What not to miss in the Maldives

1 Book a Luxury Resort

Maldives has become the main luxury play ground in the world for newlyweds, surfers, divers, spa enthusiasts, sunbathers and even occasional celebrities. Synonyms for unsurpassed luxury, the Maldives have the most expensive hotels on the planet, with rooms that match the archipelago's reputation.

Those who have the opportunity to shell out - often more than $ 5,000 a night - for some of the most decadent luxury resort entertainment in the world will be spoiled for choice. Each resort is built on a private tropical island, providing exclusivity, tranquility and full privacy.

Guests can choose between villas built on dazzling white sand on the beach or in bungalows located on stilts over the shimmering blue lagoons. The ultra-luxury spa, restaurants with Michelin stars, unsurpassed butler service and impressive wine cellars.

To help you choose the right resort for your upcoming Maldivian rendezvous, we published a list of the 10 most preferred hotels in the Maldives, each with its own choice of luxury that made the Maldives so famous. READ MORE

2 Seaplane experience

For most travelers, the iconic image of the Maldives is a deep blue ocean dotted with tiny palm islands surrounded by crystal clear lagoons and sugar-white beaches. The only way to see this spectacular view of 50 shades of blue is from the air and although you catch a some shots while landing at Male airport, you will be offered the best viewpoint for spectacular panoramic views - on seaplane board. Indeed, while all hotels in the North and South Male Atolls use speedboats to / from the airport for guest transfers, more distant (and often more luxurious) resorts require a seaplane transfer with a flight duration from 20 minutes to one hour. Most of seaplane services in the Maldives are provided by Trans Maldivian Airways. A seaplane trip in the Maldives and admiration of a paradise archipelago from a bird's eye view is one of the most impressive experience that this destination can offer. READ MORE

3 Stay at Water Villa

Almost all water villas in the world are located in French Polynesia (the South Pacific) and in the Maldives, although there are some alternatives that can be found outside these unrivaled Bounty islands. Currently, there are about 8,000 overwater bungalows / villas in the world, and about two thirds of them are in the Maldives. Staying in a luxury villa, standing on stilts over a beautiful stretch of turquoise lagoon, is highly appreciated by the most discerning travelers and for a certain reason. Indeed, it is difficult to overcome the desire to stay on a paradise island in a bungalow-style room, perched above the untouched waters, where immersion in the warm sea waters of the Indian Ocean is literally beyond your doorstep. The most exclusive Maldives' resorts offer a luxurious accomodation that will surpass your wildest dreams, with stunning amenities and views: from outdoor terraces and infinity pools to glass floor panels and retractable roofs, allowing guests to admire the fish schools below or look higher into the tropical starry sky. READ MORE

4 Relaxation on the Magnificent Beaches

Maldives is a paradise and one of the best beach destinations in the world, and it is very difficult to argue with this fact. More than 1000 islands are decorated with white sandy beaches and are surrounded by the most turquoise water. The only thing you hear on the beach is the whisper of palm trees swaying in the wind, and the hiss of Indian ocean's warm waters licking powdery soft sands. If you like spending your lazy days on your own stretch of white beach, while the golden rays of the sun caress your body, then you should book a beach villa where there is nothing but sand and the blue sea. While most of the beaches in the Maldives are amazing, the quality of sand differs from island to island, since, unfortunately, some resorts use sandbags, sea walls and breakwaters to preserve the condition of their idyllic beaches. The following luxury resorts include the cleanest, white, talcum sand, widely embracing their idyllic islands: Top 10 best beaches in the Maldives. READ MORE

