7 Best Tips For Planning Your Perfect Maldives Honeymoon

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Imagine waking up to the sound of waves and postcard-worthy views all around you. That is the best part of a Maldives honeymoon – a dream-come-true to be in such a romantic destination with your significant other.

We heard so many good things about Maldives, and we knew that it will be really memorable to have our honeymoon there. We booked 4 nights in Pullman Maldives‘ overwater villa with all-inclusive benefits, and I’m so glad that it exceeded our expectations. It was really fun and we got to enjoy activities like snorkelling among house reefs, admiring the sunset, and stand-up paddle boarding. It was really fun and romantic, and we highly recommend a Maldives honeymoon.

Read on for my 7 best tips – including budget planning, differentiating between the many resort options available, and ways you can make the most of your time there.

1. Trip Duration: Plan for at least 4 nights

Each resort is situated on a small island and you can take part in the various activities the resort offers. There are also various types of rooms, which I will talk about in the next section, and you might consider staying in more than 1 room type. For example some people want to spend 2 nights in a beach villa, and then 2 nights in an overwater villa. Alternatively, you could also consider staying in 2 different resorts if you have more than a week. Each resort has something unique to offer. Some have great house reefs, some have world-class facilities and services, and a few have the most stunning underwater restaurants.

It will be nice to take your Maldives honeymoon slow and enjoy the island and resort a day at a time. You can browse the resorts’ activities brochures to have a rough idea of what you could do there. For example, you can spend a day each for water sports, snorkelling/diving, lazing at the poolside, etc. Every day in Maldives is an opportunity to witness an awe-inspiring sunset, better yet if it’s accompanied by a glass of champagne.

2. Costs and Budgeting

Resort room rates for your Maldives Honeymoon

Everyone knows that Maldives resorts are expensive. November to April are peak periods where there is lower chance of rain (outside the monsoon season), so prices would vary accordingly. Booking sites can help you to compare prices, where you might find extra discounts or cash back deals. Try to look out for promotions because a 10% discount on a $7k booking will be big discount overall. There are also several companies that offer Maldives honeymoon packages, and sometimes they throw in an additional activity or two so you might want to consider them too.

Maldives overwater villa vs beach villa cost

Overwater villas also tend to cost more than beach villas due to it being a must-try in Maldives. Most of the overwater villas that caught my eye cost above S$1,000 (US$700) per night. From what I saw, you can get some good places (subject to seasonal pricing) below S$1,500 (US$1,100). These would be villas with uninterrupted ocean views, spacious rooms and a nice outdoor deck for relaxing. Most of the time, brand-name chains with all-inclusive offerings would easily cost up to S$2,000 (US$1,400). If your budget allows, opt for overwater pool villas for an added touch of exclusivity.

Luxury resorts in Maldives

If you are really going for ultimate luxury, there are some 5 to 6-star resorts that go for more than S$7,000 (US$5,000) per night. In such places, you are paying for the rarity of these unique stays and the impeccable service, including unlimited mini-bar refills and personal butlers that are just a text away. They have really incredible rooms and pools that are truly once-in-a-lifetime.

Our choice and other suggestions we saved

We went with Pullman Maldives for our honeymoon because of the all-inclusive benefits, amazing room design, and the well-reviewed restaurants. Here are some other options we really liked as we researched for our Maldives honeymoon. As you can see, it was a really tough decision.

Mid-range Maldives honeymoon resorts:

• Radisson Blu Resort Maldives
• Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa
• Siyam World Maldives
• Atmosphere Kanifushi
• Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort
• Angsana Velavaru In-Ocean Villas
• JA Manafaru Maldives
• Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa

Luxurious Maldives honeymoon resorts:

• Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa
• Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives
• Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort
• W Maldives
• Baros Maldives

Food and beverages

In terms of food and beverages, you will be given a choice between half-board, full-board, or all-inclusive at difference price points. Half-board usually means that breakfast and dinner are provided, full-board adds on lunch, and all-inclusive includes snacks, drinks and some activities. This is usually charged together with the price of the room, so do consider this when budgeting for your accommodation.

Some people go for half-board because they don’t mind having a late breakfast, which helps to save some cost. However, prices of a-la-carte menu items can be expensive due to the cost of flying them into the islands. Don’t forget to account for the price of alcoholic beverages, because you are not allowed to bring your own drinks into Maldives.

One good reason to go for an all-inclusive package is that you won’t have to hesitate each time you order food and drinks. You just pay once at check-in, and then enjoy the rest of your stay knowing that (almost) all your expenses have been covered. Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy unlimited poolside snacks and cocktails throughout the day?

