Printable destination guide

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Boutique hotels in Maldives

Holidays in the Maldives, Indian Ocean

Maldives Overview

Indian Ocean

Coastline
Water, water everywhere
Coast life
Snorkelling, snoozing and sunbathing

Spread over 26 silk-sanded coral atolls lost in the heart of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives are the textbook desert-island paradise.

Take all the golden-sun, white-sand, azure-water clichés you care to think of, shake well, sprinkle over the equatorial ocean, and season to taste with luxury – well done: you’ve made yourself the Maldives. Its two groups of atolls (North and South) make up the world’s lowest-lying (and most strikingly beautiful) country, rarely reaching more than a few metres above sea level. The archetypal honeymoon destination, these far-flung palm-tree hideaways tick all the tropical-island boxes, offering balmy adults-only seclusion above water, and a spectacular undersea landscape below. Shoals of scuba-lovers come to explore the life aquatic, while loved-up couples and jet-set veterans come for the exclusive resorts. Connected only by speedboat and sea-plane, the Maldives – all 1,192 of them – were made for romantic sun-soaking, beach-based star-gazing, and turquoise-ocean toe-dipping.

Marvellously Maldives

The Maldives has a topographical profile unlike any other country on earth. An archipelago republic consisting of more than 1,000 sand and coral islets, scattered over a 1,000km area like so many stars across the night sky, its beauty is in its remoteness and fragility. The gentlest hummocks of land peek out above a warm, clear sea teeming with aquatic life, making this one of earth's most amazing dive sites.

Local knowledge

Taxis
Every hotel has its own speedboats or fleet of ocean-going vessels – it's the only practical way to get around. They can arrange charter by the hour or by the day if you want to go anywhere further than you can swim.

Tipping culture
Most resorts will include service on your bills for everything from transfers and room service to spa treatments, so you shouldn't worry too much; however, small extra tips for a great massage or for outstanding butler service are at your discretion.

Siesta and Fiesta
On the Maldives, everything revolves around you: eat, sleep and play as and when you like. In general, you'll want to rise early to make the most of the sunshine, and you'll be so relaxed you'll struggle to stay up beyond midnight anyway.

Packing tips
Leave snorkelling kit at home, as you'll be able to borrow some wherever you are; but don't forget your diving log book and certification (and check whether your resorts requires a medical certificate to let you dive). Underwater camera (although at Huvafen Fushi there'll be a disposable one in your minibar); flip-flops.

Recommended reads
In Daniel Defoe's Robinsoe Crusoe, the paradise may have been Pacific but the tale is still a castaway classic. Contemporary travel writer Thurston Clarke goes island-hopping round the world in Islomania: A Journey Among the Last Real Islands. Get up close and personal with the Indian Ocean itself with A Photo Guide to Fishes of the Maldives by Rudie H Kuiter.

Cuisine
Maldivian cuisine draws heavily on the aromatically spiced and coconut-softened curries of southern India and Sri Lanka – and of course makes use of the plentiful supply of fresh, fresh fish. Particular delights are the creamy fish curries, tuna steaks, marinaded Maldivian lobster and grilled fresh snapper, served with lentil-based dishes such as dhal or steamed rice and chargrilled vegetables. As the Maldives is a muslim republic, pork dishes are understandably a bit of a rarity – but we think you can cope without bangers for breakfast for a few weeks (and if you can't, there are beef sausages, instead). The Maldives is also a big producer of watermelons: try fat juicy slices of this most refreshing of fruits chilled, juiced or cubed in salads – it's also thankfully low on airmiles, unlike much of the food imported to these remote islands.

Currency
The Maldivian Rufiya (MDR) – although US dollar are the more commonly used currency in resorts.

Time zone
GMT +6.

Dialling codes
Country code for Maldives: +960.

Do go/don't go
There's never really a 'bad' time to go to the Maldives, which has a wonderful year-round climate – even in the Monsoon season (mid-May–November), you'd be very unlucky to get more than a few days' rain on the trot. Christmas is very popular, as is anytime up to Easter, although you might be lucky and find deals for late January getaways.

Don't go home without

… taking plenty of photos – underwater and overwater. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, in the Maldives you’re invariably the centre of a perfect picture opportunity. All your snaps will look travel-brochure dreamy, and your friends will be aqua with envy…

Maldives Hotels

€ £ $

Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Maldives


Cocoa Island

Maldives, Indian Ocean

Style
Faraway island fantasy

Setting
The bluest lagoon

This Maldivian paradise retreat doesn't shout about its luxury-resort credentials – despite having a quite astonishing number of them. Cocoa Island's 33 secluded over-water villas embody understated elegance, with five-star comforts by the discreet bucket-load.

