The Maldives is a tropical dream - the private islands, the overwater villas, the crystal clear aquamarine water and sugar white sand, it is a unique paradise on earth. We came to the The Hard Rock Hotel Maldives this summer for a shoot and really... the photos speak for themselves. amongst the endless Maldives resorts, there are two things that are incredibly unique about Hard Rock: the accessibility of the island from Malé airport, and the access and partnership with nearby islands, more of both of these below!

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What To Wear and What To Pack

Click below for my complete packing list:

What to Pack For a Beach Resort Vacation: 

A Complete Female Tropical Packing List

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The Island

There are two things that make The Hard Rock Hotel a very unique choice for the Maldives. First, since the hotel is located so close to Malé, it only takes a quick 15 minute speedboat ride to get to the property, and not an additional Seaplane flight, like we have had to take in the past. This both cuts down on additional expenses (a seaplane ride can be $500 per person to your hotel), and what can be a significant amount of time waiting before your flight. We landed in Malé early in the morning, and were able to basically load right on to the boat as soon as we collected our luggage - not needing to waste any time on our first day waiting around another airport. 

Secondly, unlike most Maldives resorts, Hard Rock is not completely isolated on an island. While the Hard Rock Hotel is its own island like most hotels dotting the sea for hundreds of miles, the lagoon bridge connects to Crossroads Maldives Marina: a central Marina with shops, restaurants, a beach club, and three different hotels. Besides Hard Rock, There is The So/ Maldives and SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton.

Having been to multiple other Maldives resorts, this is a huge benefit. Having this connection gives you access to so much more to do, and additional pools, beaches, and restaurants - 14(!) restaurants in total. Since you are eating all of your meals at your hotel, the unmatched variety here made us so incredibly happy. While there is a high-end Japanese restaurant, Ministry of Crab, Authentic Indian, Cantonese, and feet-in-the-sand under the stars fine dining, our favorite was Kinkao Thai Bistro, which is incredibly authentic. (As someone that has been to Thailand 5 different times) Most of these restaurants are completely included on the full-board or half-board plans, making dining here so easy. 

The Crossroads Maldives Marina - doesn't this look so different from any hotel you've seen in the Maldives?

The colorful pool cabanas at Hard Rock - complete with swim up bar. 

We rode bikes over the islands from end to end, and our favorite beach on the entire island chain was this spot at the very end of the path, at the very edge of the Saii Lagoon Maldives Hotel, looking back to the Hard Rock Hotel. This spot was always empty, with this beautiful sandbar coming out of the island, and a nice drop off on one side of the lagoon for easy swimming. I found so many beautiful shells here - and you can watch the fish swim around you without needing to snorkel or even get your hair wet.

But the main beach at Hard Rock is also an incredible, endless shallow lagoon - with much easier drink service.

The Overwater Bungalows

We stayed in the Platinum Overwater Private Pool Villas and what else is there to say but damnnnnn. The rooms are oversized, with an extra large bathroom that has a vanity in the center with dual sided sinks and mirrors - I really loved this as it made it so much easier to get ready together. And the highlight of the room - a large private terrace and, of course, pool.

Check out a record player, a library of albums and instruments from the front desk to enjoy in your room!

We had a little party one night in the Rockstar Villa, the largest room at the very end of the dock.

A classic for a reason - no trip to an overwater hotel is really complete without the floating breakfast. 

The steps down to the ocean and the path from the villas to the main island. 

Excursion: Swimming With Sharks

On a perfect, crystal-clear day, we took a boat excursion to swim with sharks, and this was the most amazingly populated nurse shark habitat I have ever seen. There were SO MANY in this area, and they stayed with us for such a long time. We stayed here in the water at least an hour - and what made it even better was that the entire time there wasn't a single other boat with us. I've done a lot of ocean excursions in my years of travel, and this one was truly one of the best. 

Just... insane.

Excursion: Sandbar

When we finally tore ourselves away from the sharks, our excursion took us to this ocean sandbar - something I am always trying to get to as often as I can. This tiny island (does this count as an island?) Is just a strip of pure white sand just barely poking above the surface above a shallow, aquamarine lagoon. 

The purest kind of ocean paradise. The Maldives is a longggg journey from the United States, what makes the long trek worth it over closer beach destinations? There is something truly magical about the islands here, and with sargassum seaweed seemingly everywhere (I've experienced it recently not just in the Caribbean, but as far away as Portugal and Tahiti as well), the Maldives is one of the few places in the world that consistently still has pristine white sand beaches without a speck of seaweed or ocean debris. 

Both of these spots are a very short, easy boat ride from the Hard Rock Hotel in the same atoll - which is my favorite kind of outing. I love, love, love, a day out on a boat, but especially if the ride is smooth and the water beautiful and glassy. 

Water so clear my shadow almost makes it look like I'm floating. 

Island Activity: Crystal Clear Kayak

All the fun of a regular kayak, but you can spy on the fish.

Island Activity: Jetskis

ALWAYS a yes. 

Excursion: Sunset Cruise

Don't miss a sunset champagne cruise through the atoll - complete with sightings of pods of dolphins!

The most unbelievable sunsets and sunrises here. 

Island Activity: Bike Riding

While riding bikes all over the island is a functional main form of transportation here (don't worry, they have on-call buggy service if it's not your thing), it also was just so much fun. Riding bikes together in the summer sun made me feel like a kid in a beach town, it reminds me of that freedom of youth on summer vacation with your friends and made me so happy. You can pick bikes all over the property in a take-one-leave-one style, or keep a bike at your room for regular use. 

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So, I grew up going to many, many summer camps and have tried to recreate the pure joy of those experiences in my adult life as much as I possibly can. With that said - If the opportunity ever arrises, there is nothing like taking an island vacation with your best friends, it's the kind of thing that makes the hard parts of life worth it all.

And for me: dressing up and taking photos. 

xx Amy