Often when we talk about Maldives, the first thought is turned to the crystalline color of the sea, but the next thought, for many people is:
BUT WHAT DO I DO A WEEK IN THE MALDIVES
Well, the time has come to dispel this myth, it is true The Maldives are small islands, and not atolls ( the atoll is made up of many islands ), but once you put your feet in the sand you cannot help but fall in love with it. Paradise.
But if you are still not convinced to leave for this magnificent destination.
Here are the 18 best things to do absolutely in the Maldives:
1- Take The Sea Wheel
Even if you are not yet with your feet on the sand, here you are ready for one of the 10 things to do absolutely in the Maldives!!
Take a seaplane!
Once you arrive in Malè unless you have booked accommodation nearby, you will have to reach your island aboard a PLANE, usually, the journeys vary from 20 to 45 minutes, but being on board these aircraft is a wonderful feeling!
On average they have 15 seats, the crew is made up of 3 people, strictly barefoot.
The take-off takes place in the water, as well as the ditching.
Once onboard, the sound of the seaplane will accompany you all the way, but simple earplugs are enough to reduce the noise problem.
The most beautiful part of all is obviously flying over the various islands admiring a thousand colors of the Indian Ocean!
2- Diving and Snorkeling
Unfortunately, having increased the temperature of the water in recent years (sometimes at 30 meters depth it even reaches 29 °), the colors of the coral reef leave a little to be desired, but as regards the quantity and variety of marine fauna, you will be speechless!
Almost all resorts have a Diving center, which also allows those who have never tried diving to get closer to this world (most of the time the first test is also free), so we strongly recommend you try it because the sensation of being in the water and being able to “breathe” is truly one of a kind.
For those who really cannot dive for various reasons, there is the possibility of snorkeling, which is nothing more than a swim on the surface of the water with a mask, fins, and snorkel ( WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO USE FINS, CAUSE STRONG CURRENTS ).
Often you can do it on your own, swimming in front of your room, but some resorts organize day excursions.
3- Dinner Under The Stars
How many times have you dreamed of having dinner in a one-of-a-kind super romantic place?
The Maldives also offer this possibility, because among the various things you can do, one that will surely remain unforgettable, could be a wonderful candlelit dinner, under a starry sky and feet on the sand !!
4- Sunset Aperitif
How to end the day on the beach if not with a super aperitif at sunset ?!
Of course, you can certainly have an aperitif at sunset anywhere in the world, it’s true, but do you want to be able to admire the sun going down into the ocean while you are lying on a sunbed with 30 °!
5- Bench Of Bench
Among the various wonders of nature that you can admire in the Maldives, there is one that is particularly unusual, because it will never be the same as the previous one.
We are talking about the sand banks that form in the middle of the atolls. This phenomenon occurs thanks to ocean currents and tides, and that is why the sand banks that are formed, in addition to never being the same size, cannot always be found!
However, rest assured that when you are on the boat, you will recognize it immediately, thanks to the white color of the sand and the water so crystalline that it seems almost transparent !!
ABSOLUTELY not to be missed!!
6- FISHING
The Indian Ocean, in addition to giving great emotions when diving, often offers great adventures even when it comes to fishing. Obviously, not all types of fishing, the most common ones in the Maldives are deep-sea fishing, bottom fishing, and trolling.
7- Deep sea fishing – is on ton in Things to Do in Maldives
Getting up at dawn for fans of this activity is never a problem.
By choosing this type of fishing, you try to go and get Marlin or Sailfish, even if the certainty of being able to catch them is never there. Sometimes it happens to catch some jackdaws, barracudas, or even to return to the island empty-handed !!
Many resorts, when organizing deep sea fishing excursions, opt for the “tag and release” when that is, when large fish such as Marlin or Vela are caught, tagged, and subsequently released into the sea.
8- Bolentino
Recommended if you want to have fun even with the little ones, simpler and cheaper than the offshore one.
Usually, you go out with the boat for sunset time and come back about two hours later, but often you also have the opportunity to stay a few more hours.
Bottom fishing is totally different from deep-sea fishing, because you stop with the boat in the middle of the sea, throw the line with the hook and the bait, and wait for something to bite !!
Here, whether or not you fish will depend on your ability to retrieve the line, so be quick but not too fast !!
9- Trolling
Trolling is very similar to deep sea fishing, but in our opinion less fun, because we don’t use rods, but reels with lines, so it will be more difficult to catch something big.
10- TASTE TYPICAL DISHES
Place you go to the kitchen you find! If you decide to take a holiday in the Maldives, rest assured that almost all the establishments will have international cuisine or, if you are lucky, also excellent Italian cuisine!
Our advice, however, is to try the local cuisine at least once. It is usually offered on Friday, which is the evening dedicated to the Maldivian population.
The dishes are all very spicy, we have been there for some time, we have tried them all more or less and there is not one that we do not like !!
11- The best dishes of all are:
Mashuni: is perhaps the most famous dish of the Maldivian tradition, made with tuna, onion, coconut, peppers, tomatoes, and hikandhi fai, all accompanied with unleavened bread. It is mainly eaten for breakfast but it is always good!
