Kayak, SUP & Sailing

Usually free, walk-up access

Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are typically complimentary and available on a walk-up basis, signed out from the watersports centre during opening hours — no lesson or guide required.

Sailing craft need a quick check first

Windsurfing boards and small catamarans usually start with a short safety or skills check from an instructor before you're sent out solo, unlike kayaks and SUPs.

What's complimentary varies by resort

Angsana Velavaru includes SUP and kayaking free but adds a sail-check and set-up fee for windsurfing and catamaran sailing; ananea Madivaru ties an hour a day to its paid meal plans; Kuda Villingili folds the whole fleet into its Ultra All-Inclusive tier rather than every rate.

Fleet size differs a lot by island

Cheval Blanc Randheli and Velassaru run some of the broadest non-motorised fleets — pedal boats, e-foils, a glass-bottom kayak — while smaller resorts may just cover the basics.

Is kayaking and paddleboarding free at Maldives resorts?

At most resorts, yes — kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are complimentary for the length of your stay, taken out yourself during the watersports centre's opening hours. The exceptions tend to be motorised extras or sailing craft: Angsana Velavaru, for instance, includes SUP and kayaking free but adds a sail-check and set-up fee for windsurfing and catamaran sailing, and a handful of resorts tie the whole non-motorised fleet to a specific meal-plan tier rather than offering it on every rate. IMJ confirms what's included before you book.

Do I need a guide or lesson to go kayaking or paddleboarding?

No, not for a kayak or paddleboard — you sign the gear out and paddle the lagoon on your own within the watersports centre's hours, the same as at Kagi Maldives Resort and Spa, where beginner lessons are offered but not required. Sailing craft are different: windsurfing boards and small catamarans usually start with a short safety or skills check from an instructor before you're sent out solo.

Which Maldives resorts have the widest range of kayaking, SUP and sailing options?

Cheval Blanc Randheli's watersports centre runs one of the broadest non-motorised fleets — pedal boats, kayaks, paddleboards, e-foil boards and windsurfing rigs — alongside its motorised toys. Velassaru's GLIDE Water Sports Centre adds a Molokini glass-bottom kayak to its regular kayak and SUP line-up, and Soneva Secret pairs kayaking, paddleboarding and windsurfing with its own private yacht for longer outings.

How do I book kayaking, paddleboarding or sailing for my trip?

There's usually nothing to pre-book — kayaks and paddleboards are available on a walk-up basis through the resort's watersports centre once you've checked in. If you want a specific sailing session, an e-foil lesson, or want to confirm what's complimentary on your meal plan before you travel, tell IMJ during your consultation and we'll check it against the resort directly.