Holidays · Maldives
Maldives Packages from Abu Dhabi and Dubai
A Maldives package from Abu Dhabi or Dubai is usually 3 to 5 nights at one resort, with return flights to Malé, the resort transfer by speedboat, seaplane or domestic flight, and a meal plan from breakfast only to all-inclusive. Happy Journey quotes two or three resorts side by side, with green tax and transfer costs shown, before you pay.
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Packages
Trips you can book
Every package can change: dates, nights, hotel grade and tours. Prices are per person and dated.
3 nights
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4 nights
01
Maldives package prices from the UAE
The Maldives is not one price. Each resort is its own island, so the cost depends on five things: the resort's grade, the room or villa type, the meal plan, how you reach the island, and the month you travel. The table shows starting prices per person, sharing a double room, with return flights from Abu Dhabi or Dubai and the resort transfer included.
Guesthouse on a local island, breakfast
- 3 nights
- On request
- 4 nights
- On request
- 5 nights
- On request
4-star resort, speedboat transfer, half board
- 3 nights
- On request
- 4 nights
- On request
- 5 nights
- On request
5-star resort, seaplane transfer, all-inclusive
- 3 nights
- On request
- 4 nights
- On request
- 5 nights
- On request
Overwater or pool villa, full board or all-inclusive
- 3 nights
- On request
- 4 nights
- On request
- 5 nights
- On request
| Resort tier | 3 nights | 4 nights | 5 nights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guesthouse on a local island, breakfast | On request | On request | On request |
| 4-star resort, speedboat transfer, half board | On request | On request | On request |
| 5-star resort, seaplane transfer, all-inclusive | On request | On request | On request |
| Overwater or pool villa, full board or all-inclusive | On request | On request | On request |
Guesthouses on local islands such as Maafushi or Thulusdhoo are the lowest-priced way to see the Maldives. You stay in a small hotel among Maldivian families, eat in local cafes and pay for each boat trip to a sandbank or reef. Resort islands cost more because everything on the island is run by the resort: the rooms, the restaurants, the spa, the dive centre and the boats. Most UAE couples and families choose a resort for that reason; you land, take one transfer and do not need to plan again until you fly home.
Within the resort tiers, the biggest price jumps come from three choices. A water villa costs more than a beach villa at the same resort. And all-inclusive costs more up front than half board, though it often works out cheaper once you add up lunches and drinks at resort prices.
- Nights: the transfer costs the same for 3 nights or 7, so longer stays bring the price per night down
- Villa type: beach villa, lagoon villa, overwater villa, and pool villa on land or on water
- Meal plan: breakfast, half board, full board, all-inclusive or premium all-inclusive
- Transfer: speedboat, seaplane or a domestic flight plus a boat
- Dates: Christmas, New Year, Eid and the UAE school breaks cost the most; May to October usually costs the least
Want the lowest price on a given week? Tell us the budget per person and we will tell you which tier and villa it buys, rather than the other way round. If your dates are flexible, the cheapest tour packages this month often include a Maldives offer with a limited number of rooms.
02
What is included: flights, transfers and meal plans
A Maldives package has three parts that must fit together: the flight into Malé, the transfer to your island, and the resort stay. If the flight lands too late for the seaplane, or the meal plan is too thin for an island with one restaurant, the holiday starts badly. We check all three before we quote.
Checklist
- Resort nights in the room or villa type you choose
- The meal plan named in your quote, from breakfast only to all-inclusive
- Return transfer between Malé airport and the resort by speedboat, seaplane or domestic flight
- Any free extras the resort offers at booking, such as a snorkelling trip or sunset cruise
Not included unless your quote says so:
- Seaplane supplements at resorts that price the seaplane separately
- Excursions such as dolphin cruises, diving and sandbank picnics, unless listed
- Spa treatments, premium drinks and private dining
- Early check-in, late check-out and a night in Malé if your flight lands after the last seaplane
- Meals on the flight, seat selection and tips
We quote the fare that fits your resort transfer, not only the cheapest one: a cheap evening arrival can cost you a Malé hotel night if your resort needs a seaplane.
