The best hotels in South Ari Atoll in the Maldives: from luxury resorts to cozy guesthouses

South Ari is a luxury getaway surrounded by turquoise lagoons and white sand. The Marine Protected Area is one of the best places in the world to meet whale sharks. The atoll consists of 49 islands. Getting to South Ari is easy: you can fly both by domestic airlines and by seaplane. It is a 30 minute flight from the capital of the Maldives, Male. Where is the best place to stay for an atoll holiday?

Lily Beach Resort & Spa

The luxurious Lily Beach Resort & Spa is one of the finest five-star resorts in the Maldives. This is a hotel of the highest service, which was the first in the Maldives to introduce the Premium all inclusive system, which includes a wide range of services for guests.

• 125 villas
• 2 swimming pools
• 4 restaurants

Rooms . Elegant villas are located both on land and on the water. Inside - ultra - modern furnishings, private pools.   

Nutrition . Under the premium all-inclusive system, guests are offered at no extra charge 80 varieties of wines from all over the world, four brands of cigarettes, a choice of French champagne, free excursions and much more.

Leisure . The luxury resort spa is considered one of the finest in the Maldives. Visitors are offered excellent beauty treatments. For younger guests aged 3 to 12 years, there is a kid's club with its own play area. There is a library, cinema area, and a playground. 

Active leisure - water sports, wakeboarding, kayaking with a glass bottom. There is a sports complex with tennis courts, a gym. Arrange island tours on Segway’s. 

Location : you can get there from Male by seaplane. The journey takes 25 minutes. 

Lily Beach Resort & Spa

Constance Moofushi

A charming resort surrounded by tropical greenery. Just a 30-minute drive from the island there are more than 30 dive sites where sea turtles, manta rays, and colorful fish live. The resort is perfect for both family and romantic getaways.

• 110 surface and beach
• 2 restaurants and 2 bars
• 1 swimming pool

Rooms . All villas have designer furniture, and the room layout is open, overlooking the Indian Ocean. Wooden bridges lead to the villas. Rooms are equipped with air conditioning, safe, minibar, TV. There are tea / coffee making facilities.

Nutrition . The hotel operates on an all-inclusive basis. The main restaurant offers everything from Italian pizza to Maldivian dishes. The bars serve branded spirits, exotic cocktails and freshly squeezed juices. 

Leisure . The hotel has a diving center and a gym. Near the island there are migration routes of manta rays, dolphins often come. You can do water sports, go fishing, ride catamarans.

Location : Transfer from Male takes half an hour by seaplane. 

Constance Moofushi

Sun Island Resort & Spa

The four-star hotel is located on one of the largest islands in the Maldives. It is surrounded by tropical greenery and turquoise lagoons. You can explore the banana plantation, admire the flower gardens and parks, orchid garden and rosemary. The island is home to over 10 species of birds. The spa is considered one of the best in Asia, with 20 massage rooms for classic massage and 8 for Ayurveda treatments.

• 462 rooms
• 5 diverse restaurants
• 6 bars

Rooms . All villas are made in light colors and decorated with wood. The rooms have free Wi-fi, air conditioning, safe, TV, coffee making facilities, minibar.

Nutrition . The hotel has about 10 restaurants serving a variety of dishes: international, Indian, Thai, Italian cuisine. There is also a signature restaurant serving organic produce grown on the island itself. One of the restaurants is located above the ground and can be reached by stairs. The hotel has a wide selection of drinks and cocktails. 

Leisure . Has its own spa, water sports center. You can go windsurfing, water skiing, catamarans, local island adventures or dolphin safaris. Guests participate in the feeding of the stingrays every evening. On the territory of sports and entertainment: fitness room, football field, basketball, tennis court, volleyball. Bicycles are available for free. There is also a golf course. For younger guests, a kids club is open , where they are entertained by animators. There is a separate children's pool.  

Location . You can get there by domestic airlines, the journey takes up to 20 minutes. Or by speedboat from Male, the journey will take 2.5 hours. 

