Honeymoon in the Maldives: Kuramathi Island Resort

When you think of your dream honeymoon what comes to mind? For me it’s an over-water villa in an exotic location with a piña colada in hand. As Javi and I discussed potential honeymoon destinations it became clear that the Maldives was exactly what we were looking for.

The first part of our honeymoon we traveled through Thailand, and ended the trip with a relaxing 5 days in the Maldives. We had such a wonderful time we’ve already decided to go back for our 10-year anniversary!

Where to stay in the Maldives: Kuramathi Island Resort

We had a fantastic experience at Kuramathi Island Resort! We flew into Malé and from there took a seaplane to Kuramathi. The resort covers the entire length of the island with a variety of bars, restaurants, pools and snorkeling channels for guests to choose from. It takes about 20 – 30 minutes to walk from one end of the island to the other but there is a shuttle service (super stretch golf cart) that takes guests wherever they want to go if they don’t feel like walking.

Garden Villa, Beach Villa or Water Villa?

When we began planning the trip we weren’t sure which villa to choose…price was a factor as well as privacy and beach access. After reading reviews online we decided to go with the beach villa, but when we contacted the resort they couldn’t guarantee we’d have direct beach access because there are villas all over the island and some are located more inland than others. In the end we decided to upgrade our reservation to a water villa.

The water villa was perfect…not only were we able to enjoy a panoramic view of the ocean, but we also had direct access to the lagoon, which is the best snorkeling spot on the island! The reef behind the water villas is mind-blowing; I have never seen such a large variety of coral and tropical fish. I really enjoyed the fact that the fish seemed unfazed by humans and swam right next to us, apart from fish there’s also dolphins, sharks, sea turtles and sting rays to see!

Should you choose the basic or premium meal plan?

I would recommend choosing a meal plan for your stay; otherwise you’ll be spending a fortune on food and drinks. The “basic” plan is anything but basic; we had fantastic breakfast, lunch and dinner food options and alcoholic beverages are included in this plan (i.e. unlimited piña coladas). All meals are served buffet style with tons of delicious dishes to choose from. You’re also able to order drinks at any of the bars on the island (very convenient if you’re in the mood for pool-side cocktails). The premium plan includes top-shelf alcohol and you can eat at any of the restaurants on the island and order à la carte; if you’re staying for a long period of time (2 weeks for example) then upgrading to premium might be worth it so you’ll have a variety of restaurants to choose from!

Quick Tips for Kuramathi Island Resort:

• If you’re going to the sandbar take the last boat just before sunset, you’ll get some amazing pictures!
• If you have the chance to do the sunset cruise, do it!
• The excursion to see the town at Rasdhoo isn’t worth the time…if it’s part of your package go, but I wouldn’t have paid to see that island (there’s just some super touristy shops, nothing extremely interesting to see).
• The hotel will provide you with snorkel gear – so don’t worry about packing it!
• If you have a late flight out of Malé you can take a ferry from the airport to the city; there are tons of “tour guides” at the airport who will take you to the city (for a tip). Malé wasn’t anything special in my opinion, but if you’ve got several hours to kill it’s an interesting way to do it!
• People use American dollars in the Maldives; bring cash if you want to tip or plan to go shopping.