The ultimate Maldives travel guide : the best hotels and activities

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The ultimate Maldives travel guide

You are dreaming to visit the Maldives? Swimming in turquoise water, relax on a white-sand beach or see marine animals in their natural habitat? This Maldives travel guide is for you! We have been to the Maldives recently and we will give you all the tips and tricks about how to get there, where to stay, how to get to your hotel or what activities to do! Read on!

How are composed the Maldives?

The Maldives are located in the Arabian Sea of the Indian Ocean. The capital is Male, the international airport is located on this island. The Maldives are a chain of 26 Atolls who are composed of different islands. The Atolls are composed of living coral reefs and sand bars. Also, the Maldives has a tropical monsoon climate. This destination is famous for the islands and sandbanks but also for his unique marine ecosystem. There are 187 species of coral forming the coral reefs. This area houses fishes, turtles, sharks, dolphins. It is a real paradise for divers and marine animal lovers.

When is the best time to visit the Maldives?

The best time of the year to visit the Maldives is between December and March. But the Maldives are hot and sunny all year round, with average temperatures of 23ºC-31ºC. The high season is between December and March. The monsoon is from May to October, peaking around June. You should avoid this time to avoid the rain. We have been to the Maldives two times. The first time in January and the second time in March and the weather was perfect.

How to get to the Maldives

Malé airport

First of all, you need to book a flight to Malé, the capital of the Maldives. From Europe, the price is around 700$ per person. Then, you have 3 possibilities to get to your hotel: an intern flight, speedboat, or a seaplane. You don’t really have the choice. It is depending on how far is your hotel from Malé airport and what kind of transport your hotel is working with. Before arriving in the Maldives, you need to tell your hotel at what time you will be there. So they can book your transfer to the hotel. When you will arrive at the airport, look for the seaplane office, the transfer or outside for the speedboats.

Intern flight

The first solution is to take an intern flight to your Atoll. There is an “airport island” in the Maldives. After this flight, a speed boat will drive you to your resort.

A speed boat

Also, if the resort is located on an atoll close to Male, the easier solution is to take a boat.

A seaplane

The last one is a seaplane. During our last trip to the Maldives, we have taken a seaplane for the first time. I have to admit that it was an amazing experience. It was so high on my bucket list! It is one of our favorite memory of this trip. The feeling when flying above the beautiful atolls and the lagoons is absolutely incredible. You will fly above these stunning landscapes for around 30/40 minutes and you can enjoy this unique view on this blue paradise. We took the company Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) which is a really good company. Also, I think it’s the only place in the world where you can see the pilot with flip-flops!

Where to stay in the Maldives

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Sun resorts

The Maldives has been known as a luxury destination for a long time, but now there are resorts for every budget! The luxury market is oversaturated, and many affordable hotels have been created lately. If you take your flights in advance and you choose an afforable resort, you can visit the Maldives for a good price! Read this post if you want to visit the Maldives on a budget!

Mövenpick Kured Hivaru

If you are looking for a luxury resort, there are also many amazing and romantic ones in the Maldives. This time, we have stayed in three different hotels. The first one was the Movenpick Kured Hivaru, you can find our blog post about our romantic stay here. This resort is perfect for a honeymoon, or a special occasion, it is very romantic.

Fushifaru

The second one was Fushifaru. The island is beautiful, and the resort has the chance to have a sandbank near the resort. There is a dive center and it is common to see sharks. Effectively, we have seen 5 white tip sharks during our dive session and even a stingray.

Soneva Fushi

The last resort we stayed at was the wonderful Soneva Fushi, a Relais & Chateaux resort. This resort is a luxury eco-resort. It was one of our best experiences so far. The island is a paradise and the service was excellent. You can read our post about Soneva Fushi here.

Activities and excursions to do in the Maldives

Diving and snorkeling

In this Maldives travel guide, we will also give you an idea of all the amazing activities you can do there. For us, the best activities to do in the Maldives are snorkeling and diving. The Maldives is one of the most beautiful scuba diving destinations on earth. Almost all resorts have a diving center. So, it is easy to book a dive. Due to its reputation, the dive price is very high, around 150$ per person for a one-hour dive. The Maldives are famous for the turtles, sharks, stingrays, colorful fishes and so on. You won’t be disappointed. It definitely worths the price!

If you are afraid of diving, but you would like to try, read our post about why you should try scuba diving! If it is not your thing, you can enjoy the Maldives reefs by snorkeling. Take your palm and fins and go explore the reef! Usually, it is free, you can borrow the gear at your hotel.

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Dolphins cruise

The dolphins in the Maldives are some of the most amazing and magical activities we have ever done. Watching the sunset on the boat and see the dolphins swimming and following the boat was absolutely unforgettable.

Sleep in an overwater bungalow

If was on the top of my bucket list! I wanted to stay in a water bungalow for son long! And it was an amazing experience. Waking up on the water was a magical feeling. It is very special to sleep just above the water.

Excursion on a private sandbank

You can book an excursion to a private sandbank for the day, with a picnic. For my birthday, we have done this excursion and it was a magical day! We went to this beautiful sandbank, only 10 minutes from the hotel by boat. We had a picnic on the sand and then we enjoyed this beautiful and quiet place that we had just our ourselves!

Fly over the Maldives

Our experience in a seaplane was one of the best memories of our Maldives trip. The islands create a pattern in the sea as the deep ocean crashes into sandbars and coral reefs. Many islands are surrounded by miles of shallow waters low enough to wade through at low tide.

Chill out and enjoy paradise!

Sometimes, it just a pleasure to stop everything, relax and contemplate nature. Just being in front of this amazing scene and admiring the landscape is a good reason to visit the Maldives!

Try kayaking or paddle

We had so much fun kayaking around the island in these clear waters! Don’t forget to take a hat!

Are you planning to visit the Maldives?

To conclude, we highly recommend the Maldives! It is one of our top 3 best destinations where we have ever been. It is a perfect destination for couples, families, and honeymoons. If you are looking for turquoise water, white sand and beautiful diving/snorkeling spots you won’t be disappointed!

We hope you enjoyed this Maldives travel guide my travel fam! If you are planning your trip to the Maldives or if you have already been there let us a comment! 😉

Follow our next adventures on Instagram @chiarabarrasso and @jelafaille

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