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🇲🇻 Itinerary · Maldives · 14 days

2-week Maldives itinerary 2026: the atoll tour

14 days of atoll hopping: Maafushi, Fulidhoo, the whale sharks of Dhigurah, the manta rays of Baa and a resort night. Detailed budget and boat transfers.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

5 atolls

Average budget

€2,200-3,800

Total distance

~320 km at sea

Profile

Diving and beaches

Season

Dec-Apr

Maafushi 3d · Fulidhoo 2d · Dhigurah 4d · Rasdhoo 2d · Dharavandhoo 3d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Maldives 2-week itinerary map: Malé, Maafushi, Fulidhoo, Dhigurah, Rasdhoo, Dharavandhoo

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€90/pers

Malé → Maafushi · First island

  • Morning Arrival at Velana. Shared speedboat to Maafushi (1 h, €30).
  • Afternoon Check in, Bikini Beach and house reef.
  • Evening Maldivian fish curry on the seafront.
🛌 🛌 Maafushi · e.g. Arena Beach Hotel (3 nights)·🚤 Speedboat from the airport·Maldives guide →
2

~€70

Maafushi · Snorkelling and sandbanks

  • 9am Boat trip (€45): turtles, stingrays, reef sharks.
  • 2pm Deserted sandbank in the lagoon, picnic.
3

~€80

Maafushi · Diving

  • Morning Dive trip (€40-60) or a day pass at a nearby resort.
  • Afternoon Clear kayak, downtime.
4

~€75

Maafushi → Fulidhoo · Nurse sharks

  • Morning Speedboat to Fulidhoo (Vaavu atoll, 1 h, €40).
  • Dusk Snorkel with nurse sharks and rays in the harbour.
  • Evening Bodu beru drumming on the beach.
🛌 🛌 Fulidhoo · e.g. Thundi Guest House (2 nights)·🚤 Speedboat Maafushi-Fulidhoo
5

~€60

Fulidhoo · Dolphins and lagoon

  • Morning Dolphin trip, common in Vaavu atoll.
  • Afternoon Sandbank, the quietest island on the tour.
6

~€100

Fulidhoo → Dhigurah · South Ari atoll

  • Morning Transfer to Dhigurah (South Ari atoll, via Malé or a direct link, 2-4 h).
  • Afternoon A 3 km sand spit, the finest local-island beach in the country.
  • Evening Sunset on the sand point.
🛌 🛌 Dhigurah · e.g. Boutique Beach Dhigurah (4 nights)·🚤 Transfer to South Ari
7

~€95

Dhigurah · Whale sharks

  • 9am Whale-shark trip (€55), present year-round in southern Ari atoll. Swim alongside the world's largest fish (up to 12 m).
  • 2pm Snorkel on the manta-ray reefs.
  • Evening Rest on the beach.
8

~€80

Dhigurah · Diving and downtime

  • Morning Two dives on the South Ari thilas (underwater reefs), among the richest in the country.
  • Afternoon Downtime, kayaking, a long walk on the sandbank.
9

~€50

Dhigurah · Free day

  • All day Extra snorkelling trip, resort day pass or simple downtime. Four nights here, the restful heart of the trip.
10

~€95

Dhigurah → Rasdhoo · North Ari

  • Morning Transfer to Rasdhoo (North Ari atoll, via Malé).
  • Afternoon Snorkel on the Madivaru reef, manta rays, hammerheads offshore at dawn.
  • Evening Quiet village life.
🛌 🛌 Rasdhoo · e.g. The Beach House (2 nights)·🚤 Transfer via Malé
11

~€85

Rasdhoo · Hammerhead dive

  • 5:30am Dawn dive at Hammerhead Point, one of the few reliable spots in the world for hammerheads.
  • Afternoon Madivaru sandbank, rest.
12

~€110

Rasdhoo → Dharavandhoo · Baa atoll

  • Morning Transfer to Dharavandhoo (Baa atoll, via Malé or domestic flight, 2-3 h).
  • Afternoon UNESCO biosphere reserve, snorkel on the reefs.
  • Evening Beach facing the sunset.
🛌 🛌 Dharavandhoo · e.g. Reef Edge Dharavandhoo (3 nights)·🚤 or ✈️ Transfer to Baa
13

~€90

Dharavandhoo · Hanifaru Bay

  • Morning Trip to Hanifaru Bay (June-Nov season), where dozens of manta rays and sometimes whale sharks gather to feed. Guided snorkelling only.
  • Afternoon Baa reefs, the finest atoll for marine life.
14

Flight

Dharavandhoo → Malé → Return

  • Morning Domestic flight or speedboat to Malé.
  • Afternoon Buffer in Malé before the flight home to Paris.