Sun Island Resort & Spa

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

The legendary hotel is known not only for its high service and luxury, but also for its underwater restaurant, built at a depth of 5 meters near a coral reef. There is also a fantastic underwater residence that has no analogues in the Maldives. It is two-story and consists of an above-water part and an underwater bedroom with transparent panoramic walls. The hotel is located on two islands at once. Comfortable villas and crystal-clear turquoise of the Indian Ocean await guests. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has won many prestigious awards. Suitable for both a romantic, secluded vacation, and for a family.   

• 151 room
• 12 restaurants and bars
• 2 infinity pools

Nutrition . The restaurants serve Asian, Italian, Japanese, Indian cuisine, grill. There are 8 show kitchens in one of the restaurants . The Maldives is home to the Maldives' first authentic high-end Chinese restaurant. There is a collection of 20 thousand bottles of wine, which is stored at a depth of 2 meters. More than 100 of the best cheeses in the world are presented. You can choose from a variety of food systems, from breakfast to all-inclusive.   

Leisure . The hotel organizes excursions to the habitats of whale sharks, dolphins and sea turtles. Two spas, one above the water. From entertainment - catamarans, boat trips with a glass bottom, jet skiing, snorkeling, kayaking, wakeboarding and much more. Own children's club, where they train with young guests from 3 to 12 years old. 

Location : The transfer will take 35 minutes by seaplane or 20 minutes by domestic flights, and then about half an hour by speedboat. 

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Vilamendhoo Island Resort

A resort island with a colorful house reef and a wide range of activities. The resort, immersed in greenery, is conventionally divided into two parts. One is dedicated only to adults, and the other is for family vacations. An ideal place for families with children: spacious beaches with white sand, beautiful shallow lagoons.

• 6 bars and restaurants
• 184 rooms
• 2 swimming pools

Rooms . All family villas have their own garden. The hotel rooms have free Wi-fi, air conditioning, safe, minibar, TV, tea and coffee making facilities.

Nutrition . The restaurants serve international, local cuisine. You can choose the all inclusive system. There are Japanese and Asian restaurants. Exclusive dishes are prepared on heated volcanic rocks, in the style of Hard Rock. Separate bars for adults only.

Leisure . They offer a variety of water activities (windsurfing, water skiing, bananas, catamarans, sailing, glass bottom kayaks). They conduct excursions to the local islands of the atoll, organize trips in search of dolphins and stingrays. From sports activities guests will find bike rental, volleyball tennis court, fitness room and football field. In the evenings, they organize a boduberu dance show, hold a movie night, invite musicians. There is a library and a spa center.

Location : it is convenient to get there by plane from Male, on the way - 25 minutes.   

Vilamendhoo Island Resort

Mirihi Island Resort

An ideal place to get away from the hustle and bustle and complete relaxation. The miniature luxury resort offers an exclusive approach to guests, for which it has received many awards. Suitable for both family and romantic holidays. 

• 37 villas
• 5 bars and restaurants
• 1 swimming pool

Rooms . The rooms have free Wi-fi, air conditioning, safe, minibar, tea and coffee.

Leisure . At a short distance from the resort there are about 40 diving sites. Of interest for divers is diving to a sunken ship, which is located not far from the island. Restaurants offer exquisite seafood dishes, branded spirits and first-class wines. Exotic cocktails, a large selection of Maldivian rum, romantic champagne dinners and private lunches: the hotel is tailored for individual relaxation. 

More interesting things . You can take a catamaran ride, go fishing in the morning, go on a dolphin cruise, windsurf, or swim in a transparent canoe. The small resort has its own telescope to observe the bright stars of the Southern Hemisphere. They arrange picnics on a desert island, conduct excursions to local islands. 

Location . Transfer from Male will take 30 minutes by seaplane. You can also get there by domestic flights: 20 minutes on the way, and then 25 minutes by speedboat.

Mirihi Island Resort

Radisson Blu Resort Maldives

The legendary hotel chain is not worth the introduction. It is always a quality mark. The Radisson Blu Resort Maldives opened its doors in August 2020. Oddly enough, the hotel chain was not previously represented on the paradise islands. The resort consists of two islands: one of them is for adults only.

• 128 rooms
• 3 restaurants
• 2 bars

Rooms . All rooms are elegantly designed and have their own private pool. They offer 8 accommodation options, from private overwater villas to two-story residences. Rooms have king-size beds, coffee machine.

