As a self‑confessed beach snob, I became a little bit obsessed with the Maldives from the moment I started my travel business in 2018. Very quickly, I realised this was a destination that completely bamboozled clients and sent them down a rabbit hole of confusion.

There are 26 atolls and almost 200 resort islands. The photos all look dreamy, the water is turquoise everywhere, and the word “paradise” gets thrown around a lot. So how on earth do you begin to choose the right one?

That question became my mission. I attended every training I could: supplier events, webinars, online modules. I was determined to learn the nuances of these islands, how they differ from one another, and how to match each client to the right resort. By 2023, the Maldives had become one of my top‑selling destinations and I finally convinced Mr B that, for research purposes of course, I really did need to experience it first‑hand with our family!

Just like my clients, we found it incredibly tricky to select the right island for our own trip. In the end, we chose Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, and it turned out to be a brilliant fit for our family.

It appealed to us for several reasons. A fantastic house reef meant we could be snorkelling individually or as a group within minutes. No need to try and all agree a time frame. Addtionally Iru Fushi has a coral or "nemo" garden that is accessible directly from the beach in shallower waters which is perfect for young children or less confident swimmers. The resort is one of only a handful that classes 14 year olds as kids not adults which opens up a greater range of accommdation (water villas for 4 are hard to find) and also keeps the costs lower. The All Inclusive plan is varied and extensive with premium drinks on offer and unrestructed use of several amazing a la carte restaurants. That said...the buffet was oustanding and ended up being a firm favourite regardless.Finally the Siyam group is locally owned and family run which creates a genuine sense of authenticity and pride in everything it does. I

These are exactly the kinds of details I look at when I’m matching clients to resorts: reef quality, room configurations, dining style, atmosphere and ownership. On paper, many Maldivian islands can look similar; in reality, they can feel completely different.

Unless you are staying at an ultra‑luxe resort with its own private seaplane, your transfer will be on a small, noisy, shared seaplane and you may not be the first drop‑off. But trust me: the experience is pure magic.

Seeing the Maldives from the air, with tiny emerald islands ringed by electric-blue lagoons and bright white sandbanks, is absolutely breathtaking. Even our 14‑year‑old boys, usually surgically attached to their phones, spent the entire flight glued to the windows.

For many clients, that first seaplane journey is when the “is this really real?” moment kicks in, and I often recommend it, especially for a first‑time visit if budget and logistics allow.

From the moment I stepped off that seaplane, it was love. I knew instantly this was going to be our first visit and not our once in a lieftime visit.

So many destinations can disappoint when you finally see them in real life, compared with the professional photos and social media highlight reels. The Maldives is not one of those places.

Here, the water really is every shade of turquoise, not just “nice blue”. The sand really is finer and whiter than it looks in the photos. The whole place doesn’t just match your expectations, it quietly exceeds them.

We stayed for 11 nights and, just as I recommend to my clients, we split our stay between a beach villa and  a water villa so we could fully experience both. When I’m advising clients, I will always ask about their travel style, how confident they are in the water, ages of children, and the kind of mood they want for their holiday. Sometimes a split stay is the perfect solution.

So what did we spend our days doing? How on earth were 2 fourteen year old boys not bored stuck on one island? Other than the usual holiday activities like games of pool and tennis, the answer is very much in the sea. You’re on island time from the minute you arrive so after a late breakfast we would head to the reef or the beach for either a snorkel or dive. You would be surprised how quickly an hour passes when you are swimming amongst the most colourful array of fish you’ve seen outside of an aquarium in your life. We snorkelled at least twice a day every day and not once did we take it for granted. We took advantage of some of the complimentary boat trips to other islands and I did a site visit to family favourite Siyam World in order to experience first hand the difference between the 2 islands. Not once did I hear the words, “I’m bored”.

So is The Maldives really worth it? Well we are lucky enough to be heading back to experience 3 more islands Summer 2026 (in the name of research of course) so I think that speaks for itself. It's by no means a budget option but as a year round destination it can offer better value than most people realise. What is essential is understanding what you want from your trip and talking it through with someone who knows the islands well which is exactly where I come in!