Amilla Maldives

Amilla Maldives is a five-star island resort in Baa Atoll, built around a choice of beach, treetop and overwater accommodation. You can wake above the lagoon, step straight onto the sand or retreat into the island's jungle. The mood is contemporary and spacious rather than tightly packed, with private pools, terraces and sea views built into the stay.

For a diver, the useful part is the way the resort handles the hours around the water. Air conditioning, soundproof rooms, room service, a spa, a fitness centre and several places to eat mean you can keep the day moving or stop it altogether. Couples have overwater villas for two, while families and larger groups have residences with several bedrooms and living space. No need to share your evening with someone else's idea of entertainment, unless you choose to.

The resort is also set up for more than a couples-only escape. A kids' club, family rooms, children's activities and accessible adaptations in selected villas make the island workable for families and guests with reduced mobility.

Your address is Kihaadhoo, Maldives, in Baa Atoll. Amilla Maldives sits directly on the sea, with a white-sand beach, lagoon, reef and jungle all forming part of the island rather than a distant excursion. The beach includes hammocks, while most of the island remains covered by vegetation.

The resort is about 78 miles from Velana International Airport, reached by seaplane or by a domestic flight followed by a speedboat. Dharavandhoo Airport is about 5 miles away as the crow flies, with the resort's transfer arrangements determining how that distance works in practice. The island itself is the destination here: restaurants, bars, activities and the beach are all on site.

For getting around during your stay, bicycles are available and a 3 km route circles the island for walking, running or cycling. There are also excursions to local islands, Hanifaru Bay and sandbanks when you want to see something beyond the beach without turning the whole holiday into a logistics exercise.

The accommodation is built for privacy and outdoor living. Every listed villa or residence has its own private pool and generous exterior space, while the main choice is where you want your water: directly beneath an overwater villa, beyond a beach terrace or below the treetops. Couples can keep things simple with a one-bedroom villa, including the Sunset Water Pool Villa for two or a Beach Pool Villa with more room to spread out.

The overwater options suit you if stepping from your own terrace towards the lagoon matters more than being beside the sand. The Lagoon Water Pool Villa and Reef Water Pool Villa also work for small families, with room for up to three guests. For four people, the Two Bedroom Beach Pool Villa, Two Bedroom Treetop Pool Villa and Two Bedroom Lagoon Water Pool Villa give you separate sleeping areas rather than forcing everyone into one large room. The very largest apartment and suite categories are aimed at groups who need several bedrooms and bathrooms, not merely a bigger minibar.

Inside, expect air conditioning, a terrace, a seating area, a desk, a minibar and a bathroom with a bath or shower. That combination matters when the sun has done its work: cold drinks, somewhere to sit, and reliable cooling while you recover. Soundproof rooms support proper sleep, and the beds have been rated highly for comfort. Room service, daily housekeeping, free WiFi and accessible features in selected villas add the practical layer beneath the postcard views.

The all-inclusive formula gives you seven restaurants to work through rather than one dining room repeated with different tablecloths. Fresh handles breakfast à la carte, while the breakfast spread covers Continental, Full English/Irish, vegetarian, halal, gluten-free, Asian and American choices. Packed lunches are available too, which is handy when a boat or island outing makes sitting down for a conventional meal inconvenient.

Dinner takes you from Japanese sushi and sashimi at Feeling Koi, on an overwater deck, to Italian dishes and homemade pasta at Barolo beside the water. Tessera serves shared Arabian-inspired plates, East covers Asian flavours from Indian tandoors to Chinese and Thai influences, and Joe's Pizza makes individual pizzas to order. Mystique Garden brings local ingredients, herbs, fruit and vegetables from the organic garden to the table. The Emperor Beach Club keeps things less formal with food, cocktails and mocktails on the sand.

