BackOur guide of the best islands to visit in the Maldives
Encompassing around 35,000 square miles of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is a geographical marvel offering utter bliss to all its avid wanderers. Tropical beaches, crystal-clear waters, luxury resorts and a vibrant culture attract sun-seekers and those enthralled by the curious ocean.
Find out more about holidays in the Maldives in our Wayfairer Travel Guide:
How to choose which Maldives islands are right for you
The Maldivian archipelago encircles 1,190 islands, making your pre-holiday research bewildering.
Remember that there is an important difference between Maldivian islands and “atolls”. Atolls are clusters of islets - 26 in the Maldives, each with its own distinct flavour.
A trip to the Maldives often involves excursions between islands, offering an all-encompassing Maldives itinerary. You can voyage across the Maldives islands on yachts, speedboats, and seaplanes.
Whether you yearn for action-packed family holidays in the Maldives or want to enjoy a more remote, relaxing honeymoon, these islands promise picturesque landscapes and aquatic splendour.
This list offers our top picks for amazing Maldives islands. Read on to find out which is best for you.
Best Islands for Honeymoons in the Maldives
Whilst the Maldives is renowned for the calm and quiet, which buds from its tropical and remote setting, many of its stunning islands have transformed into exciting family holiday destinations.
However, as you set off on your honeymoon, we understand the yearning for a kid-free atmosphere. These three islands offer an enviable blend of romance, relaxation, and joy as you search for your perfect honeymoon in the Maldives.
(1) Milaidhoo Island, Baa Atoll
Best for: Nature immersion and peaceful solitude
Stay at: Milaidhoo Maldives Resort *****
Romance and luxury are at your fingertips on Milaidhoo Island, were beautiful marine life ambles with peaceful travellers. If you seek a secluded tropical oasis, this UNESCO biosphere reserve may be your location.
The adults-only hotel captures the spirit of the Maldives, creating an ambience which oozes romance and luxury. Plus, the coral reef that encircles this Maldives island is out of this world, and the beauty of Hanifaru Bay is equally splendid.
(2) Komandoo Island, Shaviyani Atoll
Best for: Your staple Maldives getaway
Stay at: Komandoo Maldives Resort ****
Whilst planning your holiday to the Maldives, you are most likely searching for its famed, white-sanded beaches, palm-fringed resorts, and idyllic, turquoise waters. Komandoo Island offers just that, enhanced by the added touch of adults-only quietude and stilted villas overlooking the ocean.
Komandoo is a private island striving to accommodate that intimacy and tranquillity, markings of the perfect honeymoon in the Maldives.
(3) Baros Island, Malé Atoll
Best for: Relaxing spa days and diving escapades
Stay at: Baros Maldives Luxury Resort *****
During your honeymoon in the Maldives, you might yearn for some aquatic action to balance the calm and quiet hours. Baros Island is your serene scuba-diving paradise.
Baros Maldives Resort allows you to personalise your ideal diving adventure, also providing an alluring ambience characterised by candlelight and apricot sunsets.
Best Islands for Family Holidays in the Maldives
Are you keen to introduce your young jet-setters to the pristine beauty of the Maldives Islands? These top picks find the perfect balance between serenity and excitement, perfect for all ages so that you can relieve the family from the fast paces back home.
(4) Lankanfinolhu Island, Malé Atoll
Best for: beach relaxation and snorkelling adventures
Stay at: Villa Nautica *****
If you’re seeking the quintessential glamour of the Maldives and want to bring the kids along, the luxurious yet adventurous Lankanfinolhu Island is easily accessible from Malé. This makes the island nirvana perfect for families with slightly more restless kids! Parents will enjoy the revered Araamu Spa, while young children are encouraged to explore in the safe hands of the Villa Nautica Kids Club.
(5) Olhuveli Island, Laamu Atoll
Best for: luxury and remote family holiday
Stay at: Six Senses Laamu *****
Moving further from busy Malé, Olhuveli Island Homes is one of our all-time favourite family resorts in the Maldives islands. Dip into the authentic culture and exciting landscapes boasted by the Laamu Atoll with the help of the expert guiding hand of Six Senses.
Family fun on Olhuveli Island ranges from relaxed evenings in the jungle-shrouded outdoor cinema to exhilarating encounters with green sea turtles on the island’s nesting grounds. The resort also runs a kids club to free up your hands so that you can spend time in the state-of-the-art spa.
(6)Vakkaru Island, Baa Atoll
Best for: family-friendly wildlife watching
Stay at: Vakkaru Maldives *****
Nature enthusiasts adore the canvas-perfect setting of Vakkaru Island, situated within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the Baa Atoll. The sleek luxury of Vakkaru Maldives Resort matches the island’s idyllic landscapes, perfect for slightly older kids or parents drawn to life’s finer things.
Take a speedboat to Hanifaru Bay, where whale sharks and manta rays swoop below, while parasailing and jet-ski adventures thrill parents and kids alike. Animal encounters and watery excursions are perfect for a family trip to the Maldives.
Off-grid and Eco-friendly Maldives islands
At Wayfairer, we prioritise the protection of the natural world, only selecting hotels and resorts passionate about their surrounding environments and communities.
These two idyllic Maldives Islands picks offer an “off-grid” feel as you traverse their tropical ocean-side terrain.
Check out our blog “7 Most Luxury Eco-Friendly Resorts in the Maldives”
(7) Dhidhoofinolhu Island, South Ari Atoll
Best for: whale shark watching and off-grid peace
Stay at: LUX* South Ari Atoll Resort *****
When you land on Dhidhoofinolhu Island, you’ll feel like you’ve just have landed in another world, one defined by peace.
LUX* South Ari Atoll Resort embraces the intrinsic calm which flows from Dhidhoofinolhu’s tropical panoramas. Private villas and infinity pools allow you to sink into calm. The resort is passionate about the island’s wellbeing, offsetting 100% of its carbon emissions, banning single-use plastics, and even utilising its own water plant!
(8) Kudadoo Island, Lhaviyani Atoll
Best for: Private island paradise
Stay at: Kudadoo Maldives Private Island *****
Kudadoo Island epitomises the calm ambience of the Maldives in the comfort of an exclusive resort with only 15 private villas. Kudadoo’s over-water villas sleep you blissfully above an astonishing reef, where you can snorkel freely amidst radiant aquatic life.
Kudadoo Maldives is committed to protecting its precious island oasis. As well as a complete use of solar energy, the resort uses sustainable materials and locally caught fish.
Best Islands in the Maldives for Aquatic Adventure
The Maldives is famous for its vast and diverse communities of marine life, dashing colour across its crystal-clear waters.
Here are our top picks for a guaranteed, sublime snorkelling or scuba-diving experience:
(9) Mudhdhoo Island, Raa Atoll
Best for: Bioluminescence
Stay at: Dusit Thani Maldives *****
Journeying only 15 minutes from the hubbub of Malé, the aquatically extravagant Raa Atoll awaits you.
Whilst dolphin cruises and water sports are top-rated in Mudhdhoo (Vaadhoo), the fascinating “Sea of Stars” is its most sought-after attraction. As the sun sinks beneath Mudhdhoo’s delightful horizon, you’ll watch twinkling azure and turquoise specks begin to light up the shore. Chemical reactions in organisms like plankton or jellyfish cause this scintillating light.
(10) Fesdhoo Island, North Ari Atoll
Best for: Scuba diving
Stay at: W Maldives ****
The most popular place for diving in the Maldives is mainly concentrated in the Malé Atoll. Still, in the widely-adorned North Ari Atoll, you will find a calmer ambience with equally impressive spectacles.
The famed and protected Maaya Thila dive site homes an impressive spectrum of marine life scattered across caves, overhangs and striking coral reefs. Great barracuda, parrotfish, butterfly fish and even the rare and imposing anglerfish can be found in the Thila.
So, there you have it, our guide for the Top 10 Best Maldives Islands to visit. Will you venture to this region anytime soon?
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