Maldives: A Turquoise Dream

The Maldives is a tropical paradise located in the Indian Ocean. It is the smallest country in Asia and is comprised of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls. It is a bucket list destination known for it's white sandy beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, abundant marine life (some of the best snorkeling ever!), and overwater bungalows.

The Maldivian Islands are spread over 871 kilometers and there are over 170 resorts, each on their own private island. Each resort island offers its own unique experience. We were in the Maldives for 10 days and decided to try 2 different resorts, the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort and the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi (view map).

Best time to travel to the Maldives

There are two seasons in the Maldives, the dry season and the wet season. Dry season is from November to April. January to April are the driest and least humid months, and therefore considered peak season. We went the 1st week of January and had beautiful weather. It was by no means dry as we had some intense rain storms. Most lasted less than an hour, although we did have one entire day of rain. That day was a complete washout, but I loved being in an overwater bungalow during a storm and it gave me a perfect excuse spend some time reading and doing nothing!

Getting There

Be prepared for a LONG journey! We flew from Miami (MIA) to Male (MLE), the capital of the Maldives. We then took a 45-minute seaplane ride to the St. Regis, where we were staying for the first 6 nights.

MIA to MLE:

We chose Emirates Airlines for a few reasons:

• Emirates had a flight that originated in Miami, which reduced the chances of winter weather related travel delays since we were traveling in January.

• We connected in Dubai (DBX), a city we love, so we were able to take advantage of our layover and go into the city for cocktails at the Burj Al Arab Skyview Lounge and dinner at the Budda Bar.

  • Our layover in Dubai was 7 hours and Emirates provided a chauffeur service and accommodations at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai. We used the room to store our bags while we went out and to shower before we got on the last leg of our flight.

• We were able to take advantage of a super saver business class fare for $12,212 roundtrip ($6106 roundtrip per person) vs a non-super saver rate of 10K+ per person. This rate did not provide access to the 100,000 square foot Emirates Club at DBX, which I needed on my layover returning home, but I was able to pay ~$200 for access to the club.
  

Seaplane to the St. Regis Vommuli Resort

Upon landing in Male, the St. Regis Experience began immediately. They picked us up in the hotel SUV for the short ride to the Noovilu Seaplane Terminal where we were escorted into the St. Regis private lounge. We were greeted by a concierge who checked us into our room, served us refreshments, and escorted us to board our seaplane. A special touch was the lounge concierge played a video from our butler, Rasheed, welcoming us to the Maldives. It was a very private space with a large balcony overlooking the seaplane docks.

The seaplane company, Trans Maldivian Airlines, is the largest seaplane company in the world! We booked our flights through the St. Regis for $808 ($404 per person), however, you can book with the airline directly if you prefer and they also offer private VIP flights (for a LOT more). We felt very safe on the flight and the views were breathtaking!

Total Travel Time:

29 Hours!!!

Although it was worth it, our next trip to the Maldives will be a part of a longer trip with multiple destinations to break up the journey!

St. Regis Vommuli Resort

Nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is located on the pristine Vommuli Island in the Dhaalu Atoll. It is a very private and secluded island spanning about 20 acres.

It is an intimate resort with only 77 villas. There are four types of villas. Photographers were there on our visit in January 2024, so the pictures of the rooms online are very recent and are exactly what you can expect.

• Garden villas are approximately 1614 square feet of indoor/outdoor areas and feature private gardens, plunge pools, and spacious terraces.

• Overwater Villas are more spacious and what most of us think about when we think about the Maldives. There are 3 types of overwater villas at the St. Regis. The first two, the Overwater Villa with Pool and Overwater Sunset Villa are the exact same floor plan of 1958 square feet of indoor/outdoor space. They offer direct lagoon access, private infinity pools, sun decks, and panoramic ocean views. The only difference is whether you have a sunset view or not. If you have a family of four with small children, you can select the larger 3034 square foot Overwater St. Regis Suite that includes a one bedroom suite and a sofa bed.

• Beach Villas: These villas are located along the shoreline, include private pools, and provide direct beach access. They are 1506 square feet and can sleep up to three.

• Two-Bedroom Family Villas: There are four two bedroom villas. The Two Bedroom Ocean Villa and the Two Bedroom Sunset Villa are both 3594 square feet and sleep 5 while the Knickerbocker and Cesar Balsa are 5714 square feet and both sleep 6. They have private pools, and ample indoor and outdoor living areas spanning an estimated 3595 square feet.

• Want an Estate? There are two to choose from! Check out the Caroline Astor Estate and the John Jacob Astor Estate.

