10 Reasons To Add A Maldives Holiday To Your Travel Bucket List!
From overwater bungalows to family villas, boutique islands to lavish all inclusive resorts, I’ve got the perfect Maldives holiday to suit your travel style.
The Maldives is one of the few places I have been to where the incredible images you see online live up to reality. The beaches, turquoise waters and magical marine life are all reason enough to visit, but a Maldives holiday offers more than that. There is a unique atmosphere in the Maldives that I haven’t found anywhere else. In a world that’s always on the go, waking up each day on a paradise island where the water rarely falls beneath 25°C, and the toughest choice is deciding between pool or beach, feels like an absolute luxury.
The Maldives has won the world’s leading destination for the past five years, and it is not difficult to see why, but did you know there are over 1200 islands in the Maldives? And while most of them are paradise islands, there is no one size fits all. While the idyllic overwater bungalow with a private pool may be the ultimate romantic escape, families can enjoy all-inclusive resorts with waterparks or football academies. Plus, there’s no shortage of water sports to keep adventurous travellers entertained!
I have teamed up with long haul specialists Tropical Sky who offer a wide variety of Maldives holidays to suit all travel styles. Regardless of your choice, you are guaranteed a magical holiday in one of the world’s most idyllic locations.
I have listed 10 reasons why you should book a holiday to the Maldives and some of my top hotel picks below, but contact Tropical Sky by phone, or submit an enquiry online, and they will design the perfect Maldives holiday for you.
1. A Maldives Holiday is Unique!
A Maldives holiday offers a unique travel experience where every resort or hotel is located on a different island. You can walk to bars and restaurants barefoot if you like, and the only strangers you will find are either hotel staff or guests!
It is one of the easiest places to completely switch off. Everywhere feels so serene, with breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean from every corner, and pristine white sands underfoot.
2. The Maldives Offers Incredible Adult Only Escapes
With the growing number of families choosing to visit the Maldives, its important to point out there are plenty of adult only resorts in the Maldives too. The Maldives is one of the world’s best romantic holiday destinations, in fact, it is the destination of choice for many honeymooners.
Some of the best adult only Maldives hotels include Komandoo, an idyllic 65 villa retreat with an exceptional All Inclusive programme, and Hurawahli, a slightly larger island with 90 villas.
Hurawahli epitomises the term barefoot luxury, and is home to the 5.8 Undersea Restaurant – the world’s largest all-glass underwater restaurant, found 5.8 metres below the sea. You will also discover an exclusive Champagne Pavilion that offers stunning sunset views.
3. All Inclusive in Maldives really is All Inclusive!
When you book an all inclusive holiday elsewhere, the chances are you will choose to dine out on occasion, avail of watersports on the beach, or book an excursion to a nearby attraction. When you book an all inclusive Maldives holiday, you won’t have these expenses. The island is the attraction, water sports are usually included, and would you leave a bar like this?
Some the best all inclusive Maldives resorts include Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, a luxury five star resort for adults and families, where the all inclusive arrangement includes a 24 hour Dine Around Plan, daily stocked mini bar, guided snorkelling, sunset cruise, catamaran sailing experiences, and a 30 minute facial for guests during their stay.
If you prefer a more intimate experience, Kagi, a paradise island with only 50 villas and no young children, includes a sunset dolphin cruise, group introduction to snorkelling and windsurfing, complimentary Yoga, stretching classes and guided Meditation classes.
4. Family holidays in the Maldives provide lifetime memories
Despite being known as paradise islands, more and more families are choosing the Maldives for bucket list family holidays. Not only do many of the islands offer incredible activities for children, I guarantee you it is a holiday they will never forget.
We enjoyed a family holiday in the Maldives 7 years ago and my children still say it was one of their favourite holidays. The Maldives is unforgettable, it can not possibly be confused with a typical sun holiday destination, and I’m sure they will be talking about it for many years to come.
It is not only the water sports and activities that children will enjoy, but being able to see marine life up close is an incredible experience for them. Despite my children being only 10 and 7 at the time, we were able to enjoy sundowners while they played happily nearby – the islands feel so safe, there is no where for them to go!
Over the years family resorts in the Maldives have evolved with some now offering water slides, football academies and action packed kids clubs.
Some of the best family hotels in the Maldives include Kuramathi – one of my personal favourite islands, which has an excellent Kids Club, a summer soccer academy with top UEFA coaches and former Premier League players, a superb choice of bars and restaurants, and one of the most idyllic sandbanks I have ever seen!
Siyam World is another top choice for families as it provides unlimited access to the Maldives largest inflatable Water Park, as well as great kids clubs and teen activities, and a Horse Ranch. Top Tip: Watch out for the Kidz Carnival, this twice monthly show allows children to take part in classic carnival games.
