As the world's top Maldives expert, I've visited nearly EVERY resort... and can stop you wasting thousands. Here are my hand-picked 25 choices for the best holiday you've ever had. Don't go without reading this first

Middle-of-nowhere islands ringed with pearl white sands, Tiffany-blue waters, dazzling underwater worlds – it’s no surprise that most people dream of visiting the Maldives at least once in their lifetime.

But with holidays to this Indian Ocean archipelago often costing thousands of pounds and there being so many islands to choose from, each offering its own take on the private island experience, it can be tricky to know which hotel to choose.

Over the last 15 years, I’ve been lucky enough to have visit nearly 60 resorts across this mesmerising island nation, from fabulous all-inclusives, to wellness islands and to ultra-luxe escapes fit for royalty. I can tell you the best places to find manta rays, whale sharks and bioluminescent waters. And I can point you towards the country’s best beaches, buzziest bars and most generous food and drink packages.

As the world’s top Maldives-holiday expert, here are my top 25 suggestions for which island you should book depending on your preferences.

Best for: Isolation

Barefoot luxury pioneers Soneva have been wooing celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates and Leonardo Di Caprio since they opened their first resort in the Maldives 30 years ago. Following on from Soneva Jani, which opened in 2016, they’ve now debuted a third Maldivian hideaway, Soneva Secret. If anything, it’s even more exclusive, located a 75-minute seaplane from the capital in the untouched Makunudhoo Atoll. Far from prying eyes, A-list guests can pick from 14 villas made from sun-bleached wood and a coconut thatch, with private chefs, retractable roofs for stargazing and waterslides that zoom straight into the ocean.

Book it: Full-board, rooms from £3,500 a night (soneva.com).

Best for: Glamour

A gleaming white yacht delivers guest to this large island located 30 minutes from the capital Male. Everything here feels super-sized, from the long golden beaches and the lagoon-shaped public pools to the Edenic spa. Hollywood worthy villas with gigantic decks and private swimming pools are stilted over Indian Ocean, above the house lagoon or roll straight on to the beach. There’s heaps to do – padel tennis, dolphin spotting tours, night snorkelling. And with 11 brilliant bars and restaurants including the only Zuma in the Indian Ocean, you won’t go hungry either.

Book it: From £1,577 a night, room only (waldorfastoriamaldives.com).

Best for: Multi-generational families

Kate Winslet and Kate Moss are among the famous names who have stayed at this chic resort in the Baa Atoll – but this is a resort for everyone, no matter your abilities and needs. Thanks to Amilla’s Inclucare certification, wheelchair users, the deaf and blind community and children on the spectrum can have as much fun as everyone else. There are 59 villas, including treehouses, as well as enormous four-to-eight bedroom residences, featuring white-on-white St. Tropez-style interiors and private swimming pools. Ten bars and restaurants cover all the bases, including Japanese, Italian, Greek and Indian. Check out the size of the house reef and Amilla’s very own blue hole (marine sinkhole) as your seaplane sweeps into the Baa Atoll on the 35-minute flight from Male.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £1,024 a night (amillafushimaldives.net).

Best for: Ultimate all-inclusive

There are all-inclusives and then there’s Kudadoo. Set in the Lhaviyani Atoll, a 30-minute flight from the capital, almost everything you can possibly imagine is built-into the rate. The amazing amenities inlcude private fitness classes, around-the-clock spa treatments, picnics on private islands, dolphin spotting trips, jet skis, floating breakfasts, gourmet meals, six different champagnes and mini-bars packed with all your favourite tipples – just let the butler know your preferences. The house reef is a blinder brimming with turtles and colourful reef fish. Villas lean Japanese-style, with wood panelling, sliding doors and leafy zen bathrooms.

Book it: Rooms from £2,550 a night (kudadoo.com).

