Island Selection Guide

Fellow travelers planning a Maldives honeymoon, listen up! To be honest, when I first started planning my Maldives trip, I was completely overwhelmed. With over 1,200 islands, just a simple search can make your head spin. I spent an entire month staying up late browsing travel apps and reading hundreds of travel blogs before finally figuring out how to navigate these islands. Today, I'm sharing my island selection insights with you to help you avoid the common pitfalls!

Transportation is absolutely the first factor to consider when choosing an island. From Male Airport, you have three options: seaplane, speedboat, or domestic flight. Honestly, seaplanes are quite expensive, but they're worth every penny! Imagine sitting in a small aircraft overlooking the entire Maldivian archipelago - those surreally blue atolls and scattered islands make every photo look like a masterpiece! My wife and I specifically chose an island requiring seaplane access just for this flying experience. Of course, if you're on a budget, speedboats are a great alternative - much cheaper, and islands near Male only take 30 minutes to an hour to reach. As for domestic flights, they're typically used for reaching extremely distant islands, like those at the southern end of Male.

When it comes to island size, it's quite technical. Small islands are indeed private, feeling like your personal territory, but they might only have one or two restaurants and limited recreational facilities. Large islands have complete facilities, multiple restaurant choices, and various entertainment options, but they're more crowded with less privacy. After careful consideration, we chose a medium-sized island that takes about half an hour to walk around. This size is perfect - neither too quiet nor too crowded while maintaining some privacy.

However, island selection also depends on your vacation style. If you prefer tranquility, choose a more secluded small island to enjoy pure couple time. If you love activities and socializing, opt for larger islands where you can enjoy bars and beach parties in the evening.

Accommodation Experience

Honestly, when I first opened the door to our water villa, I was stunned! The feeling can only be described as "breathtaking." The room was huge, decorated with Maldivian characteristics, featuring natural wood and white color schemes throughout. The most striking feature was the floor - partially made of transparent glass, allowing you to see tropical fish swimming below. Lying in bed with the floor-to-ceiling windows open, the Indian Ocean view was right before us - blue sky, white clouds, and turquoise sea merging together, truly a paradise on Earth!

The water villa's deck was also incredible, with a huge terrace featuring two loungers - perfect for sunbathing and watching sunrises and sunsets. The best parts were the private pool and the ladder leading directly into the sea, allowing you to swim or snorkel whenever you want. One night when we couldn't sleep, we went swimming directly from the deck - the water was warm, and we could see bioluminescent plankton, it was incredibly romantic!

After three days in the water villa, we moved to a beach villa, which offered a completely different experience. The beach villa was right on the beach, with fine white sand just outside the door. At night, lying in bed listening to the sound of waves was extremely relaxing. Plus, beach villas are usually surrounded by tropical plants, offering great privacy. They cost about one-third less than water villas but provide an equally excellent stay.

We stayed in a deluxe beach villa, which was very spacious with a private outdoor bathtub and garden. I especially loved sitting on the terrace in my bathrobe drinking coffee in the morning, watching people jogging and doing yoga on the beach. My wife particularly loved the hammock outside our villa - she would lie there reading and napping every afternoon, looking so peaceful and relaxed that just watching her was therapeutic.

Food Exploration

Don't be scared by claims that food in the Maldives isn't good - our resort was a food paradise! The main restaurant offered different themed buffets daily, rotating between Asian, Mediterranean, and Indian cuisines, so it never got boring. Special mention goes to their Chinese chef - the stir-fries were authentic, so there's no worry about not finding familiar tastes.

The most exciting was the seafood themed dinner twice a week - absolute heaven for food lovers! Fresh lobster, king crab, oysters - everything you could want, prepared in various ways according to your preference by chefs on the spot. I particularly loved their salt and pepper lobster - crispy outside, tender inside, with special sauce - it was amazing! My wife fell in love with their oysters, saying she'd never had fresher ones.

The resort had several specialty restaurants, which we tried almost all of. The Japanese restaurant's sushi and sashimi were super fresh, and the Italian restaurant's seafood pasta and pizza were authentic. The most romantic was the overwater restaurant, built entirely over water with glass floors showing fish swimming below. We specifically chose one evening for a candlelit dinner there - perfect food with perfect views, absolutely amazing!

Breakfast was also exceptional, with an incredible variety. Seasonal tropical fruits like mangoes, dragon fruit, and coconuts were freely available. Fresh eggs Benedict, authentic French croissants, and various freshly squeezed juices could satisfy even the most discerning palate. I especially loved their coconut ice cream - had to have one every morning, refreshing and perfect for the weather.

However, to be honest, food prices were quite high. A regular meal for two started at 500-600 RMB, and better restaurants could cost over 1000. Strongly recommend booking meal packages when reserving your room, either half-board or full-board - it's much cheaper than ordering à la carte. We chose half-board, including breakfast and dinner, so we could have light lunches and save quite a bit of money.

