The Maldives is a long chain of coral atolls and shallow islets extending hundreds of kilometres south of India, into the heart of the Indian Ocean. This island nation is the embodiment of a tropical paradise, with some of the best snorkeling, diving and surfing in the world. If you fly into the islands by day, you will see beneath you stunning white sand islands and waters in every shade of blue and turquoise you can imagine. You wouldn't be the first to wish you had a parachute to drop onto a perfect beach or coral lagoon you spot beneath you. Of its 1,192 islands and islets around 1,000 of them are unoccupied.

Just being in the Maldives is a bliss even the most energetic should find time for - melting into its warmth and gazing out across its reef protected waters. The snorkelling is legendary with limitless opportunities to find colourful reefs teeming with fish life. Limitless also describes its underwater world for scuba divers. There is a lifetime of diving to be done in the Maldives.

We offer all resorts across the Maldives at some of the best rates available; so whatever you are looking for, Contact Us and we will be delighted to make your bespoke Indian Ocean dreams come true.

On this website, you will find that we focus on locations with the healthiest coral reefs. In 2015 & 2016, sea temperature rises led to widespread bleaching of coral reefs in the Maldives, as well as many other parts of the world. Since then, we have put a lot of time into studying Reef Check surveys and first-hand accounts of the health of reefs throughout this vast archipelago. Our portfolio of Maldives Island Resorts focuses on locations where house reefs and surrounding coral areas are healthiest, especially those close to Hope Spots. Coral Reef Hope Spots are areas where at the height of damage, there was less than 45% incidence of coral bleaching and more than 25% live coral cover.

Diving by liveaboard provides a greater ability to focus where coral reefs are least impacted. Pinnacles called thilas are a prime target for our liveaboard itineraries, where currents help to maintain more even temperatures for coral reefs, which prevents leaching. Large schools of fish often collect here, alongside reef sharks. Canyons in the outer walls of a coral atoll can have some of the healthiest corals too, with channels providing nutrient-rich upwellings from Indian Ocean depths into sheltered lagoons. These are a magnet for plankton feeders, from the smallest colourful fish to largest of them all: the Whale Shark. They can also create spectacular Manta Ray feeding events, with dozens of rays swimming in formation, such as those at Hanifaru Lagoon.

We can also enjoy fantastic manta encounters at cleaning stations, where cleaner fish make a living by picking off parasites. Manta Ray cleaning stations are incorporated into many liveaboard itineraries. Island-based, three of our partner resorts are perfect bases to visit these stations. Manta rays are best seen between November and March at our Llaviyani Atoll partner resort. For Faafu Atoll December to April is best; and for South Ari Atoll the prime season is June to October.

If your priority is for surfing, then we can provide specific advice. The Maldives covers a mouth-watering Equatorial section of the Indian Ocean; so it should come as no surprise to learn that it has some world class surf breaks.

For some terra firma, consider combining the Maldives with one of private safaris in Sri Lanka. Each March, you can also combine the Maldives with our Blue Whale Snorkelling & Photography experiences in Sri Lanka.