Bed and breakfast
- What it covers
- Breakfast only
- Suits
- Guesthouses, and travellers who eat lightly
Half board
- What it covers
- Breakfast and dinner
- Suits
- Couples who skip lunch or snack by the pool
Full board
- What it covers
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner, drinks extra
- Suits
- Families who want set meals without drink costs
All-inclusive
- What it covers
- All meals, snacks and selected drinks, often some non-motorised water sports
- Suits
- Most families and couples; you sign for very little
Premium all-inclusive
- What it covers
- Wider choice of restaurants and drinks, sometimes an excursion or spa credit
- Suits
- Honeymoons and longer stays at higher-end resorts
Maldives meal plans compared
| Meal plan | What it covers | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Bed and breakfast | Breakfast only | Guesthouses, and travellers who eat lightly |
| Half board | Breakfast and dinner | Couples who skip lunch or snack by the pool |
| Full board | Breakfast, lunch and dinner, drinks extra | Families who want set meals without drink costs |
| All-inclusive | All meals, snacks and selected drinks, often some non-motorised water sports | Most families and couples; you sign for very little |
| Premium all-inclusive | Wider choice of restaurants and drinks, sometimes an excursion or spa credit | Honeymoons and longer stays at higher-end resorts |
On a private island there is nowhere else to eat, so the meal plan matters more here than almost anywhere. Check what all-inclusive means at each resort: some include only house drinks, some exclude the speciality restaurants, and some add snorkelling gear and a sunset cruise. We list the plan's inclusions in every quote so you can compare like with like.
03
Choosing a resort: speedboat, seaplane or domestic flight
The way you reach your resort shapes the whole trip. Resorts close to Malé are reached by speedboat at any hour. Resorts in the outer atolls need a seaplane, which flies only in daylight, or a domestic flight followed by a boat. Distance also affects the price, the luggage you can bring and how much of your first and last day you spend travelling.
Typical time from Malé
- Speedboat
- 10 to 60 minutes
- Seaplane
- 30 to 60 minutes
- Domestic flight and boat
- 1 to 2 hours in total
Hours
- Speedboat
- Day and night
- Seaplane
- Ask us
- Domestic flight and boat
- Scheduled flights, mostly daytime
Luggage
- Speedboat
- Normal airline allowance
- Seaplane
- Ask us
- Domestic flight and boat
- Domestic airline allowance
Cost
- Speedboat
- Lowest
- Seaplane
- Highest
- Domestic flight and boat
- In between
Suits
- Speedboat
- Families, short stays, late arrivals
- Seaplane
- Honeymoons and remote, quieter islands
- Domestic flight and boat
- Far atolls and some newer resorts
Resort transfers in the Maldives
| Speedboat | Seaplane | Domestic flight and boat | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical time from Malé | 10 to 60 minutes | 30 to 60 minutes | 1 to 2 hours in total |
| Hours | Day and night | Ask us | Scheduled flights, mostly daytime |
| Luggage | Normal airline allowance | Ask us | Domestic airline allowance |
| Cost | Lowest | Highest | In between |
| Suits | Families, short stays, late arrivals | Honeymoons and remote, quieter islands | Far atolls and some newer resorts |
The seaplane rule catches many first-time visitors. We avoid that by choosing a flight that lands earlier, or by booking a Malé hotel night into the package so there are no surprises.
Here are some of the resorts we have offered from Abu Dhabi, with what we know about each. We check villa availability and the current offer before we quote.