Best for: Healthy living

The Lhaviyani Atoll (a 40-minute seaplane journey from Male) is barely developed compared to some of its busier neighbours. Six Senses Kanuhura has a prime spot set on a large natural island haloed by silky white sands and glistening blue lagoons, with two uninhabited islands nearby for castaway picnics. In keeping with the pulse-slowing surroundings, wellness is threaded through the resort. Expect daily complimentary classes (meditation, sounds baths and yoga), free non-motorised watersports (SUPs, kayaking, windsurfing), biohacking at the spa, bright airy villas and delicious sustainably sourced food.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £797 a night (sixsenses.com).

Best for: Foodies

Despite the wondrous Baa Atoll surroundings, it’s almost impossible to drag yourself away from Milaidhoo’s dreamy villas. All 50 are set on stilts above a cerulean slice of the Indian Ocean and teeming with marine life, which you can view from your half-moon infinity pool as your drink your complimentary bottle of Ruinart champagne. Inside, there are soaring vaulted ceilings, swathes of blonde wood, marshmallow-y beds trimmed with candy-coloured Maldivian fabrics and large bathrooms stocked with Acqua di Parma toiletries. It’s worth rolling out of bed for the brilliant breakfast spread and at least one meal at the only Maldivian fine-dining restaurant.

Book it: Half-board, rooms from £1,136 a night (milaidhoo.com)

Best for: Bioluminescence

Alila Kothaifaru sits a 30-minute seaplane journey from the capital, in a very special corner of the resplendent Raa Atoll – one of the few spots in the world where you can splash around in bioluminescent water. The ‘sea of stars’ phenomenon occurs during the June to October low season when countless trillions of dinoflagellate plankton flow into the area. Nature is unpredictable, of course, but there are plenty of other reasons to visit Alila from the pared back villas to the treetop spa, to the bountiful house reef and soul-soothing spa.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £585 a night (alilahotels.com).

Best for: Wellness

A thrilling 40-minute seaplane ride delivers guests to this large palm-studded coral island in the Raa Atoll. The only luxury resort in the Maldives to be entirely dedicated to wellness. It boasts an eye-catching biophilic design, aimed to make guests feel connected to nature. Both the beach and over-water villas are immense, dressed in pale pink and pistachio green, with double-height glass doors opening on to rambling decks, featuring pools big enough to do laps in. Wellness facilities include ocean-view yoga pavilions, gyms fit for pro-athletes (some of whom are on staff), a huge hydrotherapy hall, numerous steam rooms and saunas and a sound discovery path, where you can play with gongs.

Book it: Rooms from £1,847 a night (joali.com).

Best for: Peace and quiet

The sensational over-water villas at Raffles Meradhoo are set together on a pontoon island that can only be reached by boat, but it’s the gigantic beach villas that we love the most for their huge bougainvillea-draped gardens, large private swimming pools and direct access to the glittering seashore. Skimming the Equator, this tiny far-flung resort is harder to reach than most, requiring an hour’s domestic flight from Male plus a short boat trip, but it will feel worth the effort the moment you lay eyes on this vast empty atoll with horizons that go on forever.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £980 a night (raffles.com).

Best for: Celebrations

The Prince and Princess of Wales enjoyed a babymoon on this private island’s private island in 2014 the year after Prince George was born. Entirely separated from the main island, the exclusive estate sprawls across a hectare of platinum palm-studded sands. The centrepiece is a four-bedroom villa, complete with baby grand piano, games zone and swimming pool. Elsewhere there’s a tennis island, a spa island and the main island of Randheli, which houses 45 palatial villas, alongside a watersports centre, five restaurants, a wine museum and cigar bar.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £2,293 a night (chevalblanc.com).

Best for: A fly and flop

If your idea of paradise involves reading a good book under a palm tree on a bright white beach, Como Cocoa Island is the one for you. Set in the South Male Atoll, a 40-minute speedboat ride from the airport, this pocket-sized isle has just 33 villas. All are stilted over the water, with a few charmingly shaped like traditional Maldivian dhoni boats. The vibe is oh-so quiet, with guests flitting between complimentary sunrise yoga classes, lazy lunches by the pool and visits to the sublime Como Shambhala Spa.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £1,253 a night (comohotels.com).

