Find my resort
Aerial view of small Maldivian islands with white sandbars, a reef edge and a turquoise lagoon
Aerial view of the Maldives. Not a resort.

Find the Maldives island that fits your trip.

Seven quick questions. We rank 24 checked resorts by fit, and tell you the catch.

Who is coming?

Takes about two minutes. Answers stay on your device.

Or start with how you want to arrive

Generic Maldives photos, not specific resorts
Seaplane islands12 resorts, 20 to 85 min
Speedboat islands11 resorts, 10 to 55 min
Flight and boat4 resorts, 35 to 105 min

Start with what you want

Pick a kind of holiday. We show the islands that do it well, and what each one gets wrong.

All resorts
HoneymoonRomance first
House reefSnorkel from the sand
FamilyCalm water, easy days
Overwater villaDeck over the lagoon
All-inclusiveOne price for the meals

Photography is generic Maldives imagery, not a specific resort.

Two minutes, then a short list with reasons

We match your answers to what we have verified about each island, and say plainly when we have not verified something.

  1. 1Tell us how you travelWho, how many, budget, transfer, villa, water, island.
  2. 2See your match, and the catchOne winner, two real alternatives, and one thing to know.
  3. 3Check the true costOnly verified items are added up. Unknowns stay unknown.
Find my resort

What a photograph cannot show

Every island looks like paradise from the air. These are the things that change the trip, and we check them for you.

Distance is not transfer time

The stated transfer from Malé for three checked resorts, with their straight-line distance.

Niva Kurumba6 km from Malé
10 min
Hideaway301 km from Malé
75–85 min
Ayada434 km from Malé
80–105 min

The honest catch

From the Reality Check for Ayada Maldives.

  • Ten of eleven villa categories include a private pool (official)
  • Water villas sit in long, close rows around the lagoon (official image)

The true cost of a stay

The room rate is only part of it. We check four things for each resort.

  • Stay
  • Transfer
  • Meal plan
  • Taxes and mandatory fees
VerifiedA source and a check date.
EstimateA checked price band, labelled.
Not verifiedLeft out, never guessed.

An incomplete estimate is never shown as a total.

Resorts we have checked

Each tile shows where the island sits and how you get there. Photographs appear only when we have permission to use them.

All 24 resorts

Niva Kurumba Maldives

North Malé Atoll, 6 km from Malé

Transfer: Speedboat, 10 min

Every common meal plan is offered, from bed and breakfast to dine-around all-inclusive

Meals: All-inclusive
Best for Families, Short transfers

Bandos Maldives

North Malé Atoll, 11 km from Malé

Transfer: Speedboat, 10–15 min

An on-site clinic with a GP, a nurse and a decompression chamber

Meals: All-inclusive
Best for Families, Divers

Veligandu Maldives Resort Island

North Ari Atoll, 57 km from Malé

Transfer: Seaplane, 20 min

Overwater villas are newly built after a renovation (independent review)

Meals: All-inclusive
Best for Couples, Honeymooners

Villa Nautica Maldives

North Malé Atoll, 13 km from Malé

Transfer: Speedboat, 20 min

Full board and all-inclusive can be added on arrival (official FAQ)

Meals: All-inclusive
Best for Families, Food variety

Guides worth reading first

All guides
5 min read

How to choose a Maldives resort

Resorts here differ more than almost anywhere else. The six things that separate them.

4 min read

Seaplane or speedboat: how you get there changes the trip

The transfer sets your first and last day. Here is what to compare before you choose a resort.

4 min read

All-inclusive in the Maldives, explained

Meal plans change the real price more than the headline rate. What the labels usually mean, and what to check.

Ready to find your island?

Answer seven questions. Get a short list with reasons.

Find my resort
Find my resort