Top 5 Beaches in The Maldives - A slice of sun, sand, and sea in the tropical island paradise

A slice of beach that promises to give you your fill of wonderful nature, the blinding-white sands that wrap the Dhigurah Island, in the South Ari Atoll, are definitely distinctive, with their remarkably long javelin-like shape and snake-like sandbar on one end that disappears into turquoise waters. Grab a seat at a picnic table and let yourself soak up the idyllic scene or hit the water to go in search of some majestic whale sharks—supposedly it is the best place in the Maldives for them, where they are a year-round sight.

Unlike most beaches in the archipelagic nation of Maldives, the minuscule beach on Vaadhoo Island in the Raa Atoll isn't one to bask in the sun and sip tropical cocktails; instead, these sands are meant to be enjoyed after the sun goes down. As the darkness takes over the skies of the Maldives, plankton that resides in the surrounding waters wash up on shore, creating a brilliant blue bioluminescence effect, which gives the beach the utterly appealing moniker, "glow-in-the-dark beach".

The beaches in the Maldives are undeniably breathtaking, but they aren't the most liberal shores in the world, especially when it comes to clothing, where modesty and being conservative is more than advisable, or more often than not, essential. On the sands of Bikini Beach on the Maafushi Island in South Male Atoll, you are anything but forbidden from busting out your holiday bikini, thus the name, Bikini Beach. However, this freedom comes at the expense of seclusion but is never thronged, only lively and atmospheric. To further complement this seaside ambience, vacationing tourists could find a clutch of fine Maldives beach resorts in the surrounding South Male Atoll, including the likes of Holiday Inn Kandooma Maldives.

The stretch of public beach on the Hulhumale Island in the North Male Atoll makes itself stand out in the archipelago as somewhat of an out-of-the-ordinary beach choice, as the chalk-white sands sit on an island that's entirely man-made. While not tranquil and idyllic as your typical slice of beach in the Maldives, Hulhumale stands to offer a beach experience that's like no other.

In an archipelagic nation that's chock-full of spectacular beaches, it would be beyond strenuous to pick a favourite beach. But, the sands that ring the Fulhadhoo Island in the Baa Atoll are certainly one of those beaches that tops the lists of many tourists to the South Asian islands.