The Family Luxe Guide to the Indian Ocean

No two Maldivian islands are quite the same. House reefs, seaplanes, speedboats, kids’ clubs, restaurants and villa locations all matter — and with hundreds of resorts to choose from, knowing which island suits you is everything.

Beautiful resorts are only part of the story. Head beyond the beach for waterfalls, mountains, colourful markets and brilliant food. Mauritius is one of our favourites when you want Indian Ocean luxury without spending the entire holiday horizontal.

​Huge granite boulders, jungle-covered hillsides and beaches that barely look real. Stay put at one incredible resort or combine Mahé, Praslin and La Digue for a completely different take on island hopping.

Tea country, elephants, ancient cities, incredible food and some seriously special hotels. Sri Lanka is made for exploring — and works beautifully paired with a few days on its own coast or a Maldives island at the end.

The Indian Ocean lends itself beautifully to a two-part adventure. Pair Sri Lanka with the Maldives, combine different Maldivian islands, or split your time between beach and adventure. Sometimes the best trips are the ones that give you two completely different holidays in one.

There’s more to the Indian Ocean than its headline names. From the wild beaches of Zanzibar to lesser-known islands and new resort openings, we’re always watching what’s next — and finding the places worth knowing before they’re everywhere.