About this hotel
General information
Villa Nautica occupies Lankanfinolhu in North Malé Atoll, a strip of island 931 m long and 201 m wide, ringed by white beaches and a broad turquoise lagoon. Spread across it are 282 overwater and beachfront villas, seven restaurants and cafés and two bars. The resort belongs to the Maldivian group Villa Resorts, and its theme is quayside life in the spirit of a yacht club: interiors in a restrained nautical palette, a busy jetty at the centre of things, and the lights of Malé glinting on the horizon after dark.
This is one of the livelier islands in the atoll. Days fill with diving, surfing and jet skis, and after sunset live bands and DJs play at the bar by the jetty; at the quiet end of the island, though, there are hammocks under the palms and a small library. The dress code is casual, and reception and a medical clinic with a doctor are open around the clock. Board is sold in several plans, including full board and the all-inclusive Infinity Plan, which covers drinks, a daily 60-minute spa treatment, scheduled excursions and a daily dive for certified divers.
Location
Lankanfinolhu lies in North Malé Atoll, north-east of the capital. Resort staff meet guests in the arrivals hall at Velana International Airport in Malé, and the shared speedboat transfer takes 20 minutes, making it one of the easiest resorts in the Maldives to reach. Coral reefs, empty sandbanks and inhabited islands with their own village life are all close by.
Spa
Araamu Spa sits within a tropical garden, with treatments given in shaded pavilions among the greenery and birdsong. Its name is a Dhivehi word drawn from Sanskrit, meaning a state of complete relaxation. The menu combines classic body and facial care, Ayurvedic therapies and beauty treatments.
- Swept Away — the signature detox journey: ginger lemonade, a cleansing foot ritual, a cool Himalayan salt-stone massage with scalp reflexology, a warm herbal bath and a papaya shake to finish
- Exotic Cocoon — a coffee and coconut scrub, a coconut yoghurt wrap, a hair treatment and a pressure-point scalp massage
- Voyager — bamboo brooming, deep-tissue massage and assisted stretching to release muscle tension
- Shirodhara — the Ayurvedic ritual: scalp and body massage followed by a slow stream of warm herbal oil over the forehead
Sports & leisure
The diveOceanus dive centre teaches the full PADI ladder from Discover Scuba Diving to Divemaster, plus certified freediving. Manta Point, known for regular encounters with mantas, turtles and Napoleon wrasse, is close to the island, and a short boat ride reaches the Victory Wreck, the protected Banana Reef, drift dives in the channels and thilas — submerged coral plateaus.
- water sports with partner Qadventure: snorkelling with equipment provided, stand-up paddleboarding, canoes, windsurfing and kitesurfing, sailing, water-skiing, wakeboarding and kneeboarding, parasailing, fun tubes, Jetblade water jet packs, JetSurf motorised boards, Seabob underwater scooters, foilboarding, jet skis and jet-ski tours to the sandbanks; a beach wheelchair is available for guests with limited mobility
- surfing: beginner and private lessons, board hire and boat trips to the atoll’s reef breaks — Jails, Sultans, Pasta Point, Honky’s, Cokes and Chickens, with the softer Ninjas suited to first-timers; the biggest waves come in July and August
- excursions: big-game fishing, sunrise and sunset fishing with traditional lines (the catch is cooked by the resort’s chefs), dolphin cruises by speedboat or traditional dhoni, snorkelling trips to nearby reefs, a castaway day on a sandbank with a barbecue lunch, speedboat tours, a semi-submarine and a passenger submarine, and a three-hour walk through Malé taking in the fish market and the coral-stone Friday Mosque
- on land: a gym, floodlit tennis courts, basketball, beach volleyball, table tennis, an indoor badminton court, squash and billiards; Shipshape fitness classes, beach Zumba, Aqua Zumba and water polo in the pool
- Captain’s Class covers nautical knots and Maldivian marine life; the Crow’s Nest is a lookout at the top of a spiral staircase serving miniature rum cocktails; the Cocoon Lounge offers hammocks and a library in a palm grove
For children
Wavy Navy Kids’ Club is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00 for children up to 12. The programme includes face painting, coconut-leaf weaving, shell collecting and shell craft, origami, hand printing and collage, while older children play in the kids’ pool, build sandcastles and join island tours. Little ones have a quiet nap lounge, and babysitting for children from six months to four years can be arranged at reception. The dive centre runs the Bubblemaker course for young divers.
Restaurants & bars
Cooking leans on fish from local fishermen and produce from the island’s own organic gardens; dinners can also be laid out on the sand, as a private beach barbecue or over the ocean at the Crow’s Nest, and breakfast can arrive on a floating tray in the villa’s own pool.
- Bageecha — all-day dining in crisp blue-and-white rooms: buffet breakfasts with tropical fruit and pressed juices, Maldivian, Asian and European dishes at lunch and dinner, menus changing daily
- The Lagoon — an overwater restaurant for guests in the water villas, with an international buffet and Maldivian dishes and ocean views from dawn to dusk
- Hook — a seafood restaurant at the end of the overwater jetty, with Maldivian lobster among the dishes and sunrise views across the ocean
- Ristorante al Tramonto — Italian cooking on an open-air, lantern-lit terrace facing the sunset: handmade pizza, pasta, Black Angus fillet, gelato and the group’s own label of South African wines
- Fukuya Teppanyaki — Japanese: sushi, sashimi, tempura and udon broths, with meat and fish cooked on the teppan grill in front of guests; Japanese beers and saké to match
- Press & Pot — a coffee house serving its own blends roasted on the island, with fresh pastries