About this hotel
General information
OUTRIGGER Maldives Maafushivaru Resort occupies the small island of Maafushivaru in South Ari Atoll: a thickly planted tropical interior, a rim of white sand and a living reef busy with fish all the way round. Villas sit either among the greenery directly on the beach or on stilts over the lagoon, some of them facing the sunset. The resort is part of OUTRIGGER Hotels & Resorts.
The sea sets the agenda. A resident marine biologist gives talks on reef life, leads whale shark outings and plants coral with guests on the reef beds in front of the island, while a personal experience curator helps each guest shape their stay. Nearby lies Lonubo, an uninhabited island kept for the resort's guests alone, used for day escapes, picnics and dinners under the stars. Children of every age are welcome, there is a doctor and clinic on the island, and meal plans run from breakfast and half board to half board with drinks and a dine-around all-inclusive plan.
Location
Maafushivaru lies in South Ari Atoll, about 96 km south-west of Velana International Airport in Malé. The transfer is a seaplane flight of around 25 minutes; seaplanes fly only in daylight, so a late arrival in Malé means a night in the capital. Resort hosts meet guests in the arrivals hall and take them to the seaplane check-in.
Spa
Navasana Spa takes a holistic, mind-and-body approach. It has an aesthetic beauty room, a couples' suite, two double and two single treatment rooms, plus a steam room and sauna. The menu covers Ayurvedic massages such as Abhyangam, Udwarthanam and herbal-poultice Elakkizhi, Balinese and Thai massage, hot stones, coffee-coconut and moringa-sea-salt scrubs, wraps, and facials; its signature lines, Voya and Yonka, are based on hand-harvested seaweed. Three- and five-day care programmes, a healing retreat, aerial yoga, sound healing, meditation and trampoline sessions complete it, and group yoga takes place in the yoga pavilion to a set schedule.
Sports & leisure
Life on Maafushivaru centres on the water; snorkelling gear is free for every guest throughout the stay.
- diving: a PADI dive centre with multilingual instructors, courses for beginners and experienced divers, reef trips with manta rays and reef sharks
- house reef: guided snorkelling, night snorkelling and lessons for beginners
- excursions: whale shark searches with the marine biologist, manta ray and nurse shark trips, snorkel safaris, dolphin cruises, local island visits and sunset cruises
- water sports: kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, windsurfing and catamaran sailing; motorised options include jet skis, wakeboarding, parasailing, jet board and iAqua rides
- fishing and charters: big game, sunset and private fishing trips; speedboats, traditional dhonis and yachts to hire
- coral restoration: coral planting with the marine biologist
- Lonubo island: a few hours alone on an uninhabited island, a castaway picnic, private sunset drinks or a barbecue dinner under the stars
- on land: an ocean-view gym, mini golf, beach cinema under the stars, evening entertainment at the bar and vow renewal ceremonies
For children
Treehouse Kids Retreat is a club for children aged 4–12, with hidden nooks, panoramic windows, LEGO, arts and crafts, story time and active play zones. Each day follows a theme — ocean, Maldives, nature, sport, pirates or carnival — with sessions such as marine life with the resident biologist, coconut painting, kids' yoga and Zumba, treasure hunts, face painting and little chefs' classes. Families can also try mini golf, guided reef snorkelling and coral planting, Art-I-San and Cuisine Gallery offer children's menus, and in-villa babysitting is available every evening from 7 to 11 pm.
Restaurants & bars
Six restaurants and bars lie within walking distance of every villa.
- Cuisine Gallery — the main beachside restaurant with water views: international buffet breakfasts and dinners with live cooking stations
- Moodhu Grill — a grill house set on five private platforms over the reef: lobster, prawns, butcher's cuts and Middle Eastern-style kebabs from the tandoor
- Art-I-San — fine dining at the highest point of the island, above Edgewater, with balcony tables facing the ocean
- Koto — Japanese fusion small plates over the sunset lagoon, sake cocktails and a Teppanyaki Table where dishes are cooked on a hot plate in front of guests
- Edgewater — the poolside bar and social hub: lunch, daily specials and sundowner cocktails
- Kofee ‘n Chill — an open-air café with hammock swings under the palms and sofas on the sand: desserts, island-made ice cream, coffee and tea
The resort also arranges floating breakfasts in villa pools, dinner in the Hideaway Teepee on Swing Beach, a five-course sunset dinner in a cabana on Moodhu Beach, a private teppanyaki table or a barbecue on the sand.
Swimming
White sand beaches circle the island and the reef's coral beds start just off the shore, so snorkelling needs no boat. The main pool beside Edgewater looks over the lagoon and has towels on hand for all guests, and a number of villas have private pools. For complete seclusion, a boat takes guests to uninhabited Lonubo, set up with loungers, bean bags and shade.
Rooms
Villas sit either among tropical planting right on the beach or on stilts over the lagoon; some have private pools or hot tubs, and families can choose two-bedroom villas.
Every villa has air conditioning and a ceiling fan, minibar, safe, espresso machine, hairdryer, bathrobes and slippers, bath amenities, bath and beach towels, flat-screen TV, telephone, speaker and free Wi-Fi.
Beach Villa
Set among tropical greenery right by the beach, with a wooden deck and sun loungers facing the sea. King bed; sleeps up to three.
Beach Villa with Private Pool
A beach villa with its own pool, a king bed and a bathroom finished in silver glass mosaic, with twin vanities and both indoor and garden showers. Sleeps up to three.
Family Beach Villa
A family villa opening straight onto the beach: a main bedroom with a king or twin beds, a second bedroom with two single beds, a living area and a terrace with loungers. Sleeps up to five.
Over Water Villa
Over the lagoon, with a king bed and daybed, a bathroom with rain shower and ocean-view bath, and a wooden deck with seating and loungers. Sleeps up to three.
Over Water Villa with Private Pool
A spacious over-water villa with its own pool, a generous bedroom and lagoon views. Sleeps up to three.
Two Bedroom Beach Villa with Private Pool
A two-level beach villa with two king-bedded bedrooms and a private pool, suited to couples wanting extra room or small families. Sleeps up to four.
1 Bedroom Sunset Over Water Villa with Hot Tub
Over the lagoon with sunset views, a glass-walled bedroom, king bed, heated outdoor hot tub and a deck with sun loungers. Sleeps up to three.
1 Bedroom Sunset Over Water Villa with Private Pool
A spacious over-water villa with its own pool and sunset views across the lagoon; king bed. 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.