Maldives · Asia
The Maldives is 1,192 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean like someone tossed a handful of emeralds onto blue silk. Most of them are uninhabited. The ones with resorts feel like their own private countries — each island is small enough to walk around in 20 minutes, surrounded by house reefs teeming with turtles, reef sharks, and manta rays. The sand is white enough to hurt your eyes, the water is bathwater-warm, and the diving is among the best on the planet.
The Maldives has no nude beaches, and official UK advice says nudism and topless sunbathing are not allowed anywhere, including on resort islands. What you can wear where, and the alternatives.
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The Maldives atoll by atoll: whale sharks in South Ari, manta ray feeding in Baa's UNESCO biosphere, $50/night guesthouses on local islands, and the seaplane logistics that determine where you end up sleeping.
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The Maldives doesn't require a $1,000-per-night resort. Local island guesthouses on Maafushi, Thulusdhoo, and Dhigurah start at $40/night with the same turquoise water.
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Which overwater bungalows really cost under $500 a night (two lodges in Panama), what mid-range Maldives water villas cost once transfers and taxes are added, and why Sandals, Mexico's palafitos and Fiji's Likuliku usually run over $1,000.
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A price-ranked guide to the world's best overwater bungalow resorts, from $350/night in Malaysia to $3,000+ in the Maldives and Bora Bora.
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Vietnam has no nude beaches and no naturist resorts. What that means on Vietnamese beaches, where bikinis are fine and where to cover up, and the nearest legal alternatives.
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