In February we went on a once in a lifetime trip to the Maldives– well, the current joke is that it’s turned into a twice in a lifetime trip… 🙂 We had such an amazing time that I would love to be able to visit again in the future. We went on this trip for my 30th birthday and I honestly don’t know how another birthday could top this. I’ve received several questions on IG and TikTok after posting about our travels, so of course I want to document everything here on the blog. I’ve already shared a post on everything I packed for the trip which you can find here.
Travel Day
The #1 question I’ve been asked is how long the travel time is to get to the Maldives. On our way there, the total travel time was about 28 hours. We first flew to JFK and had a layover of a few hours. From there, we flew straight to Qatar which was the longest flight. After a short layover in Qatar we boarded our last flight to Male. Once we arrived in Male, a representative from our resort was waiting to take us by speedboat to our final destination. The speedboat ride to get to our resort was only about 15 minutes since it was very close to the airport. Keep in mind when planning that transfers to other resorts within the Maldives can take longer and some require you to travel by seaplane. In our case, the transportation cost was also separate from the cost of the stay.
Our Resort
When planning our trip to the Maldives we spent some time looking into each resort and deciding where to stay. They all seemed so nice and we felt like we really couldn’t go wrong. We definitely wanted to stay at a Marriott which narrowed down the search, and we decided to stay at JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort. Staying here was such a great experience and we are so happy with our choice! The resort was spotless and the staff were extremely kind and accommodating.
A few reasons we chose JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Island Resort were that it’s extremely new (just opened in 2025) and we loved the modern and luxurious design of the overwater bungalows. You can see a tour of our Sunset View Villa here. As previously mentioned, it’s close to the airport so we were able to save significantly on the hefty transfer fees. Even though the resort was recently opened there were already a ton of positive reviews online. We give our stay here a 10/10– sharing below more details on our trip and what we did each day!
Night 1
By this point we had already been awake for 30+ hours (aside from some naps on the plane) but if you travel internationally often, you know it’s best to get adjusted to the new time zone. The time difference was 10 hours which was more than we were used to from other trips. After an espresso and simply enjoying the view for some time, we were excited for our first dinner at the resort. There are several restaurants on the property as well as a buffet. For our first night we had a reservation at Riva, the Indian restaurant, and the food was delicious.
Day 2
Our morning routine while on vacation was typically a coffee in the room watching the sunrise, hitting the gym, and heading to breakfast. Speaking of food, the breakfast buffet here was insane! Breakfast is my favorite meal so I was in heaven with this spread. They had a ton of Asian and Indian cuisine options, as well as traditional American breakfast, salads, fruits, and pastries. They also had a mimosa station, full coffee bar, and health shots each morning for guests to enjoy.
On the agenda for today was enjoying the pool and ocean before heading to the spa. The spa prices were also separate but we received the list of services/prices ahead of time which helped us with booking. We chose a 90 minute aromatherapy couple’s massage and it was perfect! The staff let us know to arrive an hour before our appointment time so we could enjoy the sauna and steam bath before our massage. They gave us welcome juice drinks when we arrived and everything was so beautiful and peaceful. I left my phone in the lockers so I didn’t get any pictures beyond that. Although it was nice to fully disconnect, I wish I had pictures of just how gorgeous the massage room was. This experience was so relaxing- highly recommend!
Night 2
On our 2nd night in the Maldives we received an invitation to attend a Bonvoy elite cocktail hour. We learned that they host these events twice a week for guests with Marriott Bonvoy elite status. There were cocktails, wine, and appetizers which we enjoyed while watching the sunset. It was such a nice touch that we weren’t expecting! After that we had dinner reservations overlooking the water at Athiri, the South American restaurant at the resort. There honestly wasn’t a single thing I tried here that I didn’t like. All of the food was exceptional! Most evenings the resort also had live music at the bar which we typically enjoyed after dinner.
Day 3
Prior to arriving at the resort, they also sent us the weekly list of activities that would be occurring during our stay. We were able to book excursions ahead of time or through our butler that was assigned to us upon arrival. This was also such a nice touch as he was available via WhatsApp to assist us with anything we needed during our stay. Although there were multiple excursions to choose from, we decided to only book one. We wanted to primarily relax on this trip since many of our other vacations are often adventurous and full of sightseeing and activities.
I can hardly believe I’m saying this but the excursion we booked was swimming with stingrays and nurse sharks. Stingrays I have swam with before but sharks was completely new to say the least! I was a little bit nervous of course but it was actually super fun. We were able to see the sharks so closely, as well as the stingrays and a ton of fish. After that excursion we relaxed for a little bit. Aside from the overwater bungalow already being so nice for swimming, there is also a big common pool and beach area for all guests to enjoy.
Night 3
For tonight’s dinner we also did something we had never done before- had dinner cooked by a private chef! This was a super unique dining experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. There were three menus available to choose from and we chose the Taste of Korea menu. We were served various courses throughout the evening and were able to see the chef prepare all of them, as well as learn about the different types of food.
Day 4
Our 4th day in the Maldives was actually my 30th birthday! It was so surreal to spend a milestone birthday in such a gorgeous location– not sure I’ll ever get over it! I don’t know if you can tell but by this point we were looking a little toasty. We applied sunscreen but unfortunately it wasn’t enough for all of the water activities the previous day. We had planned to visit the spa again but decided to cancel as it may have been uncomfortable with the sunburn. It was still the perfect, relaxing birthday I had wanted which included champagne at brunch, relaxing in our private pool, and taking in the views around the resort.
Night 4
What I really wanted for my birthday dinner more than anything was sushi! Here is the reel where it all started – IYKYK 🙂 We had multiple rounds of crispy rice, sushi, and sashimi at Nikkei and it was perfect! We sat by the water and watched the sunset from the best location at the resort. The staff also brought me a birthday dessert. In fact, I felt special all throughout the day as many staff members wished me a happy birthday. The customer service at JW Marriott Kaafu Atoll Resort was truly unmatched!
Day 5
We watched one more sunrise on our last morning in paradise before it was time to check out of our overwater bungalow. However, we still had a full day to enjoy as we didn’t have to leave for the airport until around 5 pm. The resort could not give us a late checkout in our current villa since they were fully booked, but they gladly moved us to a beach villa they had available. This was another nice touch because we were still able to enjoy the beach and water, as well as have access to our bags until it was time to leave. We laid out for a while on the beach and then ordered room service before the long travel day ahead of us.
Another question I’ve been asked since returning from our trip to the Maldives has been– is the long travel time worth it? In my opinion 100% YES! The travel days were definitely long but the Maldives is unlike any other place I’ve visited before. The water was stunning, the resort immaculate, and it was the epitome of true relaxation. I couldn’t have asked for anything else on my 30th birthday than to spend this quality time with my husband in such a dreamy location. If you have the opportunity to visit I would definitely recommend it! My outfits from this trip are linked down below (except for my swimsuits which can all be found here) or you can find the full breakdown in my previous blog post. If you have any other questions about the Maldives feel free to leave a comment!
