Villa Suite
Overwater villa · Direct lagoon access · Private sun deck ·
HPL Hotels & Resorts · North Malé Atoll
Gili Lankanfushi Maldives
- 30 min by speedboat
- Any arrival time
- 5.0 on TripAdvisor · 5,137 reviews
- All taxes in the price
- Visited Oct 2022
See all 18 photographs full size →The fact sheet: transfers, villas, meals, the reef, and what is not in the price →
When are you travelling?
Prices are for two adults sharing and cover the villa, your meal plan, the return speedboat, and every Maldivian tax, green tax included. Nothing else is payable at the resort for those.
Meal plan
Your stay
The villas
Over the water
Gili Lagoon Villa
Overwater villa · Expansive lagoon deck · Lagoon steps for swimming ·
Crusoe Residence Island View
Overwater residence · Island & garden views · Private sun deck ·
Residence
Overwater residence · Private pool · Full butler service ·
Sunset Crusoe Residence
West-facing overwater residence · Signature sunset views · Private sun deck ·
Villa Suite with Pool
Overwater villa · Private plunge pool · Direct lagoon access ·
Residence with Pool
Overwater residence · Private pool · Full butler service ·
Two-Bedroom Villa with Pool
We will price these dates for you
Send the dates and we come back with two or three villas, the speedboat, and the taxes inside the number, within 24 hours.
Tell us your dates and we will price them
Rates move with season, villa and meal plan. Send us the dates and who is travelling, and we come back with two or three villas, the speedboat, and the taxes inside the number, within 24 hours.
House reef
Our rating
3/5 Fine
The reef here is average by Maldives standards and the resort does not trade on it. The coral is largely bleached and the good snorkelling is on excursions. There is a drop-off at around fifteen metres off the reef edge with coral walls, small sharks, turtles and rays, and the stretch between the two palm islets is the best of it. The jetties differ: guests report one is a short swim from the reef while another is shallow and safer with children, and rays and sharks are visible from the shore there. Ask us which jetty you are being quoted. Visibility is best in the middle of the day.
Getting there
RouteSpeedboat
Journey30 min, airport to island
Last arrival that worksAny hour
Transfers run around the clock, so any arrival time connects and you never need a night in Malé on the way in.
Shared speedboat, running day and night, so any arrival time connects. Boats are scheduled rather than private, so allow a wait at Velana.
We were last here
October 2022
Our third visit to Gili Lankanfushi never gets old. This tiny island captivates with pristine beach sand and hand-crafted wooden villas that feel authentically Maldivian—not concrete-heavy like many resorts. The overwater villas are stunning hideaways with thatched roofs and lagoon views perfect for doing absolutely nothing. What truly sets Gili apart is its barefoot, laid-back soul. Warm hospitality, exceptional cuisine, and lush, unpolished beauty create an intimate escape that feels...
About the resort
Forty-five villas on one island and not one of them on the beach. The speedboat runs around the clock, so a midnight landing still puts you in your villa that night, and a dawn flight home does not take your last one.
Three nights for two in a Villa Suite puts half board, the return boat and every Maldivian tax inside one figure. Pick your dates above to see it.
What you pay
Pick a villa and a length above. Every figure is the whole stay for two adults: the villa, half board, the return shared speedboat, a 30-minute treatment each at Meera Spa, a photo session, and every Maldivian tax.
Dates move this price more than the villa does. The same Villa Suite for three nights swings by well over a lakh across the year, so if you are flexible, move your dates before you move villa.
Two villas land within a few thousand rupees of each other and they are nothing alike. The Sunset Crusoe Residence is a larger standalone residence off the island, reached by boat, with no pool. The Villa Suite with Pool is smaller, sits on a jetty, and gets the floating breakfast that only pool categories receive.
The Residence with Pool is a three-night villa. Its fourth night is priced far above every other category’s. Take three nights in it, or four somewhere else.