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€2,200

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €700
  • 🏨 Guesthouse: €50/night
  • 🍛 Local canteens: €15/day
  • 🚤 Speedboats + 1 domestic flight: €350
  • 🤿 Trips (whale shark, manta): €300
Recommended

Comfort

€3,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €800
  • 🏨 Upscale guesthouse: €95/night
  • 🍽️ Half board: €30/day
  • 🚤 Speedboats + domestic flight + day pass: €450
  • 🤿 Dives + trips: €380

Premium

€6,500

per person

  • ✈️ Premium flight: €1,500
  • 🏨 3 nights overwater resort: €450/night
  • 🍽️ Resort full board: €80/day
  • 🛩️ Seaplanes and private transfers
  • 🤿 Private dives and 2-day cruise: €600

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

Three local islands, snorkelling and lagoons.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

Several atolls, manta rays and whale sharks.

1 month

1 month

Atoll tour, liveaboard cruise and a resort finale.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

Over 14 days and five atolls, you combine shared speedboats and one domestic flight (Malé-Baa) for the longest hops. Everything routes through Malé to change atoll, so plan transfer days. Confirm each link with the guesthouse the day before, as speedboat schedules change often and there are no ferries on Fridays.

🚤

Shared inter-island speedboats

€30-55 · depending on the atoll · via the guesthouse

✈️

Domestic flight Malé → Baa (Dharavandhoo)

€120-180 · 20 min · for the longest hop

🐋

Whale-shark trip at Dhigurah

€55 · South Ari · year-round

🛟

Guided snorkelling at Hanifaru Bay

June-Nov season · manta rays in numbers · permit required

Adapt by season

Manta or whale shark, depending on the month

This tour combines two prime seasons. The whale sharks of Dhigurah (South Ari atoll) are seen year-round, best in the dry season (Dec-Apr). The manta rays of Hanifaru Bay (Baa) peak from June to November, in the southwest monsoon. If you travel in summer, emphasise Baa; in winter, South Ari, flat sea and perfect visibility. Keep a buffer the day before the flight for speedboat uncertainty.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In February 2024 I swam alongside an 8 m whale shark off Dhigurah: the guide spotted the shadow from the boat, we slipped in silently, and that spotted giant glided beneath us for ten minutes. The moment of a lifetime.
  • • Four nights at Dhigurah for its huge 3 km sandbank: enough to combine whale shark, diving and real rest.
  • • The dawn dive at Hammerhead Point off Rasdhoo: entering the water in the dark to see hammerheads, a guaranteed thrill.
  • • Putting Baa and Hanifaru at the end of the trip: the highlight for marine life.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Adapt to the season: in summer, prioritise Baa (mantas); in winter, South Ari (flat sea).
  • • Take the domestic flight to Baa rather than stringing together two tiring speedboats.
  • • Book the Dhigurah and Dharavandhoo guesthouses ahead, supply there is limited.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is two weeks too much for islands in the Maldives? +
No, it's the ideal length to vary the atolls: Kaafu, Vaavu, South Ari, North Ari and Baa. You see whale sharks, manta rays and hammerheads on different reefs, with enough rest time on the sandbanks.
Can you see whale sharks and manta rays in one trip? +
Yes over 14 days. Whale sharks live year-round in South Ari atoll (Dhigurah), manta rays peak at Hanifaru Bay (Baa) from June to November. Adjust the emphasis to your departure season.
How do you change atoll? +
Always via Malé, by speedboat or domestic flight, because there's no direct link between distant atolls. The Malé-Baa flight (20 min) avoids two speedboats. Allow a day per atoll change.
Is this itinerary good for divers? +
It's one of the best: South Ari thilas, Rasdhoo hammerheads, Baa reefs. Certification is advised for current dives, but snorkelling is enough for whale sharks and mantas at the surface.
When is the best time to go? +
December to April for flat sea and visibility. From June to November, southwest monsoon but the manta-ray peak at Hanifaru and cheaper prices. Adapt the itinerary to the species you want to see.
How much do two weeks in the Maldives cost all-in? +
Budget about €2,200 in guesthouses, €3,000 in comfort and €6,500 with a few resort nights, flight from Paris included, per person.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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