Approximately 567 miles from north to south and 81 miles from west to east ; of which total land size approximately 115 miles.

A population of around 388,000 this unique island nation has approximately 1192 coral islands of which around 200 are inhabited, the rest uninhabited or developed predominantly as a ‘one island one resort’ concept with just over around 175 island resorts (at time of writing) as well as guest houses on local inhabited islands.

Each on island one resort has at least a restaurant, a bar, a dive school as well as water sports facilities either motorised or non-motorised and some form of spa facility whether that be an outdoor naturally thatched cover with massage bed in a sheltered area on the beach or a full spa with a number of treatment rooms.  As well as island accommodation there is an array of boats for exploring the islands known as ‘liveaboards’ predominantly for diving.  If one is not a diver consider a liveaboard that features snorkelling safaris (a great way to see wildlife (correct terminology marine life!) under the sea).  

Each resort / accommodation is unique as you so first recommendation (as easy as it may sound), do not compare they have their own style, character and concept…so the question is: how to choose that island resort? Read on for some thoughts  / considerations for your Maldives accommodation / island resort. 

Think of this as a your simple go to checklist and then myself as your navigator (personal travel planner) to steer you to your island of choice ..  

 Island Size?

• Do you want to stay on an island with a lot of other guests or less guests: islands can vary with rooms from 1 (yes your own private island) to over 400 rooms.  More rooms = more people

Room Type / Location?

·         Do you want to stay on land or over water (some with direct sea access = wow!) or both or half land / half water (yes there are islands that have this concept!

• Do you want to be on an island that just has rooms on land or just over water or both? 
• Do you like to see the sunrise or sunset ?
• Do you want to stay on an island resort (the one island one resort concept) or on a local inhabited island in smaller hotels / guest house type of accommodation (dress codes apply on local islands)

Reef Island Or Lagoon Island?

• Every island has a house reef, the further the reef is away from the island shoreline generally the larger the lagoon and beach.
• Reef island is where you can snorkel direct from the beach or water villa (depending on room / villa location) and tend to have a smaller beach
• Lagoon islands have shallow waters, larger beach with access to the reef for snorkelling / diving tends to be by boat
• Some islands that have a bit of both ie a small lagoon and one swims out to the house reef and can access from beach 
• Do you want to be able to walk all around the island?  Lagoon islands tend to be more ‘walkaround’ friendly than reef islands due to beach  / shall water access
• Maldives is a great destination to do one's PADI diving certification; groups tend to be small and there is no commute by vehicle to the dive school, it is walking distance right where you are staying. 
• Alternatively, a liveaboard boat is an option to do one’s PADI course for 7 nights then stay 7 nights on an island resort.
• Want to stay on more than one island? Consider a twin centre 7 nights on one island and 7 nights on another island (consider staying in a different Atoll)
• If you do not like the idea to pack up luggage after 7 nights for 7 nights on another island, consider staying on the same island but stay in 2 different room types for example 7 nights in a water villa and 7 nights on land / beach villa (or 6 nights / 4 nights if wanting a 10 night stay).  In such a scenario house keeping staff  / island butler would assist with the luggage move from one room to another.  All islands have guest relations staff and they co-ordinate such a room move.

Transfer Mode From The Airport:

• Speed boat: islands located up to approximately 45 mins to 1 to 1 ½ hours from airport
• Seaplane: Maldives has the largest seaplane operation in the world.  Each aircraft has a passenger capacity of 12 to 15 including luggage.  See the country by air from a completely difference perspective  - literally a birds eye view (personal view: any stay in Maldives should include a sea plane experience).   For a private exclusive experience you can charter your own seaplane or speedboat.
• Domestic flight and speed boat,  generally taken for islands located more than 50 mins by seaplane.  Take the domestic flight to a regional airport (there are 13 domestic airports and 5 international status airpors ) within the atoll then a speed boat journey to your island.
• Arriving / departing: seaplanes operate day lights hours only, dawn to dusk, so better to have a flight arriving in morning and a departure flight from late afternoon / evening.  If you are taking a boat transfer consider the same.  Some island nearby to Velana International Airport (Male) within North Male and South Male Atoll offer 24 hour boat transfer.  Boat travel  / transfers at night is kept to minimum due to the navigation of reefs

Island Facilities:

• As mentioned each island has a dive school, spa, restaurant / bar.  Some islands have more than one restaurant / bar.
• Consider: do you want to be on an island with more than one dining option?  Do you want an in-room dining option and / or 24 hour butler service (some islands have).
• Do you like sand between your toes / under foot or flooring when dining?  Some island dining areas are under sand with covered area or open outdoor dining.
• Some islands have all facilities are purely under sand (apart from rooms / public toilet facilities) allowing one to be completely ‘bare foot / no shoes’ (and no news) for your full duration of stay.

Food and Beverage:

·         Can be pricey and for a valid reason, the majority of items are imported.  Many islands grow some herbs / salad veg / fruits, if space permits and where possible source local produce (veg / salads / fruits) from nearby local islands which is great.

Some Islands Offer:

• The option to dine or have a picnic on a sandbank, a lush special private experience not to be missed. 
• All inclusive packages (example: from standard breakfast, lunch, dinner, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages to ultra all inclusive including a spa treatment, snorkelling equipment, sightsee / excursion to a local inhabited island) and dine-around, if more than one restaurant.
• If you want to flexibility / tend to eat less in warmer / hotter climates, then breakfast only or half board (breakfast, dinner) is a good option and full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner) for the traditional 3 meals a day.  On some islands breakfast can be like brunch.
• Consider your meal plan carefully being mindful of how much you tend to eat and drink when you are on holiday.  Why you ask as I am on my holiday? 
• Be mindful you to be staying in the middle of the Indian Ocean, yes the middle of the Indian Ocean, how special is that?  So with this mindfulness you shall be contributing to help the island resorts  / accommodations to reduce / keep food and beverage wastage to a minimum and also to manage operational costs effectively thus striving to keep the destination as affordable value.   

Maldives really is a place for a complete chillax and a switch off from the outside world, there are no traffic lights / roads as such on 'island resorts' and not all local islands have traffic flights either!

Hope this has given and insight to assist with your choices, here to navigate you on your Maldives journey to experience this incredible island destination that is an absolute privilege to visit where you take only photos and leave only footprints having made very special lifetime memories.

 Thank you so much for taking the time to read this article (original script - not AI generated)