Maldives Honeymoon | The Unrivaled Beauty of Their Beaches
After visitingย Hong Kong,ย Chiang Mai,ย Chiang Rai, andย Bangkok, our Maldives honeymoon adventure ended at the turquoise water and white sands surrounding the magical, secluded island of theย Landaa Giraavaru, Maldives. The tropical island nation of the Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean, in the heart of the Arabian Sea. We spent six blissful days and seven nights at one of the Four Seasons resorts. Our stay was the ultimate beach vacation– so peaceful, beautiful, and refreshing!
The Maldives are part of South Asia and are known for being geographically spread out; they are composed of 26ย โatolls,โ which are ring-shaped coral reef borders, and span nearly 115 square miles in size. Aside from their enormous length and dispersion, the most defining characteristic of the Maldives would be the unrivaled beauty of their beaches. Everywhere we went looked like a scene from a fabulous postcard! It was an amazing way to spend part of our honeymoon, and I hope we can go back some dayโฆ maybe for our anniversary!
A Little History
The Republic of the Maldives became independent from the United Kingdom in 1965, but has a rich cultural history dating back centuries beforehand. The capital of the Maldives is Malรฉ, which is also the most populated of the islands. It is sometimes called the โKingโs Islandโ both for its central location and because the Maldivian monarchy resided there in the past.
Over thousands of years, the Maldives has had connections to a number of religions including: Buddhism, due to their proximity to India; Islam, during a period where the nation was a sultanate; and Christianity during the Colonial era. Currently, the nationโs ethnic makeup is estimated at 100 percent Maldivian, most residents are practicing Muslims, and the primary language spoken is Maldivian as well, preserving their unique and complex cultural history.
History aside, the Maldives we know today is an attractive hub for tourists and a fantastic place to spend time away from the grind. The island communities are close-knit, in part due to how separately the atolls are dispersed. This closeness and togetherness shone through during our stay, and by the end of the week, it felt like home.
Maldives Honeymoon Beach Outfits
Sea Plane Ride from Malรฉ International Airport
We flew into Malรฉ International Airport, the main airport in the Maldives, which is located on the โKingโs Island.โ It was opened in 1960, and was upgraded in 1972 to accommodate the substantial tourism boom that followed. Prior to this point, the Maldives were relatively unknown to global tourism, but now tourism counts for 28% of their nationโs gross domestic product.
While Malรฉ is one of the main atolls, our hotel was in a different location, so we took a 30-minute sea plane ride to get there. What a truly breathtaking way to preview our Maldives honeymoon stay! From overhead, we were able to see the entire lay of the atolls through the window, which only made us more excited to get to our destination. Not to mention that sea planes are surprisingly spacious compared to regular commercial airlines. Furthermore, because the 26 islands are so spread out, sea planes and boat rides are the two main modes of transportation to travel between them. To us, taking a sea plane was foreign and exciting, but to most local people, it was business as usual.
Biking on the Small Island
Though a number of the atolls in the Maldives are quite small, there is plenty of adventure to be found when exploring them! The main source of transportation on our island was the bicycle which gave us the opportunity to go from our overwater villa to the beach, the scuba diving center, to one of the restaurants, the library, or the tennis courts.
It was also a great way to leisurely pass the day and enjoy the beautiful, balmy weather during our Maldives honeymoon. It was hot while we were there, and cruising around the island provided a much-needed breeze that cut through the humidity.
Four Seasons Maldives
The Four Seasons is located in Landau Giraavaru, one of the islands, and it offers bungalows, villas, as well as specialty accommodations. The hotel perfectly represent the sunny and sultry climate of the area. It is tucked behind traditional turquoise gates, and is surrounded by nature on each side. Private gardens cover the land, and each of the land-based accommodations features beach access.
They offer a full service spa for rest and relaxation as well as various excursion packages to explore Landau Giraavaru during your stay. Additionally, guests are served a daily breakfast delivered to their room, consisting of fresh local fruits, Landaa Spring bottled water, coffee and tea. The villas are spectacular, with wooden steps and walkways connecting them to the rest of the property, suspended over the crystal clear blue waters.
The decor of the rooms is simple and elegant, with teal accents, and bright sunlight streaming in through open windows which provide panoramic views of the ocean and beaches. Youโre never more than a few steps from the beach staying at the Four Seasons. It is a perfect place to find privacy, tranquility, and relaxation during your Maldives honeymoon.
Activities
There are a number of activities available for guests, including a self-guided outdoor yoga trail, snorkeling, kayaking, and catamaran sailing. During our Maldives honeymoon, we did a number of things, most of them outdoors in the warm and sunny weather.
We spent some time underwater scuba diving and snorkeling, and saw some of the coral atolls up close. Diving in the Maldives is a truly unique experience. The waters are so clear that itโs perfect for up-close underwater photography, and there was certainly enough photo-worthy sea life as well! Native to the Maldives are a variety of manta rays and sharks, including the โgentle giantโ whale shark, known as the largest species of them all.
We also played tennis and went windsurfing, which was a total thrill! It was a fantastic way to get a feel for the area while enjoying the beautiful outdoors.
