LUXURY ISLAND ESCAPES TO THE MALDIVES

A welcome at St Regis Vommuli Resort, Maldives

If you are looking for a luxury island escape, then the Maldives should be at the top of your bucket list. Crystal clear waters lap up the soft, white, sandy beaches of private islands surrounded by turquoise lagoons.

The Maldives boasts some of the clearest turquoise waters in the world and coral reefs teeming with vibrant marine life, which makes it ideal for swimming, snorkelling, and diving. Sealife includes manta rays, turtles, over 300 species of tropical fish and 200 species of coral. There are only a few places around the world where you can see whale sharks, which is a truly memorable experience, so it’s definitely worth visiting the Maldives in October or November. On some islands you’ll find green turtles nesting on the beach from March to July, with hatching beginning 50 to 60 days later (May and August).

Throw in some luxurious accommodation – The Maldives is famous for its overwater villas, suspended on stilts above shallow lagoons, many with private pools, plus beach villas with direct access to the ocean. The islands offer 5-star amenities, state of the art equipment, fine dining and personalized services, often with your own private butler, not to mention spa treatments to sooth the mind and body.

Experiences include sunset cruises and dolphin watching, fishing, diving, snorkelling, submarine tours and coral reef restoration programs, which are popular activities that showcase the beauty of the surrounding ocean. There are also cookery classes, village visits, cycling, sandbank picnics, not to mention Bioluminescent beaches, where the water glows at night due to natural plankton, which is a magical spectacle. The Maldives offers underwater dining, spas and even underwater hotel rooms for a truly unique experience.

With its remote location and small, scattered islands, the Maldives offers a sense of peace and seclusion that is hard to find elsewhere. The islands are generally quiet, with limited crowds, making it a perfect place to unwind and de-stress.

The Maldives enjoys a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round, making it a great escape from colder regions during winter months. The best time to visit the Maldives is between November and April. The climate is warm and tropical, with average highs at a consistent 29°C to 31°C year-round and average lows rarely falling below 24°C.

While largely known for its natural beauty, the Maldives also offers cultural experiences through local island visits along with traditional Maldivian cuisine.

These elements make the Maldives a bucket-list destination for travellers seeking luxury, natural beauty, and unique oceanic experiences.

The Maldives combines perfectly with India, Sri Lanka, Dubai and Oman if you want to add another destination to your tailor-made holiday. The other option is to do some island-hopping taking in a few islands to give you a taste of the different atolls.

There is plenty of choice when considering which Maldives island to enjoy your break and there really is an island for everyone.

I always like to have an initial consultation with my clients when planning their holidays and ask lots of questions to help me choose the right place to stay.

The following are a great starting point:

Do you want to transfer by speedboat or seaplane?
Do you want to stay in an overwater villa or a beach villa or both?
Do you want a lead in category or top category villa?
Do you want your own private pool?
Do you want to stay on a fully inclusive, half board or a bed & breakfast basis?
Do you want the island to have its own reef?
Do you want the island to be child friendly?
Do you want the island to be small or big, quiet or with lots of activities?
Do you want motorised watersports?
Do you want a resident marine biologist?
Do you want an island with nightlife?
Do you want gourmet cuisine and a selection of restaurants?
Do you want your own private butler?
How about staying on more than one island?
Do you want to experience local life?
Do you dive and if so do you need a refresher dive which is necessary if you haven’t dived for over a year?
Do you want to go during whale shark/manta ray season which is August-November?
Do you want to go big game fishing?
Do you want to go surfing ?
Do you want to be able to cycle around the island?
Do you want a spa?
Do you want a well-known hotel brand or a local Maldivian brand?
Do you want barefoot luxury or do you want to put your heels on?
What time of year would you like to travel-peak season is November to April?
Do you want a view from your room?
Do you want complete privacy?
How long do you want to go for?

All photos taken by Albee.