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The first thing that strikes you when you land in the Maldives isn’t the incredibly blue water or the blindingly white sand – it’s the seaplanes. This Indian Ocean nation is home to the world’s largest seaplane operation, carrying out more than 1 million transfers a year, and an entire terminal at Male’s Velana International Airport is dedicated to these distinctive aircraft.
It’s a reminder that the Maldives didn’t become one of the world’s best-known tropical retreats by accident. Yes, the country is blessed to have more than 1200 idyllic islands, but in the 50 years since tourism took off here, it has worked hard to become an in-demand destination, targeting not just honeymooners but holidaymakers of all kinds.
Whatever your idea of the perfect island escape, the Maldives has you covered. There are resorts that are aimed at families, such as Constance Moofushi and Lux South Ari Atoll. There are resorts pitched at wellness lovers, including Joali Being and Six Senses Laamu.
There are resorts that are great for surfing, or for swimming with wild manta rays, or for dining in an underwater restaurant. And speaking of food: whether you love Indian food, or French, or Thai, or Japanese, the Maldives’ best resorts offer a planet’s worth of flavours.
As you might expect in a country so vulnerable to climate change – most of its islands sit about a metre above sea level – the Maldives has embraced sustainability. Single-use plastics were banned in 2022, coral conservation is a key activity at many resorts, and there are plans to achieve carbon neutrality in five years’ time. Kudadoo Maldives Private Island is leading the way as the nation’s first fully solar-powered island.
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Perhaps the only thing that has been stopping Australians from falling hard for the Maldives has been the challenge of getting there. Until now, flying to the Maldives from Australia has meant a layover in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Dubai or Doha.
That is changing thanks to Luxury Escapes, which this year began offering direct Melbourne-to-Male flights with the national carrier, Maldivian, as part of its holiday packages. Slashing travel time to less than 12 hours will persuade plenty of people to give this tropical getaway a go. To get you in the mood, here is our guide to some of the Maldives’ most memorable resorts.
THE ALL-ROUNDER
Anantara Dhigu
By Jane Reddy
Arrival into Male Airport might normally entail yet another flight to finally get to your island paradise. Not at Dhigu, the naturally occurring island in the South Male Atoll that’s just a 35-minute speedboat ride, dock to dock.
Check in after dark and you’ll wake to an island reveal that’s just as smile-inducing as the traditional Maldivian drumbeats for guests who step onto the jetty in sunlight hours.
At just 480 metres by 120 metres, Dhigu’s diminutive size belies its ability to cater for all; families come first but spontaneous adult play – a barefoot bike ride around the island or sand petanque on the way to sundowners – matters too. There are seven restaurants and a large beachfront infinity pool; daily activities for littlies include tie-dye and cooking classes, while for grown-ups there is sunset yoga and singing bowls, no bookings required.
A snorkelling excursion at the edge of the lagoon to swim among baby blacktip reef sharks will invigorate the most surly teen. Or try a “Mummy and me” session at the overwater day spa for a face-down massage staring at aquatic life through the glass floor – that might do the trick.
There are overwater villas, but the private and spacious two-bedroom pool villas with beach access and many daybeds are the ideal family home.
Rooms from $992 a night, including breakfast; two-bedroom family beach pool villa from $3086 a night.
See anantara.com
THE ADULT ESCAPE
Anantara Veli
By Chris Chamberlin
Returning home after having a villa host (butler) is incredibly tough. I’ve become so carefree that I’m forgetting basic things: like my umbrella, on another island. No fear, my helper is here … and so is the resort’s scuba team when an underwater camera slips out of my hand while snorkelling.
I’m normally one to keep the “do not disturb” sign on permanent display, but at Veli, the elite housekeeping becomes a form of entertainment. Which towel animal will they construct today? What message will they leave in leaves – or on a leaf? Every departure from my room has a surprise awaiting my return.
With children comfortably accommodated at Dhigu, Veli tailors towards adults and couples. In an abbreviated cooking class, I learn how to perfectly shape crab cakes, like the ones I’ve found irresistible all week. Then a surfing lesson at Tropicsurf has me standing on a board for the first time: a feat I couldn’t even achieve on the Gold Coast.
A boat of sushi at Origami restaurant doesn’t disappoint, and nor does the Balance Wellness spa with separate hot and cold plunge pools for a refreshing post-massage dip. An excursion to swim with nurse sharks might frighten some, but it’s an experience that will live with me forever. I’d come back to the Maldives just for this.
