Every resort, side by side.

Adaaran Club Rannalhi

South Malé Atoll · Rannalhi

A simple, sociable all-inclusive island in South Malé Atoll, with its own house reef and live music every night.

• Speedboat · 45 min
• 122 villas
• All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Good value
• Snorkelling

Good to know: Transfers aren't included, and the shared speedboat is compulsory at $190 per adult. Rooms are simple and fairly small (38 m²), and there's a play area but no kids club.

Adaaran Prestige Vadoo

South Malé Atoll · Vadoo

An adults-only island of 50 overwater pool villas, 15 minutes from the airport, with a celebrated house reef.

• Speedboat · 15 min
• 50 villas
• Premium all-inclusive
• Excellent house reef

• Honeymoon
• Overwater

Good to know: No children: this is an adults-only resort. The island is small, so there's little room for walks, and only one villa type lacks a private pool (the single Overwater Villa with Jacuzzi).

Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi

North Malé Atoll · Hudhuranfushi

A big, green North Malé island with its own world-class left-hand surf break and a 24-hour premium all-inclusive.

• Speedboat · 30 min
• 202 villas
• Premium all-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Surf
• Families

Good to know: Transfers aren't included, and the shared speedboat costs $175 per adult. The surf season peaks from March to October, when the break gets busy; the Sunset Restaurant is only for Ocean Villa guests.

Adaaran Select Meedhupparu

Raa Atoll · Meedhupparu

A big, green all-inclusive island in Raa Atoll under old banyan trees, with a house reef the resort counts among the Maldives' best.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 45 min
• About 238 villas
• All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Good value

Good to know: This is a large resort, with about 238 rooms, and the standard villas are a modest 51 m². The best rate depends on booking direct: without Adaaran's direct-booking discount it's about $800 a night.

Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

Raa Atoll · Kothaifaru

A natural 11-hectare island in Raa Atoll, near Hanifaru Bay, with 80 pool villas on the beach and over the lagoon, a spa in the trees and its own sandbank.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 45 min
• 80 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Full board
• Good house reef

• Families
• Snorkelling
• Overwater

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. Adore Maldives lists a complimentary half-board offer, and The Shack's sandbank trips must be booked ahead.

ananea Madivaru Maldives

North Ari Atoll · Etheremadivaru

A new resort across two linked islands in North Ari Atoll, twenty minutes by seaplane, with a pool in every villa and nine places to eat.

• Seaplane · 20 min
• 111 villas
• Half board – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Food lovers
• Snorkelling

Good to know: The resort belongs to a German tour operator, and its main website and dive school are German-speaking. Half board includes a $45 daily credit per person for the à la carte restaurants, and all-inclusive needs at least three nights. There are no bikes on the island.

Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort

South Malé Atoll · Dhigufinolhu

A long, golden-beached family island in South Malé, with nine restaurants and bars shared with its adults-only twin next door.

• Speedboat · 30 min
• 110 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Overwater
• Food lovers

Good to know: Rates include breakfast only, and with this many restaurants, dinners add up; consider a meal plan. Veli's restaurants and pool are open to Dhigu families only with a dinner booking, and guests there must be 18 or over otherwise.

Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas

Baa Atoll · Kihavah Huravalhi

A Baa Atoll island in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with 80 pool villas, an underwater restaurant and wine cellar, and an overwater observatory bar.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 35 min
• 80 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Food lovers
• Overwater
• Families

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide, and seaplanes fly in daylight only, so late arrivals come by domestic flight.

Anantara Veli Maldives Resort

South Malé Atoll · Veliganduhuraa

The adults-only half of the Anantara pair, mostly over-water villas, with the family resort's restaurants a pontoon ride away.

• Speedboat · 30 min
• 67 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Honeymoon
• Overwater

Good to know: Rates include breakfast only. Dhigu families can come over for dinner bookings, so Veli's restaurants aren't entirely child-free in the evening; the entry Over Water Villas are fairly compact at 66 m².

Angaga Island Resort & Spa

Alifu Dhaalu Atoll · Angaga

A small, traditional island in South Ari Atoll with thatched beach and water bungalows, a house reef and a long-running dive centre with more than 30 sites.

• Seaplane · 25 min
• 94 villas
• Half board – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Diving
• Snorkelling
• Good value

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies; Angaga's own website doesn't publish rates. It's a simple, traditional resort rather than a luxurious one, only one agency states the star rating, and the price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide.

Angsana Velavaru

Dhaalu Atoll · Velavaru

Turtle Island in Dhaalu Atoll: beach villas on the island and two-storey InOcean pool villas out in the lagoon, with meal plans up to premium all inclusive.

• Seaplane · 45 min
• 113 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Premium all-inclusive
• Good house reef

• All-inclusive
• Diving
• Snorkelling

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide, and the InOcean villas are detached from the island, out in the lagoon.

Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives

Lhaviyani Atoll · Kanifushi

An all-inclusive island in Lhaviyani Atoll beside a two-kilometre lagoon, with 162 villas, a vegetarian restaurant and an overwater restaurant shaped like a manta ray.

• Seaplane · 35 min
• 162 villas
• Premium all-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Families
• Food lovers

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide; teppanyaki at PIER SIX costs extra, and dinners at The Sunset and PIER SIX come from an allowance set by the length of stay.

Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort

Baa Atoll · Fares

A family-minded island in Baa Atoll's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with 176 rooms, villas and pavilions, a kids-only restaurant and a rum bar by the reef.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 40 min
• 176 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Premium all-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Food lovers
• Diving

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide, and seaplanes fly in daylight only, so later arrivals come by domestic flight and speedboat.

Ayada Maldives

Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll · Maguhdhuvaa

Far south across the equator's doorstep, with uncrowded surf breaks and suites over the lagoon.

• Domestic flight / Speedboat · 100 min
• About 112 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Premium all-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Surf
• Privacy
• Honeymoon

Good to know: The journey is long: a domestic flight plus up to 50 minutes by boat, with luggage limits on the plane (surfboards over 7 ft aren't allowed). The surf suits upper-intermediate to advanced surfers for most of the year; beginners do best from mid-November to mid-February.

Bandos Maldives

North Malé Atoll · Bandos

A big, green, lively island 15 minutes from the airport, with a reef a few metres off the beach and the country's longest-running dive centre.

• Speedboat · 15 min
• 220 villas
• Half board – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Diving
• Snorkelling

Good to know: This is a large, sociable resort near Malé, not a quiet hideaway, and the entry rooms are simple. Half board is the lowest meal plan, and the all-inclusive covers buffet meals at Gallery with selected drinks.

Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru

Kaafu Atoll · Vabbinfaru

A small round island in North Malé Atoll, 25 to 30 minutes from Malé by speedboat, with 48 pool villas and a house reef that drops off metres from the shore.

• Speedboat · 25 min
• 48 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Excellent house reef

• Snorkelling
• Diving
• Eco-minded

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide, and the island is small: five hectares and 48 villas.

Baros Maldives

North Malé Atoll · Baros

One of the first Maldives resorts, small, grown-up and ringed by its own house reef.

• Speedboat · 25 min
• 75 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Half board
• Excellent house reef

• Honeymoon
• Snorkelling
• Diving

Good to know: Children under eight aren't accepted, and there's no kids club, so it's best for couples and adult families. The entry villas are compact (89–103 m²); pools start at the Pool Villa.

Brennia Kottefaru

Raa Atoll · Kottefaru

A large five-star island in Raa Atoll with 190 villas in Maldivian style, from garden villas to pool water villas, three restaurants and a spa village.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 40 min
• 190 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• No house reef

• Families
• All-inclusive
• Overwater

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies; Brennia's own website doesn't publish rates. The agencies give quite different villa sizes (the figures here are Purely Maldives'), there's no house reef off the beach, and the price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide.

Canareef Resort Maldives

Seenu Atoll · Herathera

A long, green island at the southern tip of the Maldives with 271 wooden beach villas, low prices and diving with mantas and tiger sharks.

• Domestic flight / Speedboat · 100 min
• 271 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Good value
• Diving
• Families

Good to know: This is a big resort: 271 villas along a 4.5 km island, so bicycles are the way to get around. There are no overwater villas, and the island is linked by a bridge to an inhabited local island.

Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives

North Malé Atoll · The Atollia

The calmer, grander half of Centara's new two-island Atollia, where every villa has its own pool, jacuzzi or both.

• Speedboat · 35 min
• 142 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• No house reef

• Overwater
• Families
• Honeymoon

Good to know: It's a new, built island, and the snorkelling reef is about a kilometre away by boat. The compulsory return transfer costs $706 for two, and several new restaurants were still listed as opening soon when we checked.

Centara Mirage Lagoon Maldives

North Malé Atoll · The Atollia

An underwater-themed family island with the Maldives' first lazy river, a water playground and a sister resort across the lagoon.

