10 Best Maldives Resorts — Overwater Villas & Honeymoon Picks

We open the Maldives list with the resort we'd happily book for a honeymoon — Hurawalhi Island Resort. It's an adults-only 5-star property on its own private island in Lhaviyani Atoll, up in the northern Maldives, with 90 villas split between beach villas and overwater villas that come with a private pool. The headline draw is the 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, sitting 5.8 metres below the surface — the largest undersea restaurant in the world, where you eat while fish drift past the glass. Round it out with Duniye Spa, an outdoor pool, a full PADI dive centre, several restaurants and bars, a private butler, and all-inclusive packages. Getting here is a 40-minute seaplane from MLE. It scores 9.4/10, with rates from around $499 a night — squarely aimed at couples and honeymooners.

Coming in at #2 is the highest-scoring resort on our entire list — Veligandu Island Resort & Spa. It sits on a private island in North Ari Atoll (Alif Alif), has been open since 1984, and got a major renovation in 2013. There are 96 villas, from Jacuzzi Beach Villas to Water Villas with a private Jacuzzi, and the island's signature feature is a long white sandbar that stretches out into the sea. On-site you get Duniye Spa, an outdoor pool, a gym, a sauna, and a full dive centre, plus a house reef wrapping the island that you can snorkel straight off the beach. Several restaurants and cafes round it out, and the seaplane transfer from MLE runs just 20 minutes — the shortest in this group of seaplane resorts. Real guests rate it 9.7/10, the top score here. Rates start around $320 a night.

Our #3 pick is the 5-star resort we rate as the closest to the airport in the whole 5-star group — Velassaru Maldives (Trip.com now lists it as Niva Velassaru Maldives, the same resort after a rebrand). It sits on a private island in South Male Atoll with 128 villas — Beach Villas, Water Bungalows and Pool Villas with their own private pool. The look mixes clean modern lines with the tropics: high, open ceilings and natural wood and stone. You get Velassaru Spa, an outdoor pool, a steam room, a gym, and several restaurants and bars, with a breakfast spread that runs Western, Asian and halal. There's a water-sports and dive centre, a house reef off the beach for free snorkeling, and free Wi-Fi. The transfer is just 25 minutes by speedboat from MLE — the shortest in this 5-star list. It scores 9.5/10, with rates from about $307 a night.

At number 4 is the resort we'd hand to families — Meeru Island Resort & Spa. It's a 5-star property on the large private island of Meerufenfushi (1,200 x 350 metres) in the northeast of North Male Atoll, with 315 rooms spread across six types — Garden Room, Beach Villa, Jacuzzi Beach Villa, Water Villa, Jacuzzi Water Villa and Water Front Villa. It first opened in 1978, one of the Maldives' pioneer resorts, and had a major renovation in 2012. On site you get Duniye Spa, two outdoor pools, a 9-hole golf course, the main Farivalhu restaurant plus five more, all-inclusive packages and a full PADI dive centre. The island is big enough to walk or cycle around. It's a 55-minute speedboat from MLE, scores 8.5/10 from 137 reviews, and starts near $247 a night — strong value for a family.

Coming in at number five is the resort we'd send any diver to first — Vilamendhoo Island Resort & Spa. It's a 4-star resort on a private island in the heart of South Ari Atoll, and the diving is the whole point. There are 194 rooms split between beach villas and Jacuzzi water villas, with part of the island set aside as an adults-only zone. Every room has air-con, a minibar, a flat-screen TV and a balcony. On the ground you get two outdoor pools, the Duniye Spa, a gym, 4 restaurants and 4 bars, plus a full Euro-Divers centre running trips to 40+ dive sites nearby — including the protected Kudarah Thila. The house reef circling the island draws blacktip sharks, turtles and manta rays you can snorkel to straight from the sand. There's a kids club and a small golf course too. Guests rate it 9.4/10, and rooms start around $267 a night.

