Overwater villas, private atolls, and granite-framed beaches. From the Maldives to the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, these are the islands worth the seaplane.
The full ranking
Overwater villas, private atolls, and granite-framed beaches. From the Maldives to the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, these are the islands worth the seaplane.
Six Senses Laamu (Laamu Atoll, Maldives)
The only resort in Laamu Atoll, a barefoot eco-sanctuary set beside some of the richest marine habitat in the Maldives. Resident biologists run manta ray research off the lagoon, and the surf break out front is world class.
Soneva Secret (Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Maldives)
Soneva's 14-villa hideaway in the far north, a 75-minute seaplane ride from Male and the most private address in the Maldives. Every villa comes with its own boat, butler, and private chef.
Cheval Blanc Randheli (Noonu Atoll, Maldives)
LVMH's Maison in Noonu Atoll, with Jean-Michel Gathy villas, a Guerlain spa on its own island, and couture-level service. The standard-bearer for French luxury in the Indian Ocean.
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas (Baa Atoll)
A Baa Atoll classic known for SEA, its underwater restaurant and wine cellar, and a house reef counted among the best in the country. Guests rate it a near-perfect 4.9 on both TripAdvisor and Google.
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort (Raa Atoll)
An all-Club InterContinental island beside a manta nursery lagoon in southern Raa Atoll. It holds a perfect 5.0 TripAdvisor rating across more than 1,600 reviews, the strongest guest scorecard in the region.
One&Only Reethi Rah (North Malé Atoll, Maldives)
Twelve beaches, villas the size of houses, and a polished, see-and-be-seen energy that is unique in the Maldives. The celebrity favorite for two decades and counting.
Soneva Jani (Noonu Atoll, Maldives)
Overwater villas with retractable roofs for stargazing and slides that curl into a five-kilometre lagoon. Supremarine named it the best beach resort in the Indian Ocean for 2025.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru (Baa Atoll)
A 44-acre island inside the UNESCO Baa Atoll biosphere reserve, home to the country's leading marine discovery centre. Manta season at nearby Hanifaru Bay is bucket-list diving.
Velaa Private Island (Noonu Atoll, Maldives)
A 47-villa private island with a tower-top tasting room, snow room, and golf academy. At $5,762 a night for the cheapest villa, nearly 30 times the local five-star floor, it is the price ranking's runaway number one.
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi (South Malé Atoll)
Three connected islands, eleven dining venues, and some of the largest villas in the Maldives, reached by private yacht from Male. Big-resort variety without surrendering privacy.
Ranked across 6 sources: Condé Nast Traveler · Readers' Choice Awards 2025 (unordered roundup); Supremarine · Best Beach Resorts in the Indian Ocean 2025; The Luxury Travel Expert · Top 10 Maldives 2025; TripAdvisor · Ranked by Rating (June 2026); Google Reviews · Ranked by Rating (June 2026); Live Pricing · 5-6 Months Out, Local-Floor Multiple (June 2026). Full scoring is on the Methodology tab above.
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