Powder-soft beaches, overwater bungalows and a splash of adventure.
Okay, so you’ve been thinking about this holiday since before you got engaged. You’ve had the biggest event of your life to plan, family and friends to keep happy and for most, there’s a health regime in place to ensure you look picture-perfect in all your glossy wedding pictures. Now, it’s time to recharge and begin your married life with some romance in paradise. The honeymoon is what gets you through all the planning, menu tastings, music selections and endless lists. You’re dreaming of white sand, turquoise sea, and cocktails! Paradise is what most honeymooners aspire to. Think tiny islands, huge, luxurious beds draped in white linens and crystal-clear waters. Throw in a few palm trees for good measure, too! Honeymooners love somewhere they can enjoy privacy, total luxury and some serious pampering.
Instagrammable destinations are seriously hot right now and nowhere in the world is more so than the Maldives! Private islands scattered across the sea with just a single hotel, accessible only by tiny boats and planes. Expect fabulous dining, dreamy overwater infinity pool views and some seriously sexy bathrooms, some with glass bathtubs and even glass floors for you to peer into the ocean below. Your days will be filled with a feast for the senses: think relaxing on pristine white beaches, romantic sunset picnics, snorkelling with rays, baby sharks and turtles and endless pampering by discreetly attentive staff.
There are two ways to stay in the Maldives – beach villas and overwater villas. Beach villas can come with or without pools and have gorgeous bathrooms – sometimes with a decadent, huge outdoor bathtub. Overwater villas, of course, have direct access to the lagoon and you can often sit on the deck watching rays and sharks float quietly by. It’s truly captivating. Of course, the overwater option is the icon but the beach villas offer the edge when it comes to space and privacy. If you’re staying seven or more nights, I’d recommend staying in both room types. This gives you the best of both experiences but also helps not to blow the budget out of the water!
For those who love a little action on their holidays, and the honeymoon is no exception, the Maldives can be somewhere you can indulge in a variety of activities. As well as the incredible snorkelling and diving, you can enjoy cocktail classes, fishing, boat trips, cookery lessons, tennis, yoga, fitness timetables and much more. Boredom will never set in!
For the foodies who are needing to treat themselves after the pre-wedding diet, each hotel has an array of restaurants serving a multitude of cuisines – some even have underwater restaurants for the added ‘wow’ factor!
If you fancy twinning the Maldives with an additional stop to either break up the journey or add another dimension to your trip, there are plenty of options. Destinations in the Middle East like Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Oman, as well as Sri Lanka, Bangkok and Singapore, will all add colour and excitement to the trip, as well as more to your memory bank. There’s plenty of airlines that offer direct flights to and from many of these destinations into the capital of Male.
The Maldives is the most beautiful collection of islands and will serve as the perfect backdrop to your honeymoon, which, if you think about it, is no less than you deserve.
