Maldives Beach Guide

The Maldives is legendary for some of the best beaches in the world as well as idyllic, unspoilt tropical islands washed by gentle sea breezes, including:

Nalaguraidhoo Island
Relax on a long crescent of soft, powder-white sand that shelves gently into a beautiful turquoise lagoon. This is one of the Maldives’ best beaches, encircling the tiny palm-fringed island of Nalaguraidhoo, known locally as the ‘Flower of the Indies'.

Discover your own ‘Robinson Crusoe’ island complete with every facility you’ll need to enjoy this exclusive tropical island paradise.

Swim to the nearby reef to snorkel or dive amid colourful reef fish as they flitter above the coral, go kayaking or windsurf the lagoon, admire a magical sunset overlooking the Indian Ocean while sipping a cocktail, then savour a romantic dinner on the beach or from your over-water bungalow. Enjoy a post-sundown fishing trip followed by a barbecue of your catch right on the beach.

Located on South Ari Atoll, 100km from Malé airport but less than a 40-minute flight by seaplane air taxi, Nalaguraidhoo Island hosts the Sun Island Resort & Spa, which features over-water bungalows and a wide range of sports and recreational facilities.

› Nalaguraidhoo Island Map

Veligandu Island
Accessible by a short 15-minute plane ride from Malé, Veligandu Island on North Ari Atoll offers an 80m-long pristine white-sand beach that hints of gold before shelving into the clear, warm waters of the lagoon. Swim or snorkel the inner reef and dive the offshore reef amid colourful reef fish.

Veligandu island offers some of the best diving facilities in the Maldives as well as all the amenities you’d expect from the luxury Veligandu Island Resort, which features both over-water and beachside bungalows.

Kuredu Island
Set on the northern reef of Lhaviyani Atoll, Kuredu Island offers more than 3km of stunning beach that wraps the lush palm-fringed interior, just a 40-minute sea plane ride from Malé.

Swim or snorkel the inner reef, kayak the lagoon or head offshore for a day or night dive in the Lhaviyani Atoll, which features a dive site containing two wrecks.

Stay in either the over-water villas at Sangu Resort or the cosy, thatched-roof bungalows at Kuredu Island Resort, which feature a range of leisure activities including beach volleyball, tennis, badminton, parasailing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, catamaran sailing and kite surfing. Kuredu also offers PADI-accredited courses for beginners up to advanced OWD.

Kunfunadhoo Island
Set on Baa Atoll, Kunfunadhoo is a classic holiday resort island ringed by a stunning palm-fringed ivory-white beach that gently shelves into a turquoise lagoon that is perfect for windsurfing, snorkelling and canoeing.

The island is home to the exclusive Sonevafushi by Six Senses resort, which offers a range of creature comforts including a holistic spa, a hilltop observatory for star gazing and a number of water sport activities including diving and sailing.

Ihuru Island
Located on North Malé Atoll, Ihuru Island is a truly idyllic sun-kissed island paradise, fringed with palm trees fronting an immaculate sugar-white beach that shelves into a deep blue lagoon.

Just a short 15m swim away lie reefs where you can snorkel with green turtles above coral that teems with colourful fish. Relax on the beach, windsurf or paddle the lagoon.

Lodge in one of the chic beachside villas at Angsana Resort, which features holistic spa pleasures and numerous leisure activities, just a 20-minute speedboat ride from Malé.