Best for: Snorkelling

The Conrad Rangali – nestled in the South Ari Atoll, a 40-minute seaplane journey south of the airport – might be best known for its amazing underwater suite, The Muraka, where Paris Hilton and Carter Reum spent part of their honeymoon. But this twin-island paradise is also one of the few places in the Maldives where even newbie snorkellers can see the Big Five in the same day. Catch sight of reef sharks sashaying along the shore on your way to breakfast. Swim with whale sharks before lunch. Come face to face with turtles in the house reef in the afternoon. Take a dolphin spotting tour at sunset and look out for the two resident manta rays pirouetting under the bridge in the evening.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £461 a night (conradmaldives.com).

Best for: Beach babes

This all-natural island in the Baa Atoll boasts some of the best beaches in the country; broad, blinding-white bands of powdery sands made for lazing on. For a change of scene, you can snorkel in the fabulous house reef, bursting with parrotfish, angelfish and clown fish – perfect for first-timers. Swing by the spa for yoga classes, meditation sessions and deep-reaching Ayurvedic treatments. Eat and drink at eight excellent bars and restaurants or hang out in oversized villas with modern interiors and private swimming pools.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from 1,759 a night (fourseasons.com).

Best for: Partying

Get your kaftans at the ready for a stay at this vivacious North Ari resort, which has just emerged from a year-long multi-million-dollar refurbishment. The 77 beach and overwater villas now feature textured walls, bobbly coral-shaped seating, orange Perspex bathtubs and decks with patterned plunge pools. At the main swimming pool you’ll find a swim-up bar and a stainless steel waterslide in the shape of a stiletto. DJs, bubble machines and juggling mixologists make appearances at monthly Noon to Moon parties. While just offshore there’s an underwater discothèque in the dazzling house reef, populated by parrotfish, angelfish and hawksbill turtles.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £975 a night (marriott.com).

Best for: Adventure

Robinson Crusoe meets the latest mod-cons at this laid-back resort located a convenient 15-minute speedboat from the capital. Most of the clapboard and thatch villas are perched over the water with driftwood beds, outdoor bathrooms and ladders leading straight into one of the most beautiful lagoons in the country, all ice-cream swirls of white sands and bright blue water. Blindfolded dinners in secret locations, moon-bathing massages, coral planting and surf school are just a few of the unforgettable activities on offer.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £1,077 a night (gili-lankanfushi.com).

Best for: A big group of friends

Located a 50-minute wind-in-your-hair speedboat ride from Velana International Airport, this mid-sized island is relatively easy to reach but feels a world away from Male’s busy sea and air traffic corridors. The vibe is as much Miami as the Maldives thanks to huge yacht-inspired villas with rooftop decks (ideal for movie nights), a selection of trendy restaurants and a sleek beach club. There are also dolphins – lots and lots of dolphins. Take a jet-ski safari in search of the enormous pods that cruise this area.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £1,068 a night (jumeirah.com).

Best for: Water babies

Baby manta rays frolic in the coral reefs surrounding this polished resort in the Raa Atoll. That’s just the start of the aquatic adventures. Divers can submerge themselves in pristine thilas (submerged mountains), shadowy tunnels and fast-flowing channels in the company of nurse sharks. Snorkellers can float across soft coral gardens alongside green sea turtles and blizzards of reef fish. Villas have a cool, contemporary Maldivian design and every guest is entitled to complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, evening aperitifs and soft drinks throughout the day.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £968 a night (ihg.com).

Best for: Sociable holidays

This whale-shaped island in the lush Lhaviyani Atoll, a 35-minute seaplane journey from Male, stands out as one of the country’s most generous all-inclusive resorts. There are five dining options to choose from, including buffets, theme nights, poolside nibbles, bar snacks and set dinners at Asian street food inspired Kashibo – and it’s home to the world’s largest glass undersea restaurant. The drinks are all from premium brands and are available from 8am until 1am. Zesty villas – the best of which are perched over the glorious house reef – come with boozy mini-bars, a laundry allowance and a one-time sunset dolphin cruise.

Book it: All-inclusive, rooms from £820 a night (hurawalhi.com).