At #6 sits the resort we think gives you the most for your money: Kuredu Island Resort & Spa, a 4-star property on a large island at the northern end of Lhaviyani Atoll. It runs 289 rooms, from entry-level Garden Bungalows up to the smart Sangu Water Villas, with three pools, a gym, and the full Duniye Spa. The oddball headline feature is a 6-hole pitch-and-putt golf course — the only golf in the Maldives. You eat across 5 restaurants, two cafes, and four bars, and the all-inclusive package covers drinks and meals. The Prodivers dive centre handles the diving, the island sits decades into its run as one of the country's original dive resorts, and the house reef right off the sand puts turtles, manta rays, and blacktip reef sharks within snorkeling distance. Guests rate it 9.5/10, and rooms start near $108 a night — the cheapest entry point on the list.

Coming in at #7 is the resort we'd hand the closest-to-the-airport crown — Kurumba Maldives, which Trip.com now lists as Niva Kurumba Maldives after a rebrand. This is where the whole Maldives resort story began: it opened in 1972 as the country's first 5-star resort, on the private island of Vihamanafushi in North Male Atoll. There are 180 rooms spanning Deluxe Bungalows, Pool Villas, Family Villas and the top-end Royal Kurumba Residence. The headline is the food — 9 restaurants and bars covering seafood, Chinese, Italian, Indian and Japanese, the most of anywhere on our list. Add 2 pools, 3 tennis courts, a gym, the Veli Spa, a dive centre, a kids' club with babysitting, and meeting space for events. Best of all, it's a 10-minute speedboat from MLE — the shortest transfer here, ideal for a late-night landing. From about $226 a night.

Ranked #8 on our Maldives list, Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa is the pick for travellers who want familiar, Thai-fluent service in an Indian Ocean setting. It is an adults-only (18+) 4-star resort run by Thailand's Centara group, sitting on the private island of Giravaru in North Male Atoll, close to the capital. You choose between Beach Villas and Water Villas with steps that drop straight into the sea off the deck; every room has air-con, a minibar and a flat-screen TV. The Cenvaree Spa runs Thai-style massage and treatments, and there is an outdoor pool, a gym, several restaurants — including Suan Bua for genuinely spicy Thai food — a full dive centre, water sports and a house reef wrapping the island. The Ultimate all-inclusive plan folds in drinks and activities. The boat transfer from MLE takes about 15 minutes, and rates start around $253 a night.

At number 9 is the resort we rate as the best value for families — Bandos Maldives. Bandos sits on its own private island in North Male Atoll, near the capital, and it is one of the originals: it opened in 1972 and had a major renovation in 2023, so the buildings feel fresh rather than tired. There are 220 rooms in 8 categories, from Standard Beachfront up to Water Villas, which makes it flexible for couples, divers and families alike. You get 4 restaurants, 3 bars including a beach bar, all-inclusive packages, an outdoor pool, the full Orchid Spa, a gym and a large award-winning dive centre. The headline draw is the house reef you can snorkel straight off the beach — guests nickname it swimming in a fish tank. A kids club and kids pool keep families happy. The speedboat ride from Velana International (MLE) takes just 15-20 minutes. Score 9.5/10 from 176 reviews, from about $195 a night.

We close the list with the family pick of the bunch — Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives, a 5-star resort run by Thailand's Centara group on the private island of Machchafushi in South Ari Atoll. It opened in 2009, was renovated in 2012, and has 112 rooms in white-painted wooden villas with thatched roofs. Water Villas line the lagoon, and some have glass floors so you can watch fish from inside. The headline is the Ultimate All-Inclusive plan — every meal, drinks, activities, and transfers are bundled in. There are several restaurants including a Thai kitchen and an international buffet with Chinese food, the Cenvaree Spa with Thai-style massage, a gym, a yoga room, a full PADI dive centre with a resort-only shipwreck site, and the E-Zone kids club with daily activities. Staff are Thai and speak Thai. The transfer is a 25-minute seaplane from MLE. Rates start around $233 a night.