A successful vacation in the Maldives, which is nearly halfway around the world, starts with preparation. Here are tips from Andrew Harper editors on when to go, how to get there and what to pack. 

Getting There

Since the U.S. lacks nonstop flights to the Maldives, a connection will be necessary to reach Malé, the island nation’s capital and the transit point for the country’s resorts.

Traveling from the East Coast, Midwest and most of the South, your best bet is to fly with either Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, Emirates via Dubai, Etihad Airlines via Abu Dhabi or Qatar Airways via Doha. These airlines have outstanding business-class service, and their home airports are modern and comfortable, with excellent business-class lounges. All four cities are well worth a night or two (or a solid week, in the case of Istanbul), should you decide to break up the trip.