Castaway island paradise
The Maldives takes you to a world of private islands made up of footprint free, white sand beaches fringed with glistening azure waters. With one hotel per island, holidays to the Maldives offer a sanctuary for a romantic getaway. Many hotels also offer activities and programmes for younger guests, making it popular with families too. Water based adventurers flock to the clear, warm waters, which are home to stunning marine life, exotic house reefs, and world class diving.
Holidaymakers will enjoy sipping cocktails from their own private pool and soaking up the Maldivian sunshine on powdery, soft sands, while adrenaline seekers can sample wakeboarding, windsurfing, or paragliding for an aerial view of the turquoise waters scattered with pristine jewel-like islands. Experience renowned Maldivian hospitality and exceptional cuisine inspired by Sri Lankan and Indian influences within upmarket eateries. Specialities include fresh seafood, in particular tuna, as well as coconut featured in an array of curry dishes and mouth watering desserts.
Every one of our Maldives hotels is handpicked and personally visited by our team.
Enjoy the best of Winter Sun with our destination guide. Discover more about Winter Sun Destinations and our favourite hotels by clicking here.
11 day suggested trip
Flight time from the UK to Maldives is around 10 hours.
If you're planning a trip to Maldives (MLE) from the UK, the following airports have flights:
Birmingham (BHX), Edinburgh (EDI), Glasgow (GLA), London Gatwick (LGW), London Heathrow (LHR), London Stansted (STN), Manchester (MAN) and Newcastle (NCL).
The Maldives weather makes it a year-round destination, with temperatures around 30 degrees most of the time. December through to April are the driest months, making it the perfect time for those wanting to spend all day on the white sand. May to November brings the south-west monsoon, which means more rain - although it tends to clear fairly quickly. If you're diving in the Maldives, the western atolls will have the best visibility during the south-west monsoon, while the eastern atolls attract manta rays.
30-day tourist visas are available on arrival into the Maldives. The visa is free, providing you have a return ticket home and enough funds to cover your stay or a confirmation of hotel stay.
A 10% service tax is added to bills in most hotels, restaurants and bars. If a tip hasn’t been included, consider leaving 10-15%.
The official language of the Maldives is Dhivehi. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.
No vaccines are required or recommended for the Maldives. However, all routine immunisations should be up to date. For full details, please contact your GP.