there is no place on earth like Maldives. Coming out of my mouth, since I have traveled to 113 countries and seen incredible places, this is a major statement. I return to the beautiful island so often that I decided to put together the ultimate Maldives travel guide — and 7 reasons to book your vacation.
Everything you’ve heard about the Maldives is true: mellow temperature, crystal-clear lagoons; whimsical, gigantic overwater villas; sunsets you’ve only seen in your dreams; utterly deserted white-sand beaches; Personal butler.
The wellspring of vacation dreams, the Maldives is at the top of everyone’s wish list. Vacationing here is not only worth the splurge, but also the trek. With no direct flights, it can take up to 24 hours to get there from the US, but wealthy travelers and honeymooners have no qualms about making their dream trip. That’s why I need to put together an ultimate Maldives vacation guide to let you know all these important things!
Is the Maldives safe?
I get this question a lot, especially from gay travelers. Unfortunately, the Maldives is governed by Sharia law, which is considered an anti-gay Islamic practice. Thankfully, however, Sharia law is *only* contained on the main island of the capital, Male, and you won’t be going there. Velana International Airport is actually on a small island near Male, which has no tourism infrastructure, so there is no reason for people to go there. On arrival at the airport, your butler will pick you up and your vacation begins immediately (read below).
Another note on safety: Maldives resorts are *very* picky about the staff they hire, and staff must undergo extensive training to accept and tolerate all types of guests. From my personal experience, finding a job at one of the island resorts is also extremely competitive. No employee would jeopardize their job by being petty, people who work at island resorts do it to a) save money b) get away from Male!
If you haven’t already, treat yourself to new sunglasses like I did! Honestly, I think Bloomingdales is the way to go. Check them out here.
Resorts on the island are mostly run by large hotel chains who will not tolerate any bias among their staff, so you can rest assured that any visitor holidaying here is safe. Honestly, that’s why I needed to do an ultimate vacation guide to the Maldives. You need to know these things!
How much does a vacation cost?
Here’s another question I get often, and I’ll tell you quickly: Is the Maldives expensive autofocus.
First of all, you have to take into account that you will be spending a lot of money on your flight. From the US, you’ll probably fly to the Middle East or Asia and connect there (no direct flights), so that’s already $1,000 to $2,000 per person (economy class). Depending on which island resort you choose to book, you’ll have to take a short flight with Water Hole Skydive on Trans Maldives Airways, which costs around $500 per person round trip.
Resorts average $1,000 per night. You can find rates for as low as $600 to $1,000 per night, mostly in the off-season, but after adding up all taxes and resort fees, you can safely assume you’re spending around $1,000 per night. I’ve added a link to Booking Buddy because that site scours the best booking sites to find you the best prices, so you might find a better discount.
Resorts don’t come often for all-inclusives, averaging $100 per person per day…and the spa, where you’re bound to book a treatment or two.
So, depending on your budget and length of stay, or whether you’re trying to save money or splurge, you’ll still be spending thousands of dollars, a safe average is USD 10,000 minimum 4 nights per couple.
I have spent a total of 6 weeks in the Maldives over the past few years and would not hesitate to return. If you’re thinking of holidaying here, the splurge and the trek are worth it, and I’ve highlighted why below in my ultimate Maldives holiday guide.
These are the main reasons why Maldives is the perfect choice for your next vacation.
1. Maldives is very romantic.
Maldives caters for honeymoon couples. 80% of Maldives tourists are couples, which is why it is a hotspot for honeymooners. Honeymooners want a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they cannot have anywhere else, and the Maldives is that place.
There’s no other place in the world where you can stay in an oversized overwater bungalow, enjoy butler service, dine on gourmet meals, and enjoy the perfect tropical climate on a private island where you can go days without seeing anyone else.
The resort also has a spa with water views, an infinity pool and private nooks and crannies scattered throughout the property for romance, such as cabanas and hammocks tucked away in various secret locations.
2. Water villas are sexy, but spend your money on beach villas.
Overwater villas are the most booked in the Maldives, and for good reason. They are so private and exotic that you can jump off the deck into the crystal clear sea and swim with tropical fish and rays.
While I love water villas, I also love spending time in beach villas. They’re just as big, just as flashy, and often have bigger pools. And that’s the main reason: There are few places in the world where you can roll out of bed and be in the sand in just 10 steps. This is not an exaggeration. I’ve been to Miami, Mexico, Bora Bora, Hawaii…all those places you think exist not because of their zoning laws.
Beach villas in the Maldives right on the beach. In the Maldives, you don’t have to take the elevator, Through the resort, across the street, whatever, on the beach like nowhere else. you are right.
3. The Maldives is six degrees from the equator.
What does it mean? Perfect for hot weather. There’s no better weather for a tropical vacation than this. It was a perfect match for the hot weather and the cool, clear, transparent, aqua-blue sea all around.
Bring sunscreen! And drink plenty of water.
4. You’ve been on a secluded private island resort.
Basically every resort in the Maldives rents out a private island (or “atoll”). You do not share the island with any other resort. When you arrive at your booked Maldives hotel, you and the other guests will be the only ones there.
It’s basically a desert island.
There are no malls, no nightlife hubs, no hordes of tourists. It’s very exotic and the islands are very small. Many of the islands I have visited can be walked the entire island in less than 15 minutes in most cases.
Also, keep in mind that these resorts are very private. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a villa with over 100 villas. In fact, the average number of villas in a luxury resort ranges from 15 to 50 villas. So even if the resort is full or sold out, you’ll never see more than 100 people. Even on the busiest dinner night, we only saw 4 people as most people would be ordering in their villas.
Of course, it all depends on which resort you book, but the bigger the resort, the more restaurants they have, which means guests will be spread out all over the place. That’s why we need to present you the ultimate Maldives holiday guide. you will never know!
5. You will have the beach to yourself.
The sugar-white sandy beach in the Maldives is so white that people have to squint their eyes, but it is also desolate. You could have it all. I’ve spent a total of six weeks in the Maldives over the past few years, and at every resort I’ve stayed at, even the ones that were fully booked, I’ve been on the beach and rarely seen another human being.
To reiterate, the resorts are small with very few villas, so the chances of you bumping into anyone are slim. While you are on the beach, other guests may be at a restaurant or a spa or swimming in the sea or lounging in their villas.
Most resorts also have multiple beaches, which is a further indication that you’ll rarely see anyone.
6. There are unique attractions that cannot be found anywhere else.
In the Maldives, there are underwater resorts, underwater restaurants, underwater spas, and many other unique attractions that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Here I write about nine of the craziest things you can only find in the Maldives.
I also made a YouTube video. see below.
7. You are taken care of as soon as you arrive at the airport.
Upon arrival at Velana International Airport, you will be greeted by resort staff once you pass through customs and you can start relaxing right away. Most resorts have a private lounge, so they’ll take you out and sort out any issues you might have en route (sometimes your connecting flight with Trans Maldivian Airways can be an hour or so late, so that’s fine because You can relax in the lounge). If you are going to the resort by boat or ferry, the staff will take you there.
You don’t have to figure out where to go, how to get around, how to make connections, or anything like that. You are taken care of as soon as you exit customs!
When you arrive at the resort, you will be assigned a butler who will pick you up as soon as you arrive at the pier. They will take care of your itinerary, any requests, anything you need, any questions you have and more.
Then, as you head to the airport, resort staff will walk you all the way to the boarding gate for your departing flight and help you check in.
This doesn’t happen anywhere else! That’s why we needed to do an ultimate vacation guide to the Maldives!
Have you ever been to the Maldives? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments, and let us know about our Ultimate Maldives Vacation Guide!
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