Activities in the Maldives

Activities For Your Maldives Holiday

Written by Caitlyn Howells on December 27th, 2008

The best thing about a beach holiday in the Maldives is that when you finally tire of sitting around reading a book or generally doing nothing there are a huge range of activities for you to try out. The activities available will depend on which resort you choose to stay at but here are the main ones.

Maldives Island Hopping by Boat

Maldives Island Hopping

If you want to really get away from it all on your Maldives vacation you should book an Island Hopping excursion. These fabulous trips allow you to spend half a day or even a full day on one of the untouched Maldivian islands.

Many of the resorts will offer Island Hopping trips, and you may find that with all-inclusive packages the trip is included. If not you will need to pay for the trip separately. With most trips you will be taken by boat to an uninhabited island and then you can spend time lazing in the sunshine, enjoying a beach barbeque or doing some snorkelling.

Night Fishing

If you fancy an excursion with a difference ask if your resort offers night fishing. You’ll be taken out in a dhoni (boat) with the tools that you need to catch your own fish. You’d better hope that you get a bite as you’ll be eating what you catch for dinner! When you get back to the resort the chefs will turn your catch into a tasty meal for you to enjoy.

Water Sports

You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to water sports. Many resorts on the island have excellent water sports facilities and you’ll be able to try your hand at wind-surfing, surfing, water skiing, catamaran sailing and even parasailing. Most resorts will charge additional fees for tuition and use of the water sports equipment and facilities. If you want to spend a lot of time doing water sports look for an all-inclusive resort when the activities are included in the price. If you do plan on doing any of these activities please make sure your travel insurance covers water sports.

Canoeing

If you want to spend some time on the resort lagoons you should consider renting a canoe. You won’t be able to island hop in a canoe though for safety reasons.

Diving in the Maldives

The Maldives are a paradise for divers and there are options available for all experience levels. Almost all of the resorts will offer diving facilities of some kind and some even have their own diving schools. If you’re lucky your resort may have it’s own reef that you can snorkel to from the beach itself.

If you plan to go diving during your vacation in the Maldives then you should plan to travel between January and April. During these months the weather is at its calmest, which means placid seas and clear waters — exactly what you need for the best visibility.

If you are a qualified diver then you will need to bring your C-Card and log book as the diving centres will want to check them. As a more experienced diver you should ask about the diving safaris where you will have the opportunity to visit various diving sites or a night-time dive where you will see different kinds of marine life.

Land Based Sports

If you prefer to keep your feet on dry land you’ll still find a wide variety of activities to keep you occupied during your vacation. Most resorts offer beach volleyball, tennis, basketball and even soccer. You should also find a games room with ping-pong and pool tables and a variety of board games; all of which will keep you entertained during the evenings.

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