IM Maldives · Travel Guide
everything to know before you book
Real costs from real bills, decision frameworks for first-time visitors, and the questions you should ask a resort before you pay. No marketing fluff — just what we'd tell a friend planning their first Maldives trip.
Updated
Quick Answer
The Maldives travel guide is the central hub for everything editorial on the site. Two parts: planning content (costs, first-time decisions, professional resources) lives under this section directly; topical guides for weddings, honeymoons, and all-inclusive trips have their own dedicated hubs you can jump into from here. Every guide is written from real bookings, with real numbers and worked examples.
Browse by section
Start with whichever matches what you're trying to figure out. Or scroll down to jump straight into a specific guide.
Real numbers
Every charge on a Maldives bill explained — taxes, transfers, meal plans, tipping. With worked examples you can actually budget around.
Before you book
The decision frameworks, booking patterns, and reality checks first-time visitors wish they'd read. Wet season myths, reef health, what to expect.
Partners
Agent partnerships, wedding planner logistics, MICE resources, and group buyout playbooks for travel professionals working on Maldives bookings.
By topic
Dedicated planning hubs for the trip types we book most often. Each has its own cost breakdowns, resort recommendations, and worked examples.
Weddings
Costs by tier, ceremony types, legal vs symbolic, resort-by-resort guides.
ExploreHoneymoon
Romantic resorts, overwater villas, packages by couple, real budgets.
ExploreAll-inclusive
The three AI tiers explained, resorts by tier, when AI saves money.
ExploreExperiences
Diving, marine life, dining, wellness, photography, architecture, celebrations.
ExploreCosts & pricing
Every charge that hits your final bill, with examples drawn from real trips. The numbers most planning sites don't publish.
17% GST, 10% service, $12 green tax. Exactly what's added to every published rate.
Read guideSeaplane, speedboat, and domestic flight costs for every major resort — round-trip per person.
Read guideFive real couple budgets from $3,500 to $35,000 — taxes broken out at every tier.
Read guideAll-inclusive vs. half-board with real math — when each plan actually saves money.
Read guideWhat 50 resorts actually charge for dinner, drinks, spa, and excursions.
Read guideWhat's customary, what's expected, and who actually gets the 10% service charge.
Read guideTell us what you're trying to figure out — pricing, season, resort fit, transfer logistics. We'll answer in plain English without trying to sell you something.
First time
The decisions and questions a first-time visitor needs to think through before paying for anything.
How to narrow 160+ resorts down to the right three for your trip.
Read guideDirect vs. agent, when to book, how flexibility affects price.
Read guideThe questions to ask a resort before paying — the ones that change your trip.
Read guideWhat May–November actually looks like — and why it can be better than peak season.
Read guideThe Instagram gap — what the photos don't tell you.
Read guideHonest answer for travellers worried about a week on a small island.
Read guideWhich atolls have the healthiest coral right now, and how to choose for snorkeling.
Read guideA note on this guide
Every page in this guide is written from real bookings handled by IM. We update the cost data as taxes change (most recently for the 1 January 2025 green tax doubling), and we keep the resort-specific numbers verified against current supplier rates. If something on this site is out of date, tell us — we'll fix it.
On sale now
Live rates secured directly with the resort. Genuine savings on the room, transfers coordinated by IM — book before they're withdrawn.
You & Me by Cocoon·5 Nights · 6 Days
Skip the 5am seaplane stress. Land in Malé, sleep properly in the capital, then fly to paradise refreshed. Two nights in Malé City, three nights of Premium All Inclusive luxury at You & Me by Cocoon — an adults-only island in Raa Atoll built exclusively for couples.
6 IM Privileges included
Patina Maldives·6 Nights
Six nights at Patina Maldives, bridging Christmas — Beach Pool Villa, Christmas Eve seven-course dinner, Christmas Day champagne brunch on the beach, the Patina art programme open daily.
Hard Rock Hotel Maldives·5 Nights
Five nights at Hard Rock Maldives — the part-of-CROSSROADS resort, all-inclusive, with the most active resort scene in the country. For couples who want a holiday with music, bars, and the option to actually go out in the evenings.
Resorts and packages where every meal, drink, and activity is in the rate.
Read moreAll packages quoted all-in — taxes, transfers, meals included up front.
Read moreCurated overwater villas, romantic dining, private experiences for couples.
Read moreBrowse resorts by atoll — Baa, Raa, North Malé, Ari, and more.
Read moreStep 1 of 5
When
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