Hundreds of beautiful islands to choose from, fine white sand, amazing turquoise waters, breathtaking corals and reef. If there was ever a “best beach and reef” contest, Maldives would be the indisputable Queen. No wonder it is a top honeymoon destination. The definition of paradise…
Short and sweet
Capital: Male (from here you will get the water plane or boat to your island of choice)
Top must: Snorkelling, scuba diving and just swimming in these amazing waters
Eating out: At the hotel (normally you have only one hotel in each island)
When to visit: Busy and more pricey around New Year, check weather suggestions specifically for your island as it varies from north to south
Attention: Don’t touch/cut the corals (they will die and you might be fined) and respect the muslim locals (ie no topless or vulgar attire anywhere in Maldives, no pork or alcohol outside the resort)
To get by: English (and other languages in the hotels), USD in the resorts
Did you know? A coconut was detained in 2013 in Maldives by the police after claims it was involved in black magic. A white magician was called and established that the coconut was innocent and hence it luckily escaped arrest.
How to get to paradise?
First of all, how do you get there? There are direct international flights from most hubs to Male, the capital of Maldives and the most densely populated city in the world! From there you will board a seaplane: great experience and wonderful views on the many islands from high up – we even saw an impressive 30m+ whale from above.
Your hotel will arrange the transfer from Male for you. We stayed at Constance Moofushi and just loved it (full review here). You will be picked up upon arrival in Male and escorted to the hotel’s lounge, where you can enjoy a refreshing drink and snacks until your water-plane is ready (the plane might stop in a couple of other islands to drop other guests too, so you might get the chance to also see another resort from your window). Alternatively, you can reach your island by boat if your island is close to Male – this option is cheaper than the water-plane.
Can you do island hopping in Maldives?
Not really. You might have tried island hopping in beautiful Greece, but the distances in Maldives are quite significant between the various islands and most flights have to go via Male and therefore it can be a bit of a tiring trip to check out properly another resort. Speak to your hotel, in case they have another sister hotel nearby you can visit.
Generally you will find small islands inhabited by locals nearby the resorts. The hotels tend to arrange visits to these local villages. Normally an employee of the hotel that is originally from the local village provides you with insights into the life of the locals and the island’s history.
Why do they say “No news, no shoes” in Maldives?
You may have heard this expression before for Maldives. The fine white sand is very smooth and doesn’t get hot, because it is made of the corals and shells, hence your feet will not be burnt even when the temperatures are high. So you don’t really need any shoes in Maldives. Nothing beats the amazing feeling of wearing no shoes and walking barefoot and it is very healthy to relief stress and improve sleep. Have you ever heard of Earthing? More about it soon on a separate article, but noting quickly that walking barefoot 1 hour a day outdoors improves a lot your health and well-being.
No news? Who needs news or communication with the outside world when you can enjoy this paradise for few days? Yes, almost all hotels will provide solid wifi, but try to avoid using it and enjoy your every moment. Chances are you will have probably paid a lot for your Maldives holidays and it might be once in a lifetime experience, so make the most of it!
Snorkelling, diving, sunbathing and just chillaxing
You never have enough time to enjoy all the great activities that a Maldives holiday offers: scuba-diving for the amazing reef, snorkelling, swimming, dolphin watching, beach volleyball, swimming with sand sharks…
I will let the photos do most of the talking!
One point to note is that for scuba diving you will need a diving certificate (padi), which you can get in Maldives, but it is probably wiser to do your first lessons and training in another country if you can, as Maldives can be quite expensive. You should just enjoy Maldives as much as possible, rather than spending time and money in diving certificates.
Maldives offers the world’s best “Underwater World”
Aside from the stunning white-sand beaches, Maldives is primarily well known for its wonderful blue lagoons and the amazing underwater world.
Indulge yourself
Maldives is primarily a honeymoon and romantic holiday destination, so you will find plenty of opportunities to pamper yourself. Enjoy some nice spa and massage treatments. Book a candle dinner on the beach, a sunset cruise, ask the hotel to arrange a private movie night for you and your loved one to enjoy the romance under the stars!
Make a wish (or many of them!)
Last, but not least, let’s not forget about star gazing… Due to the fact that each island in Maldives is far from the city lights, lie down on the beach, cuddle up and enjoy a wonderful sky full of stars. Coldplay must have been inspired by Maldives (“Sky full of stars” was the couple’s entry song for our wedding dinner, irrelevant I know, but Maldives nights kept reminding me of it!). So line up all your positive thoughts, because you will get the chance to see many falling stars. May all your wishes come true!
Have you been to Maldives? Which island/resort did you stay at? Check out my review on the amazing Constance Moofushi. Looking forward to read out your experience in the comments.