Best for: Adults only

Within an easy 30-minute speedboat ride of the airport this recently refurbished resort has been redesigned with grown-ups in mind. Whether on the beach or over-water, the villas are big enough to cartwheel through, with super-sized beds, lofty vaulted ceilings and outdoor terraces, some with private pools. Detox with complimentary health and wellness classes, free non-motorised watersports and a wide range of reasonably priced spa treatments. Retox with champagne-fuelled brunches, Indian banquets and late-night cocktails.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £521 a night (anantara.com).

Best for: Young families

The kids club at this Shaviyani Atoll escape (a 45-minute seaplane ride from Male) has a 43-feet-long pirate ship to clamber on, a splash zone and more than 100 activities a week – treasure hunts, octopus tag, beach Olympics. Baby-sitting, which usually costs a small fortune at any five-star hotel, is complimentary here and kids under the age of 12 can eat for free with a guardian. Duplex villas have two bedrooms, upstairs TV dens and swimming pools – perfect for families.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, beach villas from £776 a night (marriott.com).

Best for: Beach clubbing

If you’re looking for a fashionable resort that won’t break the bank look no further than Ozen Life Maadhoo. The island’s wide natural beaches and turquoise lagoons are some of the finest in the South Male Atoll (45-minutes by speedboat from the airport). Soak up the vibes at the bohemian beach club Hudhu Bay, where DJs spin dance tunes alongside tropical cocktails, chilled champagne and gourmet nibbles – all of which are included in the all-inclusive rate. Also included are colour-pop villas, theme nights, wine tastings, fishing trips, spa treatments and a meal at the hotel’s underwater restaurant M6M.

Book it: All-inclusive , beach villas from £870 a night (theozencollection.com).

Best for: Value for money

This remote resort isn’t going to win any design awards, but what it lacks in style it more than makes up for with an unbeatable location in the pristine Gaafu Alifu Atoll. The island is huge (by Maldives’s standards) at two kilometres long, which means every simply styled villa gets its own private patch of cottony-white beach (and a private swimming pool). These southern waters are also home to some massive marine animals – take dips with reef sharks, nurse sharks, green turtles, loggerheads, dolphins, huge moray eels and dinosaur-like pelagic fish.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £370 a night (cenizaro.com). OR £550 half-board.

Best for: Design lovers

Attracting the most stylish beachgoers since it opened in 2021, Patina Maldives is a tropical modernist vision of woody low-slung pavilions, spectacular art installations, swaying palm trees and broad white beaches. Sleek pool villas are filled with interesting design details: sliding glass doors that fully open to the elements, curvaceous rattan lamps, contemporary rocking chairs, sultry black stone bathrooms stocked with ocean-friendly Haeckles amenities. Dotted around the island there are also eight bars and restaurants, a holistic spa, tennis and padel courts, a watersports centre, a choice of infinity pools, a yacht marina and a beach club.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £972 a night (patina.com).

Best for: Teens

The St. Regis Vommuli takes its design inspiration from the wondrous Maldivian eco-system with a whale shark-shaped over-water bar and a spa that looks like a lobster with treatment suites hidden in the claws – best seen from the seaplane window as you sweep in on the 30-minute journey from Male. The luxuriously large pool villas were recently revamped as part of a major refurbishment, which also included the addition of The Vommuli Society, a forward-thinking teens’ club with a private lounge, dance fitness classes, paddleboard races, photography sessions and Boduberu drumming lessons.

Book it: Bed and breakfast, rooms from £1,133 a night (marriott.com).

Best for: Stargazing

This romantic retreat in the Baa Atoll (a Unesco Biosphere Reserve) will leave you starry-eyed. A 35-minute seaplane journey from the capital, the 80-villa resort is surrounded by aquatic eye-candy – manta rays, sea turtles, dolphins, even the occasional whale shark. The villas and residences roll straight on to the beach or are positioned over the water with ladders leading into the baby blue. Also perched over the water is one of the country’s largest observatories. Stop by to swoon over the Rings of Saturn, the ice caps of Mars and the moons of Jupiter.

Book it: Half-board, rooms from £1,428 a night (anantara.com).