The Noise-Free Nations Index assessed seven factors, including population density, tourist numbers, rural land, protected areas, motor vehicles, airports and railway networks, to determine which countries offer travelers the greatest escape from the noise of modern life.
The Maldives, ranked second among the world’s best islands, after Thailand’s Koh Samui in the 2026 Travel+Leisure awards, has a low quiet score of just 8.48 out of 100.
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Tourists on the beach of Maafushi Island, Maldives in October 2024. Photo by AFP |
The area is a well known place for honeymoons and romantic escapes. However, away from the individual islands, tourists might be surprised how loud it can be with the center of Male brimming with cars, two-wheelers, thousands of locals and millions of tourists trying to reach the surrounding islands, the report said.
With 116 square miles, the Maldives has 17,800 tourists per square mile, according to the Telegraph Travel analysis of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNTWO)’s global tourism statistics.
Tourism remains the Maldives’s largest source of foreign exchange, with 2 million visitors recorded last year.
The islands received 1.23 million tourists during the first seven months of 2026, down 5.2% year-on-year, amid flight changes and rising travel costs.
Other countries on the list of the world’s noisiest countries include Barbados, Qatar and Lebanon.
Bhutan was named the world’s quietest country.