Maldives holidays are all about warm water, coral reefs and dinner with your feet in the sand. For Maldives holidays 2026/2027, you can stay in an overwater villa, snorkel straight from the beach or spend the afternoon doing very little at all.
The Maldives do special occasions properly. Honeymoons and anniversaries come with private pools, sunset cruises and tables set for two by the water. But it isn’t couples-only. Family resorts add kids’ clubs, larger villas and watersports, while All Inclusive stays take much of the thinking out of what you’ll spend once you arrive.
Set in the Indian Ocean, our holidays to the Maldives include flights and ATOL protection.
Why choose the Maldives for your next holiday?
The Maldives is made up of more than 1,000 coral islands, scattered across the Indian Ocean. From the UK, direct flights take roughly 10–11 hours, landing at Velana International Airport. From there, resorts are reached by speedboat, domestic flight or seaplane.
Much of the appeal is in the water. Many resorts have their own house reef. At some, you can snorkel within swimming distance of the shore. Then there are the overwater villas – step outside and your deck sits directly above the lagoon. For a Maldives honeymoon, they’re hard to beat.
Even the journey to your island has something to it. From a seaplane, those tiny islands and reefs come into view before you’ve even checked in.
Families account for almost one in five Thomas Cook Maldives bookings. At family resorts, shallow lagoons let younger swimmers get into the water close to shore.
North Malé Atoll
North Malé Atoll keeps the journey after your flight relatively short, with many resorts just a speedboat ride from Velana International Airport. That cuts out the need for a domestic flight or seaplane at many resorts – useful after a 10–11-hour flight from the UK.
There’s more going on here, especially if you surf. Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives is roughly 20–25 minutes from the airport by speedboat and sits beside Pasta Point, a reef break that draws experienced surfers. The atoll’s coral reefs add snorkelling and diving to the mix.
Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives is one of Thomas Cook’s best-selling Maldives hotels. For an Adults-only stay, Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa is in the same atoll, with a speedboat transfer from the airport. That makes North Malé useful if you want to narrow your hotel search by both transfer and type of stay.
For shorter transfers, surfing and a resort island close to Malé, North Malé gets our vote.
South Malé Atoll
South Malé Atoll sits below the capital, separated from North Malé by the Vaadhoo Kandu channel. Resorts here are spread across individual islands, with speedboat transfers available to a number of them from Velana International Airport.
Underwater is where this atoll earns attention. Channels between the islands bring currents that attract reef fish, rays and sharks beyond the house reef. Snorkellers don’t need to venture as far. Resort lagoons and reefs have their own marine life closer to shore.
The atoll also has surf breaks, including the waves near Thulusdhoo’s southern neighbours and breaks off the eastern reef. If diving or surfing will decide where you stay, check the location of your resort carefully – conditions and access vary by island. For divers, access to the sites you most want to visit matters as much as the atoll name itself.
We’d choose South Malé when time in the water matters more than ticking off sights on land.
Ari Atoll
For bigger marine life, we’d head to Ari Atoll. South Ari Marine Protected Area is associated with year-round whale shark sightings, while manta rays also visit the waters around the atoll.
Villa Park Sun Island sits on Nalaguraidhoo in South Ari Atoll and is one of Thomas Cook’s best-selling Maldives hotels. Reaching it involves a domestic flight of roughly 20 minutes followed by a short boat transfer. It’s an extra leg to factor into your arrival and departure days, especially if keeping transfer time down is a priority.
Once you’re there, snorkelling and diving are obvious ways to spend it. Boat trips head out in search of whale sharks and manta rays. There’s marine life to spot on the reefs closer to your resort, so not every day in the water needs to involve an excursion.
If spotting a whale shark is already on your Maldives wish list, Villa Park Sun Island deserves a look.
Baa Atoll
Baa Atoll has a reason to travel further north than Malé: the entire atoll is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Its coral reefs support hundreds of reef fish species, plus turtles, manta rays and whale sharks.
Hanifaru Bay is the name to remember. During the southwest monsoon, plankton gathers in the bay and attracts large numbers of manta rays. Whale sharks have been recorded here, too. Access is protected and regulated, so this isn’t a place for unrestricted diving – visits are managed to protect the marine environment.
That conservation story makes Baa feel different from simply choosing a resort for its house reef. You’ll be staying in a recognised biosphere reserve, close to one of the Maldives’ most significant marine habitats. Hanifaru Bay’s manta gatherings are seasonal, so time your trip for the southwest monsoon if seeing them is high on the list.
When choosing a Baa Atoll resort, check the transfer arrangements and how you’ll reach the marine experiences you want to see.
All Inclusive and luxury Maldives holidays
All Inclusive is how most Thomas Cook customers book the Maldives, with more than eight in ten choosing it for their stay. It makes sense in a destination where you’ll often spend most of your holiday on one resort island. Most meals, local drinks and activities are covered by your package, although exactly what’s included varies by hotel.
The details are important here. Some packages cover selected drinks and watersports, while others go further with à la carte dining or excursions. Reading the inclusions before you book tells you far more than the All Inclusive label alone.
A Maldives holiday doesn’t have to mean a 5* hotel, either. Thomas Cook bookings are split almost evenly between 4* and 5* properties, opening up different ways to spend your budget. You might prioritise the room and facilities at one resort, then decide another has more included in its All Inclusive package.
Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives is one of Thomas Cook’s best-selling Maldives hotels and has a Premium All Inclusive option. It’s in Vaavu Atoll, adding another area to consider beyond the four atolls above. If it's five-star extras and top-tier stays you're after, browse our wider luxury holidays.
Honeymoon and luxury Maldives holidays
A Maldives honeymoon is as much about choosing the resort as booking an overwater villa. Adults-only islands can keep things quieter, including Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa in North Malé Atoll. Other resorts have separate Adults-only areas, pools or restaurants.
Not all overwater villas are the same. Some come with a private pool, others have a different position on the island, so pay attention to exactly what you’re booking rather than the room name alone.
Think about how you want to spend the days beyond your room, too. A smaller island may keep everything close. Larger resorts tend to have more restaurants and activities.
If you’re planning a honeymoon, we’d choose the resort first and the villa second. The setting matters, but the restaurants, board basis and things you’ll do together will shape far more of the week.
