Things to Do in Maldives

Maldives is one of the places where people go on yoga retreats or on honeymoons. Some of the best things that tourists must-do while in Maldives are:

•         Yoga and Pilates: one can do yoga and Pilates on the beaches. The sun and the sea breeze help one relax better and make yoga more effective. The Veli Spa Resort is the best place for this activity.
•         Scuba Diving: with such rich marine life, it would be a shame if someone goes to Maldives and doesn't explore it. Scuba Diving is one of the best watersports here. The corals and different aquatic animals and plants make it worth your while.
•         Snorkeling: for those who fear going diving deep into the water, they should try out snorkeling in shallow water to see the corals.
•         Other water sports: one has the option of doing various water sports like jet skiing, banana ride, flyboarding, sailing activities, surfing and so on.
•         Spa: Maldives is known for its luxurious spa resorts that are a must do for those who want to relax.
•         Safari Cruise: one can spend time on the ocean sailing on a cruise. They can explore the northern islands of Maldives. It is generally a 5-7 day tour but one can make stops in between.

Maldives is generally known for its water sports only, but one can find almost all types of adventure sports here. Some of these sports include:

• Parasailing
• Kneeboarding
• Jet skiing
• Scuba Diving
• Snorkeling
• Wind Surfing
• Banana Boat
• Catamaran Sailing
• Seabob

Maldives is one of the most romantic places that a couple can visit. With white sand, beautiful sea and a peaceful environment one gets the much-needed privacy here. There are a lot of romantic activities that a couple can do here like:

•         Romantic walks on the beach
•         Sandbank dining
•         Sunset sailing
•         In-room dining
•         Couple spa
•         Submarine ride
•         A walk on the bioluminescent beach at night

Maldives being a group of islands is all about water, sand, and beaches. So it offers some of the most unique and fun water sports to its tourists. These include:

•         Banana boat - it is like a mini version of river rafting. A few people sit on a banana-shaped rubber inflated boat which is pulled by a speedboat. The speed causes the banana boat to tumble which makes this sport a lot of fun.
•         Kneeboarding - in this the person is seated on a board on his knees and then pulled by a motorboat. The speed gives the person a surfing like a feel and adds on to the thrill element.
•         Scuba Diving - one can delve into the depths of the Indian Ocean to witness the magnificent marine life and the beautiful corals. One can go along with a trainer or alone, this depends on their experience level.
•         Seabob - this is a unique sport which involves the use of a luxury seat. A seabob is a machine that gives you the feeling of driving into the water at high speed.

Out of so many islands, some of the places have the brightest corals while some have the best dishes. Some famous places for Scuba Diving are:

•         Maaya Thila
•         Sun Island
•         Kandooma Thila
•         Banana Reef
•         Five Rocks
•         Kuredu Express

Snorkeling cannot be done any and everywhere. Even in Maldives one needs to be sure that they choose a good place which has shallow water and adequate marine life. One can either to go to the select islands which have a great house reef or stay in resorts which provide such services. Some islands best for Snorkelling are:

•         Angaga
•         Ellaidooh
•         Fihalhohi
•         Thudufushi
•         Biyadhoo
•         Athruga

While some of these places provide this activity at a cheap rate of $7-10 per person, some cost more depending on the house reef present. At an average one can easily do snorkeling in $10 or 700 INR.

Maldives offers some of the best water-related activities. Cruising is just another one of those. All types of cruising here are peaceful, relaxing and perfect but there are two cruises that are exceptional and can give you a lifetime experience. These are:

•         Sunset Fishing Cruise - one can go fishing on the ocean just around sunset when everything seems orange and red. One doesn't need the experience to enjoy this as fishing here is really easy. It costs about $40 per person and lasts for 2 long hours.
•         Sunset Dolphin Cruise - in this cruise one can witness the dolphins jumping out of the water during the sunset. The whole view is breathtaking and a must-do. It costs about $40 per person and lasts for two long hours.

Maldives is known to be an ideal place for yoga retreats, for relaxing and feeling rejuvenated. One can do yoga here anywhere and feel fresh and connected to Mother Nature but some of the best Yoga retreats and places to do Yoga in Maldives are:

•         Four Seasons Resort at Landaa Giravaaru
•         Ayada Maldives
•         Surf Yoga Retreat
•         Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort
•         Himmafushi island
•         Male Atoll

Maldives has a lot of dolphins that one can swim with or just look at them jumping in and out of the water. The best time to spot them is during the morning and at the time of sunset. Some of the greatest and most famous dolphin spotting sites here are:

•         Muli Channel in Meemu Atoll
•         Male Atoll
•         Hulhumale
•         Kurumba
•         Himmafushi

Surfing is the art of taking the benefits of waves and enjoying it thoroughly. It is highly recommended that inexperienced surfers try it out in the less dangerous areas. Being located on the Indian Ocean, Maldives has the perfect current for surfing. Some of the best areas of Maldives that are perfect for surfing are:

•         Central Atolls
•         North Male Atolls
•         South Male Atolls
•         Southern Atolls

Flyboarding is the activity of being attached to a jetpack and hovering over the water like Iron Man. It is one of house water sports that can be found everywhere in the Maldives. However, Villingili island is the best place to flyboard in Maldives as the water is not too deep and the people helping you out with the task are very experienced making it safer and better.

Banana boat rides are some of the most basic yet thrilling water sports that one can enjoy in Maldives. It is found on almost every beach. The tour operators who provide this ride roam around on the beaches of Maldives and can also be reached from your Resort or Hotel. It is a group activity that lasts for 10-15 minutes and Costs around 2500 INR and $50. The price might differ depending on the group size and the area. Overall this activity is always a great experience and worth the money.

Jet skiing is one of the most thrilling and adventurous activities. One can do it on their own or do it with a trainer if they are inexperienced. It can be found in all beaches but some places that have good trainers and can be trusted include Amari Havvodo, Dusit Thani, Pearl Beach and Villingili. The cost is a bit on the higher side. At an average, it costs 6000 INR or $100. The cost may differ with the place and the type of jet skiing chosen by the tourist.

Paddleboarding is a very thrilling activity and it's testing the stability of the person on the board. One can either stand and paddle the board or lie down on their stomach and paddle it. It is a very difficult yet thrilling activity and one needs proper training to be able to carry it out. Many places in the world offer this activity but one gets the best experience of paddleboarding in Maldives. The approximate cost of paddleboarding in Maldives is $25 per hour which is quite affordable for a mini adventure.

Spas are the best way to escape from all the stress that one has from the busy city life. It is perfect place for one to just sit back, relax and get a soothing massage for some time. Many people come to Maldives just for a Spa retreat to relax on the beaches or inside a resort with good soft music. Maldives houses a few of the best Spas that provide services at really affordable prices. Few of them are:

•         Lime spa
•         Jiva Grande Spa
•         Away spa
•         Spa and ayurvedic retreat
•         One and only spa by ESPA
•         Soneva Fushi Resort
•         Velaa Private Island

Maldives is known for being the perfect spot for honeymoon and couples flock this place all around the year. Contrary to popular belief, Maldives has an array of bars and lounges making the nightlife experience in Maldives exceptional. The shacks on the beaches are the perfect place for having a few chilled beers and enjoying yourself. Few activities which can be done in Maldives at night are:

•         Taking walks along the luminescent beach
•         Dine out on the beach
•         Fish at night
•         Moonlight Sailing

Some of the famous bars here that one should definitely visit to enjoy the nightlife present here include:

•         Local bars
•         Resort bars
•         Sangu Beach Bar
•         Nautilus Bar

Maldives houses some of the great local markets that reflect the true culture present here. These markets include:

•         Male Local Market - This market has some of the best traditional objects. It is perfect for souvenir shopping and one can explore the culture present in Maldives.
•         Majeedhee Magu - this is the ideal place to shop for clothes and electronics. It is one of the premium places to shop in Maldives and is a must visit if you are a shopaholic.
•         Chaandaane Magu - this is one of the street markets that are famous for cheap junk jewelry and antiques. One can find mats, vases, and souvenirs as well. One can bargain and buy things at really cheap prices.

One of the latest additions to the activity list in Maldives is the underwater spa. Present only on the Huvafen Fushi Island, this spa takes place 8 meters underwater. It is basically a property that is built with rooms under the water that have glass windows on three sides which gives the feeling of being underwater. It is extremely quiet and a perfect to relax and enjoy the marine life. The overall quality of the resort is quite nice. The staff is friendly, the food is delicious and the spa is amazing. The Lime Spa present on this Island has two such underwater rooms. They offer different kinds of spa treatments which all last for around three hours. The only issue is that one has to pay quite a lot to experience this underwater spa treatment.

Maldives is a place that offers all kinds of attractions to tourists ranging from museums to beautiful beaches. Some of the most famous attractions that are famous globally include:

•             Veligandu Island Beach – one of the most famous white sand beach
•             Mirihi Islands – has an exclusive house reef and exotic flora
•             Maldives National Museum – a place to know more about the history of Maldives
•             Grand Friday Mosque – one of the great examples of Islamic Architecture
•             Muliaage – the official residence of the President of Maldives
•             Manta Point – best place for diving related activities
•             Whale Submarine – unique place to witness blue whales
•             Tsunami Monument – a tribute to those who lost their lives in the great tsunami that hit the Maldives in 2004

Maldives is a tropical nation that includes around 1192 coral islands. These islands are grouped together to form different Atolls like central, northern, Male and so on. When visiting Maldives one cannot just go to a single island and expect to enjoy all these above activities. one of the major things that tourists in Maldives do is Island Hopping. This activity means that people travel from one island to another through cruises, speedboats, motorboats, etc and enjoy all the islands a little bit. Some of the best islands that should not be missed out on include:

•             Baros Island – it has the SandBank and is one of the most private and romantic islands
•             AaaVeee Island  - reflects the true Maldivian Culture
•             Mihiri Islands – famous for exclusive house reef and scuba diving
•             Adaaran Prestige Vadoo island – houses 50 water villas and has the best resorts
•             Maafushi Island – one of the most beautiful islands with many activities to do
•             Biyadhoo Island – it has the unique soft corals and the Kandooma Caves
•             Thulusdhoo Island – famous for water sports like diving
•             Villingili Island – famous for snorkeling and scuba diving
•             Himmafushi Island – famous for Spa and Yoga retreats