Maldives Travel Guide

Hello and welcome back. I hope you have been enjoying the new look on the blog. Being travel-deprived for more than a year hasn’t been the best especially when 2020 was supposed to be the year of travel for us. However, now that there seems to be a light at the end of this tunnel (almost) it has made me think about all the trips we have had over the years and our first one was our honeymoon in the Maldives. So here is my Maldives travel guide for you honeymooners or families alike.

Truly a Paradise with white sandy beaches and clear azure waters Maldives is and will always be one of my favourite places to holiday in the whole world. It is postcard perfect and absolutely breathtaking. I can never get tired of the view, would you?

First look of when you land at Male airport is the blue waters and the lovely green trees. You come out of arrivals to this jetty which is the pick up point for your resort transport.

Villa Nautica, Maldives – Previously known as Paradise Island Resort

We had about a week on the Paradise Island Resort & spa by Villa hotels (Now Villa Nautica) where we stayed in one of their lux beach villas with private beach access, simple and effective decor, a luxury bath with a huge mirror (great for those selfies) and an outdoor shower in your very own small but private back garden.

There are some beautiful tree-clad paths all around the resort that are spread right along the beach. It really doesn’t get any better than this in the price tag. Arrival to check-in, the process was really seamless and I remember that I really liked the fresh drinks we were offered first thing when we arrived at the hotel reception.

For honeymooners, this is the perfect destination because of how peaceful and secluded the islands are. You are essentially in your own bubble and there is no hustle-bustle that you would typically see on the European beaches. However, that doesn’t mean that Maldives doesn’t know how to party! The resorts usually have lots of events and evenings planned for a great time on the island so it’s a great vibe. Having said that It’s a great destination for a leisurely family vacation as well.

I have to say we have some great memories from our trip to the Maldives and when we did go there we decided we will come back someday with our children. When we first visited we started our journey from India but from the UK it will cost considerably more.

Maldives Travel Guide – things you need to know before you travel

1. First things first, most passports don’t need to apply for a visa to visit the Maldives for tourism unless you are planning to stay for more than 30 days. Usually, you would receive a free tourist visa on arrival max of 30 days at the immigration desk at Male International Airport.

2. Maldives is a Islamic country so no alcohol is permitted to be brought into its capital. So try not to buy any duty-free otherwise it would be confiscated at the airport. They used to keep it safe for you until you fly back but this was 10 yrs ago. I can’t be sure if that’s still the case. Having said that, you can have all the alcohol you need at your resort that’s completely legal.

3. There are about 1000+ islands in the Maldives and each island is a resort of its own. Each Resort will give you something different so it’s very important to do your research to cater to your needs.

4. They say the best way to see the Maldives is to go island hopping. Meaning you book multiple resorts few days each and get to experience as many islands as you can. When we went 10 yrs ago we didn’t do that but the idea sounds grand!

5. The weather in the Maldives is fairly good all year round but can get slightly rainy from April to June and that would be the best time to save a lot of money if you went in the off-peak season. We went sometime in November and still had a rainy day.

6. Make sure you book your transfer from the airport to the resort in advance with your resort otherwise you will be waiting a while for the local services.

7. While the resort islands are quite liberal, Male itself is a bit conservative so if you decide to visit the local area then be respectful and wear something fully covered.

8. Food wise you will have the most fabulous selection of cuisines and every resort will take care of all sorts of dietary requirements. So food will never be a worry.

9. Alcohol is cheaper than you would expect it to be in case you don’t go all-inclusive.

10. If you are someone who likes to have a late breakfast go half board and save money that way.

Things to do in the Maldives

Here are a few things you can do in the Maldives.

1. Go swimming with the Manta rays and Stingrays

Probably one of the only places I know where the stingrays are swimming around you! And before you freak out they are quite friendly. If you don’t spook them then you are alright.

2. Have a romantic Meal

One of the best things about being the top honeymoon destination is that Maldivian resorts have the best romantic surprise arrangements you can ever want whether it is a floating breakfast tray in the pool or a meal on the beach with the waves hitting your feet or a candlelit dinner you name it they have it all. So honeymooners bank that romantic surprise sometime within your stay.

3. Spa day

I mean can every day be spa day? some of the best massages and spa packages are available to you on the resort.

4. Go Snorkeling

Get an expert for this for the first time and then you know what you are looking for. Deeper dives will be guided and can be more expensive than regular shallow water snorkelling.

5. Water sports

Every resort has its own water sports available to book. Or depending on your board type you will be able to pick some of the water sports offerings for free.

6. Go on the glass bottom boat ride

To spot the coral reefs and the sea life in the deeper water take a trip on the glass bottom boat your resort will have.

7. Go dolphin spotting

This was one of my favourite trips when we went deep in the ocean in search of dolphins and we spotted a family of 5 dolphins swimming and doing all sorts of flips. It was truly spectacular to watch.

8. Sunset watch

I mean, when in the Maldives just enjoy the sunsets with your favourite drink in your hand and your favourite person by your side, what else do you need?

Hope you enjoyed my Maldives travel guide and love the place as much as I do, If you haven’t already do look at my brief post about Venice, Italy, I still need to do another one about the islands around Venice but all in good time. See you soon XX