There are three bars. Sunset Bar combines champagne, gin and signature cocktails with live entertainment; Baa Bar works the beach with cocktails, wine, beer and island-infused spirits; and The Cellar Door focuses on wine, with bottles from the Old and New Worlds and private tasting experiences. Menus can be adapted for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb or keto, and paleo diets. Cooking workshops and the option to catch a fish and have the chefs prepare it add a little more substance than simply ordering another plate.

The Tranquillity Pool sits by the Indian Ocean, giving you a straightforward place to cool off when the sea has already had enough of your attention. The private beach has white sand, sun loungers, umbrellas and hammocks. If your legs need more convincing, the Javvu Spa offers massages, facials, body treatments, sauna, steam room and a range of therapies including Balinese, Thai, hot-stone and Maldivian herbal treatments.

The wellness side is more substantial than a token yoga mat. The Jungle Gym places functional fitness stations beneath a banyan tree, while the Cardio & Strength studios have machines and weights. You can join group yoga, book a private session, use the meditation labyrinth or attend workshops on island plants and remedies. The 3 km island route suits an easy walk or cycle; tennis, badminton, table tennis, billiards, darts, pickleball and a games room cover the occasions when simply lying down begins to feel like an activity in its own right.

On the water, kayaking, paddleboarding, windsurfing, jet-skiing, wakeboarding, Seabob, jetpack rides and fun-tubing are available, alongside fishing and boat excursions. Snorkelling is also offered, including trips to Hanifaru Bay and the house reef. Evenings can bring Bodu Beru, live performances, DJ sets, film nights, karaoke, themed dinners or a quieter drink at the wine cellar. Families have a kids' club, indoor and outdoor play areas, and activities built around nature and imagination.

Check-in starts at 14:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, while cash is accepted as a payment method. Private and express check-in and check-out are available, alongside a 24-hour front desk, concierge, luggage storage, currency exchange and a tour desk.

The resort is around 125 km from Velana International Airport. You can reach it by shared seaplane, during daylight hours, or by domestic flight to Dharavandhoo followed by a speedboat transfer. The seaplane journey takes about 30 minutes; the domestic option involves around 20 minutes in the air and a further 10 minutes by speedboat. For a shared seaplane, your international flight should arrive in Malé before 15:30. If your international departure from Malé is before 09:00, leaving the resort the previous evening may be necessary.

Transfer arrangements are made through the resort and depend on flight schedules and availability. Share your flight details with the resort at least five days before arrival. Seaplane baggage allowance is 30 kg checked and 5 kg cabin baggage; the domestic-flight option allows 20 kg in total per guest, excluding infants. Weather and aircraft technical issues can affect operations, so keep the onward connection in mind when planning the end of your trip.

Children of every age are welcome. Children aged 12 and over are charged as adults, and cots or extra beds can be requested. WiFi is free throughout the resort, laundry and dry-cleaning services are available, and an Island Breeze Shop provides a small retail stop without requiring a separate island outing.

Sustainability is built into several working parts of the resort rather than left as a sign beside reception. Amilla Maldives belongs to Small Luxury Hotels' Considerate Collection and holds EarthCheck Gold certification. It also works with Maldives Resilient Reefs on sustainable fishing and with the Atoll Marine Conservation Centre on turtle monitoring, population studies, rescue and rehabilitation.

The island grows bananas, herbs, fruit and vegetables in organic and hydroponic gardens, with a mushroom farm and a coconut-processing facility producing oil, milk, cream and coconut peat. The kitchens make products such as yoghurt, jams, pickles, plant-based milks, probiotic soft drinks and kombucha on site, while the spa uses coconut oil and plants grown on the island. Reef restoration and biodiversity protection sit alongside these food and treatment projects.

Water is produced through reverse osmosis, then remineralised and bottled in glass. Solar panels contribute to the energy supply, and a waste-management centre handles glass, plastic, paper recycling and food composting. Refillable ceramic bathroom containers, recyclable coffee pods, reusable food boxes and bags, and clothing made from recovered ocean plastics are part of the same practical approach.