We’ve visited the Park Hyatt Maldives twice in the past 2 years because we absolutely love it. The resort has the island of Hadahaa all to itself, and is a true slice of paradise in the Indian Ocean. We surprisingly aren’t beach people and tend to fill our vacations with back to back activities. We were slightly concerned before our first visit that we might get bored on the island during our weeklong stay. However, we found plenty of ways to keep ourselves entertained and didn’t want to leave. Here are some of the Park Hyatt Maldives activities that you can look forward to if you’re planning a vacation to Park Hyatt Hadahaa, which is the closest place to heaven on earth we’ve ever found.

Park Hyatt Maldives Activities

Snorkeling

Snorkeling is a must-do in the Maldives. Hadahaa boasts one of the best house reefs in the Maldives. We spent hours snorkeling around the island, discovering the beautiful fish, reef sharks, sea turtles, and we even spotted a small octopus once. There’s no need to bring your own snorkeling gear since you can borrow all the equipment you’ll need from the dive center for free. We kept our snorkeling gear in our room for the length of our stay so we could snorkel any time. However, if you can’t swim (like Bertaut), they do charge $10 per day to rent a life jacket from the dive center.

We visited in February 2016 and again in Febuary 2018 and noticed a big difference in the coral reef our second visit. Sadly El Niño bleached much of the coral and it’s not nearly as colorful now. However, it is still teeming with life and can keep you occupied for hours on end, especially if you snorkel around the entire island. We stayed in an overwater villa for a few nights on our second trip, and loved being able to snorkel right off our deck. Keep an eye out for small reef sharks, which caused me to slightly panic the first time I saw one swimming toward me. They won’t hurt you, and it is very exciting to swim with sharks!

Kayaking

Blue Journeys dive center has kayaks that you can borrow for free, or you can rent a glass-bottom kayak for a small fee. I think it was $25 for an hour. It was exciting to kayak over the reef and see the fish swimming below without having to get in the water. For anyone who doesn’t like to snorkel or doesn’t know how to swim, renting a glass bottom kayak is a good way to explore the reef.

Manager’s Cocktail Reception

On Saturday nights, the General Manager hosts a fabulous beach reception with complimentary canapés and cocktails (or wine if you prefer) from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Guests can get cozy in the cabanas, bean bag chairs, or regular chairs and dig their toes into the sand as they sip cocktails and nibble on tasty treats. The highlight of the evening is the traditional Boduberu performance wth drums and dancing, where guests can join in on the fun. Since I love to dance, of course I jumped in and tried the moves. There was also a massage therapist giving short chair massages, which was another fantastic perk of the evening.

The reception is the perfect opportunity to mingle with other guests and staff. The drinks are complimentary for the duration of the reception, and they are quick to bring you another once your glass is empty. If you’re able to arrive on a Saturday, the reception is a great way to start off a vacation at Park Hyatt Maldives. You can read more about the manager’s reception from our first visit here.

Traditional Maldivian Fishing

We went on a fishing excursion on a Dhoni, a Maldivian boat, and tried our luck at their traditional way of fishing. Neither of us had any luck, but another passenger caught a fish. The 2 hour excursion ($100 per person) embarks at 6:30pm, so is a nice way to see sunset from the water. The crew showed us how to lower the hand line, hook, sinker and bait and wait for a tug. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of fishing so found it kind of dull waiting for the fish to bite, although I think if I had caught something it would have been much more exciting. Bertaut really enjoyed the excursion and was excited about being able to fly his drone while the boat was anchored. The best part of the fishing trip is that if you catch a fish, the chef back on the island will cook it for you anyway you like.

Movies under the stars

On our first visit, we enjoyed a romantic movie night under the stars on the rooftop theater. The movie nights happen once per week on Tuesdays and cost $50 per guest, which includes popcorn, food and a cocktail. There was a limited selection of movies to choose from, and whoever signs up first gets to select the film. You can read more about our movie night experience here.

Spa Treatment

We have indulged in a couples massage both times we’ve visited the Park Hyatt Maldives and highly recommend this activity. During our first visit, we had the Valentine’s spa treatment which included a chocolate body wrap, massage, and bath in a private outdoor treatment villa. It was quite an experience! On our second visit, we had their signature treatment, a Sehathu Massage, which balances out the dry, hot, and wet aspects of the body and uses oils of rose, lotus and jasmine. We were so blissfully relaxed aftewards. Read more about our valentine’s spa treatment here.

