Isn’t everyone secretly dreaming about a trip to Maldives? Palm trees, luxury bungalows, white sandy beaches and turquoise water as far as you can see? Just showing your all inclusive bracelet in your hotel in order to get another cocktail…

I was really lucky being able to spend three months in this paradise-like place for an internship. During this time, I had the chance to try so many things and make absolutely memorable experiences. You can find my 15 highlights here. Get some inspiration for the amazing vacation of your dreams. Whether it is a luxury all inclusive Maldives vacation or on a budget.

author’s note: All these amazing pictures where taken on or around Bandos Maldives – Resort and Spa. Find their best deals and availability here.

 

15. Dolphin cruise

Going on a dolphin cruise can be exciting. Especially, if you have never seen wild dolphins before.

The best is to combine this trip with a beautiful sunset. I mean, seriously, could you think of a more epic picture than a sunset over the ocean with dolphins jumping out of the water? There you go.

Spotting the dolphins in the water is an amazing feeling. Maldivian dolphins are super playful, jumping out of the water and seem to actually enjoy your attention.

But keep in mind to book your dolphin spotting tour with an agency that doesn’t chase them too much, but keeps a little distance. Those are still wild animals in their natural habitat. (The tour offered from Bandos Maldives’ event center Riya was great considering these things.)

By the way, because many tourists were asking: This trip is also suitable for families traveling with children.

14. Relaxing in the Spa

You can get different kind of massages, beauty treatments and makeovers. Is there any better way to relax after doing water sports and being at the beach? Just because life is hard, you know… The staff is absolutely lovely. All the tourist I’ve talked to about it have had a pleasant experience in the Spa. (There were even people going once a day)

Surely, I probably might not be the cheapest thing to do in Maldives, but it will definitely help you to relax and feel renewed afterwards. And this is what vacations are about, isn’t it?

13. Visiting Malé

Malé is the capital of Maldives. Anyhow, just amazingly few tourist find their way to the smallest capital city in the world. Sure, I can understand, most people travel to Maldives just for beautiful beaches and relaxing. But I feel like you should take the chance to also have a look at the local side of the republic and see Maldives attractions. Try their authentic food and just take a look around. Malé is pretty small, so you won’t lose much time (or yourself!) but I think it is definitely worth a look. (a half day trip will do it)

I always enjoyed my trips to the city after my duty was done. Having one of the milkshakes that are so popular there or a Maldivian submarine, what already brings us to point 12.

12. Eating a typical Maldivian Submarine

In Malé you will find many possibilities to try one of the delicious Submarines (e.g. in one of the Dinemore Restaurants) And if you don’t find any, ask some locals. They will certainly be able to point you the way to the next one.

A submarine is a sandwich with different kinds of meat or vegetables. Usually, it is served with fries. The best way is to enjoy it is in combination with a fresh juice or one of Maldives popular milkshakes served ice cold. Enjoy your meal!

11. Watch a traditional Boduberu Show

Boduberu is a traditional mix of dance and music performed by Maldivian locals. Usually, they have really inviting shows also for tourists. I’m sure you will enjoy this Maldives event.

The performers usually wear traditional clothes (libaas) which you can buy in every souvenir shop around there. Tourists usually like to wear it as a scarf. Even though it is actually meant to be worn as a skirt for man.

This show is indeed entertaining. The audience is often asked to join the dances. Our weekly Boduberu show was usually one of the highlights of my week. (not only because we could drink coconuts filled with rum during the show 😉 )

10. Island hopping

While staying in Maldives, most tourist don’t leave their resort island even once. Yet, the Island-Republic has so much more to offer than just Palm trees and white beaches.

An island hopping tour is great to compare different kinds of islands and beaches. Some beaches look more beautiful than others. On the other hand, other beaches might offer more experience when it comes to snorkeling and diving.

Moreover, Island hopping is a great chance to discover the fascinating culture and people of this Island Republic. There is a lot to see!

09. Have a professional Photoshoot

The Maldives offer so many beautiful beaches and sceneries. It would be such a waste going home without dozens of pictures. Don’t you think? So, why not combine that with a little makeover?

During my stay in Maldives I got asked to get some pictures taken. And of course, I didn’t hesitate. I was just amazed by the way they did my hair. (It took around 1 ½ hours to make it look so nice- I just needed pictures of that!) And now I absolutely love those photos.

Sidenote: Yes, I know I am really pale and yes, it was during my first month there. :p

08. Drinking a fresh coconut

There is nothing more refreshing after a long hot day in Maldives (or any other place) than drinking from a freshly opened coconut. At night you can also get it with rum or vodka. For every coconut fan a real must!

