Places to Visit in Maldives

Island Hopping Paradise: Exploring the Maldives’ Most Beautiful Destinations

The Maldives is famous for its glittering turquoise waters, bleached white beaches, swaying palms, and intricate coral reefs that host incredible marine life. This island nation in the Indian Ocean packs over 1,000 islands within its 26 atolls, offering stunning tropical eye candy at every turn. From off-the-grid desert islands to luxury private hideaways to the capital Male’s cultural treasures, visitors are spoiled for choice.

Though tourism revolves around water activities like snorkeling, diving, fishing, and cruising the archipelago by traditional dhoni boat, you’ll also find spas, golf courses, restaurants serving fresh seafood, beach resorts, and a rich history. The best time to visit Maldives and many of its top attractions is during the dry season from November to April when skies are sunny and seas at their calmest. Escape the rest of the world at these 10 top places to visit in Maldives.

Male

The bustling capital of Male is the modern gateway to the Maldives. This city island is packed with lively markets, quirky cafes, centuries-old mosques, and intriguing museums that provide a dose of culture with the best places to visit in Maldives. Visit the ornate Grand Friday Mosque, built in 1656 with intricate coral stone carvings, or the Old Friday Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in this predominantly Muslim country dating back to the 15th century.

The National Museum has a fine collection of historical artifacts spanning over 2,000 years, while the small but modern Maldives National Art Gallery hosts rotating exhibitions by local artists.

When planning places to visit Maldives, spare half a day to wander Male’s lively streets and markets. Try local street food like shaviyani roshi (fine wheat noodles mixed with chili, onions, and grated coconut). The best time to visit is in the dry season from December to April when rains are rare.

Banana Reef

Off North Male Atoll, Banana Reef lives up to its playful name with its bright yellow coral formations and curved banana-like shape. Protected as a marine sanctuary, this easily accessible reef is a top spot for diving and snorkeling in Maldives.

Novices can snorkel straight off the white sandy beaches encircling Banana Reef to glimpse green sea turtles, reef sharks, and thousands of brilliant tropical fish species all living within the reef. Certified divers shouldn’t miss exploring outer reef walls plunging thousands of feet into the deep blue, where moray eels, Napoleon wrasses, stingrays, and reef squid hide within overhangs dotted with vibrant purple corals.

Currents can pick up so it’s best to visit Banana Reef in March and April at the peak of the dry season when visibility stretches over 30 meters. A great way to end a snorkel or dive here is relaxing on the small strip of beach, but note there are no resorts or amenities on Banana Reef itself.

Baros Maldives

For honeymooners and couples seeking romance, it’s tough to beat the water villas at Baros Maldives in North Male Atoll. This small and stylish boutique all-inclusive resort has sand-floored luxury villas on stilts over waters glowing brilliant turquoise, complete with overwater hammocks, glass-bottom floors to spy sea life, outdoor rain showers, private infinity pools, and catamaran nets. Baros prides itself on exceptional dining and world-class service.

Sip sunset cocktails on daybeds at the Lighthouse Rooftop Sunset Bar overlooking the Indian Ocean. Feast on Japanese, Mediterranean, and freshly caught Maldivian seafood, with many ingredients sourced straight from Baros’ hydroponic gardens. When planning top places to visit in Maldives, schedule a pampering session at the overwater Cayenne Spa with ocean views or learn pole and line fishing on a traditional dhoni. Thanks to a house reef teeming with green turtles, eagle rays and reef sharks, Baros offers fantastic snorkeling and diving opportunities.

Visit in March and April, when 10 hours of daily sunshine ensures snorkel sightings of sharks and mantas feeding on rich plankton.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Spread between two islands connected by a 500-meter bridge crossing turquoise shallows, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island lets you enjoy both typical water villas and Maldivian cultural experiences. Located in secluded Alifu Dhaalu Atoll, this premium resort’s unique selling point is its underwater restaurant and wine cellar called Ithaa. These destinations must be in your places to visit in Maldives.

