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Maldives travel guide

An idyllic location, tropical sunshine and breathtaking natural beauty – the Maldives has it all. The nation is made up of 1200 coral islands, with each luxurious resort found on its own private isle. Seclusion, serenity and simplicity are the pillars of life in the Maldives.

Dive into the Maldives

Discover your perfect pace in the Maldives. It’s your holiday, and you can make it as slow, or sprightly, as you like. Here’s a little taster, or dive right into our Maldives holiday offers.

Kuredu Island Resort Maldives

Kuredu Island Resort & Spa

With miles of white sandy beach, an 'all you can drink' all-inclusive package, and plenty of incredible underwater sights to explore, a stay at Kuredu Island is sure to satisfy your Maldives daydreams.

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Adaaran Select Huduranfushi

Adaaran Select Hudhuran Fushi

This breathtaking tropical resort offers luxurious accommodations, stunning white sandy beaches, and an abundance of water-based sports... everything you need for an unforgettable island getaway.

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Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon

Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon offers warm friendly service and has a great range of amenities, as well as regular entertainment for those chilled island evenings. 

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OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi

Embrace island life in a laid-back retreat driven by smart services, playful design, and incredible experiences. As soon as you reach the island, you're sure to feel relaxed.

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Villa Park, Sun Island

If you’re looking for a fun holiday, you’ll love Villa Park Sun Island, the largest resort in the Maldives. It really does have something for everyone. 

 

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The Maldives is not just for grown ups. Many hotels cater specifically to families, providing kids' clubs, children's pools, and babysitting services, and all the swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkelling and marine-based activities they could wish for.

Hard Rock Hotel

The Hard Rock name has hit the Maldives and it brings all the signature Hard Rock experiences, meaning fun for all the family. 

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Siyam World

Siyam World is home to the Maldives largest floating waterpark, which is sure to be loved by big kids and little kids alike. 

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Centara Grand Island Resort

This modern Ultimate All Inclusive resort offers a truly luxurious standard of accommodation and top of the range amenities. 

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Secluded overwater bungalow's, romantic sunsets, crystal clear waters, he Maldives is the quintessential honeymoon destination for a reason, and the perfect place to kick off wedded bliss.

Maldives destination dining

Destination dining

Some might say the restaurants and destination dining experiences in the Maldives are beyond compare. And we would have to agree. Choose a romantic spot to share the love and your sweet dessert dish (only if you want, of course). 
Maldives Honeymoon Image

Water bungalows

Staying in a water bungalow really makes a difference to your holiday. Imagine yourself walking down your own steps, straight into the ocean — the perfect way to cool off after topping up your tan on the balcony. 
Floating breakfast maldives

Breakfast with a view

Kick start your day (and your metabolism) with a floating breakfast. If you've nabbed yourself a room with a pool, indulge in a holiday treat that's served with a fantastic view of the Indian Ocean. 
Sandbank Maldives

‘Robinson Crusoe’ experience

Many resorts offer day trips to private sandbanks and uninhabited islands. Perfect if you and your partner want to discover a ‘truly untouched’ natural environment and have your own ‘Robinson Crusoe’ experience in the Maldives.

Beach Bubble experience

Finolhu Baa Attoll have created a unique beach buble experience where couples can hideaway and sleep under the stars, in their own private bubble on the beach. How. Incredibly. Romantic. 

 

 

Spa-ahh

We’re sure that the sun and sand (and sea and swimming…) are huge lures when you’re looking at honeymoons, however, the Maldives are also world-renowned for their spa sanctuaries and treatments that you can enjoy. We wouldn’t want you to miss out…

The Maldives is made up of a thousand or so small but perfectly formed islands grouped together to form 20 natural Atolls. Male airport is situated roughly in the middle, and where you’ll board your transfer to your resort by speedboat or seaplane. Whichever one you choose, all our hotels come with complimentary transfers, so you can arrive in style.

Seaplanes

If your hotel isn't close to the airport chances are you will need a seaplane transfer. This is the fastest way to reach your hotel, and probably, the most exciting way to start your holiday! Pack light (luggage allowance is 25kg per person), buckle up and experience breathtaking bird's-eye views before landing in paradise. 
Maldives seaplane

Resort Lounges

Before you jet off on your seaplane adventure, most resorts in the Maldives have their own or shared lounge at the airport where you can escape the heat and freshen up before your flight. Light snacks and refreshments are complimentary so take the time to refuel before it's time to board.
Maldives speedboat

Speedboats

A popular and cost effective way to get to your resort is by speedboat transfer. Ranging from 10-70 minutes, it's a great way to see the magic of the island and you might even spot some dolphins and flying fish along the way. Our top tip: pack some sea sickness tablets because it can get choppy.

