Maldives
Overwater villas, house reefs and seaplane transfers to private islands, a four-hour direct flight from Dubai with almost no jet lag.
In this guide
When to go
December to April is the dry northeast monsoon: sunny, calm and the most expensive, particularly over Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. May to November is the southwest monsoon, with short tropical showers, more wind and lower rates, often 25 to 40 percent less. Snorkelling visibility stays good, and manta season peaks in places such as Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll from June to November.
UAE spring breaks and Eid holidays fill family villas fast, so we hold rooms as soon as your dates are firm. Water temperature sits around 28 to 30°C all year.
Choosing your island
Transfers shape the trip. Speedboat islands near Malé are quickest and save money; seaplane islands further out have the clearest water and the most dramatic arrivals, but seaplanes fly only in daylight, so late arrivals may need a night near the airport. Domestic flights plus a boat reach the far atolls.
Honeymooners usually want a water villa with a pool, as in our water villa honeymoon. Families do better with a beach villa, a kids' club and a shallow lagoon, as in our family island package. Joanna Dela Cruz and Arjun Menon know which resorts have the best house reefs and which only look good in photos.
Things to do
- Snorkel the house reef straight from your villa steps
- Sunset dolphin cruise on a traditional dhoni
- Sandbank picnic with nothing but sea in every direction
- Manta snorkelling in Baa Atoll or South Ari Atoll
- Whale shark search in South Ari Atoll, possible all year
- Local island visit to see village life and a Friday mosque
- Night fishing with the island crew, then the catch for dinner
Food, money and practical tips
The Maldives is a Muslim country, and resort food is halal unless marked; pork and alcohol are served only within resorts. On local islands, cover shoulders and knees and swim in bikinis only on designated beaches. Resorts quote in US dollars, add a 10 percent service charge and taxes, and accept cards everywhere, so you rarely need rufiyaa. Meal plans matter here, and we compare half board, full board and all inclusive for your style. Reef-safe sunscreen, a rash vest and your own mask make snorkelling more comfortable.
Rules change; we confirm the current requirements before you apply.
Maldives holidays from Dubai
Five nights in an overwater villa with steps into the lagoon, return seaplane transfers, half board and honeymoon extras including a sandbank picnic and a sunset dolphin cruise.
Six nights on a family resort island a short speedboat ride from Malé, with a beach villa, half board, a free kids' club, a shallow lagoon and a dolphin cruise for everyone.
Visa services for Maldives
Maldives: questions we are asked
Do UAE residents need a visa for the Maldives?
What is the best month to visit the Maldives?
How many nights should we stay?
Is the Maldives suitable for families?
Is the food halal in the Maldives?
Can we combine the Maldives with Sri Lanka?
Travellers back from Maldives
Married in Hyderabad two weeks before flying out. We are vegetarian and Joanna had told the resort in advance, so the chef made proper dal and fresh roti every evening, which my husband insisted on. I read three books in the overwater hammock and regret nothing.
Lovely island, and the children learned to snorkel with an instructor who was endlessly patient. The domestic flight plus speedboat was long though, close to three hours door to door with kids, which was not quite how it read on paper. Food was excellent from the first meal to the last.
British couple living in JLT. We were offered a half-board deal that beat everything we had seen online once transfers were added. Sunset dolphin cruise, turtles on the house reef and a candlelit dinner out on the sandbank. We have already asked about going back for our first anniversary.
Reading before you go
The Maldives on a Budget from Dubai: Local Islands, Resorts and Real Costs
Guesthouses on local islands, speedboats instead of seaplanes, the right meal plan and two nights in a water villa: how to do the Maldives well for less, with real AED budgets per couple.
Family Holidays from Dubai: A Planner's Guide That Works for Parents Too
Flight times that suit children, short-haul family winners, connecting rooms, child pricing, nanny visas and how to dodge UAE school holiday price spikes, from a family travel consultant and mother of three.
