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The answer is yes. Unreservedly yes. The Maldives are a phenomenal family destination — particularly if you have the luxury and freedom to explore the archipelagos on a superyacht.
With so many sugar-white atolls and sapphire lagoons in close proximity, you wake each morning in the Maldives in a new and beautiful place. Ready to create new family memories that you’ll talk about forever?
Sandbar picnics: If there is a person on earth who isn’t dazzled by a superyacht sandbar picnic, we have yet to meet them. Allow your crew to set up white cloth tables on a remote sandbar with all the water toys pulled up on the sand. The chef, dressed in whites, will grill up incredible food, and the music will play as you eat and drink and splash in the water. For something extraordinary, ask for a night sandbar picnic, turn the music up loud, and watch your kids dance like fools out on a strip of sand in the remote Indian Ocean — where no one but the stars is watching.
Scuba dive at night: Children over 12 who hold a Padi Night Diver Certificate can join their parents on a night dive for an experience they’ll never forget. Sink under the water to see manta rays, whale sharks, and corals lit by your torchlight. At Alimatha House Reef, you can night dive with over a hundred gentle nurse sharks, or the bravest teens will love the adrenaline of Maya Thaali, a site where white tips sharks and barracudas hunt in a frenzy of activity.
Float through phosphorescence. Some months of the year see explosions of luminescence in the Maldives. The family can pile into the yacht’s kayaks and paddleboards and paddle through a galaxy of swirling stars or walk along a quiet beach, the glowing blue sea washing over their toes.
Eat a meal at an underwater restaurant. No matter how much you’ve been diving that day, watching a shark cruise above your head while eating dinner remains a surreal experience that is bound to delight children of all ages. The Maldives has two exceptional underwater restaurants, 5.8 Undersea and Ithaa Undersea.
Jump off the boat and swim at night. Dive off the swim platform for a late-night swim, watching your legs glowing in the yacht’s underwater lights. Laugh as your kids divebomb in after you, yelling with glee. If you can convince them to be quiet for a minute, you can often hear the whistle-breath of dolphins feeding in the dark. If you’re not in the mood for swimming, fishing off the aft deck is a great night-time activity, and just like a long car journey, it might get your kids opening up to you about their lives.
A charter yacht is a floating private island where the family can disconnect from their busy lives and reconnect with each other. Far from the influence of friends and, school and grown-up responsibilities, a private yacht vacation is the ultimate family reset button, where memories are made in a haze of sunshine and sea spray. In the Maldives, the remote location makes this feeling of escape and shared adventure even more profound.
When to Go: The Maldives are out of the hurricane belt and are a year-round yachting destination. The primary cruising season for Maldives yacht charters is from late November to April, with peak season for superyachts between December and March.
Currency: The official currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa (Rf), but US dollars and Euros are widely accepted.
Time Zone: The Maldives officially operate in one time zone, GMT+5. However, many island resorts you may visit on your yacht choose to operate in GMT+6, affording an extra hour of daylight in the afternoons for guests to enjoy. This is ‘Maldives Island Time’. It’s not official, but it exists!
Average Daytime Temperature: 28 degrees Celsius (83 degrees Fahrenheit).
Airports: The international airport is Velana International Airport, on a small island just off the capital, Male. There are also 17 regional airports on other islands, and transfers are available by seaplane and speedboat.
Maldives Visa Requirements: All visitors receive a free 30-day visa upon arrival.
Local Customs/Laws: As an Islamic country, alcohol is banned in the Maldives, but resorts (and private yachts) are exempt from this rule. Other prohibited substances include dogs, drugs, pork, and idols of worship.
Dress code: At luxury resorts, the dress code is casual to smart casual, and bikinis, bare shoulders, and knees are entirely acceptable for women. If you are outside a resort in a local area, such as Male or local islands, a conservative approach should be taken to women’s clothing and swimwear. For men, shorts are acceptable. Your charter broker and yacht captain will help you with these cultural expectations.
To book a Maldives yacht charter for your next holiday, speak to us, and we will craft a bespoke itinerary carefully tailored to your family.
