There are few honeymoon destinations more alluring than the Maldives. This tropical archipelago in the Indian Ocean has long been renowned for its natural beauty. Think: pristine beaches, bold green jungle and magnificent coral reefs. And, while that, alone, is reason to visit, the ultra-exclusive, all-inclusive resorts scattered around the country’s nearly 2,000 islands are increasingly just as extraordinary as their surroundings. In 2024, honeymooners can find themselves spending holiday days eating Michelin-starred pool snacks, heading out on marine biologist-led nature excursions and enjoying garden-to-table fine dining in the privacy of an orchid house. Service is always impeccable – resorts often assign guests their own guide and there’s nearly always a bottle of Champagne waiting for honeymooners upon arrival – and thanks to each hotel here sitting on its own island, privacy is a given. It’s no wonder the nation has become the romantic destination du jour – not to mention a regular retreat for Vogue pals such as the Beckhams, the Elbas, Emily Ratajkowski and Kate Winslet. Here’s our guide to planning the perfect Maldives honeymoon trip.
Where to honeymoon in the Maldives
The Central Atolls are great for surfing and quick access to the bustle of capital city Malé, but to find the kind of secluded island resorts synonymous with honeymooning, you’ll probably want to head north or south, where you’ll find yourself mentally and physically miles from real life. (Most are accessible only by chartered seaplane or yacht, meaning the journey there feels like an adventure in itself.)
If you’re going to shipwreck yourself on a desert island – albeit a very luxurious one – make sure it fits your key interests. The food-obsessed should try the Waldorf Astoria, on private island Ithaafushi, a favourite of Alessandra Ambrosio. The hideaway has a breathtaking house reef, watersports lagoon and spa, as well as chic, contemporary villas with vast pools, shaded terraces and their own outdoor showers, but this Vogue writer found its highlight to be the restaurants and bars. Michelin-starred chef Dave Pynt runs Australian barbecue joint The Ledge (you can order his dishes to the pool, FYI); Knightsbridge’s flashy Zuma has an outpost; and chef Ivan Alvarez cooks up bespoke seven-course tasting menus for guests at Terra, a collection of private bamboo dining pods perched in the rainforest canopy, where diners can eat while watching birds and fruit bats weave through the treetops.
Meanwhile, Conrad Maldives Rangali, in Ari Atoll, should be top of the list for nature lovers. Many resort islands are now man-made, but this stalwart is built across two beautiful, natural land masses, including a quieter, jungly one for adults only. It has its own team of marine biologists who, as well as maintaining the island’s reefs, run swims with whale sharks and turtles. It also has Ithaa, an undersea restaurant – the first to open in the Maldives – where you can sip on Champagne as schools of fish swim overhead, and The Muraka, its giant, secluded villa with an underwater bedroom.
Simply looking for somewhere to flop in near-silence after the big day? One of the most exciting new Maldivian openings of 2024 is Soneva Secret, from the creators of Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani, where Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk honeymooned: 14 villas, in the ultra-remote Haa Dhaalu Atoll, only accessible by boat and each with a dedicated private chef.
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What to do on honeymoon in the Maldives
Of course, you could easily spend a fortnight in the Maldives simply soaking up the equatorial rays on one of its many perfect beaches. (We wouldn’t blame you if you did.) But if you’re the kind of person who usually prefers to pack their holidays with sightseeing and day trips, and you’re nervous that you might, dare I say it, get a little bored in paradise, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s a surprising amount to do at many resorts. Most offer snorkelling and scuba diving lessons, as well as watersports equipment to hire and snorkels, paddleboards and kayaks to borrow. For those with a taste for adventure, an excursion, like the Conrad’s Whale Shark Talk and Tour, run by marine biologists, gives guests the chance to feel like a Blue Planet researcher. (I would recommend booking this kind of trip as a private experience, unless you don’t mind hanging out with excitable kids for the morning.) And for something more romantic? Perhaps a boat safari as the sun rises or goes down. Six Senses Kanuhura offers a Sunset Dolphin Cruise, on a traditional Maldivian sailboat, or dhoni.
