From zooming around in a jet car to swimming with whale sharks, the Maldives offer once-in-a-lifetime adventures to justify the long journey.
The Maldives effortlessly delivers screen-saver quality tropical scenes, but it’s the unique experiences that will keep you talking about this dream destination for years to come. With no direct flights from the US, travel here can easily clock in at 30+ hours (time in the air, layovers, a bus ride to a smaller airport, and a boat ride make it possible). But rest assured, the adventures awaiting in the Maldives, like swimming alongside the world’s largest fish, restoring coral reefs with a marine biologist, or driving a jet car past overwater bungalows at golden hour, justify the long haul to paradise.
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Swim With Whale Sharks and Manta Rays
As a country comprised of more than 1,190 islands, smack dab in the middle of the Indian Ocean, you can bet there are some incredible diving and snorkeling experiences to be had. Among them is the opportunity to swim with the world’s largest fish, the whale shark.
Whale sharks in the Maldives can grow up to 60 feet in length, but don’t let their size or name scare you. Whale sharks are harmless filter-feeders with an appetite for plankton (not people). Travelers can get a chance to see them up close off the Alifu Dhaalu Atoll all year round, with peak season from May to December. It’s a magical experience to swim alongside these gentle giants (and difficult to keep up with them), but getting too close or touching them is prohibited.
Guests at Sun Siyam Iru Veli can book an all-day whale shark excursion that includes snorkeling equipment, lunch, and a fresh fruit snack for $376 per person, exclusive of taxes and fees. While whale shark sightings are common, they aren’t guaranteed. However, there is much to see around Alifu Dhaalu’s coral reefs, including parrotfish, clownfish, sea turtles, dolphins, and massive manta rays, with impressive wing spans of up to 23 feet.
Help Restore the Reef With a Marine Biologist
Mohamed Shah, marine biologist at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, leads small groups with a mission. By taking part in the resort’s ongoing Coral Restoration Project, guests can make their Maldives trip even more memorable by leaving a lasting positive impact and helping to grow the ocean’s biodiversity on a micro level.
Why restore the reef? As Shah explained to our group, rising sea temperatures worldwide have led to coral bleaching. While coral bleaching itself isn’t necessarily catastrophic because it can force corals to adapt and become stronger, the current problem is that recovery takes longer than the frequency of bleaching events. With the Coral Restoration Project, guests can help the reefs recover more quickly and save portions of the reef that are headed in the wrong direction. They take fragments of coral that have been naturally broken off by wave action and carefully attach them to a secure substrate—a hard surface they can attach to and grow on.
“Once we secure the coral fragments to our [man-made] coral frame, we can now focus the coral’s energy on attaching onto the structure and then growing into a generative copy of its coral colony,” he explained. “Within a year or two, the frame we’re working on right now will be a mini reef that will host small marine life. We find coral that’s fated to die and then give them a second chance at life.”
Take a Scenic Seaplane to Your Resort
It’s otherworldly to get a birds-eye view of the Maldives’ atolls, surrounded by what appears to be every shade of blue and green under the sun. And yet, with Trans Maldivian Airways, the world’s largest seaplane fleet, visitors are lucky enough to rack up this experience simply by transferring to their resort.
From the U.S., getting to the Maldives can be exhausting, but in my experience, the stress and strain of travel start to melt away as you gaze out the seaplane window. Overwater bungalows stretch and curl like tentacles, and the sand looks blindingly white in contrast to the blues of the Indian Ocean. From my window seat, the anticipation of seeing my home away from home grew exponentially, and the thrill of landing on the water, rather than dry land, was palpable.
Drive a Pink Jet Car
At Sun Siyam Resorts, you can drive a jet car that matches your personal style and look glamorous while you do it. Choose to be pretty in pink (Sun Siyam Iru Veli), blissful in baby blue (Sun Siyam Olhuveli), or classic cool in white (Sun Siyam Iru Fushi). And because this experience is so eye-catching, and admittedly a bit bizarre, you might just have to “do it for the ‘gram” if nothing else.
If you’re wondering what a jet car is, you’re not alone. This relatively new water activity combines the look of a luxury sports car with the engine and handling of a jet ski. While not an amphibious vehicle, jet cars have a frame that looks much like a Lamborghini or a Bentley, but with a water-jet propulsion system (like that of a jet ski) under the hood. It’s the fantasy of driving a high-performance sports car over turquoise waters and with overwater bungalows in the background, and it begs for a photo opp. So why not document it? Iru Veli offers a one-hour sunset ride for three passengers, including a fully edited drone video and high-resolution aerial photos of your experience, for $574 plus taxes and fees.
Book a Floating Breakfast
You’ve come all this way, why not indulge yourself on your last day with something truly extravagant? Floating breakfasts are an over-the-top send-off for two, featuring pancakes, fresh tropical fruit, chocolate-sprinkle donuts, eggs, sausage, warm pastries, champagne, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Our floating breakfast at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi was served in a heart-shaped tray and engineered to float in our private plunge pool.
A breakfast for two people is $236 total, exclusive of fees and taxes, and guests can choose between an Asian or English breakfast. Take your experience a step further and have the hotel photographer capture photos for you and your boo. For those without a villa with a pool, the hotel can arrange a one- or two-hour rental of an Infinity Water Villa or the impressive Celebrity Retreat (some 6450 square feet). It’s the perfect chance to live like the rich and famous … if only for a moment.
Get Greeted Like Royalty
Arrive in style—with a full-blown procession awaiting you—at any of Sun Siyam’s six Maldives properties. The moment I stepped off the seaplane, I was greeted with a welcome garland made out of palm leaves (known locally as Maafathi), a cold towel, and the rhythmic sound of Bonduberu drums, an instrument that is central to celebrations across the country. A bellowing conch shell announced our arrival as we walked behind an attendant holding an ornate umbrella. We marched side-by-side down the dock in a Haiykolhu, a cultural procession that symbolizes deep respect and is often reserved for the arrival of dignitaries and other VIPs. It certainly humbled me, got me curious about Maldivian culture, and made me feel seen.
The new welcome ceremony, known as the WOW Welcome, greets all Sun Siyam Maldives guests before they check in. It is one of several new Signature Experiences introduced across all six resorts as part of a brand refresh and celebration of 35 years of business in the Maldives.
The longer you stay in the Maldives, the more unique experiences you can uncover. Think: bioluminescent beaches, stingray sightings from your overwater bungalow, and reef surfing with no one else around to snake your wave. Without question, this bucket list destination offers far more than just postcard views. It’s a vibrant island nation with a strong cultural identity, begging to be explored.