Activities and excursions

Even if you are on an all-inclusive package, it is unlikely that all activities are included. You should check the fine print and make a mental note of the exclusions. Most resorts have a list of activities and excursions that you can sign up for. It could be S$50 (US$35) per person for guided snorkelling, or S$550 (US$400) per couple for a private sunset cruise.

You can also go on diving trips, which might cost around S$125 (US$90) per trip. If you know what activities you are interested in, you can factor those costs into your budget. We will explore more options and ideas of things to do in the later section. For now, you can roughly budget for perhaps S$100 per person daily on extra activities.

Flights and speedboat transfer

If your resort is not close to Male, you might need to board a domestic flight via sea-plane. This taken care of by the resort staff once you provide them your international flight details. They use that information to help with arranging domestic flights and ferries during both arrival and departure. The domestic flights are charged by the resort as a flat fee, and you can enquire with them to check on the prices.

A return flight ranges between S$280-700 (US$200-500) on average, though it gets more expensive for the ultra luxurious hotels that could be further from Male. As a reference, we paid S$490 (US$355) per person for a return flight. You can also find out the transfer flight price in most resort booking sites.

3. Things to do during your Maldives Honeymoon

A memorable Maldives honeymoon includes a mix of both land and sea activities – which can be relaxing, romantic, or fun. If you think that you might get bored during your stay here, let me suggest some ideas that will easily fill up your time. The key is to slow down and live in the moment as you enjoy your honeymoon. Take a look at your resort’s activities brochure, and start planning your days from there.

Morning and afternoon

Starting from the morning, you can go for yoga, hit the gym, play tennis, go for an easy run to explore the island, and then order a breakfast spread to awaken those tastebuds. After that you might rest for a while, so you could be enjoying the view in your room, or exploring the different facilities on the island. You could also consult the dive center staff about the best time to snorkel depending on the tide, and then plan your lunch around this.

There are a variety of water sports that resorts commonly offer, such as jet skiing, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, windsurfing etc. It is actually common for people to spot dolphins during these activities, so I hope you get to see them!

There are some excursions to consider as well – such as snorkelling and dive trips to further reefs, a dolphin cruise, big game fishing, or private island trips. You can also hire a photographer to take professional portraits for you to take home as a souvenir. For a more relaxing day, consider a couple facial or spa, taking a cooking class together, and then dipping in the pool with some snacks and cocktails to go along. If it rains, consider ordering food to your villa as you stay in and enjoy a cosy day indoors.

Evening

During our Maldives honeymoon, my favourite time of the day was sunset time. The whole island gradually gets enveloped in orange, pink and purple hues. Everyone turned instinctively to admire the sunset and take in the majestic sight. If you also love sunsets you might want to consider a sunset cruise, which could be done in a group or privately as a couple.

To take things up a notch, how does a romantic private beach dinner with the sunset as your backdrop sound? The resort staff and chefs really do go all out to give their guests an unforgettable experience.

The cherry on top could be an outdoor movie screening along with the feeling of the ocean breeze. Don’t forget to look up at the night sky to stargaze or try spotting the Milky Way in summer. Yes I’m not kidding, because we saw it too! The island resorts are so remote and far from city lights that you might see the fuzzy white band across the sky.

4. Choice of Maldives Honeymoon resort/villa

You could first shortlist 10 villas, decide what factors are important, then rank the villas accordingly. I highly recommend staying in an overwater villa in Maldives, and here are some of the best value-for-money ones we shortlisted while planning our honeymoon.

Remember that the choice of resort is also as important as the villa, because you are unlikely to spend all your time in your room so service and facilities matter too. Although you might be spoilt for choice, here are some things to look out for to narrow down your search.

• Room size
• Private pool
• See-through glass floor panel – to see fish from your room
• Bath tub – perhaps some wine to go with your bubble bath
• Privacy and distance to neighbouring villas
• Direct access to the sea – go swimming any time
• Sunset or sunrise views – would you wake up for sunrise, or be out for dinner during sunset?
• Resort facilities – number of pools, restaurants, gym availability, buggy and butler service, etc
• Novelty – some are double storey, some have underwater bedrooms, some even have a water slide leading to the sea
• All-inclusive offering – are there good reviews on the resort’s food, drinks, and service?
• Guest demography – each resort has its own flavour. Some are more kid-friendly, some are energetic and party-like, and some attract those who just want to relax
• Eco-friendliness – do they support sustainable tourism?
• Cancellation policy – these are expensive commitments to make if you’re not offered any flexibility

5. Getting to Maldives (and back home)

The whole transfer on arrival takes about 4.5 hours. This includes 2 hours of waiting for the flight, about 1 hour flight duration, and another 15 minutes via speedboat. We reached Velana International Airport at about 12pm and finally arrived at our resort at 4:30pm. After a 30-minute free island tour, we checked-in just in time for sunset.

