About this hotel
General information
Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort occupies the island of Dhigufinolhu in South Malé Atoll. Its 110 villas sit either under the palms on the beach or on stilts over the lagoon, facing sunrise or sunset. The resort is built above all around families, with a kids’ club, a surf school, a dive centre, a water sports centre and an overwater spa with baby reef sharks gliding beneath it.
The island shares a lagoon with Anantara Veli and Naladhu Private Island, and a one-minute pontoon-boat ride takes guests to Anantara Veli for additional restaurants, spa and recreation (adults over 18, or families with a dinner reservation). Several of the atoll’s well-known surf breaks lie close by, the nearest of them breaking right off the neighbouring island.
Location
Dhigufinolhu lies in South Malé Atoll, about 30 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport in Malé, with transfers running around the clock. A resort host meets guests in the arrivals hall and takes them to a private lounge; a private speedboat for up to six guests or a seaplane charter can be arranged on request.
Spa
The spa stands over the lagoon, with six overwater treatment suites, two open-air overwater salas for Thai massage, a facial room, a beauty salon and a hair salon. Signature rituals include a two-and-a-half-hour couples’ journey of coconut scrub, Swedish-style massage and a milk bath with lavender and ylang-ylang, a sunset ritual for two in the open-air salas and a healing massage with local coconut oil. Wellness practitioners offer therapeutic and aerial yoga, deep myofascial work, strength coaching and nutrition advice, alongside detox and sleep-restoration programmes. Ayurvedic treatments such as Abhyanga, Pinda Swedana and Shirodhara are given at Balance Wellness by Anantara on neighbouring Anantara Veli.
Sports & leisure
Life here centres on the water, though there is plenty to do on land too.
- Year-round surfing with Tropicsurf (the swell season runs from April to October): lagoon lessons, a gentle beginner wave nearby, long peeling rides for improvers and a hollow left-hander ten minutes away by boat; the Veli left breaks right off the neighbouring island and is free for advanced surfers with their own boards
- Diving with the Aquafanatics PADI 5 Star dive centre: Discover Scuba in the lagoon down to 12 m on the house reef, courses from Open Water to Divemaster plus specialities, junior courses from age ten, and half- and full-day trips to turtles, reef sharks and eagle rays
- Snorkelling in the lagoon and on guided reef trips with nurse sharks, turtles and shoals of tropical fish
- Water-skiing, wakeboarding and kneeboarding behind two speedboats, doughnut rides, jet skis, flyboarding, K1 Top Cat and Hobie catamarans, parasailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing, stand-up paddleboards and glass-bottom kayaks
- Raaya, a private yacht with en-suite cabins for up to six guests, for day trips or overnight voyages; Champagne sunset cruises, dolphin trips, deep-sea fishing for sailfish, wahoo, tuna, mahi-mahi and giant trevally, and traditional Maldivian line fishing from a dhoni, the local wooden boat
- Gulhifushi, a private picnic island reached by kayak or boat, for swimming, snorkelling, kite flying, beach games and a barbecue on the shore
- An indoor golf simulator with famous championship courses, an air-conditioned gym with lagoon views and personal trainers, and yoga
- Spice Spoons cooking classes in Maldivian and Thai cuisine, coral-frame planting with the resident marine biologist, sessions with the in-house photographers, bicycles for the whole family, a library, a boutique and a daily programme of free games and fitness sessions; at sunset a procession of boduberu drums and torches makes its way round the island
For children
Dhoni Kids’ Club is open daily, with a treehouse, a climbing wall, arts and crafts, swimming and water play, movie nights, cooking classes, badminton and introductions to local culture. Teenagers have their own room with PlayStation, a pool table, table football and air hockey, plus water polo, pétanque, basketball, beach volleyball and beach camping. Younger guests can spin pizzas and roll sushi in cooking classes, ride the glass-bottom boat (free for ages 4–12), enjoy kids’ spa treatments (ages 4–12) and join marine-biology sessions on ocean life. Fushi Café has a children’s corner with its own buffet, the restaurants offer kids’ menus and purées can be prepared for infants; certified babysitters are available around the clock with advance booking.