Even though there were 77 villas, our stay was so private and peaceful. The main pool and beach area was beautiful and we never saw more than 10-15 people there at one time. It was so nice to be at a resort that felt so intimiate.

Day 1: The St. Regis Vommuli Resort exceeded every expectation that we had. Upon arrival, our seaplane was greeted by the St. Regis staff and we met our butler, Rasheed. We didn't have any plans for the first day as we just wanted to relax after our long journey to the Maldives. Rasheed provided us a tour of the island by golf cart and brought us to our Sunset Overwater Villa. We were in Villa 503, right next door to the John Jacob Astor Estate and a prime location for amazing snorkeling (Aerial view of Villa 503 in a picture we took from the seaplane when arriving)!

The room was absolutely perfect with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the pool and the Indian Ocean.

Every room also comes with a bike for each guest for easy travels around the island.

Lunch: We were tired from our journey, but also hungry. We changed, hopped on our bikes, and ate a casual lunch by the beach at Crust & Craft - one of six restaurants on the island. They had great sandwiches and salads, and are known for their brick-oven pizza.

Nap: After lunch we went back to our villa to relax and were greeted by the most amazing rain storm, perfectly timed for a nap!

Dinner: Rasheed picked us up to take us to our 7pm reservation at Alba. Alba is the most central restaurant which also serves the most amazing breakfast buffett every morning! We sat outside overlooking the pools and ocean and enjoyed the International cuisine. We both enjoyed amazing pasta dishes.

Stargazing: When we returned to our room, we took one look at the sky and knew we found our nightly ritual. The deck is lined with lounging nets, so we grabbed a few pillows, poured some wine, and enjoyed the stars twinkling in the clear sky with Orion's Belt front and center (picture below taken with my iPhone)!

Day 2: The Maldives are one of the only places in the world that Whale Sharks call home year round and we were on a quest to see them.

Whale Shark Excursion: We booked a half day (7:30am-12:30pm) excursion through the hotel for $1477 (total for 2 people). We were on a boat with 2 other couples and an amazing crew. We searched for whale sharks for a while with no luck, so we took a break and went to snorkel with the Mantas!

After the swim with the mantas, we went back to search for a whale shark. Time was running out, but our guides were determined to provide an amazing experience and even went over the time limit of our tour in order to deliver! They told us at the beginning of the tour, if we were to find one, jump in immediately when they tell us to and to be prepared for a crowd and mayhem as swimmers and their flippers would be chaotically competing for a view. They weren't wrong, however, our guides told us to jump in at the exact momment the whale shark was beneath us and we got a great view! My camera/video recording skills were pretty bad so the best picture I have to share is this one (sorry!!).

Lunch: We ate lunch at Crust & Craft again, because I love that place!

Leisurely Afternoon: Everyday when we returned to our room from our morning activites, a surprise was waiting for us from our butler, Rasheed. We have been to St. Regis properties before and experienced the butler service, but they have always struggled to add value to us. John puts so much effort into planning our trips, they aren't left with much to do! However, Rasheed made our experience unforgettable. In addition, to the personalized touches, he ensured our fridge was always filled with Coke Zeros, our favorite wine, and snacks. He truly cared about out expereince and felt like a friend.

In the afternoon, we swam in our pool, biked around the island, and snorkeled off our our deck. Snorkeling off of our deck at the St. Regis was the absolute best. I'll dedicate some time to that later!

Dinner: We ate at Orientale for dinner and enjoyed sushi and amazing Asian dishes.

We ended a perfect day stargazing in the lounging nets off our our deck! (The nets can be seen in the bathtub picture above).

Day 3: We woke up bright and early on the 3rd day and didn't have an activity planned until 10am, so we were able to hop on our bikes and enjoy a nice relaxing breakfast at Alba. The breakfast buffet at Alba has it all, including a special Maldivian section. It was a daily indulgence. The entire staff at the St. Regis knew our name and provided exceptional service.

Snorkeling Excursion: After breakfast and riding bikes around the island, we embarked on a private snorkeling tour, the Coral Garden Turtle Quest. We booked it through the hotel for $866 (for 2 people). It was a 2-hour excursion from 10-12 and we saw sharks, turtles, and so many colorful fish.

Lunch: When we returned from the snorkle excursion, we ordered room service. You can order from Alba or Crust & Craft. Why not eat on your deck with amazing views, your pool, ultimate privacy, and exceptional service!

Snorkeling the St. Regis House Reef: The St. Regis House Reef is absolutely amazing and was the BEST snorkeling of our entire trip. We spent a couple of hours in the afternoon, just snorkeling off of our room. If you stay at the St. Regis, there is no need to book the separate snorkel excursion described above! I included this video as words cannot even come close to doing it justice!

