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Before we ever booked flights or looked at hotels, we knew one thing: we were going to the Maldives for our honeymoon. Overwater bungalow, turquoise lagoon, cocktails at sunset — the whole dream. No debate required.

What we didn't expect was that we'd end up going back, and that the second trip — quieter, slower, cheaper — would in some ways be even better.

Here's the honest account of both: the resort honeymoon and the hidden local island route. Between the two of them, we've figured out exactly how to do the Maldives as a couple, whatever your budget and whatever you're looking for.

The Maldives at a Glance

The Maldives is made up of roughly 1,200 islands spread across 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean. Around 200 of those islands are inhabited. The rest are either private resort islands — each one its own exclusive little world — or uninhabited sandbanks waiting to be discovered.

The water is crystal clear. The sand is almost offensively white. There are rays, turtles, reef sharks, and whale sharks depending on the season. Sunsets go pink and gold and dissolve into the sea in a way that feels slightly staged, like the world is showing off.

The best time to visit is November through April, when it's dry and the sea is calm. We went in February and it was perfect. Outside peak season expect lower prices and occasional showers — usually short, dramatic, and followed immediately by sunshine.

Getting there: Fly into Malé (MLE). From there, you either take a speedboat (30–90 minutes depending on your island) or a seaplane for more remote resorts — the most dramatic airport transfer you'll ever have.

Option 1: The Classic Resort Honeymoon

This is what most people picture — your own private island, a bungalow built over the water, a glass panel in the floor so you can watch the fish while you drink your morning coffee.

We chose Meeru Island Resort for our honeymoon. It's one of the most well-known and most accessible resort islands in the Maldives, reachable by a 45-minute speedboat from Malé — no seaplane surcharge, and a relatively straightforward transfer after a long flight.

What the resort experience is actually like

From the moment the boat docked, sandals came off and didn't go back on for seven days. A staff member was waiting on the beach with our names on a card and two coconut drinks. That set the tone perfectly.

We stayed in the honeymoon suite — a water villa set apart from the other overwater bungalows, only reachable by boat. Our own private boatman. Champagne waiting in the room. Steps off the deck straight into the lagoon.

The reef below was extraordinary. Rays gliding past at arm's length. Reef sharks threading through the coral. Turtles. We'd peer down through the glass floor panels and watch the whole slow parade without even getting in the water.

The all-inclusive package got slightly out of hand in the best possible way. We hadn't paid for full-board, but the resort quietly upgraded us for the honeymoon — breakfast delivered to the room each morning, a groaning buffet every evening, and unlimited cocktails with little umbrellas that technically counted as "included." We accepted this graciously.

Seven days passed like three. We barely left the island. There wasn't much reason to.

What you won't find on a resort island

Authenticity, essentially. These private islands are beautiful bubbles — you won't see local Maldivian life, won't eat local food, won't stumble into the village on a Friday afternoon. The trade-off is obvious: you're paying for perfection, and perfection is what you get.

If you want both the paradise beach and a taste of real Maldivian culture, combine a resort stay with a few nights on the local islands.

Option 2: Hidden Local Islands for Couples

Until 2009, the only way to visit the Maldives was via a private resort. Then the government opened local islands to guesthouses, and a quieter, more personal kind of Maldives trip became possible.

On our second trip, we island-hopped through Goidhoo, Fehendhoo, and Fulhadhoo — three small, quiet islands in the Baa Atoll, about two hours by speedboat from Malé. There are only 2–4 guesthouses on each island. When we visited in February — peak season — we sometimes had entire stretches of beach completely to ourselves.

These islands aren't for everyone. There are no restaurants to speak of, no bars, no nightlife, no flashy pools. But if what you're after is stillness, empty white beaches, and the feeling of being somewhere that hasn't yet been swallowed by tourism, they're extraordinary.

Goidhoo — the nature lovers' island

Goidhoo is the most unusual of the three. It's larger than the others, with a sleepy village of about 500 people, jungle lagoons, and wildlife you genuinely can't find anywhere else.

The beach isn't the prettiest of the three — but it's almost always empty. On most evenings, we had it entirely to ourselves. We sat on the white sand and watched the sun melt into the water while giant land crabs the size of dinner plates emerged from the bushes at dusk. (First night: mildly alarming. By the end of the trip: completely normal.)

The snorkelling here is exceptional. We joined a boat trip around the island and found ourselves hovering above two manta rays with a wingspan of over a metre and a half, gliding maybe 30cm beneath us. There was a moment where neither of us breathed for a full 20 seconds.

We stayed at Horsburgh Island Guesthouse and it was the best-run place of the whole trip. The staff met us at Malé harbour before we'd even found the right boat, showed us around the village, and took us to the jetty in the evening to watch the manta rays that cruise past the fishermen every night.

Fehendhoo — the most romantic of the three

Fehendhoo is a narrow sliver of an island — 2.5km long and barely 200m wide — with a single palm-lined path running down the middle. No cars, no motorbikes. So quiet that the primary school has one student.

The bikini beach here is split into a series of small, sheltered coves by low-growing jungle. Each pocket is naturally private — you can spend the day in your own corner without seeing another soul. At the far end of the island, a beautiful sandbank appears at low tide.

This is where the trip had its most purely romantic moment. Our guesthouse arranged a surprise dinner on that sandbank at sunset — a table for two, candles, the works — to celebrate Valentine's Day. The water was pink. There was nobody else for kilometres. We still talk about it.

We stayed at White Lagoon Guesthouse — newly opened at the time, immaculate, excellent value, and staffed by some of the warmest people we met on the trip.

Fulhadhoo — the best beach of all

Fulhadhoo is said to have the best bikini beach of any local island in the Maldives. Having seen it, we're not going to argue. It's wide and long and backed by leaning palms, and at low tide opens out into a series of sandbars you can wade or swim to.

When we visited, there were more rabbits on the beach than tourists. Actual wild rabbits, looping in and out of the undergrowth and hopping across the sand while we lay there. We are still not entirely sure where they came from.

The beach is a genuine rival to any resort island — the only things missing are the poolside service and the cocktail menu.

Practical Notes

Alcohol

None on the local islands. The Maldives is a conservative Muslim country and alcohol is forbidden outside private resort islands. If your honeymoon vision includes sundowner cocktails every evening, do the resort. If you're fine with fresh coconuts and fruit juice, the local islands are perfect.

Dress code on local islands

Outside designated bikini beaches, dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered. Public affection is also best saved for the beach or your guesthouse.

Getting between the islands

Speedboats connect the islands, but schedules are limited — often once a day or less. Book transfers through your guesthouse, confirm times before arrival, and build in flexibility.

How long to spend

• Resort only: 5–7 nights is ideal. Less than 4 feels rushed.
• Local island-hopping: 2–3 nights per island. We did 10 nights across three islands and it was exactly right.
• Combination: 4 nights resort + 6 nights island-hopping is a near-perfect Maldives honeymoon.

A note on climate change

The Maldives is the lowest-lying country on earth. 80% of the land is less than a metre above sea level. It is slowly disappearing. Go while you can.

The Honest Summary

The resort honeymoon delivered exactly what it promised: perfection on a private island, no decisions required, maximum relaxation. Worth every penny for what it is.

The local island trip surprised us. We came expecting something basic and found ourselves on empty beaches at sunset, watching manta rays glide past our fins, eating home-cooked food with people who actually wanted to talk to us.

If we had to do the Maldives again — and we wouldn't say no — we'd do the combination: a few resort nights to get the overwater bungalow out of our system, then a slow hop through the local islands for the rest.

The Maldives rewards anyone who goes. It rewards couples a little more than most.