Amilla Maldives

Amilla's excellent location in the gorgeous Baa Atoll - a UNESCO biosphere reserve - with its very own blue hole just next to the island makes this a strong recommendation for keen divers. It's extensive offering of activities, excursions and experiences also makes it one of the best Maldivian resorts for keeping an entire family occupied and entertained, while it's excellent spa allows the tranquillity-seeker to slip away on their own escape. 

Amilla Maldives sits on a spacious island which retains swathes of original jungle. Villas and hotel facilities hug the shore along the pristine white beaches, leaving the interior of the island with a very natural, wild feel. The resort is proud of its eco and sustainability credentials, running organic gardens, operating its own waste processing centre and phasing out single-use plastics in recent years. It attracts an unusually eclectic mix of guests, ranging from young honeymooners to multi-generational families, European sun-seekers to international dive enthusiasts.   

The variety of activities and experiences on offer at Amilla is unusual, even by the high standards that one expects at top-end Maldivian resorts. The diving is truly world class, both thanks to the resort's own Blue Hole but also because of its proximity to Hanifaru Bay, a renowned site where manta rays congregate at certain times of the year and occasional whale sharks appear. Other water-based activities include guided snorkelling, dolphin cruises, fishing, yacht charters and an array of motorised and non-motorised water sports. On land, guests could attend the football academy or take a tennis clinic, do a tai-chi class, or try kombucha-making. Castaway experiences to nearby sandbanks can be arranged, or a private cinema set up on a remote beach. Cultural activities are also available, from guided visits to neighbouring Maldivian islands to art studio masterclasses. The resort also provides an enormous Kids Club and baby-sitting services.  

There are a total of 59 villas at the resort, all with their own pool. Accommodation options include over-water villas, beach villas and even "tree houses" - beautiful stilted villas raised to tree-top level with their own infinity pools looking out over the jungle to the ocean beyond. All provide huge amounts of space and your choice between them will come down to whether you're more tempted by the stunning ocean views from the water villas or the enveloping privacy offered by the beach villas and tree houses. 

There are 9 bars and restaurants available, ranging from the swanky over-water Feeling Koi offering gourmet Japanese cuisine, to all-day dining at Fresh. The resort offers various half-board and full-board dining packages which are nicely flexible. There is also a strong emphasis on their ability to cater to any kind of dietary or health requirement. The Spa and Wellbeing Centre is nestled in the jungle in the island's interior. Treatment options draw on both eastern and western traditions, but original Maldivian treatments are also available. 

Amilla is one of the most inclusive resorts in the Maldives. It is the first resort in the region to partner with IncluCare to verify that it meets high accessibility criteria. Accessible villas are available and the resort has worked with the local seaplane companies to ensure that guests with mobility impairments can access the resort. They have also worked to adapt many of their activities, including diving, to ensure that they are easily accessible to guests with disabilities.  

My favourite thing is to go where I've never been.
Diane Arbus