Private Blue Hole Session: We then went to the spa for a private blue hole session. The blue hole is located in the St. Regis Iridium Spa and is a large hydrotherapy pool with powerful jets of water angled to spray down on your upper back and neck area and underwater stations equipped with jets for your lower body. Looking at it, you would think the water would be warm like a hot tub, however, it is cold water. It is really refreshing but it can get cold in the afternoon if it's cloudy and/or windy. We booked a private blue hole experience for 3-days of our trip for around $200 per session. It was a very unique, enjoyable experience!

Evening Ritual: The St. Regis is known for having a champagne sabrage at sunset. Our butler, Rasheed, was opening the champagne with the sabre during this nights ceremony and we didn't want to miss it. We went to the Whale Bar for a cocktail before dinner and enjoyed the ceremony, minus the sunset as there was a storm approaching.

Private Beach Dinner: Did I mention there was a storm approaching? Ha! It wasn't the best night to have a private beach dinner scheduled! The set up was beautiful and we had a private chef preparing everything on the beach. Rasheed stopped by to take some pictures of us and we all thought there was a good chance the rain would miss us.

Well, we were wrong! Regardless, it was a really fun experience!

The rain stopped briefly after this video was taken but the break didn't last for long so we transferred to the covered patio at Orientale. Orientale was closed for the night so it was still a private setting. There are not many things I enjoy more in life than sitting outside on a covered patio or porch during a rainstorm, so the rain did not dampen our experience!

Day 4: Day 4 was dedicated to relaxation! The only activites that we had planned were a couples massage and a private blue hole session. We ate breakfast at Alba, snorkeled the entire house reef, ate lunch on our deck, and rode bikes before we made our way to the spa. I would highly recommend a visit or two to the Iridium Spa!

Dinner: We ate dinner at the Whale Bar. The Whale Bar is an overwater bar/lounge thats architecture was inspired by the Whale Shark. It is a great place to gather for pre-dinner sunset drinks, with beautful views inside and out. In 2017, it won the International Design award for the most beautifully designed space. On the St. Regis website, it is described as a lounge serving tapas. However, we enjoyed steaks off of a full dinner menu. You can see beautiful pictures of the Whale Bar on the SBID International Design Awards website.

Day 5: We are a couple known for our routines. We didn't have an activity scheduled until 10am, so we started the day with our morning bike ride and breakfast at Alba.

Jet Ski Excursion: We booked a private 1-hour jet ski excursion from 10-11am for $1000. The tour originated from the Vommuli Dive & Watersports Center on the island. We did a jet ski tour in Bora Bora and loved it, however the water was much calmer. The day we had this tour in the Maldives, it was quite choppy, even in the morning. It was worth it though as we were able to ride to a secluded sand bar and spend some time with no one else there, it was absolutely beautiful! We really enjoyed it, but we will skip this excursion on our next visit.

Private champagne sabrage and Manager's sunset beach reception: Rasheed brought a bottle of champagne and the sabre to our room so we could have a private champagne sabrage on our deck. After a short lesson, John slayed the champagne bottle! We then took the golf cart to the main beach area for the manager's sunset reception. It was a beautiful start to the evening!

Dinner: We indulged in Wagyu and Lobster at T-Pan, which serves Japanese Kaiseki-style cuisine. We shared a Teppan counter that can seat up to 16 with only one other couple. Needless to say, the service was exceptional. The ambience and architecture of this restaurant was my favorite. It is inspired by the Ghost Crab and was designed by the same architects of The Whale Bar. The food was beautifully presented and delicious. Check out the T-Pan St. Regis Instagram for pictures that are much better than any description that I can provide. Here are a few pictures of our dinner!

Day 6: On our last full day and night at the St. Regis, we just wanted to stay on property to soak up every minute. We snorkeled the house reef, enjoyed our pool, and biked around. John had another massage and we had another private blue hole session. John decided to do the night snorkel tour organized by the Vommuli Dive & Watersports Center, but I opted to enjoy one last sunset on our deck before dinner.

Dinner: Our last dinner was at Cargo. Unexpectedly, this middle-eastern restaurant in a jungle setting ended up being one of our favorites. We both said if we had eaten there earlier in the week, we may have gone back! I had the Shawarma wrap. It was so good and it was also refreshing to have a more casual meal.

Our Last Night: Yes, we will see you again. Not sure how soon, but we will be back!

