How to Choose an Overwater Villa in the Maldives

The Maldives has over a hundred resort islands, and choosing between them comes down to two decisions that most booking sites bury: how you get there, and which direction your villa faces.

Speedboat vs. Seaplane

Speedboat resorts are twenty to ninety minutes from the airport and operate transfers all day. Seaplane resorts are further out — often in quieter atolls — but transfers stop at dusk, which means a late-arriving flight costs you a night in a transit hotel.

The transfer type shapes the trip more than the room category does.