Planning a babymoon in the Maldives while pregnant? You’re in the right place! I travelled to the Maldives at 16 weeks pregnant for a wonderful second trimester babymoon, and I’m sharing everything you need to know: from Zika virus risks and travel insurance to the best pregnancy-safe activities, what to pack, and my honest Cora Cora Maldives resort review. 

Why We Chose the Maldives For Our Babymoon (we actually didn’t!)

When I turned 30, my boyfriend, Charlie, surprised me with a dreamy trip to the Maldives. I know – peak boyfriend points! What we didn’t know at the time? I’d be 16 weeks pregnant by the time we went!

When I say Charlie surprised me, I may have left out a tiny detail… I had already done some very thorough research beforehand. I’d scrolled, bookmarked, and compared Maldives islands until I found the one. Then he booked it at a later date as a surprise!

I was pretty specific with what I wanted: not too far in a seaplane from Malé (because who wants to spend another half a holiday in transit?), a sunset-facing water villa with its own pool, incredible food from a variety of a la carte restaurants, and a house reef worth grabbing a snorkel for every single day. Reading that back, maybe I sound a little high maintenance… but when it comes to the Maldives, can you really blame me?

Pregnant, Paranoid, and Maldives-Bound

I’m not going to lie – I definitely questioned whether flying all that way while pregnant was the best idea. I was caught somewhere between excitement and hormonal overthinking. Add a sprinkle of paranoia, a suitcase packed with floaty dresses, SPF 50, and an oversized sunhat and that was me, ready to go.

By the time I floated on a peach in the Indian Ocean, with my tiny avocado-sized human growing inside me, all that anxiety kind of melted away.

Cora Cora Maldives Review: Water Villa Experience

First Impressions

This wasn’t our first Maldives rodeo, so my expectations were high. The second we stepped off that seaplane, I knew we’d nailed it. Heaven on earth doesn’t even cover it. Turquoise water, barefoot welcome, zero faff – just that instant ahhhh feeling of being exactly where you’re meant to be.

• Transfer time: 25 minutes by seaplane from Malé Airport
• Island size: You can walk around it in 20 minutes
• Villas: 100+ (mix of beach and water villas)
• Restaurants: 5 à la carte options plus buffet

The Villa

We stayed in a sunset-facing water villa with our very own private pool. I’m not exaggerating when I say I squealed when we walked in. The view, the layout, the vibe – it was everything I’d pictured! I think I took about 100 photos before I even unpacked.

There’s just something about rolling straight out of bed, onto your deck, and into the pool with the Indian Ocean glittering in front of you. And don’t get me started on the sunsets – pure magic.

Cost: Our all-inclusive lagoon private pool villa was approximately £1000 per night – depending on season (we went in November during shoulder season).

Note for parents: Cora Cora is brilliantly child-friendly, but if you’ve got a mobile toddler, skip the water villa and go for a beach villa. Those infinity edges and deck drops are beautiful but nerve-wracking with little adventurers!

The Food & Drink

One of the things that blew me away was the food. Cora Cora Maldives has a gorgeous mix of à la carte restaurants – fresh seafood, incredible curry, international dishes that never got boring. They’d throw in the occasional buffet to mix things up, and it was all included in our package. No thinking about bills.

But here’s what really deserves applause: the non-alcoholic drink menu. As a pregnant woman who couldn’t exactly join in the wine-with-dinner vibe, this was everything. Mocktails, alcohol-free wines, creative spirits – they made me feel like I wasn’t missing out on anything. I had a new favourite drink every single day.

Plus, their coffee shop? Unreal. I can’t function without my morning oat milk latte, and Cora Cora delivered.

Pregnancy-Safe Activities in the Maldives

The house reef at Cora Cora was an absolute dream – vibrant, colourful, and super easy to access (just remember your water shoes!). I was in the water with my snorkel every day – like swimming straight into finding nemo!

We also tried lots of excursions: a dolphin trip (incredible!), a sandbank visit (sadly rained off boo!), and swimming with manta rays and turtles, which were my favourite days ever. We skipped scuba diving this time around (pregnancy and oxygen tanks aren’t exactly a great mix) and instead I opted for the mama-to-be massages at the spa.

The resort also offered extras like art classes and coffee art workshops – though I didn’t join this time. Between the bump, the beach, and my stack of books, I had more than enough to keep me happy. 

Tip: Book your excursions at the beginning of your trip, the weather changes fast in the Maldives so it’s good to be able to rebook if it gets rained off.

Here’s What I Learned Travelling Pregnant To The Maldives:

Best Time to Travel While Pregnant: Second Trimester

If you’re planning to travel anywhere during pregnancy – I’d definitely say aim for the second trimester. The first trimester was all nausea and naps – and the third? I would not be keen to attempt long-haul while I was doubling in size daily! Though I did travel in all three trimesters without any problems, but I left the long haul to the second!