Down spiral stairs, this curved all-glass dining room sits 5 meters below the surface, hosted within an aquatic greenhouse with 180-degree views over coral gardens blooming with rainbow parrotfish, angelfish, and turtles. Back on dry land, relax at overwater spa villas, sample South American wines at the only Maldivian Vinotheque, swim beside whale sharks and mantas at neighboring dive sites or enjoy a candlelit dinner on the beach. Conrad hosts traditional Bodu Beru cultural performances with summoning drums and lively dancing.

Visit Conrad Maldives in February and March, when beachside temperatures hover around 30°C but seas remain bathwater-warm at 29°C with excellent visibility, making it one of the best places to visit Maldives for snorkeling with mantas and whale sharks.

Rah Seabed Maldives

For an utterly unique twist on top places to visit in Maldives, stay in an underwater suite with Rah Seabed Maldives. Located in picturesque Raa Atoll near excellent snorkeling reefs, Rah offers the world’s first underwater glass villas. Down spiraling stairs, three seabed suites sit five meters below the Indian Ocean surface, encapsulated within a curved acrylic glass dome. Peer up at snorkelers and kayakers paddling above as Oriental Sweetlips, striped surgeonfish, and hawksbill turtles swim peacefully outside the window.

By day, explore house reefs or book a massage in the Earth Spa nestled privately within tropical foliage. As the sun sets, return to your underwater room where ceiling mirrors reflect ripples of turquoise water and schools of fusiliers swim past glow-in-the-dark bean bags. Dine on fresh catches from local fishermen back on shore or request an underwater dinner in your suite featuring fusion plates like chili-glazed tuna.

There’s no better time to book this underwater bucket list experience than during whale shark season from December to February when sightings happen daily.

Milaidhoo Island Maldives

This exclusive boutique resort sets the gold standard for luxury in Maldives with its tranquil overwater spa, stellar dining options focusing on fresh seafood, and 50 romantic pool villas made from natural materials. Set in sparkling Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere famous for manta cleaning stations and Hanifaru Bay’s migrating whale sharks, the resort offers exceptional snorkeling and diving along house reefs and nearby Protected Marine Areas. Make sure to add it to your places to visit in Maldives.

But with your own freshwater infinity pool, why leave your spacious water villa? Swim up to the thatched pool bar as the sun sinks below the horizon for inventive cocktails or request an in-villa chef-prepared barbecue feast. Milaidhoo Island’s piece de resistance is its Cocoon overwater spa, seemingly floating weightlessly above mirror-flat lagoons. Indulge in coconut oil massages inside thatched treatment cocoons surrounded by turquoise views.

Visit Milaidhoo Island in March and April for bathwater seas, 10 hours of daily sunshine, blooming corals, chances to spot feeding mantas gliding gracefully at nearby cleaning stations, and phenomenal visibility at famous dive sites like British Loyalty Wreck.

Soneva Fushi

If seeking environmentally friendly places to visit in Maldives, add Soneva Fushi to your shortlist. This pioneering eco-resort lies on Kunfunadhoo Island in Baa Atoll and offers nature walks, stargazing with resident astronomers, turtle nesting, glass art studios, and an educational Eco Centro.

All water villas and jungle hideaways are crafted using renewable plantation wood, natural fabrics, and traditional palm weaves, and have solar panels that power air conditioning, desalination, and glass-making. Meals feature organic produce grown at on-site gardens along with fresh seafood and therefore, it is a must have thing in the places to visit in Maldives.

Instead of cars, guests pedal bikes along sandy paths shaded by palms between nine dining venues, five beaches, two pools, an open-air cinema, and Six Senses Spa. When planning top attractions in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi’s observatory is a highlight for peering through high-powered telescopes into deep space.

Visit during March’s spring tides to watch baby green and hawksbill turtles hatch under the moonlight and make their maiden swim. Thanks to stringent eco-policies plus proximity to Baa Atoll’s feeding mantas and Hanifaru whale sharks, Soneva Fushi appeals to nature lovers who snorkel or dive.