07. Relaxing on the beach

It sounds obvious. But some visitors forget to take some time to just relax on the white beach and enjoy the view on the turquoise clear water within all the watersports, scubadiving, snorkeling and spa treatments. Pure relaxation!

But please don’t stay too long in the direct sun! Especially around noon, the sun is shining extremely strong and you can easily burn your skin or even get a sun stroke. So, don’t forget your sunscreen, take some breaks in the shade and make sure you stay hydrated. Particularly in the first days. This way, nothing would get in the way of having a nice summer tan when you return.

06. Have a swim in the Indian Ocean

I will never forget the feeling of holding my feet into the Indian Ocean for the first time. The water was surprisingly warm. I wasn’t used to these water temperatures after swimming in the cold Atlantic before.

I went to have a swim before or after work as often as I could. (depending on my shift) The water was comfortably warm but nevertheless refreshing. Therefore, the perfect temperature.

With a little luck you could find baby sharks swimming with you near the shore. During low tide, you should rather take a little more care because of the corals. It’s easy to get scratched by them when swimming.

05. Watching the sunset (from a boat)

One of the most romantic things you can do in Maldives is watching one of the amazing sunsets. Even more beautiful when you have the chance to see a sunset from a boat in the middle of the sea.

The colors are amazing. As around there is no artificial light or anything that could distract you from this breathtaking view.

04. Snorkeling

On the islands of Maldives there is a lot of places to discover. Anyway, you will find even more life under the ocean surface. A colorful biodiversity is waiting for you. Corals, fish, turtles and more. It will never get boring.

You can usually rent the fins and snorkel in your resorts and guesthouse. And off you go! Find out what the riff has to offer. Whether you rather snorkel around your island’s house riff or you join a tour to a public riff is totally up to you. Swim with sharks and turtles or visit Nemo and his friends.

And don’t forget your underwater camera. Many locals use a cover for their phones to make sure they are able to take photos under water. I didn’t trust them so much though and didn’t want to kill my phone in the salty water of the Indian Ocean.

03. Scubadiving

Whether you are a bloody beginner or professional. There is a suitable scuba diving course for everyone. Whether it is just a fun dive or your PADI certificate. There are also Discover dives in the Maldives to get to know scuba diving to find out whether it is your thing. Of course, I had to try it as well. You will get a small theory introduction and a quick exercise near the shore. After that, you are ready for your first dive – and ready to discover those beautiful diving spots in the Maldives.

During your dive, you are even nearer to the fish and corals than while snorkeling and you can explore the underwater world even better. It’s a really breathtaking experience that I can surely recommend to everyone.

We’ve been kinda surprised on how heavy the gas tanks on your back are. But when arriving in the water you almost forget they are there. As soon as you got used to the feeling of suddenly being able to breath under water it’s not even that hard.

Depending on where exactly you are diving, you will be able to meet clown fish, sea turtles, riff sharks and many more.

02. Parasailing

One of the most exciting things during my stay in Maldives was definitely Parasailing. (for everyone that doesn’t know it you can find the link to the Wikipedia article here)

And since you won’t be landing in the water but on the dry boat, you can even bring your non-waterproof camera without any risk and take unbelievable pictures.

You’ll have around 20 minutes to see your island and the islands surrounding it from above. That’s clearly nothing for people, who suffer from fear of heights though. For everyone else it’s another unique experience that you can collect on your trip to Maldives.

This experience was clearly on of the highlights of my stay in Maldives.

01. Swimming with Mantas

My absolute highlight during my 3 months in Maldives was swimming with mantas. An unbelievable mesmerizing experience.

All you need is a little luck to spot the up to 3 meter tall animals in the water. After you found them, you should get into the water fast. It is utterly impressive to watch them swimming. It feels like they could easily swallow you with their huge mouths. However, those are just used to filter the plankton out of the water.

Check when there is a  Manta-Season in your Atoll before your trip. In Malé-Atoll it is around February to beginning of April. After that the Mantas continue their journey following the plankton.

If you have the chance to swim or dive with mantas don’t hesitate! You will certainly not regret it.

Got curious?

You want to visit this beautiful place now, where those stunning pictures where taken?

Find the best deals and availability to visit Bandos Maldives here.

And please say hi to my wonderful colleagues working hard to make your stay remarkable. 🙂

Looking for affordable luxury? Check out this post about Maafushi by sunstyleflies.

Make sure to also check out this review of Wave Sounds By 3S Maldives from Travel Stories Untold.

Another great place to stay in Maldives is the Hurawalhi Resort. Be sure to check out this review from the Swedish Nomad.

If you need some advice on how to save money in Maldives, please check out this post of therovingheart.

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