Rooms from $934 a night, including tax and breakfast; overwater pool villa from $1156 a night. See anantara.com
A DEEP DIVE
Avani+ Fares
By Jane Reddy
Set on the western edge of the Maldives, next stop Africa, there’s easy access to the wonders of the aquatic world at Avani+ Fares in the Baa Atoll.
Join the all-Maldivian boat crew for sunset dolphin spotting, snorkel off the beach along the 220-metre healthy house reef, or dive at one of the multitude of sites – all, at most, 25 minutes away by boat.
Alongside the usual Western fare at Skipjack, with its exposed dhoni-shaped ceiling, flavours of this centuries-old trading route, from Sri Lankan hoppers to local snapper, feature across the island’s three main restaurants. The island was once a coconut plantation.
While the Avani brand may attract a younger crowd at its other global properties, the 176 rooms at Fares – whether an overwater bungalow or a beach villa with interconnecting rooms (one fully accessible) – cater to all.
Smugglers Shack is home to the largest rum collection in the Maldives. Private dinners on the sand in front of Smugglers are a resort specialty, as are sundowners by the main pool, accompanied by tunes from a rotation of international DJs.
Premium ocean view rooms from $455 a night, including breakfast. See avanihotels.com
FUN AND GAMES
Centara Grand Lagoon
By Chris Chamberlin
As one of the Maldives’ newest resorts, Centara Grand Lagoon embraces modern style – and contemporary fun. From the car-shaped “Rolls-Royce” boat available for hire to the curvy private pools in the overwater villas, a week can pass in no time.
The design affords ocean views from the bath and shower – without any other villas in your vista. Splurge on an elite three-bedroom suite and a waterslide complements the traditional ocean staircase for the young and young at heart.
A snorkelling excursion is a must to explore the nearby reef: and when that’s done, to execute a running jump from the boat’s top deck into deeper water. Skip the dolphin sunset cruise in the rainy season – an afternoon shower can dampen those animal-watching ambitions.
Blue Fin restaurant lives up to its name, serving crab cakes, reef fish, and orange-glazed Hokkaido scallops topped with caviar, all artfully plated. The “Kaashi and Kofi” espresso martini adaptation adds coconut fat-washed rum into the mix.
For holiday vibes without the hangover, try the “Blue Paradise” mocktail – a blend of non-alcoholic rum and curacao with ginger ale and passionfruit. Frequent Centara guests (CentaraThe1 Platinum Elite members) qualify for free access to The Club: an overwater retreat where all snacks and beverages are gratis, with a view to boot.
From $1118 a night, including tax and breakfast; overwater pool villa from $1454 a night. See centarahotelsresorts.com
SURF’S UP
Four Seasons Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giravaru
By Lee Tulloch
There are two Four Seasons resorts in the Maldives and each has a slightly different take on tropical paradise. The Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa is only a 30-minute speedboat ride from Male airport, with a rustic, small village feel.
The resort is especially popular with well-heeled surfers, as it’s only a 10-minute boat ride from the famous surf break, Sultans, and it hosts the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy each August.
What sets Kuda Huraa apart is its leadership in conservation. It was the first resort in the Maldives to employ a full-time marine biologist. The Marine Discovery Centre is the first stop to learn about the ocean and projects such as turtle rescue and coral regeneration. Kids can shadow scientists for a morning as part of the Junior Marine Saviours program.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives Landaa Giravaru is in the distant Baa Atoll, a long, narrow island with several perfect white sand beaches. Hanifaru Bay just off the resort is famously the world’s best place to see manta rays and the resort has a “manta phone” that rallies guests when mantas have been spotted. But don’t visit just for the diving. Landaa Giravaru has an exceptional wellness program, AyurMa, led by four highly qualified Ayurvedic doctors who work in association with S-Vayasa university in Bangalore. Guests get complimentary assessments – programs can be as short as three days, or more than a month.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, Sunrise Water Villa with Pool from $1480 a night, including breakfast. Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru Sunrise Water Villa with Pool from $2468 a night, including breakfast. See fourseasons.com
DESIGNER DIGS
Joali Maldives
By Ute Junker
If there were a competition for the most stylish resort in the country, Joali Maldives would be a hot contender. For starters, the scale of their villas is extraordinary. The entry-level lodgings sprawl across 240 square metres, with cathedral ceilings soaring so high that the internal sliding doors seem positively castle-sized.
The villas are packed with clever design details courtesy of acclaimed Istanbul design studio Autoban – I particularly love the emerald-green, bamboo-inspired tiles in the outdoor shower – and that eye for detail continues throughout the resort. Lounge by the pool at Mura Bar and you will see how it narrows to a point, exactly in line with the sand spit beyond.
