Magical moments in the Maldives: Discover your dream island escape

The Maldives are magical. This seemingly endless archipelago of islands and atolls fringed with pearly sand and lush with lagoons lies sprinkled over the deep blue Indian ocean. Tropical beaches cooled by balmy breezes are talc soft and lapped by water as clear as mountain air. And while stays are as soothing as a cocktail at sunset, there’s plenty of cultural life and light adventure too. Sea kayak, dive and snorkel over reefs teeming with life. Spy giant whale sharks as big as a bus one moment and see tiny clownfish, hidden in iridescent anemones the next. Here’s how to spend your time in the Maldives...

Adventures by day

It’s not just the intimate beachside luxury that makes the Maldives so special. It’s the unique mix of ancient culture and nature-based adventure. The Maldives comes in bewildering variety: with more than 1,000 islands and a history stretching back some 4,000 years, there’s lots to explore.

Head to Addu and Malé cities – the archipelago’s cultural capitals to sample the islands’ rich culture, crafts and cuisine. Both cities bristle with historic minarets and sugar-white mosques such as the 17th Century Hukuru Miskiiy World Heritage Site which is covered in elaborate filigree woodcarvings and Maldivian lacquer decoration.

Take time to meet the Maldivian people and share in their rich musical culture and art. East Africans and Arabs, Portuguese and Indian Buddhists all conquered, colonised or passed through the islands. The local language Dhivehi mixes them all, as does the rich Maldivian island culture. Watch a live Bodu Beru music performance where African-intricate rhythms are beaten out on drums made from hollowed out coconut palms. Visit a local village to see the Arab-tinged Thaara choral dance with its dizzying dervishcrescendo of sound and movement, performed by young men in white sarongs. Shop the markets for woven rattan mats, delicately carved corals and lacquered wooden ornaments.

With its flavour-fusion of Asian, European and African, the local food will have your mouth watering: Portuguesestyle fish balls come in chilli-soaked curry sauces; masbon’di is a local way of serving fish, wrapped in leaves filled with spice and slow baked; naroh falidha are breadfruit doughnuts which are perfumed with jasmine water and sweetened with palm tree molasses. There’s light adventure alongside the culture too. Kayak the mangrove inlets in Addu city’s conservation park or nearby Huraa Reserve and spot giant blue mud crabs and flocks of flying fox fruit bats. Or hike the boardwalks and woodlands of Dhigemahkoda Nature Park to see heron-waded wetlands and beachside bushes alive with nesting terns.

Under the sea

With over a thousand islands and more atolls than any other nation on Earth, the Maldives is one of the best places in the world to enjoy underwater life. And with shallow lagoons filled with coral gardens, fish-swirling shipwrecks and deep reef walls that drop into the inky blue, there’s an underwater adventure for you – whether you’re an experienced diver, a novice snorkeller or new to swimming.

With oceans this pristine and nearly 90,000 square kilometres of underwater wilderness, there is world-class diving to be found in the Maldives wherever you stay. It’s easy to do with resorts throughout the country offering training and dive excursions at all levels. Swim with reef sharks around the Maaya Thila pinnacle – a pyramid of coral-covered rock that rises from the indigo ocean.

Float through the caves of Kandooma Thila and spot green turtles and huge schools of bass and trevally. Drift with giant manta rays over the deep drop-off at Emas Thila point. And dive the wrecks at Kuda Giri, Keyodhoo or Kudihmaa – where sunken cargo ships encrusted with life are surrounded by shimmering shoals of fish.

There’s great snorkelling right off the jetty, too. All of the Maldives’ islands are ringed with a house reef – a turquoise garden of multi-coloured corals swimming with life. Atolls offer shallow, sandy lagoons visited by stingrays and turtles, fringed with reef walls where big open ocean fish hover over the deep blue. And you can take boat trips to Lhaviyani, Malé or Ari to swim with eagle rays and turtles or head out into the open ocean itself for encounters with whale sharks and mantas.

Can’t swim? No problem. You can still see the Maldives rich reef life at one of the islands’ underwater hotel or restaurants. In the Conrad, for example, guests sleep surrounded by sharks and barracudas in glass-walled rooms that sit three metres under the ocean. Similarly, at the H2O, Kihavahand 5.8 restaurants, diners sit in a tunnel below the waves with 360-degree views.

Princely spas, shimmering stars, cocktails by moonlight in oceanside bars… you’ll find them all in the Maldives. These islands have some of the most beautiful and romantic beachside hotels in the world. There are liveaboards too, and cheaper options for those visiting on a budget.

Want to wake in an over-the-water bungalow to a golden sunrise over the ocean? Or plunge into turquoise water or a private pool for a pre-breakfast dip? It’s easy to do in the Maldives. There’s dining for two by candlelight on a secluded beach in intimate adults only resorts and boutique hotels – like the Raffles, which comes with an over-the-water spa, glass kayaks and yoga at dawn. The huge villas at Gili Lankanfushi (with their infinity tubs and rooftop star decks) are so secluded you can only reach them by private boat. And all the villas at the superb state-of- the-art spa resort at the Antantara Veli sit in the water on a shallow lagoon teeming with life.

There’s plenty for families here as well. Active families with young adults flock to the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa for night swims under the stars, kayaking, dolphin tours and superb diving. The Waldorf Astoria is one of many resorts with huge family-sized villas, toddler-friendly pools and a wealth of restaurants including the treetop Terra with it’s over the beach and ocean sunset views. The Baglioni has huge menus of child-friendly activities from treasure hunts to reef walks, ice cream-making classes and junior yoga.

The Maldives offers myriad liveaboard stays. Choose from divefocused trips on the Honors Legacy, Maldives Explorer luxury motor yachts, sailing on a traditional Dhoni yacht, or with a crew just for two on the Soneva.

For a more authentic stay, choose a guesthouse such as the family-focused beachside Kaani Grand and the Tourist Inn which is perfectly positioned for exploring the historical heart of Malé city, offering you a real insight into the Maldives’ local life and culture.

Feeling inspired? 

Start planning your dream visit to The Maldives now by heading over to the official website. 

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