Your Guide For Choosing The Right Maldives Island For Your Vacation Style

This island nation in the Indian Ocean often fulfills the image of the archetypal luxury, tropical paradise escape, one where days are filled with blue skies, sugary white sand, and gorgeous turquoise waters. Visit the Maldives, and this mental mock-up won't disappoint — the thousands of islands here really are like that. The water is warm, often calm, improbably soft and welcoming, and always a delightful medium to float or swim. 

And yet, tourism in the Maldives is a relatively recent phenomenon, with the first resort opening in the early 1970s, a little more than 50 years ago. Since then, tourism has mushroomed, from less than 400,000 visitors in 1995 to 1 million in 2021, and the Maldives has perfected the concept of the one-island-one-resort model. Many of those resorts skew toward the luxury end, but the islands of the Maldives don't just appeal to rich sun-seekers. This is where to find backpackers, surfers, and families on a budget; to see which islands might be best for you, read on.

What is quite remarkable is the number of airlines that fly to Malé, the capital of the Maldives, a sign of its importance as a tourism magnet. Carriers from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East serve the country's main airport — Velana International Airport — which sits on an island just across from the capital Malé. Alas, there are no direct routes from anywhere in the United States to the country, and flights from the U.S., with connections, take about 20 hours.

There is a hotel on this airport island, formally known as Hulhulé, but this is mainly for passengers transiting from one flight to another. The reality is that the Maldives' scintillating resorts are neither on Hulhulé nor the main island of Malé but lie on other islands. What this means is that passengers arriving at Velana airport should expect to take a boat or another flight (or even both) to reach their final destination.

For visitors on a tight schedule, getting to their resort as quickly as possible is a key part of their holiday plan. Obviously, the resorts in the atolls closest to the airport are the ones that a tourist can reach more expediently, as the transfer to them is via speedboat. As well as being quicker, speedboat transfers are substantially cheaper than seaplane transfers and can even be done at night when the latter can't fly.

Many atolls near the airport have resorts, including, as the names suggest, North Malé Atoll and South Malé Atoll. Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Maldives, is a property that sits in the latter of those two atolls and can be reached in about 15 minutes by speedboat directly from the airport. That boat ride is an experience that will make a traveler feel like a billionaire being whisked away to a secret haven.

It may surprise some readers to learn that the Maldives has reliable surfing. That shouldn't be a shock since the nation sits amid an ocean. The surfing here is definitely agreeable, with warm water all year round ensuring that visitors don't need a wetsuit, and the season runs for most of the year. However, a couple of windows stand out for optimal conditions, specifically from March through May and September to November. 

Near the airport, North Malé Atoll pioneered surfing, and it still draws many surfers for its regular waves, smooth, drawn-out rides, and undeniable convenience. For more committed wave riders, Huvhadhoo Atoll, in the south, has some of the best breaks, but there aren't many lodging options. In this case, visitors tend to stay on a nearby island and charter a boat to get out to the surf. Among the top sites are Beacons, Five Islands, and Tiger Stripes.

While most resorts occupy their own island, like a grand castle surrounded by a moat of the most gorgeous water you will ever see, Fari Islands gives that idea a novel twist. This concept marries four islands with three resorts and presents them as one branded destination. This allows guests to enjoy a wealth of varied experiences — multiple dining outlets, more extensive shopping than on most islands, and the rarity of choice. Two properties are currently open — Ritz-Carlton Maldives and Patina Maldives — with the Capella Maldives still to come. 

The development includes a central Marina Village with dining, a beach club, a full marina where yachts can berth, and two homes that act as shopping boutiques. The location in North Malé Atoll allows guests to be at the extravagant property in less than an hour after leaving the airport aboard one of the destination's luxury speedboats.

Since a large part of any trip to the Maldives involves spending time outdoors, this is a great place to focus on health and well-being. Resorts often have spas that offer body treatments, facial rituals, and healing journeys, but the overarching concept of wellness is a central component of any stay at Como Cocoa Island. Located in South Malé Atoll, the property often hosts renowned healing practitioners who carry out treatments, workshops, and wellness discussions. These health-focused itineraries help guests on their journey to a better life with therapies such as trigger point yoga and massage, body realignment, and pain management. 

These all occur at Como Shambhala, the wellness center at the property. It's a calming sanctuary spread over two floors with hydrotherapy pools, a yoga studio, and carefully designed menus with healthy, nutritious food. The views of the water from each treatment room are restorative in their own right.

For the ultimate, self-initiated, Robinson Crusoe-style castaway escape, the Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah is hard to top. Situated in Baa Atoll, it unfurls across five acres of land and comes with its own 60-foot yacht, a spa, a dive center, seven bedrooms (which can sleep up to 21 guests), and even dolphins that regularly visit the waters. 

Visitors here will want nothing — staff on call include doctors specializing in Ayurvedic treatments, hairdressers, and spa therapists. However, guests can just as easily unwind by lazing on a hammock suspended above the ocean. For adrenaline junkies that like to get their kicks while wet, there are plenty of water toys at hand — X-Jetblades, jet skis, kitesurfing rigs, Seabobs, and more. Located north of Malé and south of Maafaru International Airport, getting here requires a trip on a seaplane, but the effort is worth the sense of complete mastery of your domain.

Part of the luxury house LVMH, Cheval Blanc Randheli, has regularly attracted the moneyed and celebrity sets. It's a gorgeous place with artful design and dreamy accommodations that a traveler would never want to leave. Take the Lagoon Garden Villa, which marries two typical accommodation categories — one in a garden and one suspended over the water. It comes with two bedrooms that have ensuite bathrooms, high cathedral ceilings, a clean, whitewashed palate, and an extreme level of privacy. 

Artwork suffuses all spaces, from large bold sculptures to subtle injections of the color yellow. Of course, there is an achingly beautiful spa, fantastic beaches, and a ubiquitous sense of escape here. But Cheval Blanc Randheli is likely to make a hefty dent in most travelers' budgets — rooms typically cost more than $1,500 per night — with posts online balking at the hefty price of a burger. But if you can afford to stay here, an $85 burger shouldn't be an issue. 

W Hotels has long carved out a niche for itself as the party hotel brand, the kind of place where young, beautiful people congregate, sipping drinks while DJs spin under the glow of neon. For travelers that like the sound of that melange, the W Maldives is the place to book a room. The island is shaped a little like a heart, making it a hit with honeymooners, and offshore, the reef teems with marine life. 

Back on land, the fire pit is the focal point at Fire, and meats and seafood are grilled using a number of methods, including a tandoor oven. Sip is where the action heats up even more, an outdoor lounge that serves oysters, caviar, champagne, and cocktails to the beats of a DJ. The property also holds seasonal bashes, like a foam pool party to mark the new year, and parades where staff and guests dress up.

Since the Maldives' territory is mostly sea, with little slashes of land in between, why be constrained to spending time on terra firma? Liveaboards that ply the country's sumptuous waters let tourists enjoy the astounding sea without being confined to a single island. However, as with liveaboard in general, they are geared more toward visitors for whom the water is the burning focus of the trip. That said, these boats offer outstanding comfort. 

The "Adora," for example, has rooms and a dining area with gleaming wood floors, Wi-Fi, room service, and a broad top deck perfect for catching some rays. On the "Honors Legacy," popular with groups that go fishing or surfing, meals can be gourmet, and islands that are uninhabited can be easily explored. A liveaboard is a smart solution for any visitor to the Maldives who likes the idea of freedom to roam and the chance to see many parts of the country.