The Hot List
Designer aesthetics and laid-back bohemian vibes coexist in this setting, which features thatched roofs, absurdly colourful gardens, hidden treehouses, and trinkets and art all everywhere. The villas, each with a private pool, are elegantly decorated with peacock seats, hand-carved dark wood walls, and soft pinks and baby blues.
Number of villas: 73
Transfer time: a 45-minute seaplane from Malé
Because of its extreme privacy, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge frequently spend their vacations at this LVMH-owned location. Private desert island getaways, swimming with manta rays, and nighttime snorkelling in bioluminescent waters are all potential romantic engagements.
Number of villas: 45
Transfer time: a 40-minute seaplane from Malé
The size of Landaa Giraavaru makes it feasible for visitors to explore on bicycles. Villas have a lot of outside area and a huge pool. The most romantic are the beach settings, which roll out directly onto a wide swath of white sand and are divided by dense tropical vegetation.
Number of villas: 103
Transfer time: a 30-minute seaplane from Malé
With a tonne of open-air salas, driftwood accents, and zingy flashes of cherry, lemon, and lime colours, this eco-luxe getaway has a woodsy rustic aesthetic. The ambiance is laid-back and natural as well. It's too far for seaplanes to reach in one go, so visitors arrive via a combination of flights and a speedboat ride.
Number of villas: 97
Transfer time: a 35-minute seaplane from Malé + boat ride
The villas here are vast, and when you return from a day on the yacht and a beach BBQ, you'll find the butler has prepared a rose-petal bath for two. The six eateries and pubs serve excellent meals and Bloody Marys in seashells to their patrons. There are more than 2,000 bottles of wine in the Decanter wine vault, comprising more than 600 labels from 23 different nations.
Number of villas: 77
Transfer time: a 45-minute seaplane from Malé
Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk spent their honeymoon at the newest addition to this hotspot for celebrities, and it is stunning. Chapter Two, a collection of 27 brand-new, charming overwater buildings, is located on the island's southernmost point. With enormous private pools, expansive terraces, glass floor panels, waterslides, and retractable roofs that can be thrown back to display the stars, these are some of the biggest water villas anywhere.
Number of villas: 51
Transfer time: a 30-minute seaplane from Malé
If you’ve fantasized about living a–lavish–Robinson Crusoe life on a faraway tropical island, you’re in the right place. At LUX* South Ari Atoll, you will ride your bicycle along the jetty, swim alongside whale sharks, hang out in your bungalow on stilts, dine at any of the eight restaurants, dance the night away and partake in marine conservation.
Number of villas: 67
Transfer time: a 55-minute speedboat ride from Malé
Anything. Anytime. Anywhere is the motto at this love nest in the Lhaviyani Atoll. It costs a cool £2,200 per couple per night but includes unlimited excursions and non-stop spa treatments. The Japanese-influenced villas feel warm and indulgent – and the best bit? It's all solar-powered and sustainable.
Number of villas: 15
Transfer time: a 40-minute seaplane from Malé
So far south you could skim a stone across the equator, this tiny ivory-sand island offers a delicious sense of isolation. Public spaces are old-world-tropical with checkerboard floors, louvre shutters and swirling ceiling fans. Overwater retreats are anchored in a ring out at sea, reached by a two-minute speedboat ride.
Number of villas: 38
Transfer time: 55-minute domestic flight from Malé to Kaadedhdhoo Airport + speedboat transfer
With the kind of carefree atmosphere and understated interiors that the Maldives is known for, Vakkaru offers free morning yoga and sound healing, as well as bicycles, snorkelling kits and stand-up paddleboards. The beach and overwater villas are subtly seductive, with lots of billowing muslin, hand-crafted furniture and opal-coloured swimming pools.
Number of villas: 54
Transfer time: a 40-minute seaplane from Malé
Designer aesthetics and laid-back bohemian vibes coexist in this setting, which features thatched roofs, absurdly colourful gardens, hidden treehouses, and trinkets and art all everywhere. The villas, each with a private pool, are elegantly decorated with peacock seats, hand-carved dark wood walls, and soft pinks and baby blues.
Number of villas: 73
Transfer time: a 45-minute seaplane from Malé
Because of its extreme privacy, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge frequently spend their vacations at this LVMH-owned location. Private desert island getaways, swimming with manta rays, and nighttime snorkelling in bioluminescent waters are all potential romantic engagements.
Number of villas: 45
Transfer time: a 40-minute seaplane from Malé
The size of Landaa Giraavaru makes it feasible for visitors to explore on bicycles. Villas have a lot of outside area and a huge pool. The most romantic are the beach settings, which roll out directly onto a wide swath of white sand and are divided by dense tropical vegetation.
Number of villas: 103
Transfer time: a 30-minute seaplane from Malé
With a tonne of open-air salas, driftwood accents, and zingy flashes of cherry, lemon, and lime colours, this eco-luxe getaway has a woodsy rustic aesthetic. The ambiance is laid-back and natural as well. It's too far for seaplanes to reach in one go, so visitors arrive via a combination of flights and a speedboat ride.
Number of villas: 97
Transfer time: a 35-minute seaplane from Malé + boat ride
The villas here are vast, and when you return from a day on the yacht and a beach BBQ, you'll find the butler has prepared a rose-petal bath for two. The six eateries and pubs serve excellent meals and Bloody Marys in seashells to their patrons. There are more than 2,000 bottles of wine in the Decanter wine vault, comprising more than 600 labels from 23 different nations.
Number of villas: 77
Transfer time: a 45-minute seaplane from Malé
Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk spent their honeymoon at the newest addition to this hotspot for celebrities, and it is stunning. Chapter Two, a collection of 27 brand-new, charming overwater buildings, is located on the island's southernmost point. With enormous private pools, expansive terraces, glass floor panels, waterslides, and retractable roofs that can be thrown back to display the stars, these are some of the biggest water villas anywhere.
Number of villas: 51
Transfer time: a 30-minute seaplane from Malé
If you’ve fantasized about living a–lavish–Robinson Crusoe life on a faraway tropical island, you’re in the right place. At LUX* South Ari Atoll, you will ride your bicycle along the jetty, swim alongside whale sharks, hang out in your bungalow on stilts, dine at any of the eight restaurants, dance the night away and partake in marine conservation.
Number of villas: 67
Transfer time: a 55-minute speedboat ride from Malé
Anything. Anytime. Anywhere is the motto at this love nest in the Lhaviyani Atoll. It costs a cool £2,200 per couple per night but includes unlimited excursions and non-stop spa treatments. The Japanese-influenced villas feel warm and indulgent – and the best bit? It's all solar-powered and sustainable.
Number of villas: 15
Transfer time: a 40-minute seaplane from Malé
So far south you could skim a stone across the equator, this tiny ivory-sand island offers a delicious sense of isolation. Public spaces are old-world-tropical with checkerboard floors, louvre shutters and swirling ceiling fans. Overwater retreats are anchored in a ring out at sea, reached by a two-minute speedboat ride.
Number of villas: 38
Transfer time: 55-minute domestic flight from Malé to Kaadedhdhoo Airport + speedboat transfer
With the kind of carefree atmosphere and understated interiors that the Maldives is known for, Vakkaru offers free morning yoga and sound healing, as well as bicycles, snorkelling kits and stand-up paddleboards. The beach and overwater villas are subtly seductive, with lots of billowing muslin, hand-crafted furniture and opal-coloured swimming pools.
Number of villas: 54
Transfer time: a 40-minute seaplane from Malé
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