences in these very special resorts, and you can read about them below. Most resorts will have a variety of villas to choose from - garden villas, beach villas, or overwater villas.

Wine & Dine

We had some of the most incredible dining experiences in Maldives. The resorts combine breathtaking surroundings, exceptional cuisine, and world-class service into an exquisite, memorable experience. You can select from romantic beachfront dinners, to gourmet restaurants with stunning ocean views, along with a huge range of culinary cuisines that can satisfy even the most discerning palates. One of our most unforgettable dining experiences was in the Underwater SEA Restaurant at Anantara Kihavah. It was absolutely incredible. We were surrounded by beautiful coral reefs and marine life while indulging in fine cuisine. We got to see turtles, sharks and plenty of big fishes swimming in a thriving coral reef. This experience really took our breaths away, and we highly recommend you to visit! For those who love wine, they have an underwater cellar where they store and age their wine. For your daily meals, resorts have a half board or full board service that you can opt for.
Us after the overwater villa spa experience at Anantara Kihavah

Spa and wellness

Spa and wellness in the Maldives is a transformative experience that rejuvenates the mind, body, and soul amidst the serenity of the island paradise. With its idyllic surroundings and luxurious resorts, the Maldives offers a range of world-class spas and wellness centers that combine traditional healing practices, modern techniques, and breathtaking natural settings.
White sand beach in front of our villa at the Hilton Maldives

Island Hopping

Maldives is home to 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls. Island hopping is a ticket to escape into a world of idyllic islands, sun-kissed shores, each with its own story and charm. On our first trip to The Maldives, we stayed on a local island called Maafushi, and every day we did day trips out to other islands and resorts to discover their unique offerings. It is a great way to explore the diversity of Maldives, discover local culture and Maldivian hospitality as you hop from one island to another. You can explore the North Male Atoll, known for its luxury resorts and excellent snorkeling and diving spots, or venture to the South Male Atoll, where local culture thrives amidst picture-perfect island settings. Discover the wonders of Ari Atoll, famous for encounters with whale sharks and manta rays, or delve into the untouched beauty of Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve teeming with marine biodiversity.

Snorkelling

Maldives is one of the best places on earth to snorkel. The waters are so clear that you can practically see the coral reefs from the top of the water! Many resorts are home to beautiful house reefs, and if you do not want to speedboat out to other spots, you can simply snorkel right from your resort beach. I would highly recommend you stay at resorts in the Baa Atoll. The Baa Atoll is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and is renowned for its rich biodiversity and conservation efforts. It offers incredible diving and snorkeling opportunities, with the chance to see manta rays, reef sharks, turtles, and colorful coral reefs. One of the main islands in Baa Atoll is Maalhos. We stayed at Anantara Kihavah & The Amilla Maldives -- what we saw here was incredible.

Scuba Diving

Maldives is a dream destination for diving enthusiasts, but even so for beginners. It is the destination that got me excited about learning to dive (as apprehensive as I felt about diving because I'm not a strong swimmer)! But in the Maldives, there is something for all skill levels, from gentle sloping reefs to thrilling channels and vibrant coral walls. What is so incredible is you get the opportunity here to encounter and swim next to large pelagic species - graceful manta rays, majestic whale shark, and huge turtles. If you’re lucky, during the right seasons you can catch them in hundreds! During our latest trip to the Baa Atoll, we saw sharks, turtles, rays, plus hordes of tropical fish and fascinating creatures like octopuses too - right from our resort's house reef. Most resorts have dive centres and professional dive instructors who are knowledgeable about the local dive sites and marine life. If you want to learn how to dive or get certification, diving courses and certifications are also available for beginners. If you want to go a step further and explore multiple dive sites and more remote dive sites, you can opt for liveaboard options.

Kids Clubs

Parents will be so glad to know that most luxury resorts will have a full-fledged kids club for their little ones to enjoy. There is also babysitting service available.