Restaurants
Speaking of outdoor enjoyment, the hotel has four marvelous restaurants. The first is Blu, which is situated along the lagoon and features a five-course menu of beachside Italian and Sicilian staples as well as โLobster Night Tuesdaysโ. Once a week, Bluโs menu features specialty Sardinian lobster dishes designed for the occasion. Second is Al Barakat, serving Arabian fare like hummus, tabouleh, and falafel as well as entrees like roasted lamb and shawarma. Their third restaurant, Cafรฉ Landaa, overlooks the swimming pool and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their menu is a fusion of Eastern and Western cuisines, with dishes like Malabar Calamari and the Fried Eggplant Plate.
Last but certainly not least is Fuego Grill, which was our favorite place! Thereโs just something about eating fresh seafood at a restaurant by the ocean that makes it all the more delicious! Their menu is primarily seafood, including classics like oysters and calamari as well as fun and flavorful dishes like Reef Fish Carpaccio. Itโs good to come hungry to these restaurants โ you wonโt be disappointed!
Drinks
The Four Seasons also has a few bars on-site that give the opportunity for fun on the beach after dark. Shisha Bar offers Middle Eastern appetizers from Al Barakat as Turkish coffee and shisha out of hookahs for a relaxing night on the beach. If smoking is not quite your style, the Four Seasons also has Blu Bar, located right on the beach and open during the day as well for a seaside cocktail or fruity non-alcoholic beverage. Blu Bar puts an Italian twist on tapas and other appetizers as well, and offers sparkling Prosecco to sip on the beach at sunset during your Maldives honeymoon.
Seabar is right at the water’s edge, boasting frozen margaritas and frozen seafood tapas. Located above the water in the north lagoon, the seating at Seabar is made up of cushions and outdoor lounge furniture. You can dangle your toes over the water, watch the sun set over the horizon, or lay comfortably in the sunshine. The most amazing part, however, had to be watching the lemon sharks and reef fish feed at the bottom of the atolls every night! Just like when we were diving, the water was so clear and turquoise blue that we could perfectly see them swimming around below us. It was breathtaking to be so close to these amazing animals โ even if it was a little scary knowing they were hungry and looking to feed.
After visiting Hong Kong, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Bangkok, our trip to the Maldives islands was an unforgettable way to end our 21-day honeymoon. We saw beautiful sights, spent almost every day at the beach, and were able to just relax and enjoy each otherโs company. Between the time we spent sunbathing and all of the awesome outdoor activities we did, our Maldives honeymoon week went by too fast!
Have you been to the Maldives? What is your favorite beach destination?ย Comment below!
This looks beautiful! Dream vaca!
love this!
Looks amazing!
Wow! What a dream come true! Iโd love to try some of the activities too! Intrigued by the yoga trail.
So beautiful!
Iโve always seen these amazing huts on the water all over Pinterest in the Maldives and this is on my bucket list for sure!
Soooo gorgeous!!
That looks heavenly!!!
Such a beautiful place
What a gorgeous place for a honeymoon!
wow! so amazing! i would love to visit with my hubby!
What a magical place to have a getaway. lots of people like to relax there
so stunnning!!!! must go!
Great post! I love all the amenities you listed and the picture look gorgeous!
Maldives is top of my bucket list!!
No but I would love to. Looks beautiful!
Gorgeous photos. Looks like a beautiful place!
Meldives is such a beautiful place. It was our Honeymoon destination many year ago and totally miss that place.
Gorgeous! You make me eager to visit the Maldives while they’re still there!
Wow! I have never been out of the US this looks amazing! I think I can count the places I have been on my hand and I really want to check this gorgeous place out.
Looks like a beautiful place! I love it.
These pictures are amazing! Great post! :)
This looks fun! If I had to do it all over again, maybe after another 30 years?
Iโm so jealous! Iโve heard that the FS Maldives is AMAZING!!
Oh my goodness, such beautiful water. The sea plane ride seems so insane and the view looks beyond amazing! So jealous! I have never been anywhere like that before!
This would be so wonderful place to visit. Thank you for sharing.
This is the most beautiful beach I have ever seen!
So gorgeous!!
Looks so relaxing in Maldives! There’s so much to do there with biking, scuba diving, dining and other activities. Your photos were amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing. This is so beautiful. The water looks great.
The Maldives is at the top of my list to visit
I would love to visit. Nice pictures, by the way.
Those beaches look GORGEOUS
WOW, so beautiful.
So many beautiful pictures and awesome things to do. The Maldives have been on my bucket list for years.
I love all of the gorgeous pictures. I would love to go there!
Wou ce frumos imi doresc sa ajung acolo
Biking on an island is goals!
such a gorgeous place to visit, very relaxing.
I’ve always wanted to try scuba diving and snorkeling!
Those beaches! That gorgeous green water! Looks like heaven to me, I’d love to visit!
Oh my goodness…talk about a way to escape and relax. It looks so fun! I love the beach pictures so much.
WOW! Just gorgeous!
Such a beautiful place! I would love to visit.
I have always wanted to visit the Maldives for the turquoise waters and the beaches.
The green color of the water is amazing, this looks like a little paradise!
