Maldives Resort Recommendations

[Trounlet]

We're looking at 2wks in the Maldives with 2DDs, late teens.

Please give me your recommendations for a resort for families for older children, and which ones to avoid.

We go to the Four Seasons Landaa Giravaru, https://www.fourseasons.com/maldiveslg/ , I think for 2 weeks though, if so a week there and the other week at the four seasons sister island to make it more interesting. Do you all dive?

Two divers and two snorkellers

When are you planning to go?

There are so many options, you can’t really go wrong, however, there are considerations which make a more enjoyable experience than others:

1. House reef. Assume you’re there to snorkel and dive then ideally pick an island with a house reef so you can literally just step into the reef.
2. Adult only areas. Many island have adult only pools and other facilities. For us, we found this irritating as the adult pools seem to be in the better locations than the family pool. Also, your teens won’t appreciate being assigned a pool really designed for younger children. Find an island with access to all.
3. Restaurant options. We’ve never been bored with limited restaurant options however, the kids appreciate some variety so having multiple dine around options works well. Going full board works for us. We don’t bother with AI unless it includes international drinks, and trips.
4. On that note, If you are going to out on diving trips, check the islands safety records/reviews. We had a very scary snorkelling boat trip with Vilamendoo. The currents down sound are strong, especially around the island and the team on the boat dropped us in the wrong location.

Lux South is amazing but North was even better (it’s no longer a Lux, and way out of our budget but I’d go back if I could).

I've only done short stopovers 4/5 nights with our kids (which restricts us to speedboat transfers), we stop for 3 or 4 of days of sun and beach after spending our summer holiday in Australia seeing relatives, but it's in their winter. I browse on the simply Maldives website as you can filter on properties with a house reef, a la carte dining options, all inclusive, other requirements. Are you wanting a single family villa that sleeps 4 or 2 separate rooms? That will likely impact on your choice. Also the more deserted island feel resorts are typically accessible only by seaplane and seaplanes only depart until about 4pm every day as need to land in daylight, so if you choose a destination accessible only by sea plane, your flight times will impact whether you need to stay near Male on your first night. We are looking at the Banyan resort for a quick stop next summer, but would probably go further out from Male if I had 2 full weeks.

For a two-week family holiday in the Maldives with teenage daughters, I would recommend choosing a resort with plenty of activities, water sports, snorkelling opportunities and a good selection of dining options.
Some resorts worth considering are:

• Kandima Maldives – A lively resort with water sports, sports facilities and entertainment, making it a great option for teenagers.
• Hard Rock Hotel Maldives – A good choice for families who enjoy music, water sports and a vibrant atmosphere.
• Siyam World Maldives – Ideal for adventurous teens, with a water park, a wide range of activities and plenty of dining options.
• Meeru Maldives Resort Island – A large island with beautiful beaches, water sports and activities for families.
• LUX South Ari Atoll* – A great option for families interested in snorkelling, marine life and a variety of activities.

For a two-week stay, I would prioritise a larger, more active resort rather than a small, quiet island, as the variety of activities and dining options can make a significant difference. I would also check the transfer costs, meal-plan inclusions and whether the resort has a dedicated teen programme before booking.

@ByMintSwan have you actually been or did you ask chatgpt?

@Trounlet look at Kuramathi, amazing house reef and nice two bedroom family villas.

@Trounlet one more consideration, depending on the atoll, you will either be traveling on a boat, a seaplane or a domestic flight followed by a boat. The later is a faff (imo) so we’ve done seaplane or boat. If you go via seaplane make sure you flights arrives early enough in the day as the stop before sunset so depending on the time of year, they could stop by 3.30pm in which case you’d have to stay overnight in Male.