Nutrition . Bars and restaurants offer a wide variety of food. Mediterranean cuisine, grill, European, Japanese, South American. The bars serve exotic original cocktails. There is a special bar for adults only, where guests of the 18+ category can enter. The hotel offers food from breakfast to all inclusive. Rich wine cellar with a large selection of wines.   

Leisure . Water activities, diving. Sports activities include a tennis court and a fitness room. Has its own spa with a variety of treatments. Suitable for children's leisure: there is a children's club.

Location . Transfer from Male will take 30 minutes by seaplane. You can also take a domestic plane: 20 minutes to the airport and 15 minutes by speedboat to the hotel.

Radisson Blu Resort Maldives

Maafushivaru Maldives

A traditional tropical resort with thatched roofs but modern furnishings. There are beach villas with a private pool, as well as water villas. The hotel is great for families. 

• 48 rooms
• 1 restaurant and 1 bar
• 1 swimming pool

Rooms . Rooms are equipped with air conditioning, safe, TV, espresso machine.

Nutrition . The hotel has several restaurants offering international cuisine, Maldivian cuisine. An interesting overwater Japanese restaurant and a rich wine collection. In the cozy library you can enjoy hot chocolate and aromatic coffee. 

Leisure . In the evening, guests are entertained with performances by musicians, parties are held. Not far from the hotel there is an uninhabited island where a romantic picnic awaits lovers. The hotel has its own spa, gym, swimming pool. Of course, they offer water activities and diving, arrange excursions to local islands to get acquainted with the way of life of the indigenous population. 

Location : Transfer from Male will take 25 minutes by seaplane.

Maafushivaru Maldives

Angaga Island Resort & Spa

The exotic island resort is a great diving spot. It is surrounded by famous dive sites and attracts lovers of the underwater kingdom. The rich home coral reef will delight snorkelers. The sandy beach is one of the most beautiful in the Maldives, but it is better to wear shoes because the corals are close. 

• 70 bungalows
• 2 bars, 1 restaurant
• 3 accommodation options

Rooms . The rooms have free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, TV, minibar, tea / coffee making facilities. 

Nutrition . The main restaurant serves Italian, Japanese Chinese, Indian and Maldivian cuisines. And the bars offer refreshing drinks and snacks.

Leisure . The resort is home to one of the most popular diving centers in the Maldives. You can go windsurfing, water skiing, tennis, football, canoeing. Entertainment - excursions on the open ocean, snorkeling with sharks, romantic sunset cruises. There is also a tennis court, beach volleyball, football, badminton, its own spa. 

Location . The transfer takes 25 minutes by seaplane. You can get there from the International Airport in Male.

Angaga Island Resort & Spa

Bliss Dhigurah

A small guesthouse on a local island with affordable prices is perfect for unassuming travelers, the main thing for whom is the beauty of the Indian Ocean. The hotel opened in 2017 and has its own private beach. With its budget, the hotel is distinguished by comfort, service, excellent infrastructure and hospitality. It is located on an island with one of the longest beaches in South Ari Atoll - Dhigurah . Just these places are famous for their marine life: whale sharks, turtles, manta rays. The hotel infrastructure includes its own restaurant and fitness center, a play area for children. There are children's books, films, board games. There is a coffee shop on the territory. 

Rooms . Each room has a spa bath. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. 

Nutrition . The restaurant serves international cuisine and organic products that grow on the island: coconuts, breadfruit and fresh seafood. The rooftop bar serves tropical cocktails and ocean views. For complete relaxation, the bar has a Jacuzzi. However, there are no alcoholic beverages in this place, because they are prohibited on the local islands. Special diet menus are available upon request.   

Leisure . The small guesthouse offers many services: sandbank picnics, swimming with whale sharks, Maldivian fishing, dolphin cruises, wedding photo sessions. Bicycles are also available.   

Location : Transfer will take 20 minutes by domestic flights and 20 minutes by boat. You can get by ferry from the local airport: the journey takes 6 hours.

South Ari Atoll is a land of fashionable resorts and exclusive service. However, in this paradise there are hotels for every taste and budget!

Bliss Dhigurah