Maldives with a 2 year old - good or bad idea?

northessexmama · 2024-03-03T22:25:51+00:00

I have a big birthday this year and we were looking at returning to the Maldives this Sept as a special trip. I love the idea of my 2 year old playing on the white sand and being barefoot for a week. However, the idyllic idea I have is being weighed by the idea that it might not be the best ( most relaxing ) place for a 2 year old that likes to run everywhere. The journey is long, I think she'd freak out at the seaplane noise and we'd need she's in the back of our heads even more so with water everywhere. Someone tell me it's a good idea please.

GiantFootTinyHead · 03/03/2024 23:05

A week? I would not want to spend two whole days on a plane with a cranky 2 year old.

MaloneMeadow · 04/03/2024 05:50

Maybe I’m a bit neurotic but the concept of bringing such a young child so far from good hospitals + medical care should anything happen would make me really uneasy! When DD was young we played it safe in Europe and the US. In reality a trip to the Maldives with a 2 year old will be anything but relaxing and idyllic - I’d save your money and return in a few years time when things will be more enjoyable.

MississippiAF · 04/03/2024 05:52

We did, DC was 2.5 and had an amazing time. Go for it! We went for indirect flights to break up the journey,
changing in Dubai

Plumtop11 · 04/03/2024 07:02

The holiday would be lovely but I would dread the travel time with a 2 year old

mitogoshi · 04/03/2024 07:15

I'd pick somewhere with things to do and no seaplanes ... Sri Lanka is my go to suggestion, take her to the elephant sanctuary on the train for instance. I can recommend a few hotels just south of Colombo where the beach is gorgeous, stayed in one in particular with a huge pool, lovely staff, shaded pool area (trees) ideal if your toddler is napping in the buggy, but upside is also that there were families living in the area out and about so you can eat where local families eat, go on trips (recommend the river safari). Super friendly towards kids

SecondUsername4me · 04/03/2024 07:17

Could she not just stay with family?

Penguinsa · 04/03/2024 07:19

I think Mauritius might be better as its one flight and also an island to explore as well as the resort. We've been to both. Would recommend both Sugar Beach and Long Beach on Mauritius. Do check time of year for weather.

uggmum · 04/03/2024 07:22

Mauritius is lovely and there are direct flights. Lovely hotels with kids clubs.

Maldives is the same direct flight time. Virgin have a new direct flight.

There are plenty of resorts where you can get a speedboat rather than a seaplane. So that might be better for you.

Jessb2021a · 04/03/2024 07:49

We had a great holiday in the Maldives with our toddler! He had a lovely time on the beach and in the pool every day. The island we stayed on was just a short boat ride from Male so no sea plane. It also had a playground. Bring a set of reins for walking around outside and a good clip on fan for the buggy for naps :)

Fran92 · 04/03/2024 14:35

I’m considering this at Christmas for 2 weeks with a 3 year old and an 18 month. For those suggesting Sri Lanka, Maldives and Mauritius can you please name some hotels, I’m literally open to anything and everything that isn’t the Canary Islands (done winter sun there for the past two years and can’t face it again!)

Pipeskeepleaking · 04/03/2024 14:37

Baaaaad!!!
went on a hol where a small nearly drowned cos parents both thought the other had him
will be expensive stress

Bananacustards · 13/01/2025 22:55

Jessb2021a · 04/03/2024 07:49

We had a great holiday in the Maldives with our toddler! He had a lovely time on the beach and in the pool every day. The island we stayed on was just a short boat ride from Male so no sea plane. It also had a playground. Bring a set of reins for walking around outside and a good clip on fan for the buggy for naps :)

Where did you stay please? What was the medical situation? Thanks

Jessb2021a · 14/01/2025 07:59

@Bananacustards We stayed at Ailafushi. I think there was a doctor on site at the hotel complex and Male was only a 15 minute boat ride away. It was on the cheaper side for the Maldives but very child friendly. I think Ailafushi literally translates as 'family island'. They have lovely apartments/villas that open straight out onto the beach.

swingandtrampoline · 14/01/2025 08:05

Yes go for it if you haven't already booked but just responding so anyone who is having doubts about this should book ahead. I potty trained my then 2.5 yo there :) it was amazing, chilled, no rush, amazing kids club, doctor on site. Make sure you book a beach villa and the resort we stayed in had the option to drill a safety net around the pool for my then wondering toddler.

