Dhigufaru Island Resort takes its name from the Dhivehi for "a long reef", but the island's own reef is not why we would send you. It sits in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and the house reef scores three out of five on our rating: the jetty is lively, with reef sharks and rays, but the main reef is a long swim out and depends on the weather. The water that matters here is Hanifaru Bay in manta season, and that is a boat trip.
It is a mid-sized island of 83 villas, on the beach and over the water, with a kids' club, an all-day buffet restaurant and two à la carte rooms, Athiri Grill and Muraka. The holiday is the jetty, a manta trip in season and very little noise. That is the point.
What you pay
Pick your dates, a villa and a meal plan, and the price is three nights for two adults: the villa, the meal plan, the return transfer and every tax, green tax included. Longer stays are priced on request. The transfer is paid once, so each extra night adds less than the average night here.
The green season is the cheaper window, and it falls in the manta months. A Sunrise Beach Villa on bed and breakfast runs about a fifth below the high season, and the two high seasons either side of it are priced the same.
Over the water, the Sunrise Water Villa runs about a third above the Sunrise Beach Villa on the same green-season dates.
What's included, and what isn't
In the price: your villa for two adults for three nights, the meal plan you pick (bed and breakfast, half board, full board or all inclusive), the return seaplane or domestic flight and speedboat, green tax and every Maldivian tax.
Not in the price: your international flights, travel insurance, diving, manta trips and other excursions, the spa, anything your meal plan does not cover, Indian TCS, and anything not named above.
Who this isn't for
Anyone who wants a lively island, or to snorkel straight off their villa. This is a quiet resort, the main reef is a long swim out, and the best water here is a boat ride away in manta season.
Anyone buying all inclusive for the bar. The plan here scores 2 out of 5 on our all-inclusive ratings. Read what it covers before you pay for it.
Before you book
Your landing time picks the route. Land at Velana by 15:30 and you take the 40-minute seaplane. Land by 16:20 and you take the evening domestic flight to Dharavandhoo, then a speedboat, about 50 minutes in all. Both are in the price. Landing later than that, talk to us before you book the flight.
The nearest dates are not priced on this page, so the coming season needs a quote. Ask us.
The festive fortnight is not priced on this page. Four nights is the minimum, seven over the New Year week, and two gala dinners are compulsory, at US$299 and US$399 per adult. We can still book it.
Two villas are not priced here: the Two Bedroom Family Beach Villa, which sleeps four, and the Sangu Suite, the only one on the island. Children are not priced on this page either. Tell us everyone's ages and we will price the stay.
Send us your dates, your flight times and who is travelling, and we will tell you which transfer you are on and price the villa and meal plan that fit. Message our Maldives specialists on WhatsApp or send us an enquiry. We reply within 24 hours.