If you’ve told yourself that this is the year to make your screensaver fantasy a reality, you’ve come to the right place. Better still if you find yourself torn between two – like us. Because when you realise that Belinda Carlisle was right – heaven really is a place on earth – but she failed to mention that it exists in more than one place, choosing a single idyllic island archipelago can be quite a task. So rather than spending hours alternating between tabs of the Andaman Islands’ thick jungle and the Maldives’ palm-fringed bone-white beaches, stick around here for a while and read on to discover our verdict on the big Andaman Islands vs Maldives debate.
Hotels
The Maldives is the poster child of do-nothing-but-lay-on-a-sun-lounger-with-a-cocktail-in-hand holidays; mainly because there’s no better way to appreciate its infinity pools and miles of golden beach than in a horizontal position. And boy do its hotels know it. Synonymous with ultra-luxurious overwater villas, they excel in the stuff of honeymoon legend. From private islands and underwater restaurants to glass bottom pools and decadent spas, a stay at a Maldivian resort promises to be nothing short of extraordinary. The Andaman Islands don’t offer the same expansive choice as the Maldives but no sweat, since their sprinkling of homely hotels and remote resorts more than make up for it. Take Jalakara, for example. Located at the heart of Havelock island, enveloped by a tangle of luxuriant jungle, it feels like a stripped back Soneva Fushi with its child-friendly focus and eco-friendly aesthetically arresting décor. Of course, it has its infinity pool and more wellness activities than you can shake a stick at, but if you want off-grid Instagram-absent intimate living, the Andaman Islands are sure to delight on all levels.
We have to give this one to the Maldives. Because where else can you watch the stars from your room (thanks to retractable roofs), eat at dedicated cheese and wine stations and lose hours in spas reached only by dhonis?
Beaches
You’ll know the Maldives’ beaches before you’ve even set foot on one. In fact, if you look around your office, you’ll probably see one as a coworker’s desktop background. Maybe it’s Lhaviyani Atoll and its palm tree fringed coastline, or maybe it’s the unworldly sparkling Vaadhoo Island; which, thanks to phytoplankton, turns the sand and sea into a fairytale spectacle only Disney animators could dream up. So, obviously in a battle between the Andaman Islands vs Maldives’ beaches, the Maldives are up there. But let’s not write off India’s 349-strong archipelago just yet. While you won’t be treated to privately-owned resort manicured beaches, you will find you have the majority of its island’s sandy spaces to yourself. Kala Pathar, known for its turquoise hues and secluded coastline, is perfect if you’re wanting to recreate a Castaway scene, while Radhanagar and its coconut tree-lined beach practically beg you to take a sunset dip in their gently lapping waters. If you’d rather head underwater, both the Andaman Islands and Maldives have some of the best diving and snorkelling in the world. Swim with turtles off the coral-ringed Neil Island and get up close and personal with manta rays, bat fish and hammerhead sharks around the Maldives’ Ari Atoll.
Whether it be the Andaman’s untamed coastlines or the Maldives’ tamed palm tree fringed atolls, there is no winner when it comes to the Andaman Islands vs Maldives beaches. It turns out you can have the best of both worlds, so we’re giving both archipelagos a point.
Must Sees
You’d be forgiven for thinking holidays to the Maldives start and end at its luxury resorts. By all means, their hotels are very impressive but the Maldives are more than just their infinity pools and Egyptian cotton bedspreads. In fact, it’s in this floating in the Indian Ocean country where you can tick off the majority of your travel bucket list. From parasailing and scuba diving with hawksbill and loggerhead turtles, to trying new Dhivehi (Maldivian) cuisines – we recommend starting with gulha (fried fish dumplings) and kuli boakiba (spicy fish cakes) – there’s something for all the senses. The Andaman Islands’ offerings aren’t dissimilar either. Whether it be partying with locals on Havelock Island, diving down to ash beds around the volcanic Barren Island, or venturing to the relatively unknown Little Andaman, holidays to India’s most remote state are more than just your run of the mill fly and flop. They’re a window into untouched worlds that come with the greatest surprises, like the view from the top of Saddle Peak, the Andamans’ highest mountain.
Again, it’s hard to choose. The epitome of ‘same same but different’, these two archipelagos could be considered siblings. But if we’re going on scale and true off-the-beaten-track sights, we’re giving it to the Andaman Islands.
If it’s less Instagram and more live in the moment you’re after, the Andaman Islands are the clear winner. Untouched by tourism, these far-flung islands are what you expect the Maldives may have looked like before the resort giants swooped in. But that’s not to say human touch in the Indian Ocean archipelago was necessarily a bad thing. With unrivalled luxury and a dazzling underwater world, the Maldives are the obvious choice for a holiday of a lifetime. So of course, they have to be our winner in the Andaman Islands vs Maldives debate.