About this hotel
General information
Niva Dhigali Maldives occupies the island of Dhigali in Raa Atoll. Its heart is dense jungle, threaded with paths under banyan trees where fruit bats sleep by day; around it run a ring of white sand, a turquoise lagoon and a coral house reef visited by turtles and reef sharks. The island holds 172 bungalows and villas, most of them right on the beach and the rest on stilts above the lagoon.
The resort is built for couples and families alike, with a kids’ club, three pools, a water sports centre and a dive centre. Its main format is premium all-inclusive, with unlimited drinks and a minibar restocked daily, though simpler meal plans are available too. Evenings come with music: sunset is watched from the western tip and the night carries on at the eastern one. There is a 24-hour reception, a resident doctor, a boutique and a photography studio, and restaurant tables are booked through the resort’s app.
Location
Dhigali lies in Raa Atoll. At Malé airport the resort team meets guests and takes them to the Neeri Lounge. Arrivals in Malé between 06:00 and 15:00 continue by seaplane, a flight of about 45 minutes; for arrivals between 15:00 and 16:30 the transfer is a domestic flight followed by a speedboat, around 1 hour 10 minutes in all. On the way back, seaplanes serve departures between 09:00 and 19:00, with a domestic flight and speedboat after that. The resort asks for flight details at least 5 days before arrival.
Spa
LIME Wellbeing is tucked into the jungle at the centre of the island, with 12 treatment rooms, a reflexology room, a steam room, a relaxation lounge, a yoga and meditation pavilion, a secluded pool among the trees with daybeds, and garden cabanas with fragrant outdoor baths. The menu runs from massages, including Balinese acupressure and Thai dry massage, to facials, scrubs and wraps, couples’ treatments, hand and foot care and dedicated treatments for younger guests. Products come from Aromatherapy Associates, Cochine, Margaret Dabbs London and, for men, Obsidian; visiting practitioners call in from time to time, and tailored wellness programmes include yoga for beginners, prenatal yoga and yoga nidra.
Sports & leisure
The PADI Five Star dive centre sits on the north side of the island. It runs house-reef and boat dives, private dives, the Discover Scuba Diving introduction in the lagoon and courses up to PADI Open Water; nitrox is free for certified divers. Manta rays can be seen in Raa Atoll almost all year round at cleaning stations 12–15 metres deep, which change with the season.
- the Splash water sports centre: windsurfing, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks including glass-bottom ones, water skiing, monoski, wakeboarding and kneeboarding, banana boat, towable rides and jet skis
- snorkelling: gear is free, guided snorkelling runs on the house reef, and trips by traditional dhoni head to other reefs; a full-day outing looks for mantas, turtles and dolphins and stops for lunch on a sandbank
- boat trips: sunset and dolphin cruises, the glass-bottom boat Remora and deep-sea fishing
- Maldivian culture: cooking lessons, bodu beru drumming, traditional pole-and-line fishing, a jungle trail and trips to the neighbouring islands of Meedhoo, with its old Friday Mosque, and Fainu, with its farms
- movement and leisure: a fitness centre, group yoga at sunrise and sunset, aquafit, Zumba, beach volleyball, a pickleball court and a games room; in the evenings DJs, live bands, saxophone sets and cinema under the stars
For children
PLAY Kids Club takes children aged 4 to 12 daily from 9:00 to 18:00, free of charge from the age of four; younger children join with an adult. It is a screen-free space with an air-conditioned craft room, an outdoor splash zone, treasure hunts, henna tattoos, pool games and dancing, overseen by a team certified by Worldwide Kids. Babysitting is available for ages 2 to 12, there is a separate children’s pool, and from the age of eight children can try diving through the Bubblemaker programme.
Restaurants & bars
Eight restaurants and bars are spread across the island. Meal plans range from bed and breakfast, half board and full board to premium all-inclusive; smart-casual dress is requested at dinner, while the bars stay relaxed.