Kurumba Maldives, North Malé Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Speedboat, about 10 minutes
- Meal plans
- Full board or all-inclusive
- Kids' club
- Yes, Majaa Kids Club
- House reef
- Ask us
Sheraton Maldives Full Moon, North Malé Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Speedboat, about 15 to 20 minutes
- Meal plans
- All-inclusive
- Kids' club
- Ask us
- House reef
- Ask us
Centara Ras Fushi, North Malé Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Speedboat
- Meal plans
- Breakfast or half board
- Kids' club
- Ask us
- House reef
- Ask us
Velassaru Maldives, South Malé Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Speedboat
- Meal plans
- All-inclusive
- Kids' club
- Ask us
- House reef
- Ask us
OZEN by Atmosphere, South Malé Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Speedboat
- Meal plans
- All-inclusive
- Kids' club
- Ask us
- House reef
- Ask us
Grand Park Kodhipparu, North Malé Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Speedboat
- Meal plans
- Full board
- Kids' club
- Ask us
- House reef
- Ask us
Cocoon Maldives, Lhaviyani Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Seaplane, about 30 minutes
- Meal plans
- All-inclusive
- Kids' club
- Ask us
- House reef
- Ask us
Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, Noonu Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Seaplane
- Meal plans
- All-inclusive
- Kids' club
- Ask us
- House reef
- Ask us
You & Me Maldives, Raa Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Seaplane
- Meal plans
- All-inclusive
- Kids' club
- No, adults only
- House reef
- Ask us
W Maldives, North Ari Atoll
- Transfer from Malé
- Ask us
- Meal plans
- All-inclusive offers
- Kids' club
- Ask us
- House reef
- Ask us
| Resort | Transfer from Malé | Meal plans | Kids' club | House reef |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kurumba Maldives, North Malé Atoll | Speedboat, about 10 minutes | Full board or all-inclusive | Yes, Majaa Kids Club | Ask us |
| Sheraton Maldives Full Moon, North Malé Atoll | Speedboat, about 15 to 20 minutes | All-inclusive | Ask us | Ask us |
| Centara Ras Fushi, North Malé Atoll | Speedboat | Breakfast or half board | Ask us | Ask us |
| Velassaru Maldives, South Malé Atoll | Speedboat | All-inclusive | Ask us | Ask us |
| OZEN by Atmosphere, South Malé Atoll | Speedboat | All-inclusive | Ask us | Ask us |
| Grand Park Kodhipparu, North Malé Atoll | Speedboat | Full board | Ask us | Ask us |
| Cocoon Maldives, Lhaviyani Atoll | Seaplane, about 30 minutes | All-inclusive | Ask us | Ask us |
| Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, Noonu Atoll | Seaplane | All-inclusive | Ask us | Ask us |
| You & Me Maldives, Raa Atoll | Seaplane | All-inclusive | No, adults only | Ask us |
| W Maldives, North Ari Atoll | Ask us | All-inclusive offers | Ask us | Ask us |
The Maldives is spread over many atolls, and each area has a different feel. Packages by area:
North Malé Atoll
- How you get there
- Speedboat, mostly under 45 minutes
- Good for
- Short stays, families, late arrivals, the widest choice of resorts
South Malé Atoll
- How you get there
- Speedboat, mostly under an hour
- Good for
- All-inclusive resorts at a slightly quieter distance
Ari Atoll
- How you get there
- Seaplane, or a domestic flight and boat
- Good for
- Ask us
Baa, Raa, Noonu and Lhaviyani Atolls
- How you get there
- Seaplane
- Good for
- Honeymoons, water villas and quieter islands
Southern atolls
- How you get there
- Domestic flight and boat
- Good for
- Longer stays at remote resorts
Local islands such as Maafushi
- How you get there
- Public or shared speedboat
- Good for
- Budget trips, solo travellers and divers
Maldives packages by area
| Area | How you get there | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| North Malé Atoll | Speedboat, mostly under 45 minutes | Short stays, families, late arrivals, the widest choice of resorts |
| South Malé Atoll | Speedboat, mostly under an hour | All-inclusive resorts at a slightly quieter distance |
| Ari Atoll | Seaplane, or a domestic flight and boat | Ask us |
| Baa, Raa, Noonu and Lhaviyani Atolls | Seaplane | Honeymoons, water villas and quieter islands |
| Southern atolls | Domestic flight and boat | Longer stays at remote resorts |
| Local islands such as Maafushi | Public or shared speedboat | Budget trips, solo travellers and divers |
A house reef is a coral reef you can swim to from the beach. If snorkelling matters to you, ask for a resort with a good one, and choose a beach or water villa with direct lagoon access. Families with small children often prefer a calm, shallow lagoon instead.