Cocoa Island by COMO

This tasteful private island hideaway occupies three hectares at South Male Atoll’s Cocoa Island. Choose between elegant overwater suites with catamaran nets and private sundecks or lofty Dhoni Suites built from traditional dhoni boats combining lush interiors with vast lagoon views. This COMO resort punches above its weight class with two upscale restaurants led by celebrity chef George Cooper.

Delectable Mediterranean fare featuring fresh-caught Maldivian lobster is served at Ufaa restaurant, while all-day dining at Faru uses organic produce and meat from the island’s hydroponic garden. Of all the luxury places to visit in Maldives, COMO Cocoa Island boasts exceptional service; the chef hosts private picnics on the beach while the Lifestyle Manager arranges personalized itineraries from authentic Maldivian boduberu dance lessons to guided snorkeling safaris over some of Male Atoll’s most pristine house reefs. Thanks to a dedicated marine biologist and on-site dive center, you may spot green turtles and reef sharks while paddling across the limpid blue lagoon.

Visit during March’s manta ray season or book a luxury surf-and-stay package to ride breaks at the famous surfing waves off nearby Tiger’s Eye and Pasta Point Reef.

Mirihi Island Resort

Affordable without sacrificing quality, Mirihi punches above its weight as one of Maldives’ top small island resorts. Just 88 villas dot this oval-shaped tropical island embellished with rich vegetation, fine white sands, and a turquoise jewel-toned house reef where snorkelers spot turtles and rays daily.

While all 34 overwater villas have direct lagoon access and four-poster beds, beachfront villas offer more space for families, with some featuring private plunge pools. Mirihi Island Resort appeals especially to adventurous honeymooners, with regular stingray-feeding sessions in the shallows and guided snorkeling to observe sharks and eagle rays being hand-fed at Muraka house reef. Swim up to the poolside Sand Bar to sip sundowners during spectacular sunsets; dine beachside on fresh grilled seafood, pasta, and pizzas; and book catamaran sailing trips to uninhabited desert islands for beach barbecues and snorkeling explorations.

As one of Maldives’ smallest luxury resorts with attentive staff delivering tailored service, Mirihi makes the perfect tranquil escape. February through April guarantees bathwater seas at 29 ̊C, over 10 hours of sunshine, and superb visibility on vibrant house reefs.

Dhigurah Island

This sleepy palm-fringed island offers Maldives immersion off the beaten track with just 106 rooms at two resorts: the contemporary Dhigurah Maldives and the all-inclusive Chaaya Island Dhonveli affording access to facilities on both of these best places to visit in Maldives. Though Dhigurah lacks its own house reef, picture-perfect sandy beaches fringe the island with hammocks dangling by thatched umbrellas over turquoise shallows; paddleboards and kayaks invite stand-up paddle adventures across Vaadhoo Kandu channel’s flat waters to glimpse manta rays and whale sharks.

Meander dirt trails across the lush tropical island interior passing thickets of glossy green shrubs then cool off in one of Dhigurah’s two freshwater swimming pools. With frequently shared dhoni boat transfers from Dhigurah’s palm-shaded jetty to prime regional snorkeling reefs like Banana Reef, Alimatha House Reef, and Dhigu Thila, you still appreciate Maldives’ spectacular marine life minus the high-end resort costs.

Enjoy beachfront seafood barbecue dinners and sample flavored rums at Dhigurah’s relaxed Beach Cabana swim-up bar.

March through May promises glassy waters with good visibility for seasoned snorkelers and over 10 hours of sunshine – perfect for this no-frills, beach-centric Maldivian escape.

Bottom Line

Pamper yourself at luxurious overwater villas with glass floors and private plunge pools, feast on freshly-caught seafood curated by renowned chefs, and discover local Maldivian culture through traditional music and dance. Adventurous travelers can swim beside graceful manta rays feeding at cleaning stations, explore coral reefs blooming with brilliant tropical fish, or try surfing the legendary breaks around Male Atoll. And for the ultimate bucket list natural high, jump in the water during whale shark season to snorkel beside the world’s largest fish peacefully filtering plankton. The Maldives rewards visitors with sheer aquatic beauty, exclusive beachfront serenity, and memories to last a lifetime over these sinking sands.