Maldives resorts
27 retreats, from a seven-minute crossing to the far atolls.
A considered short list across 11 atolls rather than a marketplace. Filter by the kind of stay, how you’d like to arrive, or the atoll — then hold the ones you like.
The retreats
11 local islands · All 27 retreats
See them on the atlasLocal islands · 11
Inhabited islands, guesthouses and the island journeys we run ourselves.
Thulusdhoo
Kaafu · North Malé
About 30 min by speedboat from the airport
Thoddoo
Alif Alif · North Ari
About 1¼–1½ h by speedboat from Malé
Dhigurah
Alif Dhaalu · South Ari
20-min flight to Maamigili + short boat, or ~2 h by speedboat
Fuvahmulah
Gnaviyani
About 1½ h by domestic flight from Malé
Dhiffushi
Kaafu · North Malé
About 45 min by speedboat from Malé
Maafushi
Kaafu · South Malé
About 30 min by speedboat from Malé
Fulidhoo
Vaavu · Felidhe
About 1¼ h by speedboat from Malé
Thinadhoo
Vaavu
About 1¼–1½ h by speedboat from Malé
Malé
Kaafu · the capital
10 min by ferry or 8 min by car from the airport
Rasdhoo
Alif Alif · North Ari
About 1–1½ h by speedboat from Malé
Muli
Meemu · Mulaku
35-min flight on scheduled days, or ~3 h by speedboat
Signature Retreats · 12
The country’s flagship addresses.
- North Malé
Patina Maldives
A modern island, drawn in clean line and quiet colour.
- 90 villas
- 45 min · speedboat
- Design-led couples
- North Malé
One&Only Reethi Rah
A large island with twelve beaches — for the party that wants space.
- 118 villas
- 45–55 min · boat
- Multi-generational
- South Malé
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi
Three islands held under one register — a luxury retreat drawn over a private archipelago.
- 119 villas
- 30 min · yacht
- Whole-island parties
- Noonu
Soneva Jani
A lagoon, a slide, a sky full of stars.
- 61 villas
- 40 min · seaplane
- Families
- Baa
The Nautilus Maldives
No schedules, no menus, no two days alike — held privately, retreat by retreat.
- 26 villas
- 30 min · seaplane
- Held privacy
- Dhaalu
Niyama Private Islands
Two islands joined by a bridge — Play & Chill — drawn around a younger, livelier register.
- 134 villas
- 45 min · seaplane
- The lively couple
- Lhaviyani
Hurawalhi Island Resort
Adults-only, sustainability-led — and home to the world's largest all-glass undersea restaurant.
- 90 villas
- 40 min · seaplane
- Quiet couples
- Raa
JOALI Maldives
The joy of living, drawn in sand and sea.
- 73 villas
- 40 min · seaplane
- Design-minded couples
- North Malé
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa
The first international luxury retreat in the country — the garden island of the Four Seasons pair.
- 96 villas
- 25 min · speedboat
- The family week
- Baa
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru
The wellness and marine half of the Four Seasons pair — 44 acres in the Baa Biosphere.
- 103 villas
- 30 min · seaplane
- The Ayurvedic week
- Lhaviyani
Six Senses Kanuhura
Three islands held under one retreat — the Six Senses Maldives second act.
- 85 villas
- 40 min · seaplane
- The Six Senses traveller after a softer register
- Laamu
Six Senses Laamu
The remote Six Senses — for many years the only resort in Laamu.
- 97 villas
- 65 min · seaplane
- The wellness-led week
Distinctive Retreats · 6
Smaller, characterful, with a strong point of view.
- North Malé
SO/ Maldives
Island couture — bold strokes on a quiet lagoon.
- 80 villas
- 15 min · speedboat
- Design-curious couples and families after graphic style over driftwood neutral
- Lhaviyani
Cocoon Maldives
A design-led, all-inclusive retreat on a sandbank island in Lhaviyani.
