Tailor-made Maldives Holidays

Idyllic resorts, underwater adventures, soft sandy beaches, quintessential luxury

Maldives Holidays

Dotted within the azure-blue seascape of the Indian Ocean, to the south west of India and Sri Lanka, the Maldives’ 26 atolls, with nearly 1,200 islands, are genuinely as picture-postcard perfect as the glossy images promise. They fully live up to their hype as the ultimate ‘kick-back and indulge’ destination; all you need to do is choose your slice of paradise, grab something cool to sip, and unwind with stunning views over the crystal coast. Away from shore, discover an astonishing array of marine life in the Maldives’ clear, warm waters, which offer some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world.

However, there’s much more to this corner of the world than Insta-ready beaches and honeymoon bliss: there are lived-on islands to discover too, giving you a deeper glimpse into the archipelago’s vibrant local life. Plan in time on local islands to get a taste of the region’s daily rhythms, staying in properties within the heart of the community.

Whether you’re looking for maximum pampering, a small rustic hideaway, a family-friendly vibe or honeymoon seclusion, the Maldives has an idyll for everyone.

Idyllic resorts, underwater adventures, soft sandy beaches, quintessential luxury.

Start planning your journey here...

Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.

Maldives Highlights

Ultimate island retreats away from the comings and goings of life.
Local islands with their own character and community connection.
Sublime diving and snorkelling – some of the best in the world.
Honeymoon paradise & excellent combination destination.
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Local life

“While the single-resort islands allow you space to indulge, the local islands zoom in on the small communities who live there, each with their own character and traditions.”

Beneath the waves…

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Dive into the Maldives’ underwater world to discover diverse marine life in the warm waters. Take a boat to reefs teeming with life and keep your eyes peeled for glimpses of turtles, sharks, and rays in the blue beyond, or snorkel in the shallows from the shore looking out for shoals of colourful fish.

Our expert guides ensure a responsible experience, so you can focus on the beautiful surroundings in the knowledge that safeguarding the ecosystem is the top priority. Find out more about the impact of development on the reefs and the challenges faced by this island nation, along with the inspiring conservation projects working to protect this beautiful region through education and action.

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Local connection

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See a deeper side to the Maldives with a stay on a locally lived-on island, combining the archipelago’s fabled desert-island luxury with genuine community connection.

Initiatives to combat overtourism and protect the environment and local infrastructure have allowed local communities to take greater control of their region’s tourism, and build stronger and sustainable connections to travel, meaning visitors can experience the archipelago from a lived cultural perspective. Take a wander through enclaves of brightly-coloured houses, visit pop-up markets and watch fishing boats come in from serene harbour-side cafes. Stop for traditional hedika afternoon tea, and chat over a selection of savoury and sweet short eats served with black tea.

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The Maldives pairs well with…

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We particularly love combining your stay in the Maldives with time in our other Asia destinations.

Connections times are generally short and any combination gives you the chance to include two different cultural explorations on your travels, alongside plenty of those beautiful beaches – win win! The Maldives makes a classic combination with Sri Lanka, offering both contrast and complement, as well as with Bhutan, Nepal and India, and can pair well with Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

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Idyllic beaches
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Under the waves
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Foodie delights
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Local streets
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Fresh fruit

Another fantastic trip with Selective Asia

We’ve been on 5 trips to the Far East with Selective Asia over 17 years with the same consultant (Lionel). They take the time to tailor the holiday individually with invaluable local knowledge and once again got it spot on. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.

Rob Clarkson, Vietnam

Personalised and spot on journey

Personalised service all the way up to departure and then throughout via on the ground help and advice in country as well. Ideal.

Ann B, India

Highly Recommend Selective Asia

Have been to Asia with Selective Asia twice now, and we can't fault them. We had the most amazing holiday staying in 6 different locations throughout Thailand. Selective Asia did us proud by giving us a well thought out itinerary. The accommodations were first class. Our private guide called James was very knowledgable and made our holiday very memorable.

Susan Bartlett, Thailand

Our trip to Japan was outstanding

We had had several discussions with Andrew, our agent, before booking the trip and he incorporated all the activities we were interested in plus recommending other activities that he knew we would be interested in. Much of our trip was self guided and SA provide an excellent app to help with this. It was intuitive, easy to use and had the option to be able to contact someone locally if necessary. The whole trip was seamless and managed at a thoroughly professional yet friendly level. I would travel with this company again (we have travelled with them before.)

Heather, Japan

Great planning and organisation, coupled with an amazing experience with the local guide and driver. Everything about the holiday was magical.

Trusted Customer, Bhutan trip, 2024 (Feefo)

Fantastic holiday

Using Selective Asia took all the stress out of booking and organising the trip ourselves as we were travelling around the country. Selective Asia were really responsive to our needs and created our perfect honeymoon holiday. They were available whenever we had questions or needed some help. I would highly recommend using their service!

Alice, Sri Lanka

Inspiring experiences and places to stay

Lean into the details of your bespoke Asia trip to discover rare experiences, exceptional hotels, local connections, inspiring conservation and much more…

Start planning your journey here...

Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.

Talk to our expert team...

Every Asia trip we build is finely tuned to fit you, and that all starts with a chat. Let us know what you're hoping to see, feel and experience on your travels, and the places you're dreaming of, and your Asia Specialist will craft a route that includes everything you want and more.

The Selective Asia difference

  • Bespoke journeys tailored just for you
  • Unparalleled local knowledge and expertise
  • Award-winning, nose-to-tail service
  • Responsible travel
  • 24 hour local support
  • Our flexi-booking promise and financial clarity

No ordinary Travel Company

Personally designed, exceptional journeys across Asia that champion a passion for travel with care for community connections and the planet.
Unfollow the herd.

Fully protected and flexible bookings

Selective Asia is a fully ATOL licensed and bonded tour operator, and our flexi-booking promise offers increased protection & peace of mind.,

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