An easy-breezy 40-minute speedboat ride from the Maldivian capital Malé, this pretty patty-cake-sized island has just 20 villas and one intimate restaurant. As well as ease of access, Naladhu offers privacy, hush-hush service and some splendid white beaches.
Location
Guests are whooshed 40 minutes from Malé airport in a leather-lined, Wi-Fi-enabled, 53ft Sunseeker yacht. Haloed by baby-blue waters and gently sloping white beaches, the island is a beauty, but, what’s not apparent from the website – and immediately apparent on arrival – is its close proximity to two other busy Anantara resorts; one connected by a wooden walkway, the other accessed via dhoni boat.
On the plus side, this means guests have access to a wealth of additional restaurants and facilities should they wish (non-Naladhu guests are not allowed on Naladhu); on the downside, it lacks that same magical feeling of isolation which many other Maldivian resorts have.
Style and Character
This long-established resort’s generally more mature clientele adore the colonial-inspired décor – thatched roofs and carved wood columns softened with floral prints and nautical striped soft-furnishings – but others may find the aesthetic fairly dated, particularly in comparison to the slew of exciting new properties which have opened across the Maldives over the last few years.
Service & facilities