The Maldives | ZHO Travel & Tourism

In the Maldives you wake to the lagoon beneath your deck and step from it straight into turquoise water.

The destination

About The Maldives

The Maldives is the world's first dream destination for those who love calm and romantic luxury. It is an archipelago of more than 1,000 small coral islands in the heart of the Indian Ocean, spread over 26 natural atolls, known for clear turquoise water, soft white sand and luxury resorts with villas standing right over the water.

Every resort has its own island, so you choose the atoll for the stay you want. North and South Malé atolls are close to the airport and reached by speedboat; Baa Atoll is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve where manta rays gather in Hanifaru Bay; Ari Atoll is home to whale sharks and the undersea restaurant Ithaa; and Raa Atoll has Vaadhoo island and its "sea of stars".

The Maldives is a Muslim country: the call to prayer sounds on every inhabited island, and the capital Malé has historic mosques, among them the Old Friday Mosque, built of coral stone in 1658, and the King Salman Mosque, opened in 2022. Getting there is easy, with direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah of about 5 to 6 hours and a free tourist visa on arrival.

We choose the resort and villa that fit your trip, whether a honeymoon, a family or friends, arrange the seaplane or speedboat, and confirm with the resort the halal dining and privacy you need.

Best timeDecember to April for calm seas and clear skies; May to November for the manta season in Baa Atoll

FlightAbout 5 to 6 h direct from Riyadh (Saudia, flynas) and from Jeddah (Saudia)

VisaFree 30-day tourist visa on arrival; file the online traveller declaration within 96 hours before arrival

CurrencyMaldivian rufiyaa (MVR); US dollars are accepted at resorts

LanguageDhivehi; English is widely spoken

Time2 h ahead of Saudi Arabia

Ideal stay5 to 8 nights

Ideal for

Family travel Honeymoons Private journeys

Regions

Where to go

Aerial view of Malé, the capital of the Maldives, and its harbour

01 · Atoll

North Malé Atoll

The atoll of the capital and the airport, with resorts minutes away by speedboat.

02 · Atoll

South Malé Atoll

Wide shallow lagoons, channels rich in marine life, and resorts reached by speedboat.

03 · Atoll

Baa Atoll

A protected atoll since 2011, where manta rays gather by the hundred in Hanifaru Bay from May to November.

04 · Atoll

Ari Atoll

A large atoll west of Malé, known for year-round whale sharks, diving and the world's first undersea restaurant.

05 · Atoll

Raa Atoll

A quiet northern atoll with Vaadhoo island, famous for water that glows blue on its shore at night.

Experiences

What to do

Overwater villas on a walkway above a turquoise lagoon, seen from above

Staying in an overwater villa The defining Maldives experience: wake to the ocean and step from your deck straight into the lagoon.Discover

A manta ray gliding through blue water in the Maldives

Swimming with manta rays in Hanifaru Bay Baa Atoll In the south-west monsoon, manta rays gather by the hundred in a small bay in Baa Atoll, and you snorkel beside them.Discover

Inside Ithaa, the undersea restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Dining beneath the sea Ari Atoll A meal in a glass restaurant five metres beneath the surface, surrounded by the reef and its fish.Discover

A whale shark close to the surface in the Maldives

Sea and islands Whale sharks in South Ari Snorkelling beside the largest fish in the world, in a protected area whale sharks visit all year. Read more

Nature The sea of stars on Vaadhoo Shoreline water that sparkles blue at night thanks to bioluminescent plankton. Read more

The coral-stone Old Friday Mosque (Hukuru Miskiy) in Malé

Culture and heritage Malé: historic mosques and markets Half a day in the capital, from the Old Friday Mosque and the King Salman Mosque to the fish market and Sultan Park. Read more

Atolls and lagoons seen from a seaplane over the Maldives

Adventure The seaplane flight A low flight over the atolls and turquoise lagoons to your resort, one of the finest moments of the trip. Read more

A sandbank beside an island with water villas, seen from the air

Sea and islands A sandbank picnic A boat to a white sandbank in the open sea, for a private lunch and a swim with no one else around. Read more