- 150 villas
- ~30 min · seaplane
- The design-led all-inclusive week — couples or family
- Raa
You & Me Maldives
An adults-only retreat held for two — rustic over-water on Raa.
- 109 villas
- 45 min · seaplane
- Couples
- Gaafu Dhaalu
Ayada Maldives
A Turkish retreat in the deep south — hammam, Ottoman line, eight kitchens.
- 112 villas
- 70 min · flight + boat
- Design-led couples
- South Malé
COMO Cocoa Island
All over-water — villas drawn from the line of the Maldivian dhoni.
- 33 villas
- 40 min · speedboat
- The design-led couple
- Thaa
COMO Maalifushi
The only retreat in Thaa — surf, wellness, and the long quiet south.
- 65 villas
- 60 min · seaplane
- The surf-led wellness week
Island Classics · 1
Well-rounded retreats that do the fundamentals well.
- North Malé
Bandos Maldives
The country's second resort, opened December 1972 — origin-story Maldives.
- 215 villas
- 15 min · speedboat
- The short transfer
All-Inclusive Ease · 8
Everything in one price — an easy first trip or a relaxed week.
- Kaafu
dusitD2 Feydhoo
Bright island, all hands open — seven minutes from the runway.
- 127 villas
- 7 min · speedboat
- Families and couples after an active, social all-inclusive
- Gaafu Alifu
Pullman Maldives Maamutaa
A natural lake and a wide lagoon — the rare premium all-inclusive in the deep south.
- 122 villas
- 65 min · flight + boat
- Family stays
- North Malé
OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi
A short crossing from Velana — all-inclusive ease for the open week.
- 268 villas
- 15 min · speedboat
- The shorter, livelier family week
- Lhaviyani
Meyyafushi Maldives
A retreat drawn in pool-water, palm, and pristine reef.
- 95 villas
- 35 min · seaplane
- Families
- North Malé
Joy Island
A butterfly-shaped island held for the easy all-inclusive week.
- 151 villas
- 40 min · speedboat
- The all-inclusive week
- South Malé
Embudu Village
One of the country's first retreats — a divers' island, held quietly.
- 122 villas
- 20 min · speedboat
- The dive-led week
- North Malé
Summer Island Maldives
The eco-led Kaimoo retreat — coral propagation, glass-bottled water, a barefoot register.
- 156 villas
- 45 min · speedboat
- The value-led over-water week
- South Malé
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives
The surf-led IHG retreat — Kandooma Right at the door, the family programme held.
- 160 villas
- 45 min · speedboat
- The surf-led family
Questions
Islands and retreats, in practice.
A local island is an inhabited island — a working harbour, a village, family-run guesthouses — and we operate the journey ourselves: rooms, boats, guides and transfers in one package. A retreat is a resort island of its own; we arrange the stay with the resort. Many journeys combine the two.
Everything between the airport and the goodbye: private transfers, rooms at guesthouses we know by name, the day’s excursions and dives, and tables booked ahead — one conversation and one bill.
On an island journey we run the transfer ourselves, as part of the package. Retreats near Malé are reached by speedboat straight from the airport — from about seven minutes to under an hour; further atolls by seaplane, which flies in daylight, or by a domestic flight and a short boat ride. Each island and retreat page gives its own transfer, and we time it to your flight.
No booking fee on either. On an island journey there is no separate fee at all — our margin sits inside the single package price you accept. On a resort stay we are paid by the retreats, and the terms say so plainly. Either way, the price is set out in your proposal before anything is booked.
The inhabited islands are dry, and the village asks for shoulders and knees covered; swimwear is for the designated beach, the lagoons and private boats. We can arrange evenings on a private dhoni for a glass of wine with supper. Retreats are licensed and dress as you please.
Yes. Tell us when you write and we confirm them in writing before you travel — with the guesthouse on an island journey, with the retreat on a resort stay. The same for anniversaries, honeymoons and private set-ups.