Restaurants & bars
The resort’s own restaurants and bars are joined by Baan Huraa (Thai, in a teak house over the lagoon), Origami (Japanese and teppanyaki), Cumin (South Asian) and Dhoni Bar (guests 18 and over) on neighbouring Anantara Veli, a pontoon-boat hop away.
- Sea Fire Salt — overwater grill: local reef fish, tuna and lobster, aged meats, and dishes guests cook themselves on hot volcanic stones; dinner
- Aqua — Italian cooking and pizza beside the infinity pool; lunch, dinner and drinks until midnight, served on the loungers and in the ocean hammock
- Fushi Café — breakfast buffet with live cooking stations and themed dinners, including a Maldivian night with boduberu drumming and dancing
- The Yellow Fin Club — cocktail bar over the lagoon with sunset views, for guests 18 and over
- Tiki Bar on Gulhifushi island — cocktails, juices and light bites by day
- Spice Spoons — Maldivian and Thai cooking classes, followed by lunch of the dishes prepared
- Designer Dining — private dinners set up in a chosen spot (on request)
- Wine Dinner — a food and wine pairing dinner (advance booking)
- In-Villa Dining — round the clock
Swimming
The island is fringed by fine white-sand beaches, and the beach villas open straight onto the shore. Steps lead from the overwater villas directly into the lagoon, where snorkelling starts right off the island. A shared infinity pool with loungers and an ocean hammock sits beside Aqua, and a day can be spent on the deserted picnic island of Gulhifushi.
Rooms
110 villas of 119 to 321 m² on the beach and over the lagoon, facing sunrise or sunset, with one or two bedrooms; many have a private pool and a personal villa host.
Every villa has a terrace with loungers, a freestanding bathtub, an espresso machine and a yoga mat.
Sunrise Beach Villa
A beach villa among the greenery looking out to the sunrise, with a daybed on the terrace and an open-air bathroom with a terrazzo tub. King bed; sleeps three adults and one child.
Sunset Beach Villa
A villa opening straight onto the sand and facing the sunset, with a private deck for dinner and a large terrazzo tub set among tropical plants. King bed; sleeps three adults and one child.
Sunrise Over Water Villa
An overwater villa facing the sunrise, with a sundeck and loungers, a glass floor panel in the bathroom, a freestanding tub with lagoon views and steps down into the water. King bed; sleeps three adults and one child.
Sunrise Beach Pool Villa
A beach villa with a 5.8 m pool sunk into the sand, a poolside daybed, a terrace with loungers and a dining area, and sunrise views; a personal villa host looks after guests. King bed; sleeps three adults and one child.
Sunset Beach Pool Villa
A garden villa a few steps from the beach with a private 5.8 m pool, a daybed, a terrace with loungers and sunset views; the villa host serves dinner outdoors. King bed; sleeps three adults and one child.
Sunset Over Water Villa
An overwater villa facing the sunset, with floor-to-ceiling glass, a glass floor panel in the bathroom, a bathtub and rain shower, and a deck with loungers, outdoor dining, a rinse shower and steps into the lagoon. King bed; sleeps three adults and one child.
Sunset Over Water Pool Villa
An overwater villa in marble and teak with an infinity pool at the edge of the deck, direct lagoon access and sunset views; a personal villa host looks after guests. King bed; sleeps three adults and one child.
Deluxe Sunset Over Water Pool Villa
The most luxurious overwater villa, in an island style, with a 6 m, 18 m² infinity pool at the edge of the deck, a deep soaking tub facing the sunset and direct lagoon access. King bed plus a daybed; sleeps three adults and one child.
Two Bedroom Anantara Beach Pool Villa
Two semi-connected beach villas, each bedroom with its own open-air bathroom, joined by a large sundeck with loungers, a daybed and a pool, facing the sunset with direct beach access. Two king beds; sleeps six adults.
Two Bedroom Family Beach Pool Villa
A family villa with a private garden and beach access: a shaded terrace with a 9 m pool, dining table and hammock, two bedrooms (king or twin beds) with semi-outdoor en-suite bathrooms and a terrazzo tub. Sleeps four adults and one child.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.