About this hotel
General information
Nala Maldives by Jawakara has its own island in Lhaviyani Atoll: a strip of white sand and palm garden roughly 600 metres long and 180 metres wide, about 10 hectares in all, set in a lagoon. In Dhivehi, nala means beauty. The resort is adults-only, welcoming guests from the age of 12, and the island is geared to couples — quiet beaches, dinners under the open sky and spa rituals for two.
There are 80 villas: three categories stand on the beach, the fourth out over the lagoon along a long walkway. The Sunrise and Sunset beach villas run on solar power. Nala guests may also use the restaurants, bars and sports facilities of the neighbouring Jawakara Islands Maldives, three minutes away by boat, so the stay is never confined to one island. Bed and breakfast, half board, full board and a Premium All-Inclusive plan with unlimited drinks are offered.
Location
The resort sits in the lagoon of Lhaviyani Atoll, next to the islands of Jawakara Islands Maldives. From Velana International Airport in Malé the transfer is a 35-minute seaplane flight; seaplanes fly in daylight only, so a same-day connection works for international arrivals between roughly 6:00 and 16:00. The island keeps its own time, one hour ahead of Malé.
Spa
Sulha Spa pairs Ayurveda and traditional healing with up-to-date wellness technology. It has seven treatment rooms for couples — five looking out to the ocean, two on land — an open-air Ayurveda pavilion, a beauty salon and its own boutique. Guests can use a sauna and an infrared sauna, a red-light therapy room with 360° panels, a Himalayan salt room, three tropical showers, an ice plunge, a Salus thermal water bed that combines light, colour, sound and scent, and the Gravity Reset lounger, which eases the body into a near-weightless position. Before or after a treatment there is a separate pool in a garden setting to relax by. Ayurvedic programmes start with a complimentary dosha consultation, and the products are organic Healing Earth.
Sports & leisure
The sea sets the pace on Nala, though there is plenty to do on land too.
- Diving with Prodivers: PADI courses, try dives and trips to channel dives, thilas (submerged pinnacles) and coral reefs across Lhaviyani Atoll, where turtles, reef sharks and eagle rays are common and manta rays appear in season
- Snorkelling: a house reef just offshore, complimentary equipment including a life jacket, twice-daily boat trips to the reef, courses, manta searches, turtle encounters and twilight snorkels
- Water sports: jet skis, wakeboarding, towed inflatables, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, windsurfing, catamarans, sea scooters, flyboarding, kitesurfing and wing foiling
- Excursions: trips on a traditional dhoni, a local island visit, a sandbank, picnics on a deserted island, dolphin and sunset cruises, morning, afternoon and deep-sea fishing
- A gym, tennis and padel courts, a football pitch, badminton and volleyball; yoga in the yoga hut, Pilates, aqua fitness, boot camps and personal training
- A games room with table tennis, billiards, table football, pinball, air hockey, shuffleboard and board games; a weekly programme of live music and themed evenings
- The island has a clinic with a resident doctor and a Pix Maldives photographer
Restaurants & bars
Nala's restaurants and bars are spread across the island, from a poolside buffet to a sunset bar at the far end of the over-water walkway.
- Velu — the main buffet restaurant with live cooking stations: seafood, meat, vegetarian dishes, Maldivian, Asian and Mediterranean cooking and desserts
- Kumo — Asian fusion built on seafood and spice, with a teppanyaki grill; the upper floor has a panoramic view over the lagoon and ocean
- Milos — Greek cooking with local produce, served indoors or on an open deck over the shallows
- Snack Lab — refined snacks and artisanal treats for a quick bite
- Velu Bar — a poolside bar with cocktails, light bites and live sport
- Milos Bar — a maritime-styled bar for cocktails and fine wines
- Bubbles — Champagne and small bites at sunset at the end of the over-water walkway
- A wine cellar, a bar at Kumo, private breakfasts and dinners in special spots around the island, and in-villa dining
Swimming
The island is ringed by soft white beaches that run into a shallow lagoon; loungers and beach towels on the beach and by the pool are complimentary. Beside Velu Bar there is a freshwater infinity pool. The house reef begins a short way offshore, and the resort map marks the swimming and snorkelling spots as well as the zones where swimming is not allowed because of currents or jetties. Every beach villa opens straight onto the sand, and the over-water villas have steps down into the lagoon.
Rooms
The 80 villas come in four categories: 30 Ocean Pool Villas over the lagoon, and 22 Sunset Beach Pool Villas, 20 Sunrise Beach Villas and 8 Romantic Beach Villas on the beach. Interiors pair tropical elegance with modern comfort.
Every villa has a king-size bed, air conditioning and a ceiling fan, a sitting area, a wardrobe, a workspace with charging points, a safe, a wine fridge, a minibar, an espresso machine with capsules, tea and coffee, an alarm clock with wireless charging, IPTV, a Bluetooth soundbar, free Wi-Fi, USB, USB-C and UK sockets, a bathroom that can be opened to the outside with indoor and outdoor rain showers and double sinks, bathrobes, slippers, Healing Earth toiletries and a sundeck with loungers, table and chairs, along with a personal butler, daily housekeeping and turndown.
Ocean Pool Villa
An over-water villa with ocean views: a bedroom with a king-size bed, a cosy sofa corner, a deck with a private infinity pool and steps straight into the water. Sleeps up to three.
Sunset Beach Pool Villa
A spacious beach villa facing the sunset, with a king-size bed, a deck with a private pool and an outdoor rain shower, and direct access to the sand. Sleeps up to three.
Sunrise Beach Villa
A beach villa turned towards the sunrise: a bedroom with a king-size bed and sitting area, a deck with loungers, and direct access to the sand and the shallow lagoon. Sleeps up to three.
Romantic Beach Villa
A beach villa for couples with sea views: a king-size bed, a private deck, an outdoor swing and a large outdoor bathtub. Sleeps up to three.
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.