I’d love to see a whale shark!
The restaurants sound amazing and I would love to try the Fuego Grill for their seafood.
The sea plane ride sounds breathtaking, such a wonderful place to honeymoon!
I could use a beach right now!
That first picture with the footprints going off to who knows where on that gorgeous beach is really nice. So much I would love to explore there.
A day out on a boat sounds amazing
The beaches in the Maldives are to die for. I have been viewing photos over the years and just get a huge hankering for wanting to be on a beach where there are turquoise waters and warm weather.
Thee photos are amazing
Interesting history of the islands. I just love that white sand.
Thank you for a bit of the history about the Maldives and the photos make one want to fly off into the sunset to turquoise waters. We had “winter-like” temperatures today so it was nice to escape to warmer places through these photos.
Minunat loc imi doresc sa castig sa ajung si eu pe acolo
Amazing Maldives – great for the honeymoon.
Wow, the Maldives are definitely on my bucket list, it’s so picturesque.
This is the perfect spot to escape to!
I’ve wanted to visit the Maldives since junior high, so close to 20 years! I will mark it off my bucket list before I die. I can’t get over how breathtaking the views and colors are. I think it’d be awesome to take a seaplane to your hotel on a different island of sorts!
Wow, the views here and the water are truly unbelievable. So stunning and definitely on my bucket list to visit before the end of time, lol!
Heavenly
Thanks for introducing me to a wonderful place to vacation. It really appeals, the photos are beautiful!
The turquoise waters and white sands surround the Maldives is what draws people to Maldives.
So relaxing!
This is my dream vacation!
Do #islands ever make you feel trapped?
Amazing. It looks like a dream vacation!
My goodness what gorgeous scenery, I would love to travel here.
I have always wanted to travel to places like this……………I would love to be able to not worry about the cost to do something like this. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Wow the colour of that water is mesmerizing. Very nice pictures . So beautiful there , maybe one day lol.
This Is one of those destinations that keeps calling…
I can’t travel much since becoming ill in 2014, but these photos make me long to take off for awhile!
Those pictures and that water are gorgeous. Thanks for posting!
Some of the most beautiful pics of the beaches. My mother would just love to go there. Real white sand, clean just amazing. Thanks for the pics
Breathtaking!! This is where I see myself soon!! Beautiful!!
I am so fascinated that the Maldives have been able to maintain their culture while still developing tourism. And a self-guided yoga walking tour! What an awesome idea!
awesome place
it looks beautiful especially for a honeymoon getaway
I would love to go it looks so beautiful there.
I’ve never really thought about scuba diving or snorkeling but this makes me want to try it!
i love beaches! this is my dream place
Breathtaking! I’d never want to leave!
WOW! This place is pure paradise!
This is flat out amazing….
Honestly me and future hubby’s dream! Thank you for this thoughtful post.
Love this travel blog!
This is absolutely gorgeous. I have not been yet but hope to visit one day. I didn’t realize the islands were so spread out until now. When you were describing your room you mentioned the Windows being open. Is this if you choose this option or do they not have air conditioning?
Looks like pure magic!
SO beautiful! Would love to visit there someday!
i love the travel info. your honeymoon looks epic! also i like the nordstrom maxi you mention.
Now I want to go…what a gorgeous place…
Would love to visit the Maldives!
An absolutely stunning area a dream vacation for sure!
I’m just going to sit back, close my eyes, and pretend (for a little while, at least) that I live there. Now this is bliss!
Scuba divers paradise
Really beautiful, has to be amazing
I would love all the sites, animals and country
What a honeymoon that would be!
Always hear this is a popular place to get away. Nice beaches
Maldives is definitely on my bucket list! I just wonder at the cost of such a trip. The average person would probably need to save for a long time for this trip! Especially if you live in the Southeastern US.
Maldives my favourite place to travel .. my favourite place for vacation s
The turquoise water and white sand has to be beautiful
It must have been a lovely experience. I would like to go there someday.
The ocean views are spectacular
I canโt get over the whiteness of the sand and the incredible blue of the water. Newest entry to my bucket list
That water is beyond gorgeous!
Everything there looks so beautiful
What a dream!!??
maldives looks like a dream!! it would surely be the first of those that i’ll ever visit if (ever) i get rich lol
It’s just too beautiful, I want to go
I’m going to show this to my fiancee. I’m sure she’ll be just as excited about going to the Maldives for our honeymoon as I am.
I would like to travel there
What a beautiful place to visit.
this is my top #1 dream destination!!
Always wanted to go there. Will have to save up our pennies! x
So absolutely beautiful!
?I look at the beautiful photos of the picturesque waters and am awestruck with our Heavenly Fathers handiwork.?
These pictures are so absolutely beautiful!
This would be a wonderful second honeymoon destination for my husband and I.?
I WOULD LOVE TO GO. HAVE NEVER BEEN TO ISLAND BEFORE
Oh my, what a beautiful vacation this would be! My daughter is 21 and working on her Bachelor’s degree. I have always encouraged her to make a life away from this small town we live in. She told me recently that she was going to get her Master’s and call the Maldives her home!
I dream of the day we can visit the Maldives, thank you for sharing!