• Speedboat · 35 min
• 145 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• No house reef

• Families
• Food lovers
• All-inclusive

Good to know: This is a new, built-up family resort rather than a quiet natural island, and it's busy with children. The snorkelling reef is about a kilometre away by boat, and the compulsory transfer adds $540 for two.

Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa

North Malé Atoll · Ras Fushi

Adults only, fifteen minutes from the airport, with overwater villas and a lively, sociable feel.

• Speedboat · 15 min
• 140 villas
• Half board – Premium all-inclusive
• Good house reef

• All-inclusive
• Honeymoon

Good to know: Villas are compact (42–51 m² including the terrace) and every one sleeps two adults only, so it's about value, ease and atmosphere rather than space. There are no private pools, only swirl-pool spa tubs.

Cheval Blanc Randheli

Noonu Atoll · Randheli

LVMH's Maldives Maison: 46 villas by Jean-Michel Gathy with 12.5-metre pools, a Guerlain spa on its own island and five restaurants.

• Seaplane / Speedboat · 40 min
• 46 villas
• Bed & breakfast
• Modest house reef

• Honeymoon
• Overwater
• Food lovers

Good to know: Rates are very high even by Maldives standards: outside peak season the entry villa is about $4,000 a night with breakfast. The booking engine showed nothing for June 2027, and Le 1947 and Diptyque each open only three nights a week.

Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives

Kaafu Atoll · Kanuoiy Huraa

A 4-star surf island in North Malé Atoll beside the Pasta Point break, 20 to 25 minutes from Malé by speedboat.

• Speedboat · 20 min
• 148 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Surf
• Quick transfer
• Good value

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide, and Rehendhi is open only to guests in the Overwater Suites and Beach Suites with Pool.

Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa Maldives

Meemu Atoll · Hakuraahuraa

An adults-only, all-inclusive resort on two islands in Meemu Atoll, set in one of the largest shallow lagoons in the Maldives, with 70 overwater bungalows with glass floors.

• Seaplane / Speedboat · 45 min
• 100 villas
• All-inclusive – Premium all-inclusive
• No house reef

• All-inclusive
• Overwater

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. It's adults only since November 2025, and there's no snorkelling from the beach: the lagoon is too shallow, so reefs are reached by the free daily boat trips. Agencies disagree on the room sizes, and none of the rooms has a private pool.

Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives

Vaavu Atoll · Aarah

An island in less-developed Vaavu Atoll with 90 rooms and villas, many on a stingray-shaped overwater jetty, and the atoll's drift dives nearby.

• Seaplane / Speedboat · 25 min
• 90 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Overwater
• Diving
• Snorkelling

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide; the Beach Bungalows and Superior Beach Lofts share two-storey buildings.

Club Med Finolhu Villas

North Malé Atoll · Gasfinolhu

Club Med's quiet, grown-up Exclusive Collection island: 52 pool villas, all-inclusive, with lively Kani a short boat ride away.

• Speedboat · 35 min
• 52 villas
• Premium all-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Honeymoon
• Privacy

Good to know: Children are limited by villa: 8 and over in the sunset beach villas, 12 and over in the sunrise beach villas, and adults only in the overwater villas. Most of the activities and nightlife are over on Kani, so you'll take the shuttle for them.

Club Med Kani

North Malé Atoll · Kanifinolhu

A big, green, sporty all-inclusive island with kids' clubs from four to seventeen and an adults-leaning overwater Exclusive Collection.

• Speedboat · 25 min
• 272 villas
• All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Families
• Good value

Good to know: This is a busy, family-focused resort with a lot of activity, not a hideaway, and the standard rooms are small (28 to 42 m²). Some overwater suites are being renovated through 2027, so ask which one you'll get.

Coco Bodu Hithi

Kaafu Atoll · Boduhithi

A North Malé Atoll island 35 to 40 minutes from Malé by speedboat, with 100 pool villas, an overwater seafood restaurant and a wine loft of 200 labels.

• Speedboat · 35 min
• 100 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Overwater
• Food lovers
• Honeymoon

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide, and Stars is mainly for Club Villa guests.

Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu

Baa Atoll · Dhunikolhu

A thatched-roof island in Baa Atoll's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with 98 villas, a lively house reef and a turtle rescue centre.

• Seaplane · 30 min
• 98 villas
• Half board – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Snorkelling
• Eco-minded
• Overwater

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide, and Resortlife lists half board as the lowest meal plan.