04
Sample 4-night and 5-night itineraries
A Maldives holiday is slow by design. You do not tour from place to place; you settle on one island and choose one or two trips. These plans show how a typical stay runs once you land in Malé. Most excursions are booked at the resort or added to your package in advance.
- 01
Day 1: Arrive and transfer
Land at Velana International Airport in Malé, meet the resort's team in the arrivals hall and take your speedboat or seaplane. Check in, have lunch and spend the afternoon in the lagoon. Watch the sunset from the beach or your villa deck.
- 02
Day 2: Snorkelling and the house reef
A guided snorkelling trip to two or three reefs in the morning, often with turtles, reef sharks and schools of tropical fish. The afternoon is free for the pool, a kayak or a nap.
- 03
Day 3: Sandbank picnic or dolphin cruise
A boat to a sandbank in the middle of the lagoon for a swim and picnic, or a late-afternoon dolphin cruise when the pods are most active.
- 04
Day 4: Spa or free day
A slow day: a spa treatment, a cooking class, paddleboarding or simply the beach. Book a sunset cruise or a private dinner on the sand for your last night.
- 05
Day 5: Fly home
Breakfast, check-out and the transfer back to Malé for your flight to Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Seaplane guests should leave time for the transfer schedule.
Five nights gives a more even pace, and is the length we suggest for a first visit with a seaplane transfer. Here is one way we have planned it, with a Malé night at the start to make the most of a late flight:
- 01
Day 1: Malé or Hulhumalé
Arrive in the evening and stay at a hotel near the airport. This saves paying for a resort night you would reach after dark.
- 02
Day 2: Transfer to your resort
Breakfast, then the morning speedboat or seaplane to the resort. Lunch, check-in and an afternoon on the beach.
- 03
Day 4: Sandbank and sunset
A sandbank picnic, then a sunset cruise looking for dolphins on the way back.
- 04
Day 5: Your own day
Spa, yoga, water sports or a visit to a nearby local island to see village life and buy small handicrafts.
- 05
Day 6: Departure
Transfer back to Malé and fly home.
Short on leave? Three nights works well at a resort close to Malé, where the speedboat takes under half an hour. Longer trips of a week or more often split the stay between two resorts, or between a local island and a resort, to see two sides of the country.
05
Maldives for couples and honeymoons
Couples make up a large share of Maldives travellers. A couple Maldives package usually means an overwater or pool villa, a seaplane or a quiet speedboat island, and a meal plan that lets you stop counting. The details are what make it feel like a honeymoon, so tell us the occasion when you enquire.
- Villa: an overwater villa with steps into the lagoon, or a beach villa with a private pool for more privacy
- Resort: adults-only islands such as You & Me Maldives, or larger resorts with several restaurants for variety
- Meal plan: all-inclusive or premium all-inclusive, so dinners and drinks are covered
Couples on a tighter budget can still have the water villa. Book three nights in a beach villa and one night in a water villa at the same resort, or choose a 4-star resort near Malé with a good all-inclusive plan. Booking well ahead also helps, as resort offers are limited and water villas sell out first for December and the spring.
Not set on the Maldives yet? Our honeymoon packages compare it with Bali, Mauritius and other islands, and our Bali packages are a good alternative if you want temples, rice terraces and beaches in one trip at a lower nightly price.
