It is one of the questions I get asked most: Maldives or Mauritius for a family? Both are stunning, both are long-haul, and both will give you a holiday you remember. But they suit quite different families, and the honest answer depends entirely on yours. Here is how I help clients choose.

 

The quick verdict

If you want to switch off completely and do gloriously little, barefoot luxury, water the colour of a postcard, lean Maldives. If you want more to do, easier logistics with younger children, and better value for what you get, lean Mauritius. That is the headline. Now the detail.

 

The Maldives: best for switching off

The Maldives is the pure escape. One island, one resort, nothing to do but swim, snorkel and slow right down. It is magic for a milestone trip, or for families with slightly older children who will make the most of the water.

 

The catch: it is the priciest of the two, getting to your island often means a seaplane (another cost, and a logistical faff with little ones), and because you are on one small island, there is nowhere else to go if anyone gets restless. The clever move is a resort reachable by speedboat rather than seaplane, with shallow lagoons the little ones can actually paddle in.

 

Mauritius: best for doing more

Mauritius is a proper island, not a single resort, which is exactly its strength with younger kids. Beautiful beaches, yes, but also culture, day trips, markets and a world beyond the resort gates, so nobody is climbing the walls by day four. It is often noticeably better value than the Maldives for the same level of luxury.

 

The catch: the sea can be busier and the resorts larger, and December to March is cyclone season, so the odd blustery day can interrupt water sports. Pick a sheltered, shallow lagoon and you have a near-perfect younger-family beach.

 

Cost

Broadly, Mauritius gives you more for your money, especially once you add the Maldives seaplane and the premium island rates. The Maldives can absolutely be done sensibly, with the right island and the right dates, but pound for pound, Mauritius tends to stretch further for a family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting there

Both are a long flight from the UK. The difference is the final leg: Mauritius is a straightforward transfer from the airport to the resort, while the Maldives often adds a seaplane or domestic flight plus a speedboat. With young children, that last leg matters more than people expect, so it is worth factoring in.

 

 

When to go

For both, aim for the drier, calmer months, and avoid the peak of cyclone season for Mauritius. Book well ahead, the best family rooms at the good resorts go six months or more in advance.

 

So, which one?

Younger kids, want more to do, value-conscious: Mauritius. Older kids or a milestone switch-off, and the Maldives dream is the whole point: Maldives. Still torn? That is genuinely my favourite kind of question to help with, because the right answer is always about your family, not the brochure.

 

Want my honest shortlist of family resorts worldwide, including my Maldives and Mauritius picks and exactly who each suits? Comment SHORTLIST on any of my Instagram posts, or get in touch and I'll match one to your family.

 

 Get in touch at www.letsgo-travel.co.uk

 

*Jenny Willcock is a luxury family travel specialist and founder of Lets Go Travel. She travels regularly with her three children and books family holidays across Europe, the Middle East and beyond.