Cocogiri Island Resort

Vaavu Atoll · Vashugiri

A small island in Vaavu Atoll with 40 villas, half of them over the water, a house reef with resident turtles and a PADI 5-star dive school.

• Speedboat / Seaplane · 75 min
• 40 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Snorkelling
• Diving
• Good value

Good to know: The villas are compact, at 49–53 m², and only the Pool Jacuzzi Water Villas have a pool. The price comes from November 2026 dates because 2027 isn't on sale yet, and the booking engine doesn't say whether taxes are included.

Cocoon Maldives

Lhaviyani Atoll · Ookolhu Finolhu

An all-inclusive island in Lhaviyani Atoll furnished by the Italian designer LAGO, with a long curve of overwater villas.

• Seaplane · 30 min
• 150 villas
• All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Overwater
• Families

Good to know: All-inclusive is the only plan, so the from-price includes meals and drinks by the glass; return transfers are extra. The entry Beach Villas are compact at 50 m², and the evenings at the pool bar are lively.

COMO Cocoa Island

South Malé Atoll · Makunufushi

Thirty-three overwater villas shaped like dhoni boats, a celebrated house reef and one of COMO's best-loved Shambhala spas.

• Speedboat · 40 min
• 33 villas
• Half board
• Good house reef

• Honeymoon
• Wellness
• Privacy

Good to know: There's one restaurant and one bar, so evenings are quiet, and the entry villas have no private pool. Children are welcome, but there's no kids' club; the multi-bedroom villas suit families best.

COMO Maalifushi

Thaa Atoll · Maalifushi

The only resort in remote Thaa Atoll: 59 villas by a Japanese architect, uncrowded surf breaks with Tropicsurf, and plenty of room for families.

• Seaplane / Speedboat · 65 min
• 59 villas
• Half board – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Surf
• Families
• Diving

Good to know: It's remote: the seaplane alone costs $1,100 per adult return, and you need to land in Malé by about 3.15pm. The best surf, from June to September, comes with the southwest monsoon, when rain and wind are more likely.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

South Ari Atoll · Rangalifinolhu

Two islands in South Ari Atoll joined by a 500-metre bridge, home to Ithaa, the first undersea restaurant, and The Muraka underwater residence.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 30 min
• 176 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Food lovers
• Overwater
• Families

Good to know: It's spread over two islands joined by a long bridge, so expect some walking. Ithaa and the signature restaurants cost extra on top of breakfast, and children aged 6 to 12 pay a daily supplement.

Constance Halaveli

Alifu Alifu Atoll · Halaveli

An all-inclusive island in North Ari Atoll with 86 pool villas, four restaurants and wine cellars of more than 22,500 bottles, with whale sharks in the atoll all year.

• Seaplane / Speedboat · 25 min
• 86 villas
• All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Food lovers
• Overwater

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide; the agencies don't publish a consistent size for the Water Villas.

Constance Moofushi

Alifu Dhaalu Atoll · Moofushi

A small all-inclusive diving island in South Ari Atoll, with a renowned house reef, 32 dive sites nearby and whale sharks on their migration routes.

• Seaplane · 25 min
• 110 villas
• All-inclusive
• Excellent house reef

• Diving
• Snorkelling

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide, and every stay is all inclusive.

Cora Cora Maldives

Raa Atoll · Maamigili

A colourful premium all-inclusive in Raa Atoll, with four à la carte restaurants included and a small museum of island history.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 45 min
• About 108 villas
• All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Good value

Good to know: The entry villas are small for the Maldives and the cheapest Lagoon Villas take only two adults. The best price is a non-refundable early-bird rate booked at least 60 days ahead.

Dhawa Ihuru

Kaafu Atoll · Ihuru

A small all-inclusive island in North Malé Atoll, 20 to 25 minutes from Malé by speedboat, ringed by a house reef with the Ranamaari wreck nearby.

• Speedboat · 20 min
• 45 villas
• All-inclusive – Premium all-inclusive
• Excellent house reef

• All-inclusive
• Snorkelling
• Diving

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide; there are no overwater villas, and Resortlife files its photos under the name Angsana Ihuru.

Dhigufaru Island Resort

Baa Atoll · Dhigufaruvinagandu

A good-value island on a long reef in Baa Atoll, with a sunrise cove, a wide sunset beach and sixty villas over the lagoon.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 40 min
• 83 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Half board
• Good house reef

• Good value
• Families
• Overwater

Good to know: The entry beach villas are compact at 49 m². We couldn't find published transfer prices, so ask for them before booking; the seaplane flies in daylight only.

