With kids · Maldives
Maldives with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Alexey Potov - Noblige, CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Many Maldives resorts welcome families with kids' clubs, shallow lagoons and family villas, and children enjoy dolphin cruises, sandbank trips and snorkelling with turtles. Choose a resort with a gentle beach entry and a short transfer, and check whether overwater villas allow young children. Top picks: Sunset dolphin cruise, Sandbank picnic and snorkel and Seaplane flight over the atolls. Families usually base themselves in North Malé Atoll.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 4
- Best area for families
- North Malé Atoll
- Rainy-day options
- 0
- Busiest months
- December–February
Best things to do with kids
Experience · All atolls
1.Sunset dolphin cruise
Spinner dolphins are common in channels and lagoons across the central atolls, and most resorts and guesthouses run evening boat trips on traditional dhonis to see them leaping as the sun sets.
Sit near the bow for the best views as dolphins ride the boat's bow wave.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Couples
- Nature
Beach · All atolls
2.Sandbank picnic and snorkel
Boats drop visitors on tiny bare sandbanks in the middle of a lagoon for swimming, snorkelling and a picnic lunch, then collect them hours later. Local-island guesthouses offer them as half-day trips; resorts arrange private versions.
Take shade, reef-safe sunscreen and plenty of water; there is no shelter on a sandbank.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Experience · Velana International Airport
3.Seaplane flight over the atolls
Twin Otter seaplanes fly low over lagoons, sandbanks and ring-shaped reefs on transfers from the seaplane terminal beside Velana airport to resorts across the central atolls. Flights take roughly 20–60 minutes, and the pilots often fly barefoot.
Ask for a window seat on the right or left depending on the route, and pack a small day bag, as luggage limits on seaplanes are strict.
- Time needed
- 20–60 minutes
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Kids
Beach · Malé
4.Artificial Beach, Malé
Malé's man-made swimming beach on the east side of the island is where locals swim, play football and gather in the evenings. It is a good place to watch everyday Maldivian life; swimming here is in modest clothing.
Come at sunset when families arrive, and grab tea and hedhikaa from a nearby café.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- After dark
Where families should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, couples and luxury
North Malé Atoll
North Malé Atoll holds many of the oldest and newest resorts, most reached by speedboat in 15–60 minutes, which saves the cost and timing limits of seaplanes. Dive sites such as Banana Reef and Lankan Manta Point are close by, and the local island of Thulusdhoo is a surf base with famous breaks.
- Good
- Short, cheaper speedboat transfers; Arrive at any hour; Wide choice of resorts
- Watch out
- Some resorts have views of Malé or the airport; Busier waters than remote atolls
- Nearby
- Banana Reef, Lankan Manta Point, Thulusdhoo
Family travel tips
- Pick a resort with a sheltered lagoon and an easy beach entry; some house reefs drop off quickly.
- Short speedboat transfers from the airport are easier with young children than long seaplane-and-boat combinations.
- Bring child-sized snorkel masks and rash vests, as resort stock can be limited.
- Some resorts set minimum ages for overwater villas; check before booking.
- Use reef-safe sunscreen, hats and shade generously: the equatorial sun is intense.
When to go with children
The best months overall are December–April. December–February are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Maldives good for kids?
Many Maldives resorts welcome families with kids' clubs, shallow lagoons and family villas, and children enjoy dolphin cruises, sandbank trips and snorkelling with turtles. Choose a resort with a gentle beach entry and a short transfer, and check whether overwater villas allow young children.
+What can kids do in Maldives?
Sunset dolphin cruise, Sandbank picnic and snorkel, Seaplane flight over the atolls and Artificial Beach, Malé.
+Where should families stay in Maldives?
North Malé Atoll: Resorts within a short speedboat ride of the airport, plus the surf island of Thulusdhoo.