There’s just something magical about Maldives – the white pristine beaches, crystal clear waters, and a lot of other things which dreams are made of. Apart from all those, one mystical attraction the Maldives has to offer is the Maldives glowing beaches.
Come night time, the Mudhdhoo island (likewise known as Vaadhoo) reveals a wide stretch of mystical glowing blue waves that look like something straight out of a fairytale. At first, you might confuse them with some form of alien life trying to make its way to the Maldives. In actuality, however, these are bioluminescent planktons that emit a bright blue light due to a natural chemical action that happens when planktons are exposed to oxygen.
However, this phenomenon doesn’t happen every single night. Since it occurs naturally, you can’t really tell exactly when you can expect them. Fortunately, there are specific seasons where you can test your luck and have a shot at seeing Maldive’s glowing beaches in action.
Read more: Best time to visit the Maldives: Maldives Weather by Months
When to See Maldives Glowing Beaches
If you really want to see the Maldive glowing beaches, then you’ll have to rely a bit on luck. After all, bioluminescent phytoplanktons are quite unpredictable in the Maldives. This means that there’s not really a fixed date or schedule that will guarantee you to see them glowing.
One of the reasons is because there are a lot of forces and other factors that could influence the planktons’ appearance. Among them is the seawater current as well as the amount of rich oxygen it brings along with it. The water’s temperature plays an important role as well.
Even though there are a number of Maldives glowing beaches, not all of them can display the bioluminescent plankton phenomena at all times. The Vaadhoo island Maldives is widely recognized as the best spot for spotting them due to repeat and usual occurrences. However, there are also other islands where you can witness glowing water during the night.
Some believe that the best Maldives glowing beach seasons for spotting them are between June and October, though there are some who believe that the best bets for spotting them are between July and December where there are no moon nights.
That doesn’t mean, however, that the phenomenon can only be seen on those beaches. In fact, the other 1,200 islands throughout the Maldives can give you such a phenomenon as long as the right conditions are met.
Accordingly, locals claim that the event tends to occur way more often during late summer to the end of the year. However, this isn’t really fixed as the time and location of the planktons will vary.
Read more: Everything You Need to Know Maldives Underwater Hotel
Best Maldives Glowing Beach Resorts
If you want to have a shot at spotting the glowing beach phenomenon in the Maldives, then staying at a resort close to the abovementioned islands is your best bet. However, if you haven’t done any research on them just yet, then you’re in luck. We have compiled a list of the best glowing beach resorts you can stay in during your visit to the Maldives.
They’re as follows:
1. Adaaran Prestige Vadoo
Adaaran Prestige Vadoo is a well-known resort on the Vaadhoo island which offers a number of amazing amenities for its visitors. It’s only around 8 kilometers away from the Male International Airport and can be reached by a speedboat in just around 15 minutes.
Apart from giving you the possibility of spotting the glowing beach in India at night (provided that you’re lucky enough and the conditions are right), the resort also provides you with a private spa, glass-bottomed bathroom lounge, various activities, in-room spa treatment, and more.
Despite its small size, the resort offers two restaurants: Farivalhu and Kithajima which both offer superb dishes. You can also find one bar over water and another one on the beach.
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2. Velassaru Maldives
Velassaru Maldives is yet another exciting place you can stay in if you want to witness the glowing beaches at Vaadhoo island during the night. Located not far away from the Male airport (a 25-minute speedboat ride will take you there), the resort is sitting on a private coral island that features crystal clear waters coupled by a pristine, white beach.
It features villas that are made of stone, thatch, and teak to give you that chic and minimalist vacation experience without compromising your comfort. Apart from the chance of spotting bioluminescent Maldives beach at night, you can also get to explore the depths of the Indian ocean and witness its rich and exotic marine life.
3. Kuredu Island Resort & Spa
From the name itself, this resort is situated on the beautiful island of Kuredu where instances of glowing beaches due to bioluminescent plankton activity can also occur. The place is just 60 minutes north of Male and 35 minutes away from the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport via a seaplane.
The resort offers high-end amenities and wonderful thatched-roof villas to provide you with the ultimate Maldives experience. Apart from that, you can choose from a variety of room types including Jacuzzi beach villas, beach bungalows, water villas, garden bungalows, beach villas, and Kuredu’s Sulthan pool villas.
There are also plenty of activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, golf, water sports, and more.
4. Hurawalhi Island Resort
Located in the Hurawalhi island, the Hurawalhi Island Resort is home to the largest all-glass underwater restaurant in the world. It’s a luxury adult-only resort which is situated on a private coral island and can be reached via a 40-minute seaplane ride from the Velana International Airport.
Each of the resort’s units comes with free WiFi, minibars, large bathrooms, and more. You can also enjoy a wide range of amenities such as infinity spools and free yoga classes as well as activities like snorkeling and diving. Of course, the beach nearby also has a chance of displaying bioluminescent planktons under the right conditions.
5. Kurumba Maldives
Located in the North Male Atoll, the Kurumba Maldives resort is just a 10-minute ride via speedboat from the airport. The best part is, there are boat transfers which are available for 24 hours every single day.
The resort offers free WiFi and comes with 4 bars along with 8 restaurants. There’s also a fitness center, tennis courts, and outdoor freshwater pools. As the resort’s villas feature private terraces that come with a beach view, you can get to see glowing ocean water at night even without actually getting to the beach.
6. Medhufushi Island Resort
The resort, which is located in Medhufushi island, comes with rustic villas that feature open-air rain showers and private sun decks. It comes with a number of activities you can enjoy such as windsurfing, canoeing, snorkeling, and more.
The place is just a 40-minute ride from the Male International Airport via a seaplane. Apart from its glowing beaches during the night, the resort also offers spectacular sunset views coupled with a variety of dishes and beverages.
7. Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives
The Grand Park resort in Kodhipparu is a newly built resort back in 2017. It’s only 20 minutes away from the Male airport via speedboat. On the resort, you can find a number of amazing beachfront villas as well as over-water villas that grant direct access to the nearby ocean.
Apart from those, you can also come across a bar with an infinity pool as well as a signature fine dining restaurant to offer you unique and memorable dining experiences. After dining, you can take a stroll on the white beaches and have a shot at spotting bioluminescent planktons – if you’re lucky enough.
Moreover, the resort features family-friendly accommodations with a wide variety of facilities for kids.
8. Meeru Island Resort & Spa
This resort is located in Meeru Island which is situated at the easternmost tip of the North Male Atoll. The place is located 23 miles away from the Male International Airport and can be reached via a seaplane.
Once there, you can find a number of amenities such as an outdoor pool, a children’s playground, two freshwater swimming pools, and more. It also has a private beach area with a bike hire service. Moreover, you can take part in various activities such as windsurfing, golfing, snorkeling, and more.
9. Veligandu Island Resort & Spa
Located in the Veligandu island, the Veligandu Island Resort & Spa offers a private beach area along with a fitness center, an outdoor swimming pool, and a restaurant.
Their units come with free toiletries, a shower, a private bathroom, and rooms that feature a beach view. Out of all the resorts we’ve included in this list, this one is the farthest at 37 miles away from the Velana International Airport.
Read More: Maldives Most Eco-friendly Resorts
Conclusion
Sure enough, the Maldives is one of the best places anyone can go to for a vacation. However, if you specifically want to see Maldives glowing beaches, then you have to make sure that you come during the right season, but even if you do, there’s still not a 100% guarantee that you will be able to see them.
Nonetheless, the information above will help increase your chances, especially if you choose to stay in one of the places we recommend.