Yoga

Park Hyatt Hadahaa offers complimentary yoga classes several times per week. The classes are either on the arrival jetty pavilion with views of the beach, or in the yoga studio depending on the weather. Classes include sunset yoga on Monday and Thursday nights at 6:00pm and sunrise yoga on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at 7am. I dragged myself out of bed early one morning for a sunrise yoga class. It was a refreshing way to start the day. As an added bonus, I spotted several reef sharks catching their breakfast thanks to waking up early.

Maldivian Family Feast

We enjoyed one of their unique dining events on our most recent visit- the Maldivian Family Feast. We enjoyed traditional Maldivian foods at a shared table, with only one other couple, but it can be up to 12 people dining together family style. The host is a local staff member who teaches you about Maldivian hospitality, food preparation, family life, the unique foods, how to combine the flavors, and even about Maldivian history. We enjoyed salads, curries, fresh fish, soup, condiments, and desserts. The meal takes place on the beach outside The Island Grill and lasts about 2.5 hours. It costs $100 per couple and was more food than we could eat. It was an interesting experience and gave us the chance to learn about local culture and cuisine and get to know another couple.

Scuba Diving

The Park Hyatt Maldives is a great place to go scuba diving, but this is not something we’ve experienced yet since we are not scuba certified. We chatted with several other guests who did go scuba diving and loved it so much that they went twice every single day of their visit. Divers can swim with whale sharks, rays, sea turtles and a huge array of beautiful fish deep in the reefs. One guest we chatted with was kind enough to share some of his footage with us from his incredible dives with Blue Journeys dive center. We need to get certified so we can go next time! The dive center offers scuba certification, so even beginners can go and become a diver after completing the course.

Games in the Dhoni

If you like games, make sure to check out the Dhoni. Guests can play games while relaxing in the shade and snuggling up on the comfy couches. We loved the laid back and relaxing atmosphere of the Dhoni, and often found guests reading books there for hours on end. If there happens to be rain or you just need a break from the sun, the Dhoni is a great place to chill with a game of Jenga or dominoes.

Sundowners on the beach

As Hyatt Globalists, we each received a complimentary sundowner cocktail and canapés every evening. The evening ritual was something we looked forward to every day, a chance to watch the sunset from a beach cabana while sipping a fruity cocktail or glass of wine. We also made several friends over sundowners and had fun sharing travel hacking tips wtih other guests who were also using their Hyatt award nights for free stays. We are still in touch with several of the friends we made over evening cocktails in the bar. If drinks aren’t your thing, there’s a bar menu of light food and even hookah, to give you the chance to socialize with other guests.

Back of the House Tour

The resort offers a complimentary “back of the house” tour twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2pm from the front desk. The tour takes guests into the private areas of the resort where the staff live and where all the support services take place. Photos were not allowed during the tour so we can’t show you what it looks like unfortunately. We saw the staff living and dining quarters, laundry facility, water bottling plant, engine room, sewage treatment plant, and more. We learned how the hotel operates in the middle of the ocean and left with a new respect for their processes. The hotel is eco-friendly with best environmental practices in place, such as using only reusable glass bottles for water and bath products. If you’re curious about how the hotel operates on its own tiny island, then this tour should be on your agenda.

Private Beach Dinner

We splurged on the Valentine’s Day private dinner on the beach  during our first visit and were treated to one during our return visit. It is romantic and relaxing to dine under the stars as the waves lap against the shore. We were indeed so relaxed that we fell asleep at the table, hahaha! We blame jet lag since we didn’t have our AYO light therapy glasses to help us beat jet lag yet on our first visit to the Maldives. Nonetheless, it is a unique experience that the ladies will love (hint hint guys). If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or even honeymooning, make sure to include a private beach dinner among your activities at the Park Hyatt Maldives.

Which Park Hyatt Maldives activities will you try?

If you’ve enjoyed enough time lying on the beach and sipping cocktails by the pool, there are so many other fun things to do at the Park Hyatt Maldives. From kayaking to yoga, there are several ways to get exercise and energize your mind. If romance is on the agenda, we recommend a couples massage and private beach dinner. Whatever you do, don’t skip the snorkeling, since that is a quintessential experience in the Maldives. If you’ve been to the Park Hyatt Maldives, what are your favorite activities?

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