Maldives at 16 weeks pregnant was absolute perfection – barefoot mornings, zero pressure to sightsee, and plenty of time to float, nap, and eat – plus I had energy again. My belly was popping but not too big (that kind of bloated, kind of pregnant stage you know!) I could still sleep, eat, and mostly enjoy things like a normal human.

Would I Fly 12+ Hours in Economy Pregnant?

The thought of being sat in an upright seat for 12+ hours, needing to wee every half hour and constantly shifting to stay comfy? No, thank you.

Thankfully, Charlie booked business class (again – top bf points). The flatbed, legroom, and steady stream of food and mocktails were much appreciated. Pregnant or not, it’s a luxury but while pregnant, it is an essential – ha!

Tip: If you can, use air miles or points to upgrade. The American Express gold card is our go-to for stocking up on emirates points.

Tip: Wear compression socks on the plane to help prevent swelling and blood clots during pregnancy.

Is the Maldives Safe for Pregnancy? Zika Virus Explained

When I first Googled “Maldives + pregnancy”, I nearly fell off my chair. The whole area was red-listed for Zika virus, and I went straight into panic mode. Obviously the last thing I wanted was to risk my health or my baby’s health for a holiday.

Now I have to admit I am a worrier, I’m sure countless mum-to-be’s fly to the Maldives every week without even hearing the word Zika – but this is why I think it important to talk about it! You should always check the current travel advice before travelling anywhere, and speak to your midwife or GP for their thoughts too.

After some research, I found that the risk on remote private islands in the Maldives was pretty low. These have been no reported cases in recent years, however the presence of the Aedes mosquitoes, which can transmit Zika, means the risk persists. The last reported case of Zika in the Maldives was in 2016, when a Finnish traveller contracted the virus after visiting the country. This case was detected upon their return to Finland. It’s of course up to you whether you feel comfortable going ahead, I have to admit it did play on my mind a bit, but I didn’t get bitten much at all on the trip so I felt a lot more relaxed afterwards knowing this.

Tip: Check with your hotel beforehand to ask if they spray the resort to keep mosquitoes at bay. Cora Cora do!

Tip: Odomos is an awesome natural mosquito repellant to use when you’re pregnant or on children too.

Tip: If you have travelled somewhere where Zika is present and gone on to develop symptoms within 2 weeks – such as a fever, rash, conjunctivitis, joint or muscle pain, headache or back pain – then you should definitely seek medical advice and get tested as soon as possible, ideally while symptoms are present.

Hydration Matters

I’ve never been great at drinking water. Unless it comes in the form of a piña colada, it tends to get minimal attention from me. But the Maldives was on a mission to change that!!!

I lived in the shade, slapped on SPF 50, and became deeply orange juice obsessed. But still – it was November, and it was hot. Like, sweating-before-breakfast hot. Unsurprisingly, dehydration hit me like a bus. My head throbbed for days, and finally, I surrendered and made my way to the barefoot island doctor.

The doctor warned if the headache didn’t ease in a day, I’d need a boat ride off our island to the Male hospital. Cue panic!

Luckily, I was fine – fluids in, baby happy – but it shook me. From that point on, I didn’t go anywhere without a litre of water!

Tip: Eat regularly, hydrate constantly, and never underestimate the power of orange juice. Dehydration in pregnancy is another level!

Check Your Travel Insurance

Travel insurance might not be the most exciting part of trip planning, but it is an essential, even more so if you’re travelling while pregnant or with little ones.

Before we set off to the Maldives, I checked our policy thoroughly. Some insurance providers limit coverage after 24 or 28 weeks of pregnancy, so it’s crucial to know exactly what’s included before you go.

Even though everything went smoothly, having that prep done made a huge difference. I felt confident and relaxed, knowing that if anything unexpected happened, we were covered.

Tip: Digital copies of your policy are great, but airports, remote islands, and dodgy Wi-Fi can turn them into useless files in a heartbeat! Take a print version too!

Final Thoughts: Your Perfect Babymoon Awaits

Being pregnant definitely added its own layer of excitement and overthinking to this holiday, but honestly, I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Cora Cora Maldives is one of those idyllic places where everything just works: incredible rooms, food that never disappoints, a reef that makes you gasp, and staff who genuinely care. Whether it’s your first visit or your fifth, it’s the kind of spot that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a dream.

If you’re planning a Maldives babymoon (or just a trip!), pack your sunhat, SPF, GoPro, a stack of books, water shoes and maybe an inflatable peach or two. Paradise is calling, and trust me, you won’t want to miss it!

Discover Cora Cora Maldives here.

Safe travels ✨