5. You can go Island Hopping!
Did you know that you don’t need to stay on one Maldives island for the duration of you holiday? You can choose a twin or multi-centre holiday! Crossroads is an entertainment island that is connected to three resorts, that are only a 15 minute boat transfer from Male airport.
There are three resorts, including the lively Hard Rock Hotel Maldives and the more low-key SAii Lagoon Maldives Curio Collection by Hilton. You can enjoy 14 restaurants, 4 bars, 4 pools, and 3 spas, and the best part, you can walk or cycle across the footbridges to each one.
If you prefer a more traditional style Maldives holiday, you can combine two sister islands with an easy boat transfer between the two.
Some of the favourite combinations are Komandoo or Kuredu with idyllic Hurawahli, or Sun Siyam Iru Veli with lively Siyam World or Vilu Reef. Talk to the team in Tropical Sky and they will advise the perfect combination for you.
6. The Maldives offers unforgettable experiences
Before you even arrive at your hotel you will have either flown across the Indian Ocean by seaplane or transferred by speed boat – which is a far cry from an Uber or bus transfer at a typical holiday resort! You can stay in overwater bungalows, and even slide from your overwater bungalow directly into the sea at Siyam World.
You can also dine in underwater restaurants at Hurawalhi or BLU at Oblu Experience Ailafushi or even sleep underwater at Conrad Maldives!
We swam with whale sharks, saw turtles and reef sharks, but being able to pick up my snorkel mask and snorkel straight from the shore is one of those experiences that is hard to find anywhere else.
Top Tip: Some Maldives islands offer excellent House Reefs, which means you don’t have to take a boat out to see incredible marine life, as the reef is close to the shore.
Dhigali has one of the best house reefs in the Maldives and includes use of snorkelling equipment, glass bottom boat rides, and a dolphin or sunset cruise as part of the all inclusive arrangement, while Adaaran Select Meedhupparu has some of the best snorkelling areas in the Maldives and offers superb value.
7. You can find great value in the Maldives too!
Despite what you might think, it is possible to find great value hotels in the Maldives! Top Tip: Choose islands that are accessible by speed boat, because the seaplane transfer can increase the cost considerably, especially if travelling as a family.
Some of the best value Maldives resorts include Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon, which is a fabulous 4-star resort that is rated as Excellent on TripAdvisor, and receives outstanding reviews from guests. Price for seven-night stay, on an all-inclusive basis, including flights and speed boat transfers is only €2199 per person.
The Adaaran Select Hudhuran Fushi Maldives is another super choice that also receives excellent reviews on Tripadvisor and is one of the best islands for surfing in the Maldives. This is also a popular choice with families as it has two-bedroom beach villas, as well as a kid’s club with activities and movie nights.
Price for seven-night stay, on an all-inclusive basis, including flights and speed boat transfers is only €1979 per person.
8. The Maldives is the place to go to experience ultra luxury
The Maldives is home to some of the most luxurious island retreats in the world, and Tropical Sky have a Platinum Collection if you really want to experience ultimate luxury.
Some of their most popular resorts are Fushifaru, a sophisticated boutique-style island, and Baros, which boasts exceptional service with world-class dining and a wonderful house reef – check out the reviews on TripAdvisor if you need convincing.
JA Manafaru is another luxury island which also caters for families, and where all water villas have their own pool.
Note : Receive an exclusive room upgrade for all bookings made by 31st May. Book a Beach Villa and receive an upgrade to a Sunrise Water Villa, book a Sunrise Water Villa and receive an upgrade to a Sunset Water Villa.
Read: Top 10 luxury hotels in the Maldives
9. A Maldives Holiday is Easily Combined with a City Break
There are so many airlines flying to the Maldives that it makes perfect sense to combine a beach stay with a city break. We chose to combine Dubai with the Maldives during our family holiday, but you could also combine Abu Dhabi, Doha or Istanbul – all of which are easily accessible with direct flights from Ireland.
I like the city and beach combination best, but you can also choose to combine the Maldives with Sri Lanka for the ultimate bucket list experience.
10. Maldives has a tropical climate with magical sunsets
The Maldives is blessed with a hot-tropical climate with an average of 8 hours of sunshine every day and the water temperature barely falls below 25°C.
Sunsets definitely hit different in the Maldives. There is a scientific reason for these magical candy cotton sunsets that is somehow linked to the Maldives proximity to the equator, but you will just have to trust me on it!
There are so many sunset experiences too, including sunset cruises, beach picnics, and movies under the stars, but sitting on an overwater bungalow with a glass of chilled wine from your daily stocked mini bar is pretty special too.
Top Tip: Request a villa with a sunset view. Chat to the Tropical Sky experts to make the best selection for your dream holiday.
I hope this post will inspire you to book a magical Maldives holiday – trust me, you won’t regret it! Prices and hotel facilities are correct at the time of issue but are subject to change. This post was sponsored by Tropical Sky.