Bananacustards · 14/01/2025 10:41

swingandtrampoline · 14/01/2025 08:05

Yes go for it if you haven't already booked but just responding so anyone who is having doubts about this should book ahead. I potty trained my then 2.5 yo there :) it was amazing, chilled, no rush, amazing kids club, doctor on site. Make sure you book a beach villa and the resort we stayed in had the option to drill a safety net around the pool for my then wondering toddler.

Thank you! Where did you stay? :)

swingandtrampoline · 14/01/2025 10:48

@Bananacustards we stayed at the Hilton Amingiri. It's about 20/25 mins away from Male and they pick you up in a very nice boat so no seaplane. The resort also has an amazing kids club. Out of all the holidays I have had across the world, I would say Maldives is amazing for young families.

TeamGeriatric · 14/01/2025 11:02

I took a not quite 2 year old to the Maldives, and his big sister who was 4, they both enjoyed it and we had a nice time too. We went again 6 years later, so 18 months ago, and both rave a lot about that trip. The first time we were in the process of moving from Sydney to the UK, so it was on the way to the UK, and the long haul flight had to be endured wether we went there or not. I've done lots of long haul with mine though, the jet lag is not the most fun with small people but the destination is always worth it. We stayed at anantara so had a boat transfer rather than a sea plane, so no advice on that. The almost 2 year old had never been to nursery at that stage so he stayed with us all day, we didn't utilise the kids club, but it was there if we wanted it. I think it will be a different holiday to your last trip to the Maldives, you need to have the right expectations, but if it's what you want then it is completely doable.

OffMyDahlias · 14/01/2025 11:05

I always planned to go back for our 5 year anniversary but when it came the time the prospect of all that travel with a young child was not a relaxing one.

personally I’d look for something closer and with facilities for young kids. Chasing a child round an island isn’t fun for long.

Tomatocutwithazigzagedge · 14/01/2025 11:48

I took my DS to the Maldives for two weeks when he was 2.5 and again alone (just me and him) for three weeks to the same resort. We had an amazing time.

It was a few years back (he's 19 now 😂😂😂) but we stayed on Bandos which was, at the time, a very family friendly island. You got there by boat, around 10-15 mins from Male. They had movie nights with ice cream for the kids, a magician once a week, nice play park and a shallow pool. They would happily pack up a picnic for dinner if we wanted an early night in our room, or we could pick up a pizza.

The accommodation was mainly single level bungalows set back from the beach by a small path. I used to get up early and sit on the sand with my morning coffee and watch him sleeping in bed in our bungalow.

We did a few boat trips, they had a small uninhabited island called Kuda Bandos which you could visit, night time fishing and dinner on the beach, trips to nearby resorts for the day.

We took a direct flight, I think it was Tui but booked into Premium economy for a bit of extra space so he could lie down and sleep.

For an absolute blow out The One and Only also looked amazing, with wonderful kids activities, depending on your budget!

turkeyboots · 14/01/2025 12:35

Is your 2yo very active? I took a 2.5yo on an 11hour flight once and it was awful. DC walked the plane for almost the whole flight, fell asleep at our bedtime, which was mid afternoon locally, and was up for the day at midnight. It took about a week to adjust and we were broken.
It was years before we flew anywhere again, and 12 years before we did another long haul!

Bananacustards · 14/01/2025 12:40

turkeyboots · 14/01/2025 12:35

Is your 2yo very active? I took a 2.5yo on an 11hour flight once and it was awful. DC walked the plane for almost the whole flight, fell asleep at our bedtime, which was mid afternoon locally, and was up for the day at midnight. It took about a week to adjust and we were broken.
It was years before we flew anywhere again, and 12 years before we did another long haul!

DD is 6 and is usually quite chilled on flights. Sorry that must have been so stressful!

swingandtrampoline · 14/01/2025 12:57

The flight is a pain but when I went, it was full of babies and toddler 😅 so we were all on the same boat plane