5 Things to Tick Off Your Bucket List in the Maldives
Are you an intrepid traveler looking to cross some things off of your ever-growing bucket list? Look no further than the Maldives. With over a thousand islands and atolls to explore, and temperatures sticking to around 30°C all year round, you can discover endless possibilities in any season.
Located in the Indian Ocean, just over a three-hour flight from India to the Maldivian capital of Male, this island hotspot is easily accessible from mainland Asia. Popular with families and solo travelers alike, this idyllic paradise continues to stand out as a dream vacation destination for a host of reasons.
Whether you’re drawn to the sun, sea, and sand or prefer to engage in more active pastimes, the Maldives is able to cater to all tastes. In this short guide, we’re going to explore five common once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can be ticked off your bucket list as part of your journey. Read on to get some inspiration for your next adventure.
1. Snorkeling and diving
In the Maldives, you’ll be surrounded by an endless ocean on all sides, making it the perfect spot for snorkeling and diving excursions. If you’ve ever dreamed of swimming amongst schools of rainbow fish flitting through crops of coral, then the atolls of the Maldivian islands are for you.
While diving on the western side of the archipelago from May to December, you may even make friends with a whale shark or two. And year-round, you may come across one of the five different sea turtle species that reside in the warm Indian Ocean waters.
2. Explore uninhabited islands
There’s an explorer in us all, born from a childhood desire to grow and discover. That’s why many of our bucket lists consist of traveling to new places and learning new things. Even as adults, we can be adventurers. The only difference is that our world is expanded from our living room forts and backyard excursions.
Only around 200 of the 1,000+ Maldivian islands and atolls are inhabited. This offers so many opportunities to explore and see things only a few people have seen before. To traipse through forests yet untouched by humans, where wild things thrive without our interference, is something that has become increasingly harder to experience and could be that truly once-in-a-lifetime experience you’re searching for.
3. Fly in a seaplane
Gaze at the archipelago from the sky to truly indulge your bucket list wishes and get a whole new perspective on life when you check off another childhood dream – flying a plane. Or, at the very least, being a passenger in a small seaplane so you can get that up close and personal experience. We can’t all be pilots, after all.
This unique experience won’t just make you feel like you’re on the set of a Hollywood blockbuster, but it will also give you a birds-eye view of the natural beauty of the Maldives. Suffice it to say. This is an angle that you won’t be able to enjoy on foot – no matter how high up you climb on the mountains on those uninhabited islands.
4. Stay at a high-end resort
If there is one thing we all would like a taste of, it’s luxury. Luckily for travelers visiting the Maldives, there is no shortage of high-end, luxury resorts to check in to for your stay. Each one is on its own private island, surrounded by turquoise waters where you can check off other items on your list.
Enjoy bottomless margaritas while sunbathing in hammocks above the white sand, all while listening to the water lap against the shore. Swim and snorkel with exotic sea creatures off of your very own private villa. Or simply enjoy the views from all sides before you curl up for an afternoon nap on expensive sheets. It’s the perfect honeymoon destination.
5. Go night fishing
If you’ve checked off all those items on your extensive bucket list but are still itching for adventure, why not try night fishing? It’s just like regular fishing but with the added magic of the stars and moon reflecting off the water.
For those still skeptical, think of night fishing as the ultimate relaxing sport. You simply sit back and wait for the unique ocean critters to come to you. And don’t worry. It is strictly catch and release, so no little Nemos will be separated from their families.
Most of the time, this excursion will come fully supplied with everything you need. However, if you are thinking of braving it alone, then consider bringing along the usual accouterments of fishing, such as a rod, lures, and bait, plus the addition of a waterproof headlamp, appropriate clothing, and a friend to while away the hours.
Final thoughts
Next time you pull out that well-worn list of all the dreams you hope to accomplish in your life, make sure to add the Maldives and its countless opportunities. You won’t be disappointed if you do.