What’s included, and what isn’t
In the price: the villa, half board, the return shared speedboat, a spa treatment per adult, a printed photo session, a floating breakfast on the pool categories, and every Maldivian tax.
Not in the price: your international flights, travel insurance, every drink, lunch, excursions, diving, Indian TCS, and anything not named above.
Half board here is a credit, not a set menu. Dinner at the house table is covered outright. Eat anywhere else and you draw a per-adult credit and settle the difference. Credits buy food only, drinks are charged as you take them on every plan, and there is no all-inclusive tier. Children under seven eat free.
Who this isn’t for
Anyone who came to snorkel off their own steps. The coral at the island is largely bleached. What is worth swimming to sits fifteen metres out at the drop-off, and the rest is on boat trips that each run on one fixed day of the week.
Anyone picturing sand outside the bedroom door. Every category stands over water. There is no beach villa here at any price.
Anyone who needs a kids club. There is a daily activity rota on a two-week cycle and there is paid babysitting. There is no supervised room to leave a child in.
Malé is twenty kilometres off, so the skyline is in view and the aircraft are audible. That is the straight trade for the boat that runs at any hour.
Before you book
Sunday is Indian night, cooked at a tandoor at the Overwater Bar. If you are bringing parents, arrive so that Sunday falls inside the stay.
Stays over the festive period sit outside this package and we price those on request.
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and whether you want a pool. We will price two or three villas with the boat and every tax inside one figure, put the full board arithmetic beside it, and tell you which jetty you are being quoted. Message our Maldives specialists on WhatsApp or send us an enquiry. We reply within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Gili Lankanfushi located?
Gili Lankanfushi is set on a private island in North Malé Atoll, Republic of Maldives, just 30 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport (MLE), Malé. The resort is one of the closest luxury private island retreats to the capital, making transfers swift and scenic.
How many villas does Gili Lankanfushi have?
The resort features 45 overwater villas across 8 distinct categories, 11 of which include private pools. Villa categories range from the Villa Suite and Gili Lagoon Villa to the Crusoe Residence, Sunset Crusoe Residence, and the Residence with Pool, each offering direct lagoon access and uninterrupted ocean views.
What dining experiences are available at Gili Lankanfushi?
Gili Lankanfushi offers nine distinct dining venues: Kashiveli (main restaurant with organic garden-to-table cuisine), By the Sea (romantic beachside dining), Overwater Bar (signature sundowner cocktails), Fini Foni (casual island bites), Underground Wine Cellar & Cold Room (curated wine experiences), Dining Under the Stars (private bespoke dinners), Jungle Cinema (open-air film screenings with gourmet snacks), Dining for the Senses (immersive multi-sensory journey), and Battle of the Bartenders (interactive cocktail masterclass).
What is Meera Spa?
Meera Spa is Gili Lankanfushi's wellness sanctuary, offering a full menu of treatments inspired by ancient healing traditions and the natural rhythms of the ocean. Treatments are available for individuals and couples, with dedicated spaces for yoga, meditation, and holistic therapies. The spa's serene setting makes it one of the most restorative experiences on the island.
What activities and experiences are available?
Gili Lankanfushi offers an exceptional range of experiences: guided snorkelling with the resident Marine Biologist, daily sunrise yoga, non-motorised water sports, surfing excursions, sunset sailing on a traditional Maldivian dhoni, cooking classes, Sleep Under the Stars, Tennis with a Pro, Kids' Activities, and special event setups for celebrations. The resort's Eco Centre also runs coral restoration and marine biology programmes.
What is Gili Lankanfushi's sustainability philosophy?
Gili Lankanfushi is a pioneer of responsible luxury in the Maldives. The resort's Eco Centre leads active coral restoration and marine biology programmes. The Organic Garden supplies fresh produce directly to the kitchens. A partnership with OceanR supports ocean plastic recycling, and the resort's Gili Signature Coffee is ethically sourced. Sustainability is woven into every aspect of the guest experience.