06
Maldives with children: family resorts and kids' rates
The Maldives works well for families when you choose the right island. The flight is short, the speedboat is quick, and resorts with a kids' club give parents a few hours to themselves. Pick a resort near Malé so children are not on a seaplane after a flight, and book a family villa or two connecting rooms early for the school holidays.
Checklist
- A speedboat resort within about 30 minutes of Malé
- A calm, shallow lagoon and a pool with a children's area
- Family villas, or beach villas with connecting doors, rather than water villas with open steps into deep water
- Full board or all-inclusive, so snacks and juices are covered all day
Kids' rates vary a lot. Our Google profile lists kids' and family discounts, which we apply where the resort or airline allows. Send the children's ages with your enquiry so the quote is accurate.
Kurumba Maldives, ten minutes by speedboat from the airport, has the Majaa Kids Club and children's pools, and is one of the family resorts we have booked. Water villas are better for older children who swim well. For other short-haul family trips, see our Sri Lanka holiday packages, which pair wildlife and beaches with a short flight.
07
Entry rules and documents for UAE residents
Checklist
- Confirmed resort or hotel booking for your whole stay (our confirmation covers this)
- Return or onward flight ticket
- Online traveller declaration, completed within the set time before arrival
- Travel insurance certificate; some resorts ask for it at check-in
Your UAE residence visa does not affect Maldives entry, but it does affect your return home. Make sure it stays valid for the whole trip, and carry the passport it is linked to. The Maldives is one of the easiest trips from the UAE for every passport; see our list of visa-free countries for UAE residents for others.
Buy travel insurance for your trip before you fly. Resorts are on remote islands, and a medical transfer by speedboat or seaplane to Malé is expensive without cover. Ask for cover that includes water sports and diving if you plan to dive.
08
When to go: weather and prices by month
The Maldives is warm all year, around 30 degrees by day. What changes is rain, wind and price. The drier northeast monsoon runs from about December to April; the wetter southwest monsoon from about May to October, when showers come and go between sunny spells and resorts cut their rates.
January
- Weather
- Dry, calm seas, very clear water
- Prices and demand
- High; busy after New Year
February
- Weather
- Dry and sunny
- Prices and demand
- High; one of the most popular months
March
- Weather
- Dry, hot, excellent visibility
- Prices and demand
- High; UAE spring break demand
April
- Weather
- Hot, mostly dry, first showers late in the month
- Prices and demand
- High to mid; Easter and spring break
May
- Weather
- Wet season begins, showers and wind
- Prices and demand
- Lower; good offers
June
- Weather
- Wet season, passing storms between sunny spells
- Prices and demand
- Lowest rates of the year at many resorts
July
- Weather
- Wet season, warm sea, surf on outer reefs
- Prices and demand
- Low to mid; UAE summer holidays raise family demand
August
- Weather
- Wet season, similar to July
- Prices and demand
- Low to mid; school holidays
September
- Weather
- Often the wettest month
- Prices and demand
- Low; quiet resorts
October
- Weather
- Showers ease towards the end
- Prices and demand
- Mid; good value before the high season
November
- Weather
- Changing season, mostly fine
- Prices and demand
- Mid, rising; UAE National Day demand at the end of the month
December
- Weather
- Dry season starts
- Prices and demand
- Highest over Christmas and New Year
The Maldives month by month, for travellers from the UAE
| Month | Weather | Prices and demand |
|---|---|---|
| January | Dry, calm seas, very clear water | High; busy after New Year |
| February | Dry and sunny | High; one of the most popular months |
| March | Dry, hot, excellent visibility | High; UAE spring break demand |
| April | Hot, mostly dry, first showers late in the month | High to mid; Easter and spring break |
| May | Wet season begins, showers and wind | Lower; good offers |
| June | Wet season, passing storms between sunny spells | Lowest rates of the year at many resorts |
| July | Wet season, warm sea, surf on outer reefs | Low to mid; UAE summer holidays raise family demand |
| August | Wet season, similar to July | Low to mid; school holidays |
| September | Often the wettest month | Low; quiet resorts |
| October | Showers ease towards the end | Mid; good value before the high season |
| November | Changing season, mostly fine | Mid, rising; UAE National Day demand at the end of the month |
| December | Dry season starts | Highest over Christmas and New Year |
For UAE residents the cheapest time to visit the Maldives is usually May to October, and it still beats a 45-degree summer at home. Rain tends to fall in short, heavy bursts, and many days are sunny.