Diamonds Athuruga

South Ari Atoll · Athurugau

A small island in South Ari Atoll with Italian style, a house reef close to the beach and a resident marine biologist.

• Seaplane · 20 min
• 72 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• All-inclusive
• Snorkelling
• Diving

Good to know: It's small and quiet, with no kids' club, and the beach rooms are modest in size. Children under eight can stay in the water villas only if parents sign a disclaimer.

Diamonds Thudufushi

South Ari Atoll · Thundufushi

Athuruga's sister island in South Ari Atoll, with sandbank suites, jacuzzi water villas and three bars, one of them over the water.

• Seaplane · 25 min
• 72 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• All-inclusive
• Snorkelling
• Diving

Good to know: It's quiet and mid-sized with no kids' club. Children under eight can stay in the water villas only with a signed parental disclaimer.

Dreamland Maldives

Baa Atoll · Hirundhoo

A simple four-star island in Baa Atoll with a mangrove-lined lake at its heart, a plant-filtered natural pool, 90 bungalows of one size, and Hanifaru Bay's mantas about five kilometres away.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 35 min
• 90 villas
• Half board – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Snorkelling
• Diving
• Families

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because no working website for the resort was found. It's unpretentious and good value rather than luxurious, with one bungalow size and no private pools. Hanifaru Bay's mantas are seasonal (June to November), and the price is only an agency figure.

Drift Thelu Veliga Retreat

South Ari Atoll · Theluveligaa

A tiny, one-hectare island in South Ari Atoll with just 30 thatched villas, a house reef and whale sharks nearby.

• Seaplane / Speedboat · 35 min
• 30 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Half board
• Good house reef

• Privacy
• Snorkelling
• Diving

Good to know: It's very small, with one restaurant and one bar, so it suits people who want quiet rather than choice. The seaplane is compulsory unless you take the slow public ferry.

Dusit Thani Maldives

Baa Atoll · Mudhdhoo

Thai hospitality on a palm-covered Baa Atoll island, with butler service in every villa and a house reef full of life.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 35 min
• 104 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Diving
• Overwater

Good to know: The cheapest rates shown were for Dusit Gold members, so it's worth joining before booking direct; our estimate uses the public rate. Seaplanes stop at 16:00, so later arrivals go by domestic flight and speedboat.

dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives

North Malé Atoll · Feydhoo Finolhu

A lively, all-inclusive five-star island seven minutes from Malé airport by speedboat, opened in July 2025, with 127 villas, most with a pool, and clubs for kids and teens.

• Speedboat · 7 min
• 127 villas
• All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Quick transfer
• Families

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. It's close to Malé, so the reef is ordinary and the best snorkelling and diving are a short boat ride away, and it's lively by design rather than quiet. The price is only an agency figure, so treat it as a rough guide.

Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon

Alifu Alifu Atoll · Ellaidhoo

A small 4-star island in North Ari Atoll with one of the atoll's best-known house reefs, a coral wall right off the beach, and 112 bungalows and rooms.

• Seaplane / Speedboat · 25 min
• 112 villas
• Full board – All-inclusive
• Excellent house reef

• Diving
• Snorkelling
• All-inclusive

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. It's a simpler, mid-range resort that's chosen for its house reef rather than its rooms; the price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide.

Embudu Village

South Malé Atoll · Embudu

A simple, old-school island resort near the airport, with a lively house reef and some of the lowest prices in the Maldives.

• Speedboat · 20 min
• 118 villas
• Half board – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Good value
• Diving
• Snorkelling

Good to know: This is a basic, traditional resort, with no pools, plain rooms and buffet meals in one restaurant. It's very good value, especially for divers and snorkellers, but don't expect luxury.

Emerald Faarufushi Resort & Spa

Raa Atoll · Faarufushi

A small, design-led all-inclusive in Raa Atoll: 80 villas, 70 with pools, on a 7-hectare island in a 100-hectare lagoon.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 45 min
• 80 villas
• All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Honeymoon
• Overwater

Good to know: The island is small, at 7 hectares, and the entry Beach Villas are the only villas without a private pool.

Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa

Raa Atoll · Fasmendhoo

A Leading Hotels of the World all-inclusive on a 20-hectare island in Raa Atoll, with large villas and restaurants from Latin American to Asian.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 40 min
• 120 villas
• All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Families
• Honeymoon

Good to know: The entry Marina Garden Villas face the resort's marina and seaplane arrival area and have no direct beach access, so a Beach or Water Villa costs only a little more.