Is Gili Lankanfushi suitable for honeymoons and special occasions?
Absolutely. Gili Lankanfushi is one of the Maldives' most celebrated destinations for honeymoons, anniversaries, weddings, and milestone celebrations. The resort offers bespoke romantic experiences including Sleep Under the Stars, private candlelit dinners at Kashiveli, couple spa treatments at Meera Spa, and personalised celebration setups. The team's warm, attentive service ensures every special moment is unforgettable.
What is the best time to visit Gili Lankanfushi?
The Maldives enjoys warm tropical weather year-round, with ocean temperatures averaging 28 to 30°C. The dry season from November to April offers the calmest seas, clearest skies, and ideal conditions for snorkelling and diving. The green season from May to October brings lush island scenery, fewer crowds, and excellent value. The coral at the island itself is largely bleached, so the snorkelling worth swimming to is the drop-off about fifteen metres out, and the rest is on boat trips that each run on a fixed day.
How do I get to Gili Lankanfushi?
Gili Lankanfushi is reached by a 30-minute speedboat transfer from Velana International Airport (MLE), Malé, in North Malé Atoll. The resort's team coordinates all airport transfers and provides personal meet-and-greet assistance at Velana International Airport upon arrival and departure. Speedboat transfers operate throughout the day.
How can I enquire or make a booking?
Our Maldives travel specialists are available via WhatsApp to assist with personalised rates, availability, and bespoke itinerary planning. Simply tap Ask about this villa on any villa above, or reach us directly at +91 98112 03263. We'll craft the perfect Gili Lankanfushi escape for you.
Message a Maldives specialist →Read the full fact sheet →Back to the prices →
What guests say
5.0
out of 5 on TripAdvisor
5,137 reviews
5,137 reviews
Barefoot luxury in a boutique style environment with a very personalised approach.
This is a truly lovely medium sized island/resort, and as good as it gets I would say, if you are looking for barefoot luxury with a very personalised approach. The hosts are...
Top!!!
The Resort is excellent in everything — from the location, the sea, the rooms that offer all the comforts, to the quality of the services: catering, from the Spa to the diving...
I wanna stay more!
The room was great, managing room and our schedules were also great. Foods were always delicious, and everywhere we could stay with warm, kind, nice environment.
The resort
Tell us your dates and who is travelling
We will price two or three villas with the speedboat, and the taxes inside the number, and quote dates outside the ones above on request. We reply within 24 hours.
A day here
One animal a day. The weekly programme locks each trip to a single day, so the day you arrive decides what you can realistically see. Manta on Sunday, sting ray Monday, shark Tuesday, nurse shark Wednesday, turtle Friday. The second rule is quieter and matters more if there are two of you: the minimum number of guests follows the boat, not the animal. A dhoni sails for two, a speedboat needs four.
- Speedboat, 30 min
- Arrivals any hour
- Half board
- House reef 3/5
Worth knowing
We would talk you out of 3 nights here. The rota is the argument for a longer stay. Three nights gives you two full days and therefore two animals. Five gives you four.
Day 1, arriving
A shared speedboat, about thirty minutes, running day and night. There is no daylight window to miss, so a late landing at Velana still puts you on the island the same night. Boats are scheduled rather than private, so allow a wait at the airport before you move. Send us your ticket and we will check the connection before quoting.
Do these three things when you land.
- Ask for the week's programme sheet on arrival and find the day your animal falls on. If you only have two full days, that sheet decides them.
- If you are travelling as a couple, note which trips need four guests. The dhoni trips sail for two; the speedboat ones may not run at all.
- Book dinner. The theme nights are fixed to days, and the Indian tandoor night is Sunday.
Days 2 to 3, your full days
Mornings
The reef here is average and the resort does not really trade on it. Coral is largely bleached and the good snorkelling is on the boat trips. There is a drop-off around fifteen metres off the reef edge with coral walls, small sharks, turtles and rays, and the stretch between the two palm islets is the best of it. The two jetties are not alike: one is a short swim to the reef, the other is shallow and safer with children, with rays and sharks visible from the shore. Ask us which one you are being quoted.
