Indian Ocean
Maldives
You are not booking a destination. You are booking one small island that you cannot leave for a week — so which island, and how you get to it, is the entire decision.
The short version
The transfer matters as much as the resort
Every Maldives resort sits on its own island, reached by speedboat or seaplane from Malé. Speedboat islands are closer, cheaper to reach and available at any hour. Seaplanes only fly in daylight — so if your flight lands in the evening you'll overnight near the airport before transferring, at your own cost, and lose a day. Nobody mentions this until you've paid.
The first question
Speedboat or seaplane
Speedboat resorts in North and South Malé are 20 to 50 minutes out, cost a few hundred pounds return, and run whenever you land. Seaplane resorts in the further atolls are more remote and more beautiful, cost roughly double, and are daylight-only. Neither is better — but the difference is often £600 a couple and a whole day, and it should be part of the price you compare, not a surprise afterwards.
The second question
The house reef
Some islands have living coral a few metres from the beach; others have a sandy lagoon and you go out by boat. If snorkelling is why you're coming, this is the single most important thing about the resort and it's the thing brochures are vaguest about. Ask us — we'll tell you which islands have reef you can swim to and which don't.
What you're choosing between
Four things that decide the week
Turtles, rays and reef sharks are routine here. On the right island you'll see all three without a boat.
Water villas are the photograph. Beach villas are cooler, cheaper and better for children. Many people split the week between both.
Half board sounds reasonable until you see the drinks bill on an island with one restaurant. All-inclusive is usually the cheaper answer here.
Some islands are entirely adults-only, others have kids' clubs and family villas. It's worth being deliberate about which you land on.
When to go
Dry season, and the shoulder is underrated
November to April is the dry north-east monsoon — calm seas, clear water, and peak prices over Christmas and February half term. May to October brings wind and rain, but usually in bursts rather than all day, and prices fall by a third or more.
April and November are the two months we'd point you at — dry season conditions without the Christmas or half-term surcharge. Manta and whale shark sightings are actually better in the wetter months on the western atolls.
Before you book
Three things worth knowing
Green tax and service charge are extra. There's a per-night environmental tax and a service charge on top of the room rate, payable locally. It's not large but it's not in the headline price either, and we'll tell you what it comes to.
Pair it with Dubai or Sri Lanka. A stopover on the way out often costs less than flying straight through, and it breaks up a ten-hour flight. Dubai and Sri Lanka are the two that work best.
Everything on the island costs island prices. One resort, one set of restaurants, no competition. Budget accordingly, or take all-inclusive and stop thinking about it.
Next step
Tell us your dates and we'll pick the island
Send your dates, your budget and whether snorkelling matters, and we'll come back with two or three islands that genuinely fit — with the transfer costed in, not bolted on afterwards.
Practical
US dollars are used everywhere at resorts and the rufiyaa is barely needed. Almost everything goes on the room.
Free 30-day visa on arrival for UK passports. You need onward tickets and a confirmed booking.
A per-night environmental tax is charged by the resort on departure. It's rarely in the headline price — ask us for the figure.
5 hours ahead of the UK.
Maldives packages
Flights, accommodation and transfers as one package. Every one can be reshaped — different dates, different board, a different airport, or a stopover on the way.
7 nights in Maldives
- Return flights and private transfers
- All inclusive throughout
- Financial protection confirmed in writing before you pay
10 nights in Maldives
- Return flights and private transfers
- All inclusive throughout
- The extra nights cost proportionally less — fixed costs don't change
14 nights in Maldives
- Return flights and private transfers
- Half board throughout
- Best value per night, and worth it on a longer flight
Guide prices, per person, based on two sharing, including return flights, accommodation and transfers. They indicate what a holiday of this type has typically cost and are not an offer or a quotation. Your price depends on dates, party, board basis, departure airport and availability, and is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.
Packages that include the Maldives
Ready-built itineraries with flights, transfers and internal hops booked as one package, ATOL protected. Every one can be reshaped around your dates.
11 Night Dubai & Maldives
11 nights · Nov–Apr · from £2,199pp
14 Night Dubai & Mauritius
14 nights · Apr–May, Sep–Nov · from £1,999pp
11 Night Abu Dhabi & Seychelles
11 nights · Apr–May, Oct–Nov · from £2,449pp
11 Night Doha & Zanzibar
11 nights · Jun–Oct, Dec–Feb · from £1,799pp
12 Night Serengeti & Zanzibar
12 nights · Jun–Oct, Jan–Feb · from £3,399pp
12 Night Masai Mara & Zanzibar
12 nights · Jul–Oct · from £3,099pp
14 Night Dubai & Sri Lanka
14 nights · Dec–Mar · from £1,899pp
12 Night Dubai & Thailand
12 nights · Nov–Mar · from £1,849pp
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