Day 7: What a bittersweet day! We got a last snorkel in before checking out and catching the sea plane to begin our journey to the Waldorf! I just can't say enough about our stay at the St. Regis. Our butler, Rasheed, and the entire St. Regis staff provided the most exceptional service. From the minute we arrived to the minute we left, it was such a personalized experience. Everyone knew our names, our daily activities, and our drink preferences; however, it was non-intrusive. They truly wanted you to feel like family.

Before we move onto the Waldorf, here are a few last shots/vidoes of the beautful fish of the St. Regis House Reef!

Journey to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi:

The Waldorf has a yacht that transports you from the airport to the hotel. The St. Regis coordinated with the Waldorf and arranged a sea plane so that we would arrive at the airport when the yacht was there to pick us up.

The sea plane is a beautiful adventure in itself! I was glued to the window the entire journey.

Upon arriving at the airport, we were greeted by the Waldorf staff and brought to the yacht. The yacht transport to the hotel was $995 each way ($1990 roundtrip) for two people.

We had some champagne on the 45-minute ride and cracked up at the music that started playing (you can hear for yourself below). After seeing our reaction, the steward was really embarrassed and offered to change the station. I am pretty sure it was a Pandora type station and he was not expecting that at all!

The Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

The Waldorf is located on the private island of Ithaafushi in the Maldives. Ithaafushi is made up of 3 interconnected islands spanning about 79 acres. It is truly a paradise with lush greenery and white-sand beaches surrounded by crystal-clear turquoise waters.

You will never be bored unless that is your goal! You can take advantage of the luxurious spa, the fitness center, the Aqua wellness center (one of my favorites), the tennis and paddle ball courts, arts and crafts, and a wide range of beach and water sports! In addition to the villas private pools, there are 3 common pools for guests to enjoy.

There are 119 villas that will suit the needs of any traveler. All of the villas offer ocean views, indoor/outdoor showers and bathtub, a large beautiful private pool, and luxury outdoor seating areas inlcuding a daybed and hammock. They also all offer a "Grand" version which includes an additional living room for more space. Your choice of villas include:

• Beach Villas:: The Beach Villas, as described, are directly on a beach that is dedicated to the beach villas. There is vegatation separating the villa from the beach providing privacy. The hotel website does have a disclaimer on the Beach Villas that the growth of vegatation over time could obstruct the ocean views. One, two, and three bedroom villas are available ranging in size from 2,518 for the King Beach Villa to 11,007 square feet for the Three Bedroom Grand Beach Villa.

• Overwater Villas: Located at both ends of the resort, boardwalks extend the islands accommodations with over 50 Overwater Villas. Swim in your own private pool or access the ocean directly from your terrace. You are surrounded by water with floor to ceiling windows and a glass floor in the dressing area. The outdoor terrace features a covered gazebo area for dining and relaxing and the pool deck offers multiple seating options where shade is always available! One, two, and three bedroom villas are available ranging in size from 3,045 for the King Overwater Villa to 11,976 square feet for the Three Bedroom Overwater Villa. The two and three bedroom villas also have an outdoor jacuzzi.

• Reef Villas: The Reef Villas offer a very similar experince to the Overwater Villas. The only real difference is that you access the Reef Villas from land vs the boardwalk. The outdoor terrace is overwater. One and two bedroom villas are available ranging in size from 3,002 for the King Reef Villa to 6,466 square feet for the Two Bedroom Reef Villa, which also has an outdoor jacuzzi.

• For more space and privacy, the Stella Maris Ocean Villas are approximately 5769 square feet and are only accessible by speedboat. They were available when we were there, however, as of this post, they have removed these villas from their website.

• Want a Private Island? . For the ultimate seclusion, privacy, space, and service you can rent out the Ithaafushi Private Island that includes a four-bedroom residence, three-bedroom beach villa, and two-bedroom overwater villa, along with dedicated staff and bespoke services. It's (currently) the largest private island in the Maldives and it can be all yours for $80,000+ per night!

  
  

With eleven restaurants offering everything from fine dining experiences atop bamboo pods to authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, the island caters to every palate. There are also a wide range of evening entertainment activities for every age group. If you are going to the Maldives with kids, the Waldorf should defintely be on your list to consider.

Day 1: We arrived around 3pm we were greeted by members of the Waldorf staff, including our Butler (I don't remember his name), who took us to our room. Similar to our first day at the St. Regis, we just wanted to get familiar with the hotel and relax. Our butler brought us to our villa and I fell in love immediately. We were in King Overwater Villa #726 on the island's northeastern boardwalk which offered a beautiful sunset view!