5 Scuba Diving

Statistically, almost half of the guests in the Maldives come with the intention to go with snorkeling or diving or, once they see the crystal clear waters and colorful fish and corals, can not resist trying. Indeed, the hypnotic beauty of the majestic underwater world surrounding the paradise islands is beyond imagination. Deep channels divide 26 atolls, starting from Haa Alifu atoll in the north more than 800 kilometers to Addu Atoll in the south and concentrating nutrient-rich ocean currents. The latter supports the abundance of marine life, turning the Maldives into one of the world's best places for scuba diving, as well as the best place on the globe for diving or snorkeling with giant whale sharks, harmless reef sharks and impressive manta rays. Most resorts have their own certified diving center PADI and offer easy access to world-class dive sites suitable for divers of all levels of experience; Diving schools also host courses to teach a new comers how to dive themselves in the colorful underwater world. READ MORE

6 Snorkeling

If diving for you sounds too difficult, you will be pleased to learn that the Maldives stand head and shoulders above any other destination in the world when it comes to snorkeling. Swimming with a mask and snorkel is open to anyone who knows how to swim and does not require much experience. At all the resorts, around the island there is a so-called "house reef", where a small lagoon drop off into deeper ocean waters. A home reef is an area close to a vertical wall, where corals begin to gather in the form of gardens that abound in marine life and colorful fish. The shallow waters surrounding the house reef is also a large natural pool and protects swimmers from ocean waves and strong currents outside the reef. Snorkeling in the Maldives can give you close contact with everything from fish-surgeons, tuna and parrot fish, to eagles, turtles and even sharks. The quality of the house reef is different from the resort to the resort, and the best coral reefs are located in Anantara Kihavah Villas, Angsana Ihuru, Bandos Island Resort, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, Filitheyo Island Resort, Kandolhu Island Maldives, among others. Check our top 10 snorkeling resorts with best house reef. READ MORE

7 Rejuvenate with an ocean view

The mind, body and spirit benefit from a relaxing holiday in the Maldives, especially when it is enhanced by relaxing and rejuvenating treatment sessions at the spa. It is estimated that there are approximately 110 top-class spa in the resorts, as well as several spa in Male and even one in Male Airport + unofficial spas servicing guests staying on inhabited islands. In Maldives, the spa is much more than the traditional sense of a commercial institution offering health and beauty treatments. Resorts not only meet the luxurious standard of accommodation, but also go beyond its design and layout. In the lagoon there are overwater spas that enjoy panoramic sea views; Spas in the garden surrounded by lush tropical vegetation; Spas on its own islands; Spas on the beach and in temple sanctuaries; Spas is caressed by serenades of bubbling waters and phenomenal underwater spas. Each spa aims to convey an exciting atmosphere of tranquility, where exotic therapy challenges the imagination. READ MORE

8 Swimming with Whale Sharks & Manta Rays

Swimming with Whale Sharks & Manta Rays ticks the top on bucket list of many visitors in the Maldives. Being one of the biggest fishes in the ocean and one of the most majestic creatures to see underwater, snorkeling or diving with these gentle giants is one of the ultimate experiences. Fortunately the Maldives is a breathtaking destination for sightings of whale sharks and manta rays all year round. However, good to know where and when to watch them. READ MORE

9 Destination Dining

World famed powdery sands, deserted pearl strung islands, and one of the greatest diving destinations on the planet, are charms which naturally catapult the Maldives to the top of most people’s holiday hot list. Dining and romance go hand in hand in the Maldives. Enjoy private dinner for two under a starlit sky while sipping champagne with canapés and floating on a private platform gently bobbing on the ocean, on a palm-studded private island, a secluded spot on the beach with your toes in the sand and with a breathtaking view, or at a candlelit table on the sundeck of your overwater bungalow as you marvel over the incredibly romantic sunset in stylish, surreal surroundings – all paired with impeccable service. READ MORE

10 Enjoy Maldivian Food

There's so much variety within Maldivian cuisine that it may be impossible to try all Maldivian dishes in your lifetime, let alone at one time. Maldivian cuisine is also one of the most delicious and healthy cuisines in the world that you may have never heard of. Based on rice, fish, coconuts and aromatic spices, local chefs create real masterpieces that explode in your mouth with a rainbow of delicious tastes.

From traditional food on the beach to homely interpretations of Maldivian cuisine, these are our favourite dishes to try in the Maldives. READ MORE