Entertainment Activities

Water activities are absolutely not to be missed in the Maldives! Snorkeling tops the list because it's so convenient. Many resorts have snorkeling spots right in their accommodation areas - just put on your gear and you can see vast coral reefs and tropical fish. I was absolutely amazed the first time I went in! The underwater world was even more spectacular than imagined, with colorful corals, schools of clownfish and butterflyfish, and occasional sightings of sea turtles and manta rays - even more impressive than watching documentaries!

We joined the hotel's organized snorkeling tours to several famous spots. The guide explained the characteristics of various marine life in detail and helped us find special fish species like small sharks and giant manta rays. Though it cost extra, it was definitely worth it as the guides knew where to find the most beautiful sights.

I highly recommend sunset fishing too! We went out in the evening, enjoying the sunset while fishing, and were lucky enough to catch several good-sized fish. The best part was that the restaurant could cook your catch - we chose to have ours grilled with special sauce, and the freshness was indescribable!

Oh, and for thrill-seekers, you must try the banana boat and parasailing! The banana boat gets pulled by a speedboat, deliberately tipping you into the water occasionally - a bit scary but super fun. Parasailing was even more amazing - being pulled high into the air with a bird's-eye view of the entire island was breathtaking! My wife, who's usually afraid of heights, actually felt very safe once up there and kept asking me to take photos.

Diving was also a fantastic experience. My wife and I got our diving certificates in advance back home, so we could go deep diving in the Maldives. Honestly, the certification was expensive, but totally worth it if you love diving. Deep diving lets you see things you can't while snorkeling, like large schools of fish, coral walls, and even sharks! Don't worry if you don't have a diving certificate though - resorts offer introductory diving courses where instructors will guide you in shallow water to experience diving.

Evening entertainment was also abundant. We attended a beach movie night, lying on bean bags on the beach watching movies on an outdoor screen under a starry sky - super romantic! There were various themed parties too, like white parties and fluorescent parties, all with great atmosphere where you could meet travelers from around the world.

The most special was a night stargazing activity we joined. The resort invited a professional astronomy enthusiast who used a telescope to show us the Southern Hemisphere sky. The weather was perfect that night, and we saw many constellations not visible back home - my wife was as excited as a child.

Practical Tips

Let's talk about specific budgets. A typical 7-day-6-night honeymoon package usually costs between 30,000-50,000 RMB. Of course, the exact price depends on your chosen island's level and room type. Water villas are definitely more expensive than beach villas, peak season costs more than off-season, and holidays see price spikes. It's recommended to avoid the rainy season in July-August - we went in November when the weather was perfect with sunny days almost every day.

Make sure to book well in advance, at least 3-4 months ahead. The earlier you book, the cheaper it is, plus you have more room choices. Many resorts offer early bird discounts, some up to 30% off. We booked six months in advance, not only saving money but also getting complimentary airport transfers and a champagne dinner.

There are several must-bring items for your luggage. Sun protection is essential! The Maldivian sun is really strong - SPF50+ sunscreen is a must, and it's best to bring sun protection spray for easy reapplication. Consider bringing several UV protection clothes so you don't have to keep applying sunscreen.

Bring multiple swimsuits as you'll be in the water daily - one set isn't enough. Women should bring both bikinis and one-piece suits - bikinis are great for sunbathing, while one-pieces are better for water activities. A waterproof camera is essential - the underwater scenery is really worth recording. However, if you don't have one, resorts usually offer rental services.

You don't need to bring too many clothes - you'll mostly wear swimsuits and light resort wear every day. Just bring one or two formal outfits for special dinners. Towels and toiletries are provided by the resort and are usually good quality, so you can save luggage space there.

Here's a money-saving tip: bring some snacks and instant noodles. While resort dining is great, it's certainly not cheap. Sometimes late at night, having instant noodles while stargazing can be quite enjoyable. Just remember not to bring fruits - the Maldives is quite strict about this during customs checks.

Final Thoughts

The Maldives is truly a place for both physical and mental relaxation. Time seems to move slower here - wake up naturally each day, watch the sunrise, swim, sunbathe - everything is so leisurely. No work pressure, no social demands, just doing what you want to do.

The best part is how perfect it is for couples. Watching sunsets together, snorkeling together, daydreaming together - you feel closer than ever. Though it's expensive, I think this rare experience of quality time together is worth it. Plus, these beautiful memories will be priceless when you look back.

However, I must remind everyone to do thorough research. When choosing an island, read plenty of reviews to understand its features and limitations. When booking, carefully check package contents - some seemingly cheap packages might not include meals and transportation, ending up more expensive overall.

The most important thing about choosing the Maldives is having the right mindset. Don't go with the intention of trying every activity - instead, slow down and enjoy the peace and beauty this pure land offers. After all, the beauty here isn't just in the unreally blue waters, but in truly being able to let go of everything and focus on the beautiful present moment.