Fihalhohi Maldives

South Malé Atoll · Fihalhohi

A palm-shaded island with a white beach, simple rooms and one of the gentlest prices in the Maldives.

• Speedboat · 45 min
• 150 villas
• Half board – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Good value
• Snorkelling
• Diving

Good to know: Rooms are small (27–37 m²) and dated in places, with no private pools; this is a beach-and-reef holiday rather than a luxury one. Transfers are shared, so expect to wait 30–60 minutes at the airport for other guests.

Filitheyo Island Resort

Faafu Atoll · Filitheyo

The only resort in Faafu Atoll: a leafy island with a house reef of reef sharks and rays, seven marked entry points and low prices.

• Seaplane · 45 min
• 118 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Diving
• Snorkelling
• Good value

Good to know: Wi-Fi costs extra, and currents can be strong: the resort warns against snorkelling or swimming off the east side of the island. Water sports are non-motorised: kayaks and paddleboards.

Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives

Baa Atoll · Kanufushi

A lively, playful island in Baa Atoll with a long sandbank, a beach club with DJs and four restaurants.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 30 min
• 125 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Premium all-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Food lovers
• All-inclusive

Good to know: It's a sociable, music-led island rather than a hushed one: DJs play at the Beach Club and the Crab Shack hosts beach parties. Transfers are charged on top, the cheapest villas are over the lagoon without a pool, and drones aren't allowed.

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa

Kaafu Atoll · Kuda Huraa

A five-star island in North Malé Atoll, 25 minutes from Malé by speedboat, with 96 pool villas, a resident surf school and a naturopathy spa on its own island.

• Speedboat · 25 min
• 96 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Full board
• No house reef

• Surf
• Quick transfer
• Families

Good to know: This profile comes from the resort's official press fact sheet and travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. There's no house reef off the beach, so snorkelling means boat trips, and the price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide.

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru

Baa Atoll · Landaa Giraavaru

A five-star island in Baa Atoll's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with 103 pool villas, the AyurMa wellness centre, resident marine biologists and manta ray trips.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 30 min
• 103 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Wellness
• Overwater

Good to know: This profile comes from Four Seasons' official press facts and travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. It's one of the more expensive resorts, and the price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide.

Furaveri Maldives

Raa Atoll · Furaveri

A natural, wooded island in Raa Atoll with a house reef a few strokes from the beach, seven restaurants and boat trips to Hanifaru Bay.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 45 min
• About 171 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Diving
• Snorkelling

Good to know: The booking engine sells mostly through limited-time offers and sales, so actual prices are often well below this estimate. Seaplane times are only confirmed the evening before travel.

Fushifaru Maldives

Lhaviyani Atoll · Fushifaru

A small island on the far north-east edge of Lhaviyani Atoll, with sixty-three villas, a house reef and a strong line in Maldivian culture.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 35 min
• 63 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Snorkelling
• Overwater

Good to know: Seaplane transfers cost extra and fly in daylight only, so international flights need to land between 6:00 and 15:30. The resort's site lists snorkelling, excursions and a water sports centre but no dive centre.

Gangehi Island Resort & Spa

North Ari Atoll · Gangehi

A small Italian-run island in North Ari Atoll, 25 minutes from Malé by seaplane, with 47 rooms and villas, a reef with sharks all year and a PADI 5-Star dive centre on the beach.

• Seaplane / Speedboat · 25 min
• 47 villas
• Half board – All-inclusive
• Excellent house reef

• Diving
• Snorkelling
• Honeymoon

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. It's a small, simple, Italian-run island with no swimming pool and no kids' club; the resort's own rates are half board or full board, and all inclusive is sold only through some tour operators. No photos of the rooms themselves were available.

Gili Lankanfushi

North Malé Atoll · Lankanfushi

Every villa over the water, with rooftop terraces and catamaran nets above the lagoon.

• Speedboat · 30 min
• About 45 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Full board
• Good house reef

• Honeymoon
• Overwater
• Privacy

Good to know: There are no beach villas and no kids club, so it suits couples best, although several residences sleep a family of four. Drinks aren't included in the meal plans and add up quickly.

Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives

North Malé Atoll · Kodhipparu

Twenty minutes from the airport, with an award-winning house reef, overwater villas with glass floors and an award-winning restaurant above the reef.

• Speedboat · 20 min
• 125 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Snorkelling
• Quick transfer
• Overwater

Good to know: There are no lifeguards, so mind the tides when swimming from the overwater villas. The entry rate is breakfast only, and dinner at FireDoor costs extra.

