A collection of coral atoll necklaces covered with emerald palms and set between turquoise lagoons in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is perhaps the ultimate tropical paradise.
To experience the world's ultimate overwater bungalows amid secluded, decadent, all-inclusive resorts.
Your resort experience will probably comprise the entirety of your trip to the Maldives, so choose carefully. The vast majority of the country’s nearly 100 resorts are found near Malé in the North Malé and South Malé Atolls. The instant you step out of customs, your resort representative will literally take you by the hand and lead you to your speedboat or seaplane, load your luggage, unload your luggage, and take you to your room. Your resort will have everything: restaurants, bars, spas, pools, and water sports centers offering everything from diving and kayaking to windsurfing and sailing. Most resorts provide free trips to nearby properties, figuring the more you see the likelier you’ll return. Keep in mind that most resorts cater to the upscale/luxury market, so be prepared to spend a bit of money for paradise. That said, you can find budget and moderate accommodations if you’re up for a more rustic version of paradise.
The Maldives is not a place where you pick and choose your restaurants every evening – unless your resort happens to have more than one. But if you go resort hopping, you can chow down at a steak joint on one island and then return to a Thai or Italian place that evening on your home base. And while Malé is no one’s idea of a foodie paradise, don’t miss the chance to experience an authentic Maldivian eatery.