View hotel
Doubles from:

(USD 680)

A private meditation session or yoga class for two, and a bottle of champagne Member offer

Book now

Huvafen Fushi

Maldives, Indian Ocean

Style
Maxi-minimal dream come true

Setting
Ocean colour scene

You've dipped toes in the iridescent lagoon, dined under a palm tree, snorkelled a Technicolor reef and flopped out on a private stretch of powdery-sand perfection. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, you found Huvafen Fushi's underwater spa…

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Doubles from:

(USD 880)

Aperitifs and canapés served on your private deck on one night of your stay Member offer

7 nights for the price of 6 Special offers

Book now


Getting there

Holidays in the Maldives, Indian Ocean

Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.

Planes
The main international airport is at Malé (+960 325511; www.airports.com.mv), central to both the North and South atolls: fly in from the US or the UK via Dubai with Emirates Airlines, or connect from an Etihad flight into Abu Dhabi. There are also numerous direct charter flights into Malé from the UK. Alternatively, you can fly in via Sri Lanka or India. You may then have to make a short hop by seaplane to your resort if it's not accessible by speedboat, take a domestic flight to one of the airports at the northern- or southern-most atolls of the Maldives.
Boats
If you're an international sea-farer, you can arrive by yacht, but you'll need to check in with the authorities at Malé. Most resorts will arrange a speedboat transfer to get you from Malé to your personal paradise island when you book your stay.
Automobiles
A car will be about as much use to you here as a baking tray made of butter; if you want to explore, ask your hotel about chartering a wooden dhoni, catamaran or speedboat for the day.

Boutique hotels in Maldives

Holidays in the Maldives, Indian Ocean

Maldives Activities

Highlights the best the Maldives has to offer, from island-hopping and spa spoiling to underwater adventures; we've even found the most inspiring place to enjoy the views from.

Worth getting out of bed for

Maldives itinerary
More…

Viewpoint
There aren't many countries where you're guaranteed a 360º view of the sea from almost anywhere you stand/sit/lie down. However, one of our favourite views is from Lonu Veyo – a tiny saltwater flotation pool isolated in the languid shallows off Huvafen Fushi island. It's saltier than the Dead Sea, so it's also fabulous for your skin (as well as making limbs improbably bouyant). Alternatively, hop aboard a sea plane from Cocoa Island for a heron's eye view of the islands.

Arts and culture
In the Maldivian capital, Malé, little evidence of the former kingdom's palatial or ancient Buddhist architecture exists. Day trips from resorts will generally give you a tour of the city, taking in some shopping in the lively Machangolhi quarter, the golden-domed Islamic Centre, the Presidential Palace, the fish market and the Grand Mosque. In the Alif Alif Atoll there are more Buddhist archaeological remains, particularly on Thoddoo, but most sites are in a poor state and not worth a trip.

Something for nothing
With so much underwater action to see off these islands, even a novice is guaranteed take to snorkelling like the proverbial duck to water here: both Cocoa Island and Huvafen Fushi provide masks, fins and snorkels to guests for free, and the ocean is literally alive with rainbow-coloured fish, soft corals and fascinating crustaceans. What are you waiting for?

Shopping
Try to buy some virgin coconut oil produced on the Maldives: healing, anti-bacterial and supposedly anti-ageing, it also smells delicious.

Daytripper
Go island-hopping: charter a dhoni or speedboat for the day and find your own private corner of paradise for a barbecue lunch on the beach of an uninhabited island, or check out some of the small, typical Maldivian fishing villages such as Maafushi, near Cocoa Island.

Best beach
We don't think you need our help with this one – sally forth and find your own.

Walks
With most resort islands measuring only a few hundred metres across, if you want to stretch your legs properly you're better off going for a swim.

Activities
Scuba diving over bustling coral reefs; learning to sail a catamaran; star-gazing from candlelit sundecks; picnic excursions to nearby islands by speedboat or kayak; deep-sea fishing or dolphin-watching trips; water-skiing, windsurfing and all manner of water sports. From Cocoa Island, take a snorkelling trip out to Fushifathi Finolhu, or travel 40 metres under the sea in a submarine. Cocoa Island's dive centre is particularly good, and slap-bang next to Cocoa Thila, one of the Maldives' top 10 dive spots.

Diary

December Christmas and New Year is peak time on the Maldives, so book well in advance if you plan to visit over the holiday season. March Parades mark the Maldives National Day on Malé. July More parades and celebrating in the streets of Malé for Independence Day on the 26th. September/October Ramadan – the holy month of fasting – starts two weeks earlier every year, according to the lunar cycle.

Boutique hotels in Maldives

Resorts and bars in the Maldives, Indian Ocean

Maldives
Eating, drinking and dancing

We've tracked down the best cafés for people-watching, the bars with the coolest cocktails, the most accomplished restaurants and the liveliest local nightlife in Maldives.


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