Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
Experience the best of the Maldives with a vacation to two of its most fabulous resorts: Naladhu Private Island and Anatara Kihavah.
There is no shortage of fabulous hotels in the Maldives, which can make deciding where to stay during travel tricky. With over 100 hotels, you are truly spoiled for choice. The biggest decision you need to make is choosing between a smaller, intimate resort or a larger resort with more amenities. Both have their benefits.
At a boutique resort, you feel as if you’re on your own private island, the service is ultra-personal and the ambiance can be magical. Of course, if you’re traveling with a group or with extended family, you can rent out some of the smaller resorts and privatize them. On the other hand, larger resorts have many more amenities and restaurants that serve multiple types of cuisine.
So, what’s the solution? We recommend beginning your trip at an intimate private island then switching to a larger resort halfway through. The easiest way to do this is by staying at resorts owned by the same company. Naladhu Private Island Maldives and Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas have perfected this type of trip, and they make the transition as seamless as possible.
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Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
After your long journey — it takes more than 24 hours to travel from the US to get to the Maldives — heading to a small, exclusive resort is just the ticket. You can recover from your travel and get over your jet lag in a relaxing environment without being overwhelmed by the sheer number of activities on offer. Believe us, it takes a few days to feel back to normal, and you don’t want to have FOMO during your vacation. Naladhu has just 20 villas on the tiny island, each serviced by an attentive butler. It’s the perfect place to relax into the languid pace of the Maldives. Spend your days reading by your private pool, enjoying the beach at your personal cabana or exploring the waters.
While Naladhu is quite a relaxing place, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. Its water center operates a full slate of excursions, including jet-skiing, yachting, fishing trips, snorkeling and diving expeditions, as well as trips to get up and close with nurse sharks. In addition, Naladhu is connected to sister resorts, Anantara Veli and Anantara Dhigu, which have plentiful restaurants and activities. As a guest of Naladhu, you can access both resorts, but other guests are not granted access to Naladhu.
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
One of the most unique aspects of Naladhu is its menu-free dining concept. Their fantastic chef cooks fabulous dishes based on what you tell him you’re in the mood for. That might be sushi for breakfast, a delicious burger for lunch and refined French cuisine for dinner. The servers are adept at conveying your wishes to the chef, who will frequently come out to chat with you too. Most meals are served in The Living Room, which is the heart of the resort, but you can order to your villa, have a romantic dinner on the beach or pretty much anywhere else on the island.
Midway through your vacation, make the switch to Anantara Kihavah. This resort is located on the other side of the archipelago, so you’ll take Naladhu’s yacht to travel to the airport, then catch a seaplane. The resort staff at the airport makes the transition seamless — they handle your baggage and check-ins, then whisk you to the sea plane’s private lounge in a van. After a short 45-minute seaplane ride with absolutely stunning views, you’ll land at Anantara Kihavah.
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The uninterrupted views out over the ocean are superb, and the sunsets are spectacular. Be sure to indulge in a floating breakfast in your pool.
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
This resort has a beautiful collection of beach and over-water villas, each with a private pool. Each is serviced by a villa host. For many people, staying in an over-water villa is the pinnacle of the Maldives vacation, and it’s certainly magical here. The uninterrupted views out over the ocean are superb, and the sunsets are spectacular. Be sure to indulge in a floating breakfast in your pool.
Anantara Kihavah has several truly special amenities on property, including a superb house reef for snorkeling and scuba diving (nearby resorts operate their scuba excursions here, that’s how fabulous is it), an over-water observatory with a powerful telescope, an over-water spa and an underwater restaurant with an award-winning wine cellar. Be sure to check out each of these, as they’re truly special. Of course, the island has pristine beaches for relaxing, over-water hammocks and plenty of excursions, including swimming with manta rays.
The only question left — when are you planning your vacation?
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas