Turns out, the Maldives is just as good with kids.
When you think of the Maldives, you probably picture honeymooners, overwater villas and peaceful days doing absolutely nothing. It might not be the first place that springs to mind for a holiday with kids.
But after staying at Pullman Maldives Maamutaa, we came away thinking the complete opposite.
It was beautiful, incredibly relaxing and, surprisingly, one of the easiest family holidays we’ve done.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at Pullman Maldives Maamutaa, an all-inclusive resort on a private island in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll.
From Malé, you take a domestic flight to Kooddoo Airport followed by a short speedboat transfer to the resort. Once you arrive, though, that’s it — you’re on your island and there is nowhere else you need to be.
And we loved that.
There were no sightseeing schedules, taxis or decisions about where to go next. Our days revolved around swimming, the beach, kids’ club, activities and good food.
There is something about the Maldives that seems to slow everyone down — including the kids. It’s quiet, beautiful and completely removed from the usual chaos of everyday life. With nowhere to rush to and very little overstimulation, we found the children naturally seemed calmer too.
Our Beach Pool Villa
For the first five nights, we stayed in a Beach Pool Villa, which worked brilliantly with young children.
Having a villa rather than a traditional hotel room gave us so much more freedom. We had our own pool, plenty of space and the beach right outside, so the kids could happily move between swimming and playing on the sand without us having to pack everyone up for the day.
Another huge advantage came in the evenings. Once the kids were asleep, we could sit outside at our own table, order dinner and enjoy the most beautiful setting while they slept inside. Instead of everyone being stuck quietly in a hotel room from bedtime onwards, we could still have a proper evening together — dinner, a drink and the sound of the ocean right outside. For us, that made the beach villa particularly good with young children.
We used the resort’s buggies to get around the island, particularly for breakfast and dinner — which, incidentally, the kids thought was one of the best parts of the holiday!
Kids’ Club & Things to Do
Pullman has a kids’ club with its own outdoor area and children’s pool, plus activities throughout the day. Babysitting was also available through the kids’ club.
It meant there was a nice balance between family time and everyone doing their own thing.
We had massages, went jet skiing and took a sunset boat trip, while the kids were equally happy swimming, playing on the beach, going to kids’ club and riding around the island on the buggy.
We’d wondered whether they might get bored staying on one small island. They didn’t at all.
Why We’d Choose All-Inclusive
For the Maldives with children, we’d definitely recommend looking at all-inclusive resorts.
At Pullman, most of our food, drinks and resort experience were included, which made the holiday feel much more relaxed. You’re not leaving the island to find restaurants, so knowing that most things are already covered also makes budgeting much easier.
When comparing resorts, we’d look at the total holiday cost rather than just the room price.
It’s also worth checking family offers carefully, as many Maldives resorts run packages where children can stay or eat free.
Beach Villa or Overwater Villa?
Our answer: why not both?
After five nights in our Beach Pool Villa, we decided to splurge and move to Pullman’s incredible Aqua Villa.
The villa sits over the water, but the real surprise is downstairs — an underwater bedroom with huge windows looking directly into the ocean.
You can literally lie in bed and watch the fish swim past. At one point I was sitting there in my PJs having a drink when a baby shark casually swam straight past the window — definitely not something that happens on your average family holiday!
It was very expensive and certainly isn’t something you need to do to have an amazing Maldives holiday, but if your budget allows, it is an experience you’ll always remember. It was a huge highlight for the kids — and for us.
If we went again, we’d happily split the accommodation in the same way: spend most of the holiday in a beach villa and finish with a couple of special nights over the water.
For everyday life with young children, though, we actually preferred the beach villa. Having the sand directly outside, plenty of space to play and somewhere for us to enjoy the evenings once the kids were asleep made it incredibly convenient.
What We’d Look For Next Time
We would absolutely return to Pullman, but there are so many fantastic family resorts in the Maldives that we’d also be tempted to experience somewhere new.
If we did, our priorities would be:
• All-inclusive, ideally with good family offers
• A proper kids’ club with activities
• A spacious beach villa, preferably with a private pool
• Plenty of water sports and boat trips
• The option to split the stay between beach and overwater villas
• An easy transfer from Malé
Pullman requires a domestic flight followed by a short speedboat ride. It worked perfectly well for us, but next time we might choose somewhere accessible directly from Malé by speedboat or try a seaplane transfer for a different experience.
We’d also recommend checking Luxury Escapes when you’re looking for Maldives deals. We’ve seen some great family packages, and once meals, transfers and other inclusions are taken into account, the overall price can be very different from the headline room rate.
So, Is the Maldives Worth It With Kids?
For us, absolutely.
The kids loved the swimming, beach, boat trips, kids’ club and even the simple excitement of riding the buggy around the island. We loved that there was enough to keep them entertained without the holiday ever feeling busy.
And perhaps that’s what surprised us most.
Family holidays can sometimes feel like you’re simply moving the chaos of everyday life to a nicer location. The Maldives didn’t feel like that.
Everything slowed down.
There was nowhere we needed to be, very little we needed to organise and no pressure to fill every day. The beautiful surroundings and slower pace seemed to calm the children as much as it did us.
So if you’ve always thought:
“We’ll save the Maldives for a trip without the kids…”
We wouldn’t.
Turns out, it’s just as good with them. 🌴