A honeymoon in the Maldives

Why the Maldives for a honeymoon.

Every leading resort has an island to itself, with no roads, towns or neighbouring hotels in view, so privacy comes with the geography. Villas stand over the lagoon or open onto their own beach, and many have a private pool.

Days are made of the water: snorkelling the house reef, a private boat to an uninhabited sandbank, a spa treatment above the lagoon at sunrise.

When to go.

The dry season, from December to April, brings ten to eleven hours of sunshine a day from January to March, calm seas and clear water. The festive weeks are the busiest of the year, so a honeymoon over Christmas or New Year is planned early.

The wet season, from mid-May to November, has brief showers, quieter resorts and the manta rays of Hanifaru Bay, at their peak from June to October. Temperatures barely change through the year.

Choosing the island.

Because the resort is the island, the choice shapes the whole honeymoon. A resort in North Malé Atoll is a short boat or seaplane ride from the airport; one in the far north is a longer flight to deeper seclusion. Baa Atoll suits couples who want the mantas, and South Ari the whale sharks.

Some couples divide the stay: a few nights at a lively resort with many restaurants, then a quieter one, or a beach villa followed by an overwater one. Moving between islands is by seaplane or speedboat, in daylight, and an advisor times it so no afternoon is lost.

An overwater villa or a beach villa?

An overwater villa stands above the lagoon, with steps down into the water and the reef close by. A beach villa opens onto its own stretch of sand and is usually more private on land. Many couples choose one of each, moving across the island halfway through the stay.

Where to stay.

At Cheval Blanc Randheli, each of the 46 villas has its own infinity pool, and the spa stands on its own island. Kudadoo, in Lhaviyani Atoll, has fifteen overwater residences. Soneva Secret, in the far north, has thirteen villas. Soneva Jani has beach and overwater villas in Noonu Atoll.

For a honeymoon built around wellbeing, JOALI BEING in Raa Atoll is devoted to it entirely. For a stay close to the airport, the Fari Islands resorts and the Four Seasons at Kuda Huraa are minutes away.

Experiences for two.

Arranged by an advisor with the resort and its local specialists:

• A picnic or dinner on a private sandbank, reached by private speedboat.
• A day aboard a private yacht to snorkel uninhabited islands.
• Manta rays at Hanifaru Bay, in season, with a licensed guide.
• A spa treatment in an overwater pavilion at sunrise.
• Stargazing at Soneva Fushi’s observatory, with its resident astronomer.
• A submarine dive on the reef, at the resorts that offer one.

The house reef and the lagoon.

Most leading resorts have a house reef within swimming distance of the villas, so snorkelling begins at the foot of the steps. Mantas live in the Maldives all year; the Manta Trust asks swimmers to keep at least three metres away and never to touch them.

A wet-season honeymoon.

Between mid-May and November, the resorts are at their quietest, showers are usually brief, and the mantas gather at Hanifaru Bay. For couples who want the island almost to themselves, it is a season worth considering, with a resort chosen on the sheltered side of its atoll.

Privacy.

Resort islands are private, with controlled access and no towns or roads in view, and the Maldives has no culture of photographers following visitors. For couples who value discretion, a resort with few villas, or a private island, keeps the honeymoon entirely their own.

How long to stay.

Seven to fourteen nights is the usual length, and many couples divide it between two islands. Allow for the international journey and the daylight seaplane: a late landing means a first night in Malé, so a longer stay makes the most of the island.

Combining the Maldives with another destination.

Many couples combine the Maldives with somewhere more active: Sri Lanka is a short flight from Malé, and many journeys connect through Dubai or Abu Dhabi. An advisor plans the order, so the honeymoon ends on the island.

Planning: entry and arrival.

Visitors receive a tourist visa on arrival. The immigration service asks for a passport valid for at least a month, a confirmed onward or return ticket, a booked stay and the funds for it, and every traveller completes a free online Traveller Declaration within 96 hours before arrival.

Seaplanes fly in daylight only, and resorts ask international arrivals to land in Malé by about 15:00 to 15:30 for a same-day transfer. An advisor times the flights, or arranges a night near the airport when they require it.

What a Maldives honeymoon costs.

The cost depends on the resort, the villa, the season and the transfer. The festive weeks and the dry season cost the most; the wet season and the quieter months the least. Private islands and multi-bedroom residences sit at the top.

An advisor gives you a clear plan with every stay, transfer and experience before anything is booked, so you choose where to spend and where to save.

What an advisor adds.

An advisor chooses the island for the honeymoon you have in mind, reserves the right villa, often with honeymoon benefits through their relationships with the resorts, times the flights and seaplane so no day is lost, and arranges the private moments. If plans change, there is one person to call.

Your questions.

Tell us about the honeymoon you have in mind.

Recommendations chosen for you, an itinerary crafted around them, and every booking managed by an independent Ultra Advisor who works with local specialists in Maldives.