The Maldives know-how

Geography

  • The Maldives lies in two rows of atolls in the Indian Ocean, just across the equator
  • The country is comprised of 1192 islands - only 200 of the islands are inhabited
  • The Maldives is home to about five percent of the planet’s reefs

Maldives flights

  • It takes about 10-11 hours to fly direct to Male from the UK with Virgin Atlantic
  • Flights depart three times a week from London Heathrow
  • The Maldives is 5 hours ahead of the UK

Getting around

  • Speedboat transfer is the norm to resorts close to the International Airport (top tip: pack sea sickness tablets)
  • Seaplane transfers only operate during daylight hours
  • Luggage allowance restrictions apply on seaplane transfers, there are no luggage restrictions for speedboats

Weather

  • The weather in the Maldives is warm and tropical, with temperatures between 29°C to 31°C year-round
  • The wet season runs from May to October
  • November to April is the best time to visit for a drier climate

Money and entry visas

  • You don't need a visa to visit the Maldives if you're a British national
  • You can spend either the US dollar or British pounds

WiFi and electricity

  • WiFi is free across the island and in most hotels
  • Electricity is 240 volts, using round and square pin plugs

Health

  • Mosquitoes might make an appearance, so we recommend bringing insect repellent all year round
  • Each Atoll has at least one hospital and most resorts have their own clinics and in-house doctors

Eating out and tipping

  • An abundance of fresh fruits, fish and wines await you in the Maldives
  • Make fish your dish of the day – tuna is the most common fish served here
  • Many of the resorts in Maldives are All Inclusive, but we still recommend bringing U.S. dollars for the odd tip here and there

Good to know

  • When it’s time to start packing bear in mind that a dress code may apply at your resort 
  • Bring your snorkelling gear, this is not always included 

 

Time to touch down

When you’ve touched down, it’s time to transfer to your island paradise — either by speedboat, seaplane or domestic aircraft. Look out for us or someone from your hotel who will take you to your departure point. If the weather isn’t playing ball or there are lots of flight arrivals, you may not be able to leave straight away. 

If you are flying, you may need to wait up to 3 hours. Seaplanes only operate when it’s daylight (that’s when you get the best views, after all), so you may need to spend a night at an airport hotel. Seaplane and domestic aircraft luggage allowance is 20kg plus 5kg hand luggage per person. Excess may be charged at approx $4 per kilo and/or carried later.

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Your holiday may be affected by travel restrictions or cancellations

We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the  Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.

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You’ll be away before you know it

Your next holiday is only a click away - our website has thousands of options ready to book. But if you need more help, just give us a call on 0344 472 9646.

Looking for inspiration? Explore our destinations and holiday types and save your faves to your very own Wishlist. Or dive right in to our 2021 holiday offers.

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Latest Foreign & Commonwealth Office repatriation travel advice

Over the past few weeks, we have repatriated our customers from overseas who wanted to come home.  

Please visit this page to keep up to date with the Government’s travel advice on returning to the UK, and to register for email alerts.
 

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How would you like to talk to us?

With many customers needing our help, we are prioritising those customers due to travel before 31 December 2020. Log in to Manage my booking where you can message us about your options or you can give us a call. Bear in mind you may have to wait longer than expected. We continue to review this and working to open up these options to more customers. In the meantime check out our FAQs to see if this can help answer any immediate questions.

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Stay tuned for the latest updates

Rest assured; we will notify you as soon as we know if your holiday has been affected by email. 

We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.

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Let’s talk

If you need to speak to us to change or cancel your booking you can call our team on 0344 472 9646 or chat to us on SMS/Whatspp via Manage my booking.

For the latest information on Covid-19 you can check our FAQs here.​

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Payment flexibility

Don’t worry if you’ve missed a payment or just need a little more time to pay; we have options available to help you. If your holiday is going ahead as planned, you can continue to pay for your holiday in Manage my booking, even if travelling in less than 12 weeks. If you’re unsure, you can delay any additional payments by choosing a new time to travel by requesting a call back in Manage My booking for one of our team to look at options. If your holiday is more than 6 months away, you may wish to set up a Direct Debit to spread the cost. This can be arranged whilst rebooking or afterwards in Manage my booking.

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We're flexible with your holiday plans

We understand that you may wish to change your holiday plans and we appreciate the need for flexibility. 

We'll be in touch by email letting you know how to register to change your holiday plans. You can also log into Manage my booking to find the details there. 

Please look out for emails from us or visit our dedicated Covid-19 (Coronavirus) page for the latest updates.

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You're holiday is going ahead as planned

If we haven’t notified you of any changes, your holiday will be going ahead as planned but if you prefer to move your holiday to a later time we can help. You can call our team on 0344 472 9499 who can look at options for you.

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Thank you for your patience and understanding

Payments are being prioritised based on when the request was made, working in order from March 2020 onwards. We will always try to process refunds at the earliest opportunity, for requests before August our maximum timeframe is 120 days. As we are steadily reducing the maximum processing time for each new request, for refund requests made in August, we expect the maximum processing time to be 80 days, from the date the refund is requested. For those requesting a refund in September, we expect it to be processed within a maximum of 60 days, and then reduce to 30 days for refunds requested in October, before returning to normal levels.

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We'll be in touch soon

To finalise the amendment, one of our customer advisors will phone you. We need to work through amend requests in departure date order so we can prioritise those with the most imminent travel plans, so you may have a longer wait than usual until we’re able to ring you back. We will help everyone that wants to move their holiday.

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I returned early from holiday and have further questions?

You can contact our team by emailing feedback.backhome@virginholidays.com to discuss options on unused portions of your holiday. If you need to contact our team about amending an existing holiday or requesting a refund please log in to manage my booking.

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I am currently on holiday and I need to speak to someone

The easiest way to contact us while you are away is via WhatsApp. To get the conversation started, click the link and type "hello” .

or you can get in touch with our in-resort team during local opening hours

Find contact details for your location

Outside of local resort office hours you can call us in the UK +44 (0) 344 472 9626 (option 2) or email us duty.office@virginholidays.com

If you are in the USA or Canada please email: USAreps@virginholidays.com.

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