Making the most of the marvelous Maldives Islands

The sun sets over water bungalows in the Maldives Islands. Pam LeBlanc photo

I’ve long fantasized about staying in a bungalow on stilts over the ocean in the Maldives Islands, where I could slip out of bed at daybreak and leap into turquoise blue waters. 

In my imagination, I’d do all of this naked, with nothing but blue-green parrotfish, lemon-colored snappers, and snowflake eels to notice. Then I’d spend the rest of the day scuba diving with my husband, and we’d wrap up the afternoon by sipping tropical drinks served in coconuts.  

I finally made it to the Maldives, a nation of islands made up of nearly 1,200 sandy jewels scattered along an underwater ridge near the equator in the Indian Ocean. Part of my dream came true: I got the over-the-water cabin and lots of marine life. But I’d traveled a long way to get there – 34 hours from Austin.  

Was it worth it? Yes. Would I go again? Likely – but I’d do things slightly differently.  

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How I’d do the Maldives Islands a little differently next time

Guests make their way to the mainland from their over-the-water bungalows at Sun Siyam World in the Maldives Islands. Pam LeBlanc photo

I’d skip the over-the-water bungalow, for one. And I’d spend every spare moment in the water, scuba diving. I’d also avoid group excursions that involved snorkeling with nurse sharks ––– too many non-swimmers flailing in the water as captains tossed chunks of fish next to them so they could snap photos.  

The Maldives are home to just over half a million people, roughly half of which live in the capital of Malé. The islands have a rich history of boat building and fishing, but today, tourism rules. Visitors flock here to see manta rays and whale sharks, and to snorkel in water so clear you feel like you’re floating in air. The reefs I saw looked generally healthy, but they’re threatened by climate change, overtourism, and coastal development. 

I stayed at three luxurious properties, all operated by Sun Siyam Resorts.  

Siyam World in the Maldives Islands

Roaming the trails of one of the Sun Siyam’s resorts in the Maldives Islands. Pam LeBlanc photo

Our first stop was the company’s newest and largest resort, Siyam World. 

I felt like I’d landed in an episode of Fantasy Island as the float plane eased onto the water and pulled up to the dock. A team of staff members rushed out to greet us with a hearty “Welcome home.” 

We were issued our own “Moke,” a small electric vehicle, so we could make our way quickly around the island. An attendant delivered us to our room, an over-the-water villa with a slide into the ocean and a small soaking pool on the porch. But unlike the cabin of my dreams, these were crowded together like tract homes, and the slides added a Disney vibe. If you like more privacy, book a room tucked into the jungle along the shore instead. 

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Highlights of our time at Siyam World included a coral planting session with on-site marine biologists Mariyam Thuhufa and Annah Ramiere, who helped us attach bits of broken coral to a metal frame and drop it in the water. Over time, the coral – all bits that have broken off naturally – begins to regrow onto the frame. 

“We call them corals of opportunity,” Thuhufa says. “If we don’t plant them, most will die. And the ones planted last year have already started attaching on the frames.” 

After that it’s time for an afternoon checkout dive at the property’s dive shop. We dropped off the shallow ledge and watched the parade begin: Orange and white clown fish tucked in the protective tentacles of anemones, chubby starfish, a few sea turtles, a lobster, and a pair of spotted eagle rays swooped past. 

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We tried other activities, too, including a short ride along the beach on a pair of gorgeous, curly-eared Marwari horses. The island has its own pint-sized floating water park, plus tons of hidden highlights like hammocks suspended just over the water and big swinging chairs that reminded me of enclosed bird nests. We walked down sandy trails through groves of foliage, admiring the giant fruit bats hanging upside down in the trees, and took a dip or two in the swimming pools. 

And one night, after I succumbed to a sudden bug, we earned a trip to the island’s well-staffed medical center, where a nurse administered two units of fluids.  It’s nice to know that, even when you’re on vacation, you’re well taken care of. 

Sun Siyam Olhuveli in the Maldives Islands

A beach bungalow is the way to go at Sun Siyam Olhuveli Resort. Pam LeBlanc photo

After three nights, we hopped a float plane back to Malé, then caught a boat to our next resort, Sun Siyam Olhuveli. 

Smaller and quieter, we settled into a beach villa with its own plunge pool overlooking a glassy lagoon. Soon, we were chatting with the mother-daughter duo staying in the room next door. They were from Britain and have been coming for years. The staff knows them by name. 

We spent a lot of time roaming the trails at Olhuveli, exploring different sections of the resort. The island has its own bird collection, where you can meet scarlet macaws and parrots. We swam in the lagoon. One night, we had dinner on a floating platform in the water. A pair of waiters delivered each course by boat as we ate under the stars. Cheesy, yes, but still fun.  

One day, I booked a trip to a dive site near an old fish factory known for frequent sightings of spinner sharks, bull sharks, tiger sharks, and hammerheads.  

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“They might come very close, but they’re just coming to see what’s going on,” dive guide Miyaru Vani told me as the boat slowed and we geared up for the dive.  

I peered down and saw hundreds of stingrays swirling in the water column beneath us. The sharks, with any luck, would be near the bottom. 

We jumped in and descended to 100 feet, sinking through a “fever” of rays that gently flapped against our bodies and whirled away like water-logged pizzas. But the water was murky, and even though the dozens of moray eels and too many rays to count made an appearance, the sharks were a no show. 

Sun Siyam Iru Veli in the Maldives Islands

A clown fish hides in the tentacles of an anemone in the Maldives Islands. Photo by Pam LeBlanc

Our final stop was my favorite. We took a boat back to Malé, then boarded a float plane to the tiny island of Iru Veli. We were the third stop, so we scoped out a few other resorts along the way. Getting there was half the fun. 

After the 45-minute flight, the pilot made a steep descent toward a platform bobbing in a lagoon. I found it disconcerting at first – no runway beneath us, just open ocean and rippling waves. We plopped onto the water with a gentle sploosh, and when I climbed out of the plane and onto the platform the size of a single-car garage, a sign proclaimed the spot “Iru Veli International Airport.” I could have swum to shore, but a boat zipped out to pick us up and carry us in. 

This island was smaller and less populated than the others. I knew immediately it would be my favorite. We love indoor-outdoor villa, this one with an outdoor bathroom that feels more like a garden with a swimming pool at its center than anything else. The other side of the room opened to the ocean.  

The highlights of our three-night stay? Scuba diving. With gin-clear water, lush coral reefs and tons of fish life, I was in heaven. A squadron of a dozen spotted eagle rays made three passes, I spotted eels and puffer fish and more. We did a night dive, too, plunging into pitch dark water and using our lights to search for critters hiding in the reef. My favorite find was a nudibranch, or sea slug, that looks like an inflated medical glove about to pop. 

We liked the quieter atmosphere. One evening, we hitched a boat ride to a neighboring island for a tour of the gardens where much of the produce used to feed guests is grown. The resident farmers, including manager Argun Katuwal, who moved there from Nepal 18 years ago, showed us banana, papaya and coconut trees, along with rows of crops including pumpkins, zucchini, cucumber, eggplant, and lettuce. And before we left, the farmers hacked open fresh coconuts.  

We toasted the beauty of the place as the sun set.