- Anyone who came to snorkel
- Take the scheduled trip and check the day first. Manta Sunday at 09:30, sting ray Monday at 16:00, shark Tuesday, nurse shark Wednesday and turtle Friday, all mid-morning. Miss the day and you miss the animal for that week.
- A couple travelling on their own
- The dhoni trips sail with two guests, so manta, sting ray, shark, sunset fishing and the dolphin cruise are reliable. The speedboat trips need four, which means nurse shark and turtle depend on who else is on the island that week. Worth knowing before you build a week around one of them.
- Anyone who would rather learn than swim
- Snorkelling with the marine biologist runs Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 10:30 and is free. So does the organic garden brief with the executive chef on Wednesday and the village tour with the chief engineer on Tuesday and Friday.
Afternoons
There is a free cultural hour most afternoons and almost nobody books it, which is a shame because it is the most distinctive thing on the island. A different Maldivian craft or custom each day: kajan roof making on Monday, short eats on Wednesday, tailoring on Thursday, the Dhivehi language on Friday, handcraft on Saturday. Nothing on Tuesday. Surfing with Tropicsurf runs daily through an outside operator. Jet ski, seabob, fun tube and water ski are available most days and are charged. Yoga is every morning at 07:30 and free, with the style rotating through the week.
Evenings
Sunset sailing on a traditional dhoni on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 18:00. The jungle cinema runs Monday and Thursday at 21:30 with a recent film. Then dinner, and the plan here is a credit rather than a set menu, which is the thing to understand before you arrive. On half board the dinner sits at Kashiveli, where Monday, Thursday and Saturday are the rotating tasting menus and the other four nights are theme nights with live stations. Eat anywhere else and you draw a credit against the bill rather than a free meal, so a big night out still leaves something to pay. Breakfast rotates too: on the beach most days, a champagne breakfast at a private beach on Monday and Friday, and a floating breakfast in your pool on Wednesday.
Day 4, leaving
Nothing to plan around. The boat runs at any hour, so a dawn flight home does not lose you a night the way it would on a seaplane island.
Who this island's day does not suit
Anyone who wants to walk off a beach into their own snorkelling. Every villa is overwater, there are no beach rooms at all, and the reef is a boat ride. The resort also has no kids club in the usual sense, and it is honest about that: their view is that the island itself is the playground, with no beach accommodation taking up space, and that children should be let loose in the sand and the garden. There is a structured activity rota on a two-week cycle and babysitting is charged. If you need a supervised room to leave children in, this is not it.
What you will still pay
The meal plan rate is quoted with tax and service already inside it. Almost everything else is not, and that catches people out. Excursions, diving and water sports are all quoted before ten per cent service and seventeen per cent tax, so the number on the menu is not the number on the bill. The single most expensive misunderstanding here is the meal credit: it applies to food only, and drinks are charged as you consume them on every plan. Diving is priced by the dive and the rate falls in bands after six dives and again after eleven, with equipment, boat fee and guide already inside the price, which is not how most islands do it. Excursion prices move through the season, so tell us which trips you want and we will price them against your dates.
Day 1, arriving
A shared speedboat, about thirty minutes, running day and night. There is no daylight window to miss, so a late landing at Velana still puts you on the island the same night. Boats are scheduled rather than private, so allow a wait at the airport before you move. Send us your ticket and we will check the connection before quoting.
Do these three things when you land.
- Ask for the week's programme sheet on arrival and find the day your animal falls on. If you only have two full days, that sheet decides them.
- If you are travelling as a couple, note which trips need four guests. The dhoni trips sail for two; the speedboat ones may not run at all.
- Book dinner. The theme nights are fixed to days, and the Indian tandoor night is Sunday.