Explore

The Maldives

Background

Maldives is synonymous with luxury, romance and tropical bliss. Home to pristine beaches, turquoise waters, vibrant sunsets, stunning reefs, diverse marine life, and a plethora of award-winning resorts that are ever so eager to deliver the best luxury experience to you, Maldives has everything you wanted in a tropical island paradise. With almost every resort having its own private island offering you unparalled hospitality and barefoot luxury, it comes as no surprise that this destination is one of the top honeymoon spots in the world. We ourselves have visited it 3 times!

when to visit Maldives

Maldives is mostly hot and sunny all year round, averaging temperatures of 23ºC-31ºC. The best time to visit is from November to April, to avoid the monsoon season which runs from May to October and peaks around June. However, the high season in the Maldives is between December to March. This means busier resorts and higher prices, though the weather would be perfect for being outdoors. We love to visit places during their shoulder season for decent weather and prices. I’d suggest visiting the Maldives in November or March. 

nature

Being an island paradise, most of Maldive’s wildlife lies underwater. There are over 2,000 species of fish found in the waters surrounding the islands. Also watch out for manta rays, stingrays, sharks, dolpins, whales, turtles. 

landscape

Maldives landscape is unique. This island country located in the Indian ocean is the smallest country in Asia. Consisting of ~1,192 islands grouped into 26 atolls, it spreads over an area of 90,000 sq km, making it one of the most disparate contries in the world. 

language

The official language is Maldivian/Dhivehi, and the country has several dilects (Mulaku, Huvadhu, Maliku and Addu). As Maldives is booming in tourism, most people in the tourist industry are able to speak English. 

Culture

Maldivian culture is rich and varied, influenced by the people of different ethnicities who have settled on these islands over the years. The state religion is Islam, and you can find influences from India, Sri Lanka and even African culture. 

cuisine

The cuisine of Maldives largely involves fish as its main source of protein. Second to tourism, fishing is the second biggest industry in the country. Traditional Maldivian cuisine (also known as Dhivehi cuisine) richly assembles traditional flavors with strong influences from Indian & Sri Lankan cuisine. That being said, the resorts tend to offer a variety of international cuisines, from Japanese to Italian. 

Maldives Travel FAQ

Malé is the capital of Maldives. Malé International Airport / Velana International (MLE), is the gateway to Maldives. The airport located on Huhule Island in the North Male Atoll.

Airlines like Silkair, Singapore Airlines and Airasia fly direct to Malé International Airport. Scoot no longer flies to Malé as of Oct 2019

To get to Malé from Huhule Island, you can take a 16-minute car ride. There is a new bridge that connects the airport to Malé, making it very convenient. Alternatively, you can take a 10-min ferry ride. 

From Malé, you can transfer to your resort island, either by ferry, speedboat or sea plane. 

Please note that seaplane transfers to resorts are expensive and are usually not included in the resort room rate. Hence, do check the rates before you book your stay. While there are a few seaplane operators, Trans-Maldivian Airways is the largest. 

The flight duration for Singapore to Maldives is 4 hours 35 minutes. 

You land at Malé International Airport on Huhule Island. It takes about 15 minutes to drive to the capital Malé, where then you need to accommodate your transfer duration to your resort or local island. 

If you’re staying at one resort, 5 days is sufficient. But I’d say one week is perfect for a relaxing vacation. 

Cater more time if you are into specific activities like fishing, deep sea diving or resort-hopping (I will share more about resort-hopping later!).

If you plan to stay at more than one resort, do cater an extra few days. That being said, if you plan to visit more than one resort, make sure they are located decently near to each other, otherwise transfer will be tedious and expensive. 

There are two ways to enjoy Maldives, depending on your budget and activities. You can splurge to stay at a private resort island and indulge in their offerings, or stay on a local island and explore the areas around it. Both ways are equally fun in their own way. We have been to Maldives 3 times, and experienced both types. 

If it is your honeymoon, I would suggest splurging a bit more to stay at a private resort island. After all, that is what Maldives is well-known for – luxury accommodation, full-board packages and personalised service. Most resorts will offer various types of accommodation, such as beach villas and overwater bungalows iconic to Maldives. On our latest visit, we stayed at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi in one of their Sunset Horizon Water Villas. The atmosphere was private, making it very ideal for an intimate vacation. This is a more relaxing and indulgent type of vacation, though you can also sign up for excursions via the resort. 

The alternative way of experiencing Maldives can be done on a budget. You can opt to stay on one of their local islands (I suggest Maafushi at Kaafu Atoll) and book a room at one of the hotels. The experience will be vastly different from that of a private resort island (no butler service for sure), but you can find decent rooms at decent prices. Maafushi is increasingly catering to tourism, so you will find many tour vendors offering excursions such as fishing trips, dolphin cruises and island hopping. Water-sports are also aplenty here. At Maafushi, you can also do resort-hopping – a day excursion to visit a resort and spend the day there. It costs about ~$150 – $200 depending on the resort and how many sign up and usually includes a meal. It’s a cheaper way to experience 5-star resorts. 

