What it's like to vacation in the Maldives right now

I'm lounging at an overwater restaurant in a Maldivian resort, taking in the stunning views of the Arabian Sea, yet I can't shake off a feeling of unease.

Neither I nor the other guests or staff are wearing masks.

But there's no cause for concern: everyone at the private, palm-lined Soneva Fushi island has been tested for Covid-19 upon arrival, and quarantined in their villas until they receive negative test results.

I'm free to explore the island without restrictions, breaking the social distancing norms that have become a global standard since early 2020.

For a brief moment in this year of unpredictability, paradise in the Indian Ocean feels almost like it did before – but adjusting to this new reality takes time.

Maldives: Now welcoming everyone

The Maldives is among the few destinations now open to international tourists, including travelers from the U.S.

The 1,200-island nation reopened its borders in July without any testing or quarantine requirements. However, in September, the rules shifted, mandating a negative Covid-19 test result (within 96 hours of departure) for all incoming travelers. An online Traveler Health Declaration form must also be submitted 24 hours before flying.

The Maldives has successfully managed its coronavirus situation, with fewer than 13,000 cases and a total of 46 deaths since the pandemic began. On September 15, it was officially recognized as a 'safe destination' by the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Like many nations that depend heavily on tourism, the Maldives has been severely impacted by the crisis. According to the World Bank, tourism directly and indirectly makes up two-thirds of the country’s GDP.

In 2019, the tourism industry boomed, with visitor numbers rising by 14.7% year-on-year, reaching a record 1.7 million arrivals. Officials had set a goal of 2 million arrivals for this year.

In May, Ali Waheed, the Maldives’ tourism minister, called the impact of the coronavirus pandemic 'more devastating than the 2004 tsunami and the 2008 global financial crisis.'

Given its reliance on tourism, it's no surprise the Maldives was one of the first countries to reopen.

My journey started at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, where I boarded a Qatar Airways flight. It's one of a handful of airlines currently servicing the Maldives' capital, Male.

While the Maldives has its own entry requirements, Qatar Airways has its own set of rules: passengers flying from high-risk countries – including the U.S., Brazil, India, and the Philippines – must show a PCR Covid-negative test at check-in.

Pay attention to the term 'PCR': I've seen travelers at JFK turned away for attempting to board with a rapid test instead of the required PCR test.

During the boarding process, Qatar Airways requires passengers to wear both a mask and a face shield, which they provide free of charge at the gate.

I flew from New York to Doha in economy class on a mostly empty plane, with an entire row to myself. For the final leg to Malé, I upgraded to Qatar Airways' Qsuites, their business-class offering.

With plenty of personal space and sliding privacy doors, the Qsuites were definitely my preferred way to socially distance during the flight.

I arrived at Velana International Airport in the Maldives in the morning, with the descent over the turquoise atolls still as exhilarating as ever from my window seat.

The world’s most luxurious quarantine?

Deplaning from business class ahead of the crowd was a huge advantage, as the border control process was both thorough and time-consuming. I approached the booth with the necessary documents: my printed negative Covid test, copies of my two resort bookings (Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani), and the QR code from my completed Traveler Health Declaration form.

After retrieving my checked baggage and clearing customs, I was greeted by Soneva Fushi's polite (and masked) Airport Hosts, who quickly escorted me to a check-in desk for my scheduled seaplane ride to the resort.

A van took me and other resort guests to Soneva Fushi's private airport lounge, where we kept a safe distance from one another, enjoyed light snacks, and completed our check-ins until it was time to board.

We then boarded a private, purple-hued seaplane for a picturesque half-hour flight to the resort's 'international airport'—a small, floating platform in the middle of the ocean. From there, we took a speedboat to the resort’s long wooden jetty, where masked 'Barefoot Butlers' and staff greeted us.

I hopped into a buggy with my butler, who drove me straight to my spacious beachfront villa—my sanctuary for the next 20 hours.

Just minutes into my quarantine, a lab technician, clad in a full hazmat suit, entered my villa to perform a Covid test. After swabbing my throat and gently poking my left nostril, he informed me that the results would be available the following morning.

Soneva’s Maldives resorts – Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani – are among the few resorts offering in-house Covid testing for all guests, providing an extra layer of safety to prevent the spread of the virus.

These PCR tests are offered free of charge, and guests also receive generous credit vouchers for food, drinks, and activities to compensate for the inconvenience of self-isolation.

There are two possible outcomes for Soneva guests after their Covid test: If the result is negative, they are free to enjoy the island and its numerous activities without restrictions or the need for a mask.

A positive Covid result means a 14-day quarantine in your villa, with the accommodation provided at no extra cost. Although I was relieved by my negative result, I couldn’t help but think there are far worse places on Earth to recover for two weeks if the outcome had been different.

After receiving an early morning WhatsApp message from my butler confirming my negative results, I spent the rest of my stay enjoying the eco-luxury resort as if it were pre-pandemic: snorkeling with other guests in crystal-clear lagoons alongside manta rays, indulging in delicious Maldivian and pan-Asian breakfast dishes at the beachside buffet, and testing out my personal water slide in one of Fushi’s new Water Retreats (the largest overwater one- and two-bedroom villas in the world) – all without the need to disinfect my swimming shorts.

By the time I reached my second resort, Soneva Jani, known for its sandcastle-style overwater villas with retractable roofs, I was fully accustomed to my newfound 'freedom'. Since I had already been tested at Soneva Fushi, there was no need for another Covid test.

During my visit to the two resorts – a popular combination for Soneva guests even before the pandemic – the seaplane ride between the properties was the only time I needed to wear a mask until the end of my stay.

Traveling during the pandemic is a personal decision, and everyone has their own limits.

I think the Maldives has done an excellent job at controlling the virus and implementing safety protocols to protect both locals and visitors. Resorts like Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani, with their in-villa testing, offer even greater peace of mind.

A typical Maldives vacation already has guests secluded in their villas, watching fish from their private decks, swimming, and enjoying in-villa dining – all within their own personal bubble.

Depending on the resort, the Maldives provides a rare opportunity to simply feel 'normal' again – for some, it’s worth the long journey across the globe to rediscover this lost sense of simplicity.