Book early for the peak dates. For the December break, we suggest confirming by October; for a summer trip, book by April. Resort offers usually have a limited number of rooms, and the cheaper villa categories go first.
09
How to book your Maldives package
- 01
Send your dates and budget
WhatsApp your travel dates, the number of adults and children with ages, your departure airport, and a budget per person if you have one.
- 02
We compare resorts
We send two or three resorts side by side, with the villa type, meal plan, transfer, green tax and total price for each.
- 03
Hold and confirm
Pick a resort; we check villa availability and hold the flight.
- 04
Get your travel pack
E-tickets, the resort voucher, transfer details, the traveller declaration reminder and a short packing list, a few days before you fly.
Booking a Maldives package through a local agency means one person handles the flight, transfer and resort together. If your flight is delayed and you miss the seaplane, we arrange the Malé night and the next morning's transfer with the resort, rather than leaving you to sort it out at the airport.
You can also book in person at Office 329A, 3rd Floor, Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi, next to du and opposite Spinneys, with free parking. We have been open since 20 May 2020 and are rated 4.6 on Google from about 280 reviews. We take cards and NFC mobile payments. Comparing other places? Browse all our holiday packages from Abu Dhabi, or look at a palau holiday package for a quieter, longer-haul island trip.
باقات المالديف من أبوظبي: نرتب رحلتك إلى المالديف من أبوظبي ودبي، مع الطيران والمنتجع والانتقالات ووجبات الطعام في سعر واحد.
Questions
Maldives package questions
The questions UAE travellers ask us most about the Maldives. Ask yours on WhatsApp, call 02 679 8008 or visit our travel agency in Abu Dhabi at Mushrif Mall.
How much is a Maldives tour package from the UAE?
Seaplane resorts, water villas and all-inclusive plans cost more. We quote two or three resorts side by side so you can compare.
How much does a 1 week trip to the Maldives cost?
Many couples split the week between a local island guesthouse and a resort to bring the total down. We can price both options.
Do UAE residents need a visa for the Maldives?
The Maldives gives tourists a free visa on arrival, so most UAE residents do not apply in advance.
Are all-inclusive Maldives packages worth it?
All-inclusive is worth it at most resorts because meals and drinks on a private island are expensive and there is nowhere else to eat. Half board suits couples who eat lightly. Check what the plan covers, as some exclude premium drinks, spa and excursions. We list the inclusions for each resort in the quote.
How long is the flight from Abu Dhabi to the Maldives?
Add the resort transfer: 20 to 60 minutes by speedboat, 30 to 60 minutes by seaplane, or a domestic flight plus boat for far atolls. Seaplanes fly only in daylight, which affects late arrivals.
What is the cheapest time to visit the Maldives?
The cheapest months are usually May to October, the wet season, when resorts cut rates and showers come and go between sunny spells. December to April is drier and costs more, with the highest prices over Christmas, New Year and Eid. Booking early helps, as resort offers have limited rooms.
It's your smart choice
Let's plan your trip together
Send your dates and travellers on WhatsApp, or walk in at Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi or BurJuman, Dubai. We reply with options and today's prices.
Enquiry
Send us your enquiry
Tell us where, when and who is travelling. A consultant replies by phone, WhatsApp or email.
- Abu DhabiOffice 329A, 3rd Floor, Mushrif Mall
- DubaiShop 1041, BurJuman
- Call us02 679 8008