26 natural atolls 1,192 coral islands, about 200 inhabited Visa on arrival Free 30 days, all nationalities Green tax $12/night resorts · $6/night small guesthouses Best diving visibility Dry season, roughly Dec–Apr One island, one resort The concept that shaped Maldives tourism Guesthouses on local islands Legal since 2009 — a genuine budget route 26 natural atolls 1,192 coral islands, about 200 inhabited Visa on arrival Free 30 days, all nationalities Green tax $12/night resorts · $6/night small guesthouses Best diving visibility Dry season, roughly Dec–Apr One island, one resort The concept that shaped Maldives tourism Guesthouses on local islands Legal since 2009 — a genuine budget route
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Holiday packages

Maldives holiday packages, explained

"Maldives package" and "Maldives holiday package" are some of the most common ways people search for a trip here, but the word "package" covers a fairly wide range of actual products — worth understanding before assuming one specific thing.

What a package usually includes

At its simplest, a package bundles international flights, resort transfers, and accommodation into a single price — sold through travel agents, tour operators, or online holiday packagers. Some go further and include meals, taxes, or selected excursions; others are really just a flight-plus-room bundle with everything else priced separately once you arrive. See our resort dining guide and green tax explainer for the two most common gaps.

When a package is worth it

Packages can genuinely simplify a first Maldives trip — see our first-timers guide — by bundling the atoll, transfer and resort decisions into fewer choices, and sometimes at a combined price better than booking each piece separately, particularly in peak season when both flights and resort rates are highest.

When it's worth pricing separately

If you already know your resort, transfer type and flight route, pricing each element independently — a direct resort booking (see our booking through an agent vs. direct guide) alongside flights booked separately — sometimes beats a bundled package, particularly outside peak season. There's no universal answer; it genuinely depends on the specific quote in front of you.

What to actually compare

  • Does the package price include green tax, GST and service charge, or are those added on top? See our green tax explainer.
  • Which meal plan is included — see our resort dining guide for what "all-inclusive" does and doesn't typically cover.
  • Is your resort transfer bundled, or a separate cost on arrival? See our getting around the atolls guide.