- Capers — the main restaurant by the ocean, serving buffets at breakfast, lunch and dinner: international and Maldivian dishes, chefs cooking at live stations and a themed buffet each evening, from grills and Indian Ocean flavours to Italian and Middle Eastern menus
- Jade — à la carte dinners of Asian cooking, from the heat of South-East Asia to the subtler flavours of East Asia
- Battuta — a jungle restaurant tracing the route of a 14th-century traveller: curries, tandoor dishes, tagine and desserts from India, Sri Lanka, North Africa and the Middle East
- Faru — a beachfront grill with Mediterranean cooking: seafood from the grill at lunch, dishes inspired by Italy, Greece and Cyprus at dinner
- Café — coffee, fresh juices, cakes, pastries and house-made ice cream
- Pizzeria — wood-fired pizza to take away and eat anywhere on the island
- East Bar — a poolside bar on the eastern tip of the island: cocktails and light bites by day, music and dancing at night
- Haali Bar — a bar on the western tip, shaped like a bird’s nest in the greenery, with an upper deck, swing seats and beanbags on the sand; the sunset spot, with live music
Beach dinners, sandbank picnics and floating breakfasts in a villa pool can be arranged, the kitchen caters for vegetarian, gluten-free and nut-free diets, and there is a children’s menu.
Swimming
A white-sand beach circles the island, the lagoon is calm and clear, and the house reef is an easy swim from shore. Beach bungalows and villas open straight onto the sand, while steps lead from the overwater decks into the lagoon. The island has three pools, one of them for children; the pool by East Bar looks out over the ocean, and many villas have a pool of their own.
Rooms
Twelve types of accommodation, from beach bungalows to a two-bedroom suite with an infinity pool, 172 units in all. Interiors are contemporary, in a calm natural palette with clean lines and an easy flow between rooms and deck.
Every unit has a king-size bed with fine linen and a pillow menu, a rain shower, Wi-Fi, an LCD TV, a safe, tea and coffee facilities, L’Occitane toiletries, bathrobes, a hairdryer, sun loungers outside and a minibar restocked free of charge once a day.
Beach Bungalow
A bungalow among the greenery on the south side of the island, with a veranda onto the sand and an open-air bathroom with a rain shower. King-size bed; for two adults or one adult and a child.
Deluxe Beach Bungalow
A larger bungalow on the south side, hidden in a tropical garden, with a sitting area, a terrace onto the beach and a semi-open rain shower. King-size bed; up to 2 adults and a child.
Beach Villa
A beach villa on either side of the island, close to the house reef, with a veranda, sun loungers and an open-air bathroom with a deep tub and rain shower. King-size bed and sofa bed; up to 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Water Villa
A villa on stilts above the lagoon by the house reef, with a sun deck, loungers, an outdoor shower and steps into the water; the bathroom has a deep tub and separate rain shower. King-size bed and sofa bed; up to 3 guests.
Beach Villa with Pool
A villa on the quiet north side with beach access and reef views, a private plunge pool, a deck with a daybed and an open-air bathroom with a deep tub. King-size bed and daybed; up to 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Beach Villa with Garden Pool
A beach villa on the north side whose private plunge pool is tucked into a tropical garden, with a deck, daybed and loungers and an open-air bathroom with a deep tub. King-size bed and daybed; up to 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Lagoon Villa with Pool
An overwater villa on the south side with a plunge pool on the deck, an outdoor shower and steps down to the water; the bathroom has a freestanding tub and rain shower. King-size bed and daybed; up to 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Beach Suite with Pool
A one-bedroom suite with a separate living room on the north side, an oversized private plunge pool and an open-air bathroom with a deep tub. King-size bed and two daybeds; up to 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Beach Suite with Garden Pool
A one-bedroom suite with a living room steps from the beach, a private plunge pool set in the garden and a terrace with a daybed; the open-air bathroom has a deep tub. King-size bed and two daybeds; up to 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.
Two-Bedroom Deluxe Beach Bungalow
A south-side bungalow with two bedrooms linked by an internal hallway, two bathrooms with rain showers, a living area and a veranda onto the beach. Two king-size beds and two extra beds; up to 6 adults or 4 adults and 2 children.
Two-Bedroom Beach Villa
A beach villa with two bedrooms and two open-air bathrooms with double vanities, a living area and a veranda with a daybed. Two king-size beds and two sofa beds; up to 6 adults or 4 adults and 4 children.
Two Bedroom Dhigali Suite
The largest home on the island: a living and dining room, a private bar and kitchenette, a home theatre, a deck with an infinity pool and a personal butler. The main bedroom has an open-air bathroom with a freestanding tub, the second its own en-suite, plus a further full bathroom; up to 6 guests.
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.