If your international flight arrives in the evening (after 3:30pm) you might not be in time for a domestic flight to your resort. In that case, you will have to book a place to stay overnight in Male. It could be a good idea to rest and recover from jet lag (if you come from outside Asia).

If you are trying to decide between a few resorts, you could compare the cost of transfers. Some seaplanes are able to fly directly to the island without an additional boat ride. Each resort has a counter at the airport, and they will hold a sign with your name when you arrive. Popular resorts will have airport lounges where guests can have food and drinks while waiting for their domestic flight.

On the last day, the resort staff will let you know the time to set off on the speedboat which takes you to your domestic flight back. We checked out at 3pm, boarded the speedboat at 4:45pm, waited about 1.5 hours to board the domestic flight at 6:30pm, and then arrived at Velana International Airport by 8pm. Thankfully, the resort staff guided us up until the last moment when we entered the departure area. We had a late international flight home, so we bought fast food with the remaining USD cash on hand.

6. Covid-19 Precautions

Thankfully international travel has resumed and we are fortunate to go on a honeymoon in March 2022. Maldives was one of the first countries to open up to overseas tourists back in July 2020. As of now, you are not required to have any testing done to enter Maldives which makes it very easy. Most resorts are able to help you arrange a pre-departure PCR test and with results ready the next morning. Talk about efficient!

That being said, do consider purchasing insurance coverage in case you need to cancel the trip for a Covid-related reason. Though your villa booking might offer free-cancellation it is usually only good up to 2 weeks before your trip. That is when it becomes risky to be uninsured. Moreover if you catch the virus in Maldives, you are likely required to quarantine and remain in your villa.

Do check on the resort’s policy and associated costs so that you will be able to plan for adequate insurance coverage. After all, this is your honeymoon so it’s best not to take any risks – just buy insurance and relax.

You can check on the official Visit Maldives page for the latest Covid-19 updates. https://visitmaldives.com/en/covid19-updates

7. Things to bring

I know how busy wedding planning season can be, so some things might get left out of your packing list. Here’s a reminder of the not-so-obvious but important things to bring to your Maldives honeymoon:

• A good camera/camera phone to take many photos
• GoPro for underwater and snorkelling footage
• Sunglasses – really useful during water sports
• Workout clothes
• Nice outfits/shoes/accessories for dining at restaurants
• More underwear because you will will be changing in and out of outfits often, and Maldives is humid
• For the ladies, prepare for that time of the month – it will be so expensive/difficult to get supplies on the island
• Different sets of swimwear – as they need time to dry
• Beach coverups – to move from the pool to the restaurant. Note that some local islands are more conservative (if you plan to go there)
• Book – entertainment while waiting between flights
• Water bottle
• Dry bag or beach bag – for taking to the beach, though your resort might provide one
• Snorkelling gear – if you don’t want to rent the ones from the resort
• Multi-plug with adaptor
• Seasickness medication – though you can buy them easily at the airport

Do take note of the baggage allowance for the seaplane or domestic flight, and pack light where necessary. It will usually be 5kg for hand baggage and up to 20kg for checked baggage. It is better to pack light to avoid surcharges.

Cash and credit cards

You only need USD during your entire stay, unless you are making side trips within Male or to local islands. In that case you might want to buy some Maldivian Rufiyaa at the airport. Otherwise, if you are only going to be in the airport or the resort, you will not need much cash. Do take note of the foreign currency charges your credit card company might impose. This could be a great time to optimise your miles accumulation on overseas spending too.

Final thoughts

Maldives has been a popular honeymoon destination for a long time. While we still have natural resources to enjoy, we don’t want to take them for granted. We can help to promote sustainable tourism by reducing wastage and reusing amenities where possible. Alternatively, we can support the resorts that make eco-friendly choices.

Even though there are so many activities to do, the perfect Maldives honeymoon is one that you both enjoy. You don’t have to snorkel if you prefer hanging out at the beach, and no need for sunbathing if you are sunburnt. It’s the most memorable when you live in the moment without any pressure to “look” like you are having fun.

I hope these tips have been useful in helping you to budget and plan for your honeymoon. Honestly, there’s not much else to plan once you’ve booked the accommodations. Just show up and decide on your itinerary then. Have fun!

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