SO/ Maldives
SO/ Maldives
Emboodhoo Lagoon · South Malé Atoll · 15 minutes by speedboat, day or night
House reef
2/5
Thin
Little or nothing to snorkel off the beach. Some islands in this band run a free boat to a reef — the note below says whether this one does.
Weak, and worth knowing before you book. The island opened at the end of 2023 in a developed lagoon fifteen minutes from Malé, and guests report very little to snorkel around it: a small coral patch, shallow clear water that suits a nervous beginner, and not much else. Sharks, rays and turtles do get seen, but on the resort's boat trips rather than off your own steps. Snorkelling gear is free at the watersports centre. Come here for the design, the food and the short transfer, and let us book your reef holiday somewhere else.
Getting there
Route
Speedboat
Journey
15 min, airport to island
Last arrival that works
Any time
Transfers run around the clock, so a late landing does not cost you a night in Malé.
There is a second way in. Private speedboat, up to 15 people, about 15 min, for arrivals at Velana up to 24H.
Shared speedboat, running day and night, so any arrival time connects. The resort meets you after customs at Velana and it is a 15-minute ride.
Transfer details last checked September 2026. We re-check yours against your actual ticket before we quote. See what your flight can reach →
Choose Your Villa
Eighty villas on one island, twenty-seven on the beach and fifty-three over the water.
Beach Pool Villa
The entry villa and, unusually, the biggest of the standard categories. 228 m² in a garden a few steps from the sand, with a private pool and a view across the lagoon towards Malé. Seven of them.
- 228 m², on the beach
- Private pool
- King or twin
- Two adults, or two adults and a child
Lagoon Beach Pool Villa
The same 228 m² footprint turned to face the lagoon rather than the garden, with the open water in front of you instead of the channel. Eleven of them, and the one most couples end up in.
- 228 m², on the beach
- Private pool
- Lagoon view
- Two adults, or two adults and a child
Water Pool Villa
120 m² over the lagoon with a private pool and steps down to the water. Smaller than the beach villas and dearer, which is the trade every overwater villa asks you to make. Eighteen of them.
- 120 m², over the water
- Private pool
- Steps into the lagoon
- Two adults, or two adults and a child
Ocean Water Pool Villa
The far end of the overwater walkway, facing open ocean rather than the lagoon and the lights of Malé. Thirty-two of them, so it is the category we can most often hold at short notice.
- 120 m², over the water
- Private pool
- Open ocean view
- Two adults, or two adults and a child
Family Beach Pool Villa with Capsule
238 m² on the beach with a separate sleeping capsule for children, a private pool and room for two adults and two children as standard. Six of them, and they go early in school holidays.
- 238 m², on the beach
- Private pool
- Children's sleeping capsule
- Two adults and two children as standard
Two and Three Bedroom Residences
Three of them, all with private pools: the 322 m² Two Bedroom Lagoon Beach Pool Loft over two floors on the sand, the 240 m² Two Bedroom Ocean Water Pool Atelier and the 410 m² Three Bedroom Atelier over the water. All are on the dropdown.
- 322, 240 and 410 m²
- Private pools on both floors
- Four to six adults
- Sunset cruise and floating breakfast included
Where in the Maldives?
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is SO/ Maldives, and how do you get there? +
On its own island in the Emboodhoo Lagoon, South Malé Atoll, eight kilometres from Velana International Airport. The transfer is a shared speedboat, about fifteen minutes, and it runs twenty-four hours against your flight. There is no seaplane and no daylight cut-off, so a midnight arrival still reaches the island that night.
What is included in the price on this page? +
The villa for the number of nights shown, half board, the return shared speedboat and every tax including the green tax. Half board here is a proper dine-around: breakfast at The Citronelle Club and a three-course à la carte dinner at any of the three restaurants, with soft drinks at meals.
Is the snorkelling any good? +
No, and we would rather say so. The island opened at the end of 2023 in a developed lagoon and guests report very little reef to swim out to. Sharks, rays and turtles are seen on the boat trips the resort runs rather than off the beach. We rate the house reef 2 out of 5. Ask us for a reef island instead if that is the point of the holiday.
Is SO/ Maldives good for families? +
Yes. The Nest kids club, a family villa with a separate sleeping capsule, and on the India summer offer one child stays, eats from the kids' menu and travels free in the two-adult villas, two children in the family and multi-bedroom ones. They pay only the twelve-dollar green tax a night.
How many villas are there, and what are the categories? +
Eighty: twenty-seven on the beach and fifty-three over the water. Beach Pool, Lagoon Beach Pool and Family Beach Pool with Capsule on the sand at 228 and 238 m²; Water Pool and Ocean Water Pool over the lagoon at 120 m²; and three multi-bedroom residences of 322, 240 and 410 m².
What meal plans are available? +
Bed and breakfast, half board dine-around and full board dine-around, plus a Standard and a Premium beverage package that can be added to any of them. The prices on this page are half board. Ask us and we will price full board and the all-inclusive against them for your dates.
Is there a minimum stay? +
Four nights from 1 October, and three on the India summer offer that runs to 30 September 2026. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out is at 12:00. The resort may pre-authorise US$200 a villa a night on your card at arrival.
Can we book Christmas or New Year? +
Not at these prices. 26 December to 10 January is not on the dropdown: the New Year's Eve gala dinner is compulsory for every guest on the island whatever meal plan they booked, and the resort accepts no check-out on 30 or 31 December. We can quote the festive fortnight by hand.
What does the cancellation policy look like? +
Harder than most. You pay 100% of the whole stay if you cancel inside 14 days in the quieter months, inside 21 days from January to May, and inside 45 days over the festive fortnight. There is no half-charge step, and shortening a confirmed stay counts as a cancellation.
How do I make a reservation or enquiry? +
Message our Maldives specialists on WhatsApp at +91 98112 03263 or use the enquiry form on this page. We reply within 24 hours with a costing that has the villa, the meal plan, the speedboat and every tax inside a single number.
Curated by Maldives Specialists
Every resort we feature is personally vetted by our founders, so you book with confidence.
Pranjal
Founder & Maldives Specialist
Selling the Maldives since 2004. He will tell you when a well-known name is not what it used to be.
Amosha
Co-Founder & Maldives Specialist
Meticulous attention to detail and deep resort relationships for seamless, personalised journeys.