Experiencing Paradise: Your Ultimate Guide to an Unforgettable Trip to the Maldives

You’ve seen it a million times… the crystal clear blue waters, the infinity pools, the iconic floating breakfasts, seemingly endless sun and white sand beaches. The Maldives is a destination like no other and it is such a privilege to have access to the incredible beauty that is the 1,190 islands that make up the stunning country.

One of the first things people think of these dreamy destinations aside from the breathtaking waters and the tranquility is the amount of time it takes to get there. I am a huge fan of flying, I have always been obsessed with planes and airports and have a ton of tolerance for long flights and layovers so I have no issue whatsoever, but that is not the popular opinion. If you are with the majority and you hate long layovers, lots of customs and long flights, you may want to stick to the Caribbean.

Getting There

Where you live matters for flight time but generally speaking if you are on either coast of the US it will take anywhere from 12.5-15.5 hours to get through the first leg of your trip which typically lands in Doha, Qatar or Dubai. I flew from JFK on Qatar Airways, it was around 12.5 hours and the flight departed at 2am. If you have the ability to get business for this first leg I would HIGHLY recommend it, it makes the flight so much easier and it is so beyond worth it. You will land in Doha, clear customs, and most likely have a layover there. The airport is huge and you will most definitely not be bored on your layover, there is food, shopping, smoking rooms, prayer rooms, yoga rooms, playgrounds, and if you fly business the lounges are out of this world.

The second leg of your trip is Doha to Male, the main island in the Maldives. This leg is around 4 hours and is a breeze compared to the last one. When you land in Male don’t be alarmed, the airport and the runway are teeny tiny, it is so cute. It really is a wonder that these larger planes land there. You will go through customs in Male, they are pretty quick with it, grab your bags if you checked bags and then head out to the area where all the resort representatives are waiting. Find your resort with one of the many people holding a sign or head to the booth with your resort name on it and they will show you where to go for your next transportation adventure.

From the resort booth at the airport they will put you on a little shuttle bus with others heading to the next waiting area. There are two other terminals that you will get dropped off at depending on the resort you are staying at. You will either get dropped off to take a boat transfer to your resort or you will be dropped off to take a seaplane transfer to your resort, it all depends on how far it is from Male.

If you are lucky enough to take a seaplane, don’t be nervous! It is definitely a bit scary at first but it always helps me to think about the sheer number of seaplanes that they fly every single day. Once you get dropped off at the seaplane terminal you will most likely have to wait yet again and this is probably where you start getting a little antsy. It’s hot in there, there are only two places to get a little snack or beverage. If your guide (who has been with you this whole time making sure you get to your transfer okay) likes you they may be able to get you a voucher for a beverage and they could even get you into the lounge which does have aircon. After a bit more of a wait you are finally ready to get to your resort!

It is a bit unnerving boarding a plane that is docked like a boat but I promise there is nothing to be scared about. Definitely do ignore the fact that most of the pilots fly barefoot or with flip flops on though, that won’t make you feel any better. I could have stayed on the seaplane for hours even after all of that travel, it was absolutely stunning going over all of the beautiful islands. There are around 15 people on the seaplane most of them all heading to different resorts. The seaplane transfer takes between 15-60/70 minutes depending on where your resort is. The Standard took around 45 minutes I believe, I could not tell you exactly I was quite distracted. A side note, the seaplanes are a bit warm, there are fans but they are pretty small so if you get overheated or claustrophobic or anything I would try to sit in the front of the plane where the tiny fans are.

FINALLY! You made it to your resort. Your last step is hopping off the plane and in this case taking the resorts boat over to their dock to get all checked in, you are greeted with a delicious juice, some cold towels and more beauty than you could have ever dreamed of.

The room, the resort, and the experiences

After checking in you will hop on a golf cart and head to your room with your luggage and the concierge. They will go over everything in the room, the location of the bikes, and the bars and restaurants. You won’t hear them because you will be too stunned by your overwater villa to listen to a word coming out of their mouth. I am speaking purely of The Standard here, I have not had the opportunity to travel to any of the other resorts (yet!), so this is not a comprehensive guide to all 166 or so resorts in the Maldives.

There were snorkels and tubes in the room which, of course, went into use immediately and could have honestly been the only thing I did the entire trip. There was always a sting ray or a reef shark swimming by our villa, it was the most incredible experience I had ever had. The coral reefs are so healthy and abundant in the Maldives although they, unfortunately, are not immune to the climate change that is also effecting the Indian Ocean.

The Standard was not all inclusive, which was fine because this hotel had an incredibly generous post-COVID deal and was super reasonable (and still is) in comparison to others in the country. There were three restaurants, one on the beach, one by the communal pool in the main clubhouse and one on a dock on the other side of the island. There was also a bar, pictured in the first image here and below, at the end of all of the villas overlooking the open ocean with a gorgeous sunset view.

The islands all are small enough that you can easily walk them but most (if not, all) resorts have bikes you can grab at any time if you’re not feeling like a walk or you can hail a golf cart. We kept the bikes at our room for the most part and used those, they were super convenient. The one thing I will say is the pathways over the water are pretty tight and if you’re not great with a bike you do risk falling off (worse things have happened). The sand is also a little tough to ride on but other than that they are a great option.

Water sports, as you can imagine, are huge in the Maldives. The Standard has options for almost anything water related you would want. You can go jet skiing out on the ocean, paddle board out to the little island next to the resort and have a private lunch, go on a private snorkel trip to one of the uninhabited islands, kite surf, and much more. The two guys that ran the water sports programs were absolutely incredible, so kind, knowledgable and so much fun.

The food here was great, it was all fresh as they get deliveries in from the mainland a couple times a week. Although there were only a few restaurants you never got tired of it as they were excellent at switching things up. You also have the option to have a private beach dinner where they will either put out a table for you or, for us, they built a couch in the sand. Whatever you do, do not forget to order your iconic floating breakfast! Everyone there really went above and beyond service wise and it was greatly appreciated and will be remembered forever.

The resort also offered an overwater spa, a fitness center, yoga classes, and tennis. You will not get bored at these resorts. They are the ultimate in relaxation and accommodation and you will find yourself wishing you booked a two week stay instead of your week. Either way you will have an amazing time, be blown away by the sheer beauty at every single corner and leave feeling rejuvenated and reinvigorated.