Where to eat on honeymoon in the Maldives
There’s been a wave of sustainable, organic restaurants opening across the arpeggio in recent years. At its forefront is Roots at glossy, contemporary, eco-focused resort Patina (where honeymooners get a free spa treatment, floating breakfast and dolphin safari). It’s a modern, plant-based, communal dining concept, where guests share small plates created with ingredients picked from island gardens.
The must-try dinner for any Maldivian honeymoon, though, doesn’t take place in a restaurant. Private dining experiences are ever popular at resorts. For many, that involves a dinner date on a secluded beach or sandbank at sunset. (The Waldorf’s Sunken Sand Getaway – with an indulgent Middle Eastern menu – could make even the most cynical newlywed feel warm and fuzzy inside.) But if the idea of candles on the beach feels a little too “Instagram influencer at large” for you, might I suggest one of the more contemporary private dining experiences available. The Waldorf’s aforementioned Terra is brilliant. Meanwhile, One&Only Reethi Rah offers a garden-to-table menu in its flower-filled orchid house, as well as modern Japanese cooking in a teppanyaki pavilion by the ocean – an experience Idris and Sabrina Elba enjoyed when they visited in 2019.
Which spas to go to on honeymoon in the Maldives
Organic products, such as Maldivian brand Kaashi Theyo, and local ingredients, like sea salt and coconut, top the bill at wellness centres here. Kate Winslet has raved about the Javvu Spa at Amilla Fushi in the Maldives, where a Himalayan salt crystal body scrub left her “shiny and reborn”. Meanwhile, to say the Over-Water Spa at the Conrad is extraordinary is an understatement. Its home is a wooden cabana, about 100 metres out to sea, with glass windows in the floor so that you can catch glimpses of the nation’s nearly 2,000 species of fish during massages. Elsewhere, One&Only Reethi Rah and Soneva Fushi boast extensive wellness offerings that span everything from sound baths to nutritional consultation. Looking for a treatment unique to the Maldives? Ask for Veli Bon’dli, where warm sand-filled pouches are used to ease muscle aches.
What to pack for a honeymoon in the Maldives
You’re not going to need much more than swimwear and your floatiest linen bits. Although, if you plan to head on any long kayaking or snorkelling sessions, pack sporty bikinis and sun protection gear, like rash guards. Beauty wise: hair oil, like Ouai’s, is a must, after all that sun and sea, and don’t forget basics like sunscreen and antihistamines – there are very limited shopping opportunities on the island resorts.
Anything else to know?
A lot of the resorts welcome families as well as couples, so expect for there to be children around. High season at the resorts is the dry season – January to March – when you’ll find perfect sunbathing weather. Don’t let that put you off going in the summer months, though. You’ll have a quieter stay – and the monsoon rains are incredible to watch from your villa (and less frequent than you’d imagine). Other than that? Prepare to totally switch off. Even a chronic holiday overplanner (ie this writer) found that island life meant truly chilling out.
Book the best hotels in the Maldives for honeymooners, below:
From its decadent villas to its impeccable service and Michelin-starred food, the Waldorf is the epitome of old-school luxury.
A nature lover’s paradise: lush natural islands that are the perfect base for a couple of weeks of underwater excursions.
A truly stand-out spa: that’s the highlight of Six Senses Kanuhura. Treatments here make use of tropical ingredients like papaya and mango and instruments like Koshi chimes. There’s even a Biohacking Lounge.
This petite, welcoming island, beloved of Kate Winslet, almost has a summer camp vibe, with art classes, football meet-ups, pickleball and glamping pods on offer as well as one of the 10 best spas in Asia.
If you’re looking for adventure, Soneva Fushi should be top of your bucket list; one of the largest islands in the Maldives, you’ll find everything from a zip-line to a beautiful outdoor cinema nestled in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
It might have only opened in 2021, but this Fari Islands resort has already made a name for itself thanks to its contemporary-rustic design and bold sustainable ideology. Come for the cool aesthetic and even better plant-based food.
As chic, relaxing and downright indulgent a spot to stay as the rest of the One&Only cohort, it’s Reethi Rah’s thrilling line-up of outdoor dining experiences that makes it stand out.
Want to totally disappear for a few days? Look no further than Soneva Jani, one of the world’s lowest density resorts, with vast, relaxed over-ocean villas and its own observatory.
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