Dinner: After enjoying the sunset and a glass of wine on our terrace daybed swing, our butler picked us up for dinner at Li Long. Li Long is a Chinese restaurant situated a lot like a reef villa with the dining room and outdoor deck situated over the water. It is known for its peking duck, so we had to try it! The food was amazing and the ambience of the restaurant was great but it was much busier restaurant experience vs a St. Regis dining experience. 

After Dinner: We stopped by Peacock Alley, the resort's lounge, that offers live entertainment. It featured some sort of light show that we watched while enjoying a night cap.

We then wrapped up the night stargazing from our deck's hammocks. Best way to end every night!

Day 2:  We walked to breakfast and on our way back to the villa, we came across these baby sharks having fun, or feasting, on a school of fish.

This day turned out to be a total washout! Constant rain ALL day long! John went for a massage in the afternoon but I took the opportunity to relax in the covered terrace area on the swing lounger and read a book!

Dinner: We had a special private dinner planned at The Rock. The Rock is an exclusive restaurant only open on request and offers food and wine pairings in an intimate cave-like setting inclusive of a wine cellar. Getting there was an exciting experience on its own since the day's rain washed out the roads. It was bumby, wet, and memorable! This video does not do it justice and it took us around 30 minutes to get from our villa to The Rock!

This was one of the most memorable dinners we had in the Maldives. We did have to choose the main course in advance from the menu below. We chose the Westholme Wagyu Tomahawk and opted for the wine pairing option.

Here are some pictures and videos of our experience at the Rock!

The dining table is a 200-year-old Jarrah wood table

Day 3: We booked a private dolphin snorkelling charter for Day 2 from the Waldorf Dive Centre that was rescheduled to today due to the weather. The charter was $1500 for 2 hours and it was a huge disappointment. We know that spotting any wildlife is not guaranteed and needless to say we did not see dolphins. The disappointing part is that it was evident that the crew knew there were no dolphins in the lagoon. It's a team sport as all the boats are on the lookout and radio each other when they spot wildlife, in this case dolphins. As soon as we got to the lagoon, the crew immediately (within 5-10 minutes) tried to convince us to go snorkeling in another location. If we did what they suggested and the dolphins appeared, we would not be able to come back. We had no interest in snorkeling and had to continuously justify to them that we just wanted to stay and look for dolphins. If we didn't see them, we were ok with that. I know they probably wanted to ensure that we exerienced something on this private charter, but the feeling we got from this crew was rushed and not genuine. No pictures from this boat ride!

Lunch: We rode our bikes around the island, one of our favorite activities, and decided to have lunch near the common pool area at The Ledge. Great small bites for lunch, we enjoyed the jamaican chicken wings, mexican brisket tacos, and the hand cut chips!

Afternoon Activities:

• Padel Tennis: I have never played padel tennis before as it is not a common US sport (at least anywhere I have lived). It looked like so much fun so I had to try it. I loved it and could have played all day. I can't say I was any good at it but we had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs. Playing any sport with John tends to be frustrating because he always wins. I am not even sure we know the rules, but I am now a padel tennis fan!

• Quick Swim: We took a quick swim after our bike ride back to our villa and before our appointment at the Aqua Wellness Center.

• Aqua Wellness Center: The Blue Hole at the St. Regis was unique and amazing. However, the Aqua Wellness Center at the Waldorf is of the most relaxing experiences that I have ever had! The pool is designed in zones, much like the Blue Hole, but they have more specific stations and the inclusion of a hot tub in the pool was a bonus as I tended to get chilly at the Blue Hole and would have go back and forth from the sauna and the pool. One Aqua Therapy Session was $200 and included the hydrotherapy pool, ice fountain, steam room, and sauna. We went at the end of the day and spent our entire session in the pool.

We enjoyed our last Maldivian sunset from our terrace before heading to dinner.

Dinner: We enjoyed our last dinner at Zuma. Zuma is actually a contemporary Japanese chain restaurant with around 25 locations around the world. We had never been to one before. It is weird to eat at a chain in while in the Maldives, but I would highly recommend Zuma. Ther service, ambience, and food was exceptional. The restaurant is overwater and we sat by an open window which allowed us to enjoy the sound of the ocean and a refreshing breeze. It was a very laid back, relaxing enviornment for our last dinner.

Day 4 (Departure Day): We spent the last morning snorkeling and biking around the island (videos of one of our last bike rides is below). Check out was 12:00, but we didn't need to depart for the airport until later in hte afternoon. I was flying home to Florida and John was taking a shorter flight to Sri Lanka for work. Since our flights were at different times, I opted stay at the hotel until 4:00 while John left around 1.00. We were able to transfer to a Grand Reef Villa since someone was moving into our room so I could relax and enjoy the pool until taking the yacht to the airport.