Sea and islands A sunset dolphin cruise A traditional Maldivian dhoni sails at sunset in search of spinner dolphins. Read more

Where to stay

Hotels and resorts we recommend

View all 5 stays

Sunset over the lagoon from Reef Beach on Reethi Rah, with a thatched pavilion over the water

North Malé Atoll One&Only Reethi Rah Private island Explore

A lagoon and sky in South Malé Atoll (the resort's setting)

South Malé Atoll Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort Private island Explore

Islands and lagoons of Baa Atoll seen from the air (the resort's setting)

Baa Atoll Soneva Fushi Private island Explore

Inside Ithaa, the undersea restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, beneath its acrylic arch

Ari Atoll Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Overwater villas Explore

Spinner dolphins in the open water of Raa Atoll (the resort's setting)

Raa Atoll InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort Private island Explore

Taste and addresses

Flavours and places to know

Maldivian food is built on tuna, coconut, rice and chilli, best known through the clear garudhiya broth and mas huni at breakfast. Food on the inhabited islands is halal; resorts serve international menus, and we confirm halal meals with them before you travel.

A bowl of garudhiya, Maldivian tuna broth

To tasteGarudhiyaGarudhiya

To tasteMas huniMas huni

Gulha, fried Maldivian snacks filled with tuna and coconut

To tasteGulhaGulha

The King Salman Mosque in Malé with its dome and minarets

Landmark · North Malé Atoll King Salman Mosque The largest mosque in the Maldives, built with funding from Saudi Arabia. Read more

Baskets of fresh fish at the Malé fish market

Shopping · North Malé Atoll Malé fish market and local market The heart of daily life in the capital, where fishing boats land their tuna. Read more

Sultan Park and the National Museum building in Malé

Landmark · North Malé Atoll Sultan Park and the National Museum A shaded park on the grounds of the old sultans' palace, beside the National Museum. Read more

Journeys

Ways to see it

Itineraries drawn up by our consultants, to adapt to you day by day.

The Maldives · 8 days

Two atolls: Baa and Ari

A biosphere reserve with mantas, then dinner beneath the sea

Seven nights on two islands: three in Baa Atoll, between forest and reef near Hanifaru Bay, and four in South Ari Atoll in an overwater villa, with dinner at Ithaa beneath the …

Price On request View the package

Questions

Before you go

Do Saudi citizens need a visa for the Maldives?

No visa is needed in advance. A free 30-day tourist visa is granted on arrival to all nationalities, with a valid passport, a confirmed return ticket, a prepaid confirmed booking at a registered establishment and sufficient funds. Every traveller, children included, must file the Traveller Declaration on the IMUGA portal within 96 hours before arrival, and we help you complete it.

When is the best time to visit the Maldives?

December to April is the dry season, with clear skies and calm seas. May to November is the south-west monsoon, with passing rain and lower prices, and it is the manta season in Baa Atoll. Temperatures stay mild all year, roughly 26 to 31°C.

Is food halal in the Maldives?

The Maldives is a Muslim country, and food in Malé and on the inhabited islands is halal. Resorts serve guests from around the world with international menus, and most luxury resorts provide halal meat on request. We confirm this with the resort in writing before booking.

Where can we pray?

Every inhabited island has a mosque, and Malé has large ones including the King Salman Mosque, the Grand Friday Mosque and the Old Friday Mosque. At the resort we ask for a prayer mat and the qibla direction in your villa.

How do we reach the resort from the airport?

By speedboat to resorts in North and South Malé atolls (15 to 60 minutes), by seaplane to Baa, Ari and Raa atolls (roughly 20 to 50 minutes), and sometimes by domestic flight and boat. Seaplanes fly in daylight only, so we time your international flights to match, and the resort's representative meets you at the airport.

Is the Maldives suitable for children?

Yes, with the right resort: kids' clubs, family beach villas with private pools and safe shallow lagoons. With small children we suggest resorts reached by speedboat.

What is the currency, and what should we wear?

The currency is the Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR); resorts price in US dollars and accept cards. Modest dress is expected in Malé and on inhabited islands, while resorts are private islands, and we choose villas with high privacy when you need it.

The Maldives, an island of your own in the Indian Ocean