Where to Stay in the Maldives: Resorts, Local Islands and Liveaboards

1. Distance and transfer. Resorts in North and South Malé Atolls are 15 to 60 minutes by speedboat, so you arrive any time of day and lose no holiday. Resorts in Ari, Baa, Lhaviyani, Noonu and Raa mostly use seaplanes (30 to 60 minutes, daylight only), while the southern atolls are a domestic flight plus a boat. The transfer is charged per person and can add $500 to $1,500 to a couple’s trip, so compare total cost, not the nightly rate.

2. House reef. A good house reef means you can snorkel from your villa or the beach with turtles and reef sharks without paying for a boat trip. Resorts on small islands near the atoll rim tend to have the best ones; many big lagoon resorts have none worth the name. Ask the resort for a reef map and check whether the drop-off is a short swim or a boat ride.

3. Meal plan. You will eat every meal on the island, so the plan matters as much as the room (see below).

4. Villa type. Overwater villas cost 30 to 100 percent more than beach villas at the same resort. They are worth it for a honeymoon, less so with small children.

5. Size and style. Small islands of 30 to 60 villas feel private; large resorts of 100 to 200-plus villas have more restaurants, kids’ clubs and water sports. Adults-only resorts exist in every price band.

The two Malé atolls hold the resorts closest to Velana International Airport, and they suit short trips, late arrivals and anyone who would rather not spend $600 on a seaplane. Speedboat transfers usually cost $100 to $400 a person return. The trade-off is that reefs close to Malé see more boats, and from some islands you can see the lights of Malé or the airport at night.

In North Malé, Kurumba Maldives, the country’s first resort (1972), is ten minutes from the airport; Bandos Maldives, Paradise Island Resort and Club Med Kani are well-known mid-range choices with big beaches and plenty of water sports. At the top end, One&Only Reethi Rah, Gili Lankanfushi, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, Baros and Huvafen Fushi are all within about 25 to 50 minutes. In South Malé, Velassaru, Cocoa Island by COMO and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives sit at the luxury and lifestyle end, while Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives faces the Kandooma surf break and suits families and surfers.

Ari Atoll, 25 to 35 minutes west by seaplane, is the choice for marine life: manta cleaning stations in North Ari and the whale sharks of South Ari’s protected area pass several resorts’ reefs, and South Ari resorts can also be reached by a domestic flight to Maamigili plus a short boat. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has the Ithaa undersea restaurant; Mirihi Island Resort is a tiny island with a strong house reef; Kuramathi, on Rasdhoo atoll, is a large resort with several beaches; Vilamendhoo Island Resort, Constance Halaveli, LUX* South Ari Atoll and W Maldives cover the mid to top range.

South of Malé the resorts are fewer, more spread out and generally quieter. Dhaalu has The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli and Niyama Private Islands, Laamu has Six Senses Laamu with its own surf break, Gaafu Alif has Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa, and Addu at the far south has Canareef Resort among others, a short boat ride from Gan airport. Most are reached by a domestic flight (40 to 75 minutes) followed by a speedboat, often $500 to $900 a person return. The trip is longer, but the reefs see fewer boats, you can arrive after dark, and domestic flights carry more luggage than seaplanes.

Overwater (water) villas stand on stilts over the lagoon, with steps into the water and usually a deck or plunge pool. They are the image people book for, and they are best on resorts where the villas sit over a reef rather than a sandy, shallow lagoon, where snorkelling from the deck shows little. They can be noisy in wind, a long walk from the restaurants, and some resorts set minimum ages for children.

Beach villas open onto the sand, often with garden showers and more shade, and are 30 to 50 percent cheaper. They suit families, and on small islands you are only a few steps from the lagoon anyway. Sunset-facing villas, on the west side of the island, often cost more than sunrise-facing ones. A good compromise is to split a stay: three nights in a beach villa, then two over the water.

• Bed and breakfast (BB): cheapest on paper, most expensive in practice at remote resorts, where a lunch for two can pass $80 and dinner $150 with taxes.
• Half board (HB): breakfast and dinner, usually at the buffet restaurant. Works if you skip lunch or snack.
• Full board (FB): three meals, drinks extra. Useful if you drink little.
• All-inclusive (AI): meals plus a set list of drinks, sometimes one excursion. Read the details: “basic” plans often exclude premium spirits, minibar and the speciality restaurants.

All prices on resorts carry the 10% service charge and 17% tourism tax, so a $10 beer becomes about $12.70 and a $20 cocktail about $25. If you drink a few cocktails a day, all-inclusive almost always pays off.

Since 2009 Maldivians have been allowed to open guesthouses on inhabited islands, and there are now hundreds. A double room with air-conditioning, breakfast and Wi-Fi costs about $50 to $150 a night, a snorkel trip $25 to $60, and a meal at a local cafe a few dollars. Maafushi has the most choice and excursions, Thulusdhoo is the surf base, Dhigurah is for whale sharks, and Thoddoo, Ukulhas and Fulidhoo are quieter; our islands guide covers each one and how to reach it.

You will probably need one night near the airport, either on arrival after about 3pm or before an early flight. Hulhumalé, the reclaimed island ten minutes from the terminal by bus or taxi, is the best choice: dozens of hotels from about $60 to $200, a long public beach, and cafes open late. Malé itself is crowded and less pleasant for a stopover, but useful if you want to see the Old Friday Mosque, the fish market and the National Museum. The only option on the airport island of Hulhulé itself is the airport hotel, which is convenient, costs more and is one of the few licensed places outside the resorts.

A liveaboard is a dive boat, usually 25 to 40 m, with 8 to 14 cabins and a smaller dive dhoni that carries the tanks and noise. Trips run 7 to 10 nights; the classic central route covers North and South Malé, Ari and Vaavu, with longer trips going south to Fuvahmulah and Addu or north to Baa. Expect roughly $1,500 to $3,500 a person a week for a shared twin cabin with all meals and diving, plus nitrox, equipment rental, park fees and the green tax. Most boats require around 20 to 50 logged dives for the channel sites with strong currents. Liveaboards are also licensed to serve alcohol, and many sell snorkel-only berths, which can be the cheapest way to see the outer atolls.

For a full daily budget, see our Maldives costs guide. High season runs from about mid-December to April, peaking over Christmas, New Year and Easter, when many resorts charge double and impose minimum stays. May to October, the wet monsoon, brings the best discounts.

• Price everything “plus plus”. Quotes are usually before the 10% service charge and 17% tourism tax, plus a green tax of $12 a person a night at resorts and $6 at small guesthouses.
• Check the transfer and your flight times together. Seaplanes do not fly after dusk, and resorts schedule them to fit international arrivals, sometimes with waits of a few hours.
• Watch for package offers. Free transfers, half-board upgrades and “stay 5 pay 4” deals are common; they often beat a lower room rate.
• Bring the booking confirmation. Immigration expects to see confirmed accommodation for your whole stay, and you must complete the free IMUGA traveller declaration online within 96 hours of arrival.

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