Angsana Velavaru

In South Nilandhe, the atoll usually written as Dhaalu, about 40 minutes south of Male by seaplane. Velavaru means turtle, and the island is known locally as Turtle Island. There are 91 land villas and 34 overwater villas, and the overwater ones sit out on the reef rather than off the beach.

By seaplane, 40 minutes from Velana International Airport on a 15-seat twin-engine aircraft that lands at the resort's own station. Seaplanes fly in daylight only, between 06:00 and 15:30, so your international flight has to land before 15:00. Land later and you spend the first night in Male at your own expense. Going home, a flight leaving before 09:00 means travelling back to Male the previous afternoon. Send us your flight times and we will check the connection before you book.

The villa for two, the return seaplane for two, green tax, service charge and GST, and the all inclusive dine plan. Indian TCS is added separately on the total invoice value, and the current rate is on our Taxes and TCS page. Daily guided house reef snorkelling, snorkel gear, kayaks and paddleboards, coral planting, the marine talk and the daily bird feeding are all free as well.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner, afternoon tea between 15:30 and 17:00, and free-flow drinks including wine, beer, cocktails and house spirits from 11:00 to 23:00, plus a daily minibar restock of soft drinks and snacks. Land villa guests eat at Kaani Restaurant and the Kuredhi Pool Bar; InOcean guests also have Azzurro out in the cluster. Funa, the pan-Asian restaurant, carries a supplement of US$35 per person per meal. All Inclusive Premium adds premium drinks for US$140 per adult per night.

More than the view. The land villas are on the island itself, with a sand beach entry. The InOcean villas are two-storey overwater villas set apart from the island on the reef, each with a rooftop terrace and an infinity pool, and the drop-off is a short swim from the deck. A ferry crosses between the two seventeen times a day, from 07:00 with the last boat back at 23:00, and the InOcean cluster has its own reception, restaurant and bar, so you are not tied to the timetable for dinner.

Yes, and where you sleep decides how much of it you get. Guests report vibrant coral and dense fish along the drop-off by the InOcean villas, with channels cut through the shallow reef, marked by buoys, and reef access platforms and ladders at the end of each. There can be a lateral current, and the reef in front of the villas is shallow at low tide. From the beach the entry is easy sand, the back of the island holds a shallow reef full of juvenile fish, and the resort runs a guided snorkel out to the drop-off every day.

Not from the prices on this page: the festive period is not priced here. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve both carry a compulsory dinner, US$200 and US$280 per adult, in-villa dining is withdrawn on those nights, and no check-out is allowed on 31 December. Ask us and we will price those dates for you.

It works well for families. The Rangers Kids Club takes children from four to eleven, open 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00, and there is a kids pool, a futsal pitch and a full watersports centre. One child aged four to fifteen sharing with two adults stays and eats free, though their seaplane and green tax are still charged. Family and two-bedroom villas up to 473 sq m are not priced on this page, and we price those on request.

Yes. Book at least 90 days before you arrive and the resort takes 25% off the villa, which includes the all inclusive dine plan. It does not apply to the seaplane. It depends on the day you book, so the prices on this page are before it. We apply it for you, and it combines with the honeymoon extras.

Yes, with rules that matter more here than at most resorts, because the seaplanes land on the lagoon. You register the drone on arrival, call reception before every flight to confirm there is no seaplane movement, and fly only inside the window and the area they give you, in daylight and good weather, with the drone in sight at all times. The ceiling is 30 feet. Crossing the lagoon is not allowed unless it is coordinated with the ferry crossing, and you may not fly over other villas or guests.