Postcard from the Maldives

We say that someone from the Local Foreigner team is always on the road, visiting destinations across the globe - but we really mean always. Our monthly Postcard takes you along for the ride, and this month, we're just back from the Maldives.

The islands are best known as a popular honeymoon spot and world-class diving destination, with crystal blue waters bursting with a diverse array of ocean life. Thanks to the influx of luxury hotels and perfect, white-sand beaches, the Maldives have become increasingly popular among families as well. Whether you're looking for romance or a kid-friendly island adventure, the country is vibrant with culture, delicious Maldivian cuisine, and one-of-a-kind coral reefs.

Located just south of the Indian subcontinent, the Maldives are a gorgeous chain of islands in the Indian Ocean-Arabian Sea area. The archipelago consists of 26 atolls, crosses the equator, and is the smallest country in Asia, with a total land area of only 115 square miles and a population of just over half a million. Aside from being home to some of the most idyllic stretches of sand you'll find in any corner of the globe, it's also the world's lowest-lying country.

The best time to visit the Maldives is generally November through April, during the dry season. During these months, the weather is usually warm and sunny, with low humidity and calm seas. However, surfers and divers hoping to swim with whale sharks should look at low/wet season, from May to October.

Cheval Blanc Randheli

Luxury goods purveyor Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy carefully chose the Maldives as the location for their first beach outpost, so it comes as no surprise that the Cheval Blanc masters elegance with the utmost thought. “Experience alchemists” guarantee that your vacation is perfectly tailored to you and your group, although a stay in one of the 45 beach “mansions” leaves little to be desired. The design is chic and modern and the scenery is unbeatable. There are three restaurants, a fabulous resort boutique (among the best in the country), and plenty of activities for children and adults alike. | View the hotel

Joali Maldives

JOALI Maldives is an art-immersive resort featuring over 60 international artworks and eye-catching architecture to match. Located on Muravandhoo Island in the Raa Atoll, one of the world's largest and deepest atolls, the 73 private pool villas and residences are interspersed with unique art installations. In your villa, enjoy artisanal amenities, curated in-room bookshelves, and thoughtful design and art. Each villa is elegantly designed with vibrant colors and offers unobstructed ocean views. Guests can access the reef from three sides of the island, with excellent snorkeling around the Espa Spa area. | View the hotel

Gili Lankanfushi

With every single one of its 45 suites standing over the water, from the Villa Suites, clustered along jetties that fan out from the island, to the Residences, each at the end of its own walkway, to the ultra-private Crusoe Residences, placed farther out in the sea and reachable only by pontoon boat, Gili Lankafushi is a prime choice for those who want immense luxury in a quintessential Maldives setting. The island is small, and visitors - mostly couples - tend to stay put in their lavish abodes. If you do decide to venture out, there's a great spa and chances to scuba dive or snorkel. | View the hotel

Soneva Jani

Soneva Jani is the Maldivian resort with the greatest sense of fun - this is barefoot luxury in the best sense, combining vast overwater villas, imaginative design, and an unparalleled sense of playfulness. Villas have private pools, retractable roofs, and slides into the lagoon. Dining is a highlight, from garden-to-table experiences and rotating Michelin-starred chefs to the overwater “Gathering” complex, and wellness is central, with the innovative Soneva Soul Spa blending Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, and advanced therapies. The Den is South Asia’s largest kids’ club, while adults can revel in diving, dolphin cruises, and stargazing. | View the hotel

Underwater World

Diving and snorkeling in the Maldives are among the world’s most spectacular, with resorts offering access to thriving reefs, crystal-clear lagoons, and some of the planet’s richest marine life. Guests can embark on PADI certification courses, from beginner to advanced, guided by expert instructors in warm, calm waters. Seasonal excursions bring you face-to-face with 20-foot manta rays, particularly around hotspots like Hanifaru Bay, and more than 25 species of sharks, including blacktips and whale sharks in hotspots like Fuvahmulah Atoll. Beyond traditional scuba, resorts often offer freediving lessons for those seeking a more meditative, breath-held connection with the sea. Snorkelers can explore vibrant house reefs directly from their villas, while night dives reveal bioluminescent wonders and nocturnal species.

A Very Private Island

A day on a private island in the Maldives is the ultimate castaway fantasy. Arrive by speedboat or seaplane to find your own stretch of sugar-white sand, where a private butler and chef await. Swim or snorkel in pristine reefs with no one else in sight, then unwind in a shaded hammock or under a canopy set for a gourmet picnic or barbecue. Spend the afternoon kayaking through turquoise shallows, practicing yoga on the beach, or doing nothing at all. Or arrive as the sun sets, with champagne and a candlelit dinner completing the secluded escape.

Gonna Need a Bigger Boat?

Being surrounded on all sides by water will tempt even the most dedicated landlubber; fortunately, in the Maldives, there's no shortage of ways to get out to sea. But if you're looking to spend a little longer afloat, several resorts offer their own yachts for charter, whether for half a day, an overnight, or a multi-day itinerary - Soneva offers Soneva in Aqua, a 23-meter yacht that plies the waters between their three Maldives resorts, and Four Seasons Maldives Private Island at Voavah is home to 19-meter Voavah Summer. Activities can include surf sessions, deep-sea fishing, or mobile spa services. Families might opt for a day of paddleboarding and snorkeling in shallow lagoons, while couples can sail into the sunset with a curated dinner on board.

As remoteness and exclusivity are the hallmarks of a Maldivian resort, you're not venturing too far afield to dine - and given this, the culinary offerings on-property in the country's best hotels are vast, with private dinner setups, visiting Michelin-starred chefs, and weekly destination dining de rigeur.

Cheval Blanc Randheli offers five restaurants and three bars. Le 1947 is French-inspired, while Deelani celebrates Mediterranean flavors. The Diptyque offers live-cooking Asian and Japanese creations, and The White is the casual outpost. And if that's not enough, island picnics, sunset cocktails, and private in-villa dining are also on offer.

At Joali Maldives, options include Saoke, a Japanese-Peruvian overwater restaurant designed by Noriyoshi Muramatsu; Vandhoo, serving Southeast Asian and Mediterranean cuisine; and Italian-inspired Bellinis. Lantern-lit jungle dinners or Her Kitchen, a hands-on cooking experience, are also available, as are sandbank picnics, champagne cruises, and bespoke starlit island dinners.

Gili Lankanfushi has beachfront Kashiveli, By the Sea, a Japanese fusion table with panoramic views; and Fini Foni for ice creams and cocktails. Private dinners unfold in beach nooks, on overwater hammocks, or within the underground wine cellar.

Soneva Jani is famed for its inventive dining concepts: So Engaging offers a chef’s table for just a few guests, while So Wild presents garden-to-table in the organic gardens. Once Upon a Table hosts Michelin-starred chefs in a rotating residency. Try the Crab Shack for casual beach dining and So Starstruck, where telescopes accompany dinners under the Maldivian night sky.

Flash & Splash

Dubai is a classic gateway to the Maldives, and a destination where you won't have to scrimp on luxury during any leg of the trip, as you trade skyscrapers for endless shades of blue.

Tea to Tides

It takes just 90 minutes to get from Colombo to the Maldives, making an itinerary with the culture heritage of Sri Lanka and the island escape of the atolls a perfectly balanced one.

Romance Redoubled

Over peak season in the Maldives, there's twice-weekly non-stop service between Paris and Malé, so you can have steak frites for dinner and be toes-in-the-sand by lunch the next day.