Hard Rock Hotel Maldives

South Malé Atoll · Akasdhoo (CROSSROADS)

Music, colour and a party mood fifteen minutes from the airport, with a footbridge to CROSSROADS' marina, shops and restaurants.

• Speedboat · 15 min
• 197 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Premium all-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Families
• Quick transfer
• Food lovers

Good to know: It's lively and part of CROSSROADS, a busy multi-resort complex, rather than a secluded island. The entry studios are 46 m² rooms in a block rather than villas, and all diving and excursions go through the complex's Ocean Group centre.

Heritance Aarah

Raa Atoll · Aarah

A premium all-inclusive in Raa Atoll with seven restaurants and five bars, many of them over the water, and butler service in every villa.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 40 min
• 150 villas
• All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Families
• Food lovers

Good to know: The best rate is a direct-booking offer; the regular rate is far higher because it bundles return transfers. The Ocean Suites are in an adults-only zone.

Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa

Kaafu Atoll · Amingiri

A 15-hectare island in North Malé Atoll, 20 to 30 minutes from Malé by speedboat, with 109 pool villas, a Moroccan hammam and a kids' club with its own pool.

• Speedboat · 20 min
• 109 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Full board
• Good house reef

• Families
• Quick transfer
• Food lovers

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The agencies quote speedboat times of 20 to 30 minutes, and Eden Champagne & Gin Bar has a formal dress code.

Hondaafushi Island Resort

Haa Dhaalu Atoll · Hondaafushi

A secluded island in the far north with 79 beachfront bungalows, more than 5 km of white beach and low prices.

• Domestic flight / Speedboat / Seaplane · 60 min
• 79 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Good value
• Diving
• Honeymoon

Good to know: There's one restaurant and one bar, so evenings are simple, and there are no overwater villas or private pools. The island is in the far north, so arriving takes a domestic flight and a boat, and transfers run in daylight only.

Hotel Riu Atoll

Dhaalu Atoll · Maafushi

RIU's family-friendly, 24-hour all-inclusive hotel on Maafushi in Dhaalu Atoll, linked by a walkway to its Palace sister.

• Domestic flight / Speedboat / Seaplane · 60 min
• About 264 villas
• All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Families
• Good value

Good to know: It's a big, lively resort in the RIU style, with shows every night; the rooms are compact for the Maldives and have no private pools. The price is an estimate from RIU's published per-person rate, as 2027 isn't bookable yet.

Hotel Riu Palace Maldivas

Dhaalu Atoll · Kedhigandu

RIU's Palace-class sister on Kedhigandu, with suites, overwater pool suites and 24-hour all-inclusive, linked to Riu Atoll by a walkway.

• Domestic flight / Speedboat / Seaplane · 60 min
• 176 villas
• All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Overwater
• Honeymoon

Good to know: It's a large RIU resort with an entertainment programme, so it's sociable rather than secluded, and only the top suites have a private pool. The price is an estimate from RIU's published per-person rate, as 2027 isn't bookable yet.

Hurawalhi Island Resort

Lhaviyani Atoll · Huravalhi

An adults-only island in Lhaviyani Atoll, for guests 15 and over, with 90 villas and the 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, an all-glass dining room below the lagoon.

• Seaplane · 40 min
• 90 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Premium all-inclusive
• Excellent house reef

• Honeymoon
• Food lovers

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. Only guests aged 15 and over can stay, and the agencies offer an All Inclusive Plus plan as well as breakfast, half board and full board.

Huvafen Fushi Maldives

North Malé Atoll · Nakachchaafushi

The original 'dream island' of the Maldives: 46 pool villas, the world's first underwater spa and a wine cellar under the sea.

• Speedboat · 30 min
• 46 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Half board
• Good house reef

• Honeymoon
• Privacy
• Food lovers

Good to know: It's expensive: rates normally include breakfast only, and the signature dinners and spa treatments add up quickly. Families are welcome in the pavilions, but we found no kids' club on its website, so it suits couples best.

InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort

Raa Atoll · Maamunagau

A five-star island in Raa Atoll with 81 pool villas and residences, a lighthouse restaurant, an adults-only retreat and a house reef.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 35 min
• 81 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Overwater
• Food lovers

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The agencies give different transfer times and villa counts, and the price is only Adore Maldives' 'price from' figure, so treat it as a rough guide.