Many put off visiting the Maldives thinking that it is insanely expensive to get to. While this might be true, there are increasingly more ways of visiting Maldives on a budget. It’s possible to budget $300/day or $1,000 a day in Maldives. You just need to get creative about it and likely be residing on a local island. 

The main mode of transport around In Malé is via taxi. Trips are standard at US$5. 

It’s not easy to travel around Maldives, meaning island to island. You will have to take speed boat or sea plane. The public ferry is another option, though you are subjected to the schedule timing and there are limited ferries each day. 

Apart from beautiful beaches and panoramic sea views, here are some things to expect. 

Language: Maldives’s official language is Maldivian/Dhivehi. The country has several dilects (Mulaku, Huvadhu, Maliku and Addu). As Maldives is booming in tourism, most people in the tourist industry are able to speak English. 

Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR) is the local currency, though USD is widely accepted. As of time of writing, SGD 1 = MVR 11

Payment: Visa or Mastercard credit or debit cards are widely accepted in resorts. However on local islands, please use either USD or local currency. 

Plugs: Some plugs in Maldives are different from Singapore. They are type D and G. Singapore is type G.

But the voltage and frequency are same as Singapore at 230 V and 50Hz. 

Safety: Maldives is generally safe. On private resort islands, you can expect it to be even safer. That being said, always practice common sense when traveling. 

Local culture: Maldives is an Islamic country, so be respectful of their customs. On local islands, you are not allowed to drink, and make sure to dress conservatively Bikinis are fine in resort areas, but nude or topless sunbathing is not allowed even on resorts. 

1. Go snorkelling
Most resorts in Maldives have their own house reef, and will offer you free rental for snorkeling gear. Grab them, put on some sunscreen and wade out to the crystal clear waters to explore! Resorts that have beautiful house reefs include Robinson Club Maldives, Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon, and Anantara Kihavan Maldives Villas. You can also take a excursion out to snorkeling sites to discover more marine life.

2. Learn Scuba Diving 
Maldives is one of the best places to learn diving. You can take up a discovery dive if you are not certified at the PADI dive centres. Many resorts also have their own dive centre and certified divers. Maldives is best known for sea turtles, stingrays and whale sharks. Getting up close and personal with these creatures sure makes for an incredible experience.

3. Go on a dolphin cruise
On our first trip to Maldives, we took a boat out to see wild dolphins. It was amazing as we saw so many of them! These active and playful dolphins will swim really close to your boat, and some even twirl and flip out of the water!

4. Spot whale sharks
The South Ari Atoll is frequently visited by Whale Sharks throughout the year, and here you can not only spot whale sharks but even swim with them if you are lucky! Resorts to stay at include LUX* South Ari Atoll, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, and Vilamednhoo Island Rsort & Spa.

5. Go surfing
Maldives has plenty of world-class surf spots. Though waves are not super powerful (the swell normally reaches shoulder to head high), there are plenty of chances for barrels and long fun waves. Cinnamon Dhonveli is one of the resorts where many top surfers flock to for a surf break.

6. Experience the spa
When it comes to relaxing, a good spa is hard to beat. Most resorts have their own in-house spa offering therapeutic treatments, body scrubs and more. Resorts with great spas include COMO Maalifushi, Huvafen Fushi and Jumeirah Vittaveli.

7. Experience underwater dining
Level up your gastronomic journey by dining underwater at some of these stunning underwater restaurants. Ithaa Undersea Restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort, SEA restaurant at the Anantara Kihavah, and 5.8 at Hurawalhi Island Resort.

8. Partake in eco-tourism
Lately, slowly but surely, sustainable tourism has been of increasing focus. Many resorts are embarking on go-green intiatives, with some taking the extra step to sustain, preserve and enrich the natural environment around them. Do your part and support these resorts, or take an extra step and get involved in some of their intiatives, for it can be really fun. You can take part in rescuing baby turtles at Four Seasons Kuda Haraa.

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We have a huge passion for traveling! Travel is how we learn so much about ourselves, as a couple, and now as a family. We also want to bring the world to our children and let them discover that the world is bigger than the four walls around them. Travel broadens our horizons and inspires us so much. We are so thankful for the opportunities we have to travel. We have been to over 30 countries and visited over 100 resorts and counting. Unique honeymoons, luxury travel, and family travel are what we want to bring to our readers. Our goal is to create inspirational and useful content that will spur our readers on to explore and adventure. 

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