Summary
Our family visited the Maldives as part of a trip to India during the New Years period in late 2022 early 2023. We found this to be a perfect opportunity to travel to the Maldives because we felt that we wanted to go visit but that it was too far to make a separate trip. We spent just under a week which we felt was a perfect amount of time. The beautiful waters, stunning accommodations and idyllic lifestyle made this new years one to remember for sure – we were also joined by some of our extended family which of course made the trip that much more special. A word of caution when leaving the Maldives – get to the airport extra early. There is a huge line outside the airport before you enter that can be highly unpredictable and can result in a missed flight. Also, there are several documentary procedures (e.g. health declarations etc.) that need to be handled pre and post visiting the Maldives so make sure to stay on top of all of this as part of your journey.
Accommodations
We stayed at the wonderful Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa on Furanafushi Island in the North Male Atoll. This hotel was perfect for our group of 10 – it was a short speedboat away from the airport (making the end-to-end travel experience seamless) and it was very child friendly which ensure everyone had a great time. It goes without saying that all of the hotels in the Maldives go out of their way to ensure that families enjoy to the fullest. There is so much competition for accommodations that every hotel needs to be on point to ensure they build goodwill and inspire recommendations from all visitors.
Select Favorites
-
- Dining: Typically, most islands essentially serve as the only dining options – we ended up hitting all of the Sheraton’s dining options as the hotel owned the entire island. We enjoyed Baan Thai (Thai), Sea Salt (Italian/Seafood) and Masala Hut (Indian) the most
- Activities: There was much to do on the island and we really enjoyed all the activities – most excursions are centered around watersports. The water is absolutely incredible and the coral reefs, clear waters and calm waves make for excellent activities. We enjoyed kayaking, snorkeling, diving, dolphin cruises, tennis, swimming, soccer and playgrounds for the kids. Not to mention the idyllic picture taking all over the island. The New Year’s party was certainly a memorable experience
Recommendation
The Maldives are an amazingly beautiful set of islands to visit – very unique and interesting. We’d love to go back someday. Enjoy!