JA Manafaru

Haa Alifu Atoll · Manafaru

A private island at the far north of the Maldives where every villa has its own pool, with seven places to eat, including a treehouse and a wine cellar carved into volcanic rock.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 80 min
• 84 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Families
• Food lovers
• Honeymoon

Good to know: Rates start at about $860 a night for two with breakfast, and the resort doesn't publish its transfer times or prices. The house reef isn't described on the resort's own website.

Jawakara Islands Maldives

Lhaviyani Atoll · Maabinhuraa and Dheruhfinolhu

A two-island resort in Lhaviyani Atoll joined by a 700-metre bridge, with 290 villas, the biggest golf course in the Maldives, six restaurants and one of the largest kids' clubs.

• Seaplane / Domestic flight / Speedboat · 40 min
• 290 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Families
• All-inclusive
• Overwater

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because no working website for the resort was found. It's big and busy, with 290 villas across two islands; Dheru is the quieter side and is all inclusive only, and its water villas are for adults only. The agencies disagree on whether there's a house reef you can swim to from the beach.

JOALI BEING

Raa Atoll · Bodufushi

JOALI's wellbeing island in Raa Atoll: personalised programmes, 37 treatment rooms, a sound-healing trail and three MICHELIN Keys.

• Seaplane · 40 min
• 68 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Full board
• Modest house reef

• Wellness
• Families
• Food lovers

Good to know: This is a wellness resort first: Areka's facilities are for guests aged 12 and over, Wi-Fi is switched off in the Areka zone, and the full experience is a paid multi-night programme on top of the room rate. The resort's pages don't mention a dive centre.

JOALI Maldives

Raa Atoll · Muravandhoo

An art-filled island in Raa Atoll, 45 minutes by seaplane, with a pool in every villa, a Japanese restaurant over the water and a treehouse shaped like a manta ray.

• Seaplane · 45 min
• 73 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Half board
• Good house reef

• Families
• Food lovers
• Honeymoon

Good to know: It's expensive, at close to $2,900 a night for two with half board, and the seaplane is the only practical way in: by boat the trip takes six to eight hours. The resort runs on 'island time', an hour ahead of Malé.

Joy Island Maldives

North Malé Atoll · Kassanfushi

A new, bright all-inclusive island shaped like a butterfly, with 151 beach and overwater villas and Italian flair from The Cocoon Collection.

• Speedboat / Seaplane · 45 min
• 151 villas
• All-inclusive
• Good house reef

• Families
• Overwater

Good to know: It's a big, sociable resort rather than a quiet hideaway, and the entry villas are compact at 50 m². The island runs an hour ahead of Malé time.

Jumeirah Olhahali Island

North Malé Atoll · Olhahali

A contemporary all-villa island in the far north of North Malé Atoll, where every villa has its own rooftop terrace and infinity pool.

• Speedboat / Seaplane · 55 min
• 91 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Half board
• Modest house reef

• Honeymoon
• Families
• Privacy

Good to know: It's about 55 minutes from the airport by speedboat. The cheapest rate is non-refundable; the flexible one costs about a quarter more.

JW Marriott Maldives Kaafu Atoll Island Resort

Kaafu Atoll · Hathaafinolhu

A five-star island in South Malé Atoll, a short speedboat ride from Malé, with 80 pool villas, seven places to eat and drink, and a kids' club with a treehouse and splash park.

• Speedboat · 15 min
• 80 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Full board
• Modest house reef

• Families
• Quick transfer
• Food lovers

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies and the official Visit Maldives map, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The agencies give different transfer times (15 and 30 minutes) and the register lists 86 rooms against the 80 villas listed by type; the price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide.

JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa

Shaviyani Atoll · Vagaru

A remote island in Shaviyani Atoll, 55 minutes from Malé by seaplane, with 60 pool villas, a Thakuru butler for each and nine places to eat and drink.

• Seaplane · 55 min
• 60 villas
• Bed & breakfast – All-inclusive
• Modest house reef

• Food lovers
• Overwater
• Families

Good to know: This profile comes from travel agencies, because the resort's own website couldn't be checked. The price is only maldives.com's 'starting from' range, so treat it as a rough guide; the island is remote, 55 minutes from Malé by seaplane.

Kagi Maldives Resort & Spa

North Malé Atoll · Kagi

Fifty pool villas on a small island in the far north of North Malé Atoll, with an overwater spa complex and a house reef off the villa steps.

• Seaplane / Speedboat / Yacht · 60 min
• 50 villas
• Bed & breakfast – Premium all-inclusive
• Good house reef