Days 2 to 4, your full days
Mornings
The reef here is average and the resort does not really trade on it. Coral is largely bleached and the good snorkelling is on the boat trips. There is a drop-off around fifteen metres off the reef edge with coral walls, small sharks, turtles and rays, and the stretch between the two palm islets is the best of it. The two jetties are not alike: one is a short swim to the reef, the other is shallow and safer with children, with rays and sharks visible from the shore. Ask us which one you are being quoted.
- Anyone who came to snorkel
- Take the scheduled trip and check the day first. Manta Sunday at 09:30, sting ray Monday at 16:00, shark Tuesday, nurse shark Wednesday and turtle Friday, all mid-morning. Miss the day and you miss the animal for that week.
- A couple travelling on their own
- The dhoni trips sail with two guests, so manta, sting ray, shark, sunset fishing and the dolphin cruise are reliable. The speedboat trips need four, which means nurse shark and turtle depend on who else is on the island that week. Worth knowing before you build a week around one of them.
- Anyone who would rather learn than swim
- Snorkelling with the marine biologist runs Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 10:30 and is free. So does the organic garden brief with the executive chef on Wednesday and the village tour with the chief engineer on Tuesday and Friday.
Afternoons
There is a free cultural hour most afternoons and almost nobody books it, which is a shame because it is the most distinctive thing on the island. A different Maldivian craft or custom each day: kajan roof making on Monday, short eats on Wednesday, tailoring on Thursday, the Dhivehi language on Friday, handcraft on Saturday. Nothing on Tuesday. Surfing with Tropicsurf runs daily through an outside operator. Jet ski, seabob, fun tube and water ski are available most days and are charged. Yoga is every morning at 07:30 and free, with the style rotating through the week.
Evenings
Sunset sailing on a traditional dhoni on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 18:00. The jungle cinema runs Monday and Thursday at 21:30 with a recent film. Then dinner, and the plan here is a credit rather than a set menu, which is the thing to understand before you arrive. On half board the dinner sits at Kashiveli, where Monday, Thursday and Saturday are the rotating tasting menus and the other four nights are theme nights with live stations. Eat anywhere else and you draw a credit against the bill rather than a free meal, so a big night out still leaves something to pay. Breakfast rotates too: on the beach most days, a champagne breakfast at a private beach on Monday and Friday, and a floating breakfast in your pool on Wednesday.
Day 5, leaving
Nothing to plan around. The boat runs at any hour, so a dawn flight home does not lose you a night the way it would on a seaplane island.
Who this island's day does not suit
Anyone who wants to walk off a beach into their own snorkelling. Every villa is overwater, there are no beach rooms at all, and the reef is a boat ride. The resort also has no kids club in the usual sense, and it is honest about that: their view is that the island itself is the playground, with no beach accommodation taking up space, and that children should be let loose in the sand and the garden. There is a structured activity rota on a two-week cycle and babysitting is charged. If you need a supervised room to leave children in, this is not it.
What you will still pay
The meal plan rate is quoted with tax and service already inside it. Almost everything else is not, and that catches people out. Excursions, diving and water sports are all quoted before ten per cent service and seventeen per cent tax, so the number on the menu is not the number on the bill. The single most expensive misunderstanding here is the meal credit: it applies to food only, and drinks are charged as you consume them on every plan. Diving is priced by the dive and the rate falls in bands after six dives and again after eleven, with equipment, boat fee and guide already inside the price, which is not how most islands do it. Excursion prices move through the season, so tell us which trips you want and we will price them against your dates.
Day 1, arriving
A shared speedboat, about thirty minutes, running day and night. There is no daylight window to miss, so a late landing at Velana still puts you on the island the same night. Boats are scheduled rather than private, so allow a wait at the airport before you move. Send us your ticket and we will check the connection before quoting.
Do these three things when you land.
- Ask for the week's programme sheet on arrival and find the day your animal falls on. If you only have two full days, that sheet decides them.
- If you are travelling as a couple, note which trips need four guests. The dhoni trips sail for two; the speedboat ones may not run at all.
- Book dinner. The theme nights are fixed to days, and the Indian tandoor night is Sunday.
Days 2 to 5, your full days
Mornings
The reef here is average and the resort does not really trade on it. Coral is largely bleached and the good snorkelling is on the boat trips. There is a drop-off around fifteen metres off the reef edge with coral walls, small sharks, turtles and rays, and the stretch between the two palm islets is the best of it. The two jetties are not alike: one is a short swim to the reef, the other is shallow and safer with children, with rays and sharks visible from the shore. Ask us which one you are being quoted.
- Anyone who came to snorkel
- Take the scheduled trip and check the day first. Manta Sunday at 09:30, sting ray Monday at 16:00, shark Tuesday, nurse shark Wednesday and turtle Friday, all mid-morning. Miss the day and you miss the animal for that week.
- A couple travelling on their own
- The dhoni trips sail with two guests, so manta, sting ray, shark, sunset fishing and the dolphin cruise are reliable. The speedboat trips need four, which means nurse shark and turtle depend on who else is on the island that week. Worth knowing before you build a week around one of them.
- Anyone who would rather learn than swim
- Snorkelling with the marine biologist runs Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 10:30 and is free. So does the organic garden brief with the executive chef on Wednesday and the village tour with the chief engineer on Tuesday and Friday.
Afternoons
There is a free cultural hour most afternoons and almost nobody books it, which is a shame because it is the most distinctive thing on the island. A different Maldivian craft or custom each day: kajan roof making on Monday, short eats on Wednesday, tailoring on Thursday, the Dhivehi language on Friday, handcraft on Saturday. Nothing on Tuesday. Surfing with Tropicsurf runs daily through an outside operator. Jet ski, seabob, fun tube and water ski are available most days and are charged. Yoga is every morning at 07:30 and free, with the style rotating through the week.
Evenings
Sunset sailing on a traditional dhoni on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 18:00. The jungle cinema runs Monday and Thursday at 21:30 with a recent film. Then dinner, and the plan here is a credit rather than a set menu, which is the thing to understand before you arrive. On half board the dinner sits at Kashiveli, where Monday, Thursday and Saturday are the rotating tasting menus and the other four nights are theme nights with live stations. Eat anywhere else and you draw a credit against the bill rather than a free meal, so a big night out still leaves something to pay. Breakfast rotates too: on the beach most days, a champagne breakfast at a private beach on Monday and Friday, and a floating breakfast in your pool on Wednesday.
Day 6, leaving
Nothing to plan around. The boat runs at any hour, so a dawn flight home does not lose you a night the way it would on a seaplane island.
Who this island's day does not suit
Anyone who wants to walk off a beach into their own snorkelling. Every villa is overwater, there are no beach rooms at all, and the reef is a boat ride. The resort also has no kids club in the usual sense, and it is honest about that: their view is that the island itself is the playground, with no beach accommodation taking up space, and that children should be let loose in the sand and the garden. There is a structured activity rota on a two-week cycle and babysitting is charged. If you need a supervised room to leave children in, this is not it.
What you will still pay
The meal plan rate is quoted with tax and service already inside it. Almost everything else is not, and that catches people out. Excursions, diving and water sports are all quoted before ten per cent service and seventeen per cent tax, so the number on the menu is not the number on the bill. The single most expensive misunderstanding here is the meal credit: it applies to food only, and drinks are charged as you consume them on every plan. Diving is priced by the dive and the rate falls in bands after six dives and again after eleven, with equipment, boat fee and guide already inside the price, which is not how most islands do it. Excursion prices move through the season, so tell us which trips you want and we will price them against your dates.
Day 1, arriving
A shared speedboat, about thirty minutes, running day and night. There is no daylight window to miss, so a late landing at Velana still puts you on the island the same night. Boats are scheduled rather than private, so allow a wait at the airport before you move. Send us your ticket and we will check the connection before quoting.
Do these three things when you land.
- Ask for the week's programme sheet on arrival and find the day your animal falls on. If you only have two full days, that sheet decides them.
- If you are travelling as a couple, note which trips need four guests. The dhoni trips sail for two; the speedboat ones may not run at all.
- Book dinner. The theme nights are fixed to days, and the Indian tandoor night is Sunday.
Days 2 to 7, your full days
Mornings
The reef here is average and the resort does not really trade on it. Coral is largely bleached and the good snorkelling is on the boat trips. There is a drop-off around fifteen metres off the reef edge with coral walls, small sharks, turtles and rays, and the stretch between the two palm islets is the best of it. The two jetties are not alike: one is a short swim to the reef, the other is shallow and safer with children, with rays and sharks visible from the shore. Ask us which one you are being quoted.
- Anyone who came to snorkel
- Take the scheduled trip and check the day first. Manta Sunday at 09:30, sting ray Monday at 16:00, shark Tuesday, nurse shark Wednesday and turtle Friday, all mid-morning. Miss the day and you miss the animal for that week.
- A couple travelling on their own
- The dhoni trips sail with two guests, so manta, sting ray, shark, sunset fishing and the dolphin cruise are reliable. The speedboat trips need four, which means nurse shark and turtle depend on who else is on the island that week. Worth knowing before you build a week around one of them.
- Anyone who would rather learn than swim
- Snorkelling with the marine biologist runs Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 10:30 and is free. So does the organic garden brief with the executive chef on Wednesday and the village tour with the chief engineer on Tuesday and Friday.
Afternoons
There is a free cultural hour most afternoons and almost nobody books it, which is a shame because it is the most distinctive thing on the island. A different Maldivian craft or custom each day: kajan roof making on Monday, short eats on Wednesday, tailoring on Thursday, the Dhivehi language on Friday, handcraft on Saturday. Nothing on Tuesday. Surfing with Tropicsurf runs daily through an outside operator. Jet ski, seabob, fun tube and water ski are available most days and are charged. Yoga is every morning at 07:30 and free, with the style rotating through the week.
Evenings
Sunset sailing on a traditional dhoni on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 18:00. The jungle cinema runs Monday and Thursday at 21:30 with a recent film. Then dinner, and the plan here is a credit rather than a set menu, which is the thing to understand before you arrive. On half board the dinner sits at Kashiveli, where Monday, Thursday and Saturday are the rotating tasting menus and the other four nights are theme nights with live stations. Eat anywhere else and you draw a credit against the bill rather than a free meal, so a big night out still leaves something to pay. Breakfast rotates too: on the beach most days, a champagne breakfast at a private beach on Monday and Friday, and a floating breakfast in your pool on Wednesday.
Day 8, leaving
Nothing to plan around. The boat runs at any hour, so a dawn flight home does not lose you a night the way it would on a seaplane island.
Who this island's day does not suit
Anyone who wants to walk off a beach into their own snorkelling. Every villa is overwater, there are no beach rooms at all, and the reef is a boat ride. The resort also has no kids club in the usual sense, and it is honest about that: their view is that the island itself is the playground, with no beach accommodation taking up space, and that children should be let loose in the sand and the garden. There is a structured activity rota on a two-week cycle and babysitting is charged. If you need a supervised room to leave children in, this is not it.
What you will still pay
The meal plan rate is quoted with tax and service already inside it. Almost everything else is not, and that catches people out. Excursions, diving and water sports are all quoted before ten per cent service and seventeen per cent tax, so the number on the menu is not the number on the bill. The single most expensive misunderstanding here is the meal credit: it applies to food only, and drinks are charged as you consume them on every plan. Diving is priced by the dive and the rate falls in bands after six dives and again after eleven, with equipment, boat fee and guide already inside the price, which is not how most islands do it. Excursion prices move through the season, so tell us which trips you want and we will price them against your dates.
Tell us which dates you are looking at and we will check this against the week you will actually be here.