You might think a property that looks this good is pitched purely at adults, but Joali Maldives provides a haven both for families and for adults travelling without children. There is a terrific kids’ club, art and craft classes for both adults and children, and some eye-catching art installations. The woven pavilion shaped like a manta ray, where you can enjoy a memorable private breakfast or dinner, delights visitors of all ages.
From $3058 a night for a water villa with pool, including breakfast. See joali.com/joali-maldives
WELLNESS CENTRAL
Joali Being
By Ute Junker
If you are after a massage, plenty of Maldivian resorts can oblige. If you are looking for a full-scale wellness retreat, however, head to Joali Being. The sister property to the nearby Joali Maldives has some of the most sophisticated spa facilities in the country, including the Maldives’ first cryo chamber, but wellness here is less about technology and more of a way of being.
You can see it in the island’s lush vegetation – no trees were removed during construction – and in the biophilic architecture. It shines through in the fabulous nutrition-packed food, served from three pretty pastel open kitchens (including dedicated kitchens for seafood and plant-based food) and in the serene smiles of the staff, who seem to have a sixth sense about which guests enjoy a lot of pampering, and which prefer a bit of space in which to unwind.
Most of all, it is evident in the treatments. Instead of one main spa building, a range of centres is scattered around the island. Head to the ocean sala for an anti-gravity yoga session, or to the hydrotherapy centre where you can sweat it out in the Russian banya, the Aufguss sauna, the Turkish hammam or the salt room constructed of pink Himalayan salt bricks. Add in other goodies such as a boxing studio, Pilates reformer racks, a sound therapy room, and of course 39 treatment rooms, and you have everything you need for a top-to-toe reset.
From $2756 a night twin share for an ocean pool villa, including breakfast. See joali.com
ENTER THE SANCTUARY
Naladhu Private Island Maldives
By Trudi Jenkins
With just 20 villas, Naladhu feels less like a resort and more like an exclusive, private retreat that happens to be perched in the middle of the Indian Ocean. While there are other island resorts just across the water (by bridge or boat) if you want a choice of restaurants, a spa treatment or a surf school, the tranquillity of our 300-square-metre ocean house with pool and outdoor shower was hard to leave, especially with butler Sulvaan on hand to organise a hibiscus-strewn bath, or wellness expert Krutika guiding us through a sound-bath meditation on the outdoor deck.
Hours passed in a restorative blur as we laze on the swing daybed, snacking on fruit (oh OK, and maybe the occasional glass of champagne) and spotting herons and crabs on the rocks below. The Living Room, Naladhu’s one restaurant, exemplifies quality over quantity, with Maldivian fish curries, Turkish mezze and cheeseburgers all perfectly executed. The quiet surrounds are deeply restful, but more active types can leave their beachfront cabana to paddleboard, kayak to nearby Picnic Island for some snorkelling, or organise a fishing or sailing trip. It’s no surprise to hear the return rate here is 40 per cent, and the greeting from staff on arrival is “Welcome home”.
From $1063 a night for an Ocean House with pool and private cabana, breakfast and butler service. See naladhu.com
TO DINE FOR
Niyama Private Islands
By Trudi Jenkins
Spread across two connected islands, “Chill” and “Play”, Niyama is so much more than the fly-and-flop experience I expected from a Maldives resort. Not only is there a surf break just off Play island (no need for a boat transfer if you want to ride decent waves), there are also tennis and badminton courts, swimming pools, a jungle gym and – my favourite – your own bicycle to make your way along two kilometres of gently meandering paths under a canopy of coconut palms and banana leaf trees.
Of course the beaches are pristine, that Indian Ocean water the most inviting you’ll see and the tranquil spa a must, but Niyama also offers several impressive dining options including Japanese at SubSix underwater restaurant, fine dining at Edge (accessible only by boat), African/South American at Tribal and Asian at the treetop Nest. Although I also loved the simple Maldivian chicken curry on the beach at Dune, and an iced Niyama fresh-brew coffee, flavoured with mandarin, at The Deli.
The usual snorkelling and dolphin spotting is available, but it was hard to leave our 400-square-metre newly refurbished, one-bedroom pavilion with its direct beach access, infinity pool and spa, and numerous lounging options. Chill we did.
Maybe the highlight, however, was a trip to nearby island Kudahuvadhoo with our thakuru (butler) Imthy, to see the local Eid celebrations. It showed the warm Maldivian welcome extended far beyond the resort’s jetty.
Beach villas from $1069 a night including breakfast and private butler service. See niyama.com
SUSTAINABLY SENSUOUS
Six Senses Kanuhura
By Jenny Hewett
The Maldives imports about 90 per cent of its produce, so to dine on greens picked fresh that day is a bit like bumping into a whale shark on your first snorkel. Every afternoon chefs harvest what they need from the on-site hydroponic farm at this pristine island resort, which grows more than 760 plants including 10 varieties of leafy vegetables, herbs and microgreens.
The regenerative agriculture program is quite the feat given the resort’s remote environment. On average, it produces about 70 kilograms of food a month. It’s just one element of the hotel’s extensive sustainability efforts, which also includes a sea turtle conservation program and protection of its seagrass meadows. The Lhaviyani atoll is a known habitat for green sea and hawksbill turtles, and 610 endangered species hatched on the beaches of Kanuhura in 2025.
Knitted into this palm-tufted, sandy landscape are beach villas and overwater bungalows in raw, earthy palettes that can be reached on personalised pushbikes bearing guest initials. As well as a cinema under the stars, private island dining and complimentary kids’ club, the resort is home to a massive orchid garden, circular rooftop infinity pool and one of the Maldives’ largest beaches. Sister property Six Senses Laamu is even more far-flung, and set on one of the Maldives’ best surf breaks, Yin Yangs.
Beach Villas cost from $1876 a night, including breakfast. See sixsenses.com
PARTY PAD
The Standard
By Jenny Hewett
Paradise uniformity is thrown off the deck at this bold resort in the Raa Atoll. Overwater bungalows are neither grey nor white, but instead scattered like pastel licorice allsorts across a neon-aqua lagoon.
A disco ball hangs above the villa’s oversized bathtub. In the adults-only Beru Bar, a glass-bottom dance floor might encourage guests to moonwalk on water. Aimed at a younger, more social crowd, this rainbow explosion of a resort from the edgy US brand has a strong focus on music-led programming, dining pop-ups and cultural experiences, with various meal and drinks plans available, including bed and breakfast, half-board, full-board or premium all-inclusive packages.
With reliable Wi-Fi available across the island’s villas and venues, the hotel is seeing a demand from remote workers for extended stays that balance Zoom meetings and the resort’s weekly pool parties. Between emails, snorkel in the house reef or pop into the communal hammam or daily yoga at The Standard Spa.
Among the resort’s seven bars and restaurants is all-day dining spot Kula, which offers live-cooking stations, and authentic waterfront Maldivian restaurant Gudaguda, which serves up local seafood dishes, tuna sambal and passionfruit curry in a dimly lit overwater setting with traditional floor seating.
Lagoon Overwater Pool Villas cost from $536 a night including breakfast. See standardhotels.com
Luxury Escapes has special offers (including flights, transfers, meals and activities) or dynamic deals for the above resorts (except Joali and Joali Being); see luxuryescapes.com
UP NEXT: NEW OPENINGS
MANDARIN ORIENTAL BOLIDHUFFARU REEF RESORT
Six separate restaurants will give guests at the Mandarin Oriental Bolidhuffaru Reef Resort, set across three separate islands, plenty of variety. Opening 2026. See mandarinoriental.com
MONDRIAN MALDIVES
Expect art installations, top-notch cocktails and stylish villas, each with its own pool, when Mondrian Maldives opens its doors in the Noonu Atoll. Opening 2026. See mondrianhotels.com
VAAGALI MALDIVES
Vaagali Maldives will be in-demand with fitness fans, thanks to a dedicated sports complex and a 3000-square metre spa. Each villa also has its own yoga pavilion. Opening 2026. See ihg.com
NAMMOS RESORT MALDIVES
Don’t be surprised if many of the styled-up crowd that flocks to Mykonos’ Nammos hotel and beach club makes tracks to the Nammos Resort Maldives. Opening 2026. See nammoshotels.com
CAPELLA MALDIVES
Its urban hotels are famously serene sanctuaries, and Capella Maldives promises to maintain that quiet luxury vibe at its Maldives property, with star architect Kengo Kuma on design duties. Opening 2027. See capellahotels.co
The writers were guests of Luxury Escapes, Maldivian, Minor Hotels, Anantara Veli and Dhigu resorts, Avani+ Fares, Centara Grand Lagoon, Four Seasons Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giravaru, Joali and Joali Being, Naladhu Private Island, Niyama Private Islands, Six Senses Kanuhura and Laamu, and The Standard Maldives.
