If you google the word “Maldives” you’re likely to find articles such as: “Ultimate Maldives Honeymoon Guide” or “Maldives Honeymoon: Everything You Need to Know.” For reasons ranging from its beaches to its luxurious resorts, the country has been a top honeymoon destination for years. Couples take off to the secluded atolls for romantic weeks spent enjoying frozen cocktails whilst wading in their private infinity pools.
And yet these features don’t seem to inherently and exclusively appeal to couples. Who doesn’t love coral reefs and snorkeling? Who wouldn’t enjoy a good piña colada beneath the hot sun? It all sounds pretty magical and entirely relaxing, a vacation anyone would love to take any time on any day. So why must we wait until marriage?
A few years back, I found myself disembarking a sea plane at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi in this very position: sans boyfriend and without a husband. Instead, I arrived in the company of two girlfriends. While at first we stuck out like sore thumbs, the only non-coupled people on the entire island, I quickly learned this island, and the Maldives at large, are, in fact, the perfect destination for those without significant others.
In fact, the history of the country rests on the endeavors of single people. George Corbin, the first to recognize the Maldives’ potential as a travel destination was, in fact, an unmarried Italian man. Visiting, and falling in love with the country in 1971, he returned the following year with a group of tourists excited to write about, photograph and enjoy the islands’ offerings. Using coconut wood and palm thatch they built the country’s first resort, called Kurumba, and spent their days spear fishing and exploring life below the water’s surface. Awed by the expansive marine life and unchanging climate, within ten months, 266 more individuals made their way to the Maldives, drawn to the possibility of adventuring, of exploring and of appreciating beauty.
The wildlife, the activities, and scenery that first appealed to those explorers, can and should still draw solo travelers. In fact, there are actually many benefits to visiting this country with friends rather than fiancés.
You’ll be the Center of Everyone’s Attention
Because resorts are unaccustomed to hosting someone single, you’ll stand out, garnering the attention of those around you. Not needing to focus on a significant other, frees you up to engage with locals, to share interests and experiences. You might even get invited to one of their local events, earning an inside look into the lives of those who call the atolls home.
Our snorkel guide informed us of a staff soccer game, a match that pitted two departments against each other. The only guests in attendance, we sat amongst the employees, enjoying the nation’s favorite sport. We found ourselves cheering for those players with whom we’d spent time over the last few days, uncontrollably sweating in the heat despite hardly moving.
You’ll Only Have Eyes for Wildlife
The marine life in the Maldives is truly spectacular. To fully appreciate it, you need to be on constant lookout. And, surveying the sea is hard to achieve when otherwise occupied with a significant other. As a single traveler, rather than spending your days staring dreamily into the eyes of your fiancé or spouse, you can focus 24/7 on the task of spotting the quick moving and ever-changing wildlife.
Walking the stilted paths, your eyes can look toward the water, catching the group of needle fish swimming past or the lone barracuda looking for a snack. Whilst showering, you could, as was our case catch sight of sharks gliding by en route to dinner. These creatures can and will appear at anytime, and you’re far more likely to spot them when you have the time and space to look.
You’ll Feel (and Appreciate Being) Spoiled
You don’t need to be in a relationship to enjoy the hospitality of a Maldivian resort. Going for a birthday proves the perfect opportunity to revel in their care and thoughtfulness.
Arriving at dinner, I found my table strewn with vibrant tropical flowers and a received a decadent chocolate cake for dessert. Having ordered a few glasses of wine and conversed with the sommelier, we even scored a quick tour of the wine cellar, an experience that usually requires prior booking and serious extra cash.
This pampering can be expected regardless of visitor. But, if anything, singles can and will appreciate it more, as we don’t have someone to dote on us at home 🙂
It is Actually Cheaper!
The Maldives is anything but cheap. Filled with 5-star resorts, at which absolutely everything, even bottled water, is imported, a day can cost anywhere from a few hundred to over a thousands dollars. No matter how you slice it, this can and will be an expensive vacation.
But, if you go with friends, there’s plenty of space in one room to all fit. Which means, rather than only halving the cost with a significant other, you can cut it into thirds or even fourths. The more the merrier, and affordable.
So, all you singles out there, don’t hesitate to add the Maldives to your destination list. You can and should experience the unique ecosystem and animal life of the Maldives, just as Corbin and his compatriots did years earlier. You’re perfectly primed s to take full advantage of all the atolls have to offer.
If you’re looking to add an extension to your Maldivian vacation, consider its neighbors: Sri Lanka and India.