Boakibaa: they are deliciously fried stuffed with fish, rice, coconut and seasoned with chili and onion.
Kukulhu bis riha: Maldivian specialty of chicken with eggs, potatoes, and coconut cream; all flavored with curry.
Huni hakuru folhi: it is a typical Maldivian dessert; they are pancakes made with coconut, sugar, flour, and milk. Excellent both for breakfast and as a dessert at the end of a meal.
Hikki Mas: these are dried tuna fillets, excellent as a snack.
Geri Riha: beef-based dish cooked in coconut milk together with curry, a mix of spicy and savory flavors.
Kandumahu mussanmaa: perfect for an informal and tasty dinner, they are tuna rolls with palm leaves, curry, and coconut.
Theluli mas: probably the favorite dish of Maldivians, it consists of a nice fried tuna, flavored with a multitude of spices that vary from island to island.
Saagu bondibai: typical sweet of the archipelago, as essential as it is good, which looks like a sphere of rice and sugar.
Kaliyaa Birinjee: Maldivian fishermen often cook this dish, because it is simple but very tasty. Basically, it is rice with onion, garlic, and spices at will, including ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon.
12- Massage
If sunbathing all day is not enough to relax, the massage’s of the Spas will take care of it.
Almost all resorts have a Spa with a super friendly staff, ready to pamper you and make you relax.
There are a myriad of types of massages to choose from, even if we are not great lovers of the genre we must say that it is really a pleasant sensation, then if you do it facing the sea, well, you just have to try it!
13- Boat Excursion
When you are on holiday in the Maldives you have to dedicate at least one day to boat excursions.
Generally, they can last half a day (10-14) or all day (10-18). You can go out with a Dhoni, which is the typical Maldivian boat, or with a speed boat (whose prices will obviously be different)!
Usually, during the excursions you snorkel in places reachable only by boat, not only that, it is often possible to “land” on a splendid desert island or in some lagoon with even more crystalline water, to take a magnificent bath and obviously be able to shoot millions of photos!
14- SWIMMING WITH COATS
One of the most exciting encounters that can be done in the Maldives when diving or snorkeling, is undoubtedly the one with the manta rays, not to be confused with the rays, they are two disqualified animals, but very different !!
Being able to admire the Manta rays “dancing” in the water is a spectacle that leaves you breathless, their size can intimidate you, but you will not run into any kind of danger because they are harmless. When you meet them, you will be fascinated by their sweet movement, we are sure !!!
15- Visit Ukulhas Island
Located west of Rasdu and connected to it by a boat, Ukulhas Island offers several dozen hotels to stay in, restaurants, and Bikini Beach, where tourists and locals mingle. It’s also a great spot for snorkeling and diving, with snorkel, mask, and fins.
16- Explore Kuramathi Island
A little last atoll for the journey? The island is centrally located to the west of the inhabited island of Rasdhoo in the Maldives. There are still sublime beaches at all points, some hotels to sleep in, and the same belief: enjoy, in complete tranquility.
17- Swim with the sharks
Visiting the Maldives without seeing whale sharks and manta rays would be a shame. In the Maldives, diving with these marine animals is a widespread practice among the tourist businesses sold by the seaside resorts. An extraordinary aquatic universe awaits you, in an element, we do not dominate: the ocean. There is an abundant population of manta rays, multicolored tropical fish, and, between November and April, the impressive whale shark. Diving into the ocean at a depth of 15-20 meters allows you to cross the corals, get closer to the coral reef to stay close to moray eels, parrot fish, rays and groupers: a gigantic aquarium except that you are the stranger here.
18- Fly over the atolls and islets
To those who ask what to do in the Maldives, Génération Voyage replies a seaplane ride! Why not fly over the atolls by seaplane and come back with an almost unique image in the world: from the air, enjoy the transparency of the water and the colors of the lagoons, in contrast with the deep blue of the ocean, anchoring almost deserted islands!
How to reach the Maldives?
To visit the Maldives, there is only one solution: the plane. It is the Malé airport that will be your drop-off point for visiting the Maldives! Many airlines offer flights from Paris with a stopover in Paris (the cheapest flights can be found on the site of our partner Skyscanner). It will be necessary to take a seaplane or a speed boat to reach the other islands, islets, and atolls. It is quite unusual to take a boat after the plane when you are used to getting on a bus when you leave the airport! Don’t miss to check the best time to visit in Maldives.
Where to stay in the Maldives?
Renting accommodation in the Maldives is not cheap at all: a not very luxurious hotel will be more expensive than a luxury hotel in Sri Lanka or India. Around the 110 hotels on the island that the country has, there are many hotels to sleep in, but it will be very expensive, even for the low end of the market. We, therefore, advise you to be far-sighted in terms of budget … For a hotel at the best price, do not hesitate to take a look at this hotel comparator that will help you select the best deals. From the Addu Atoll in the south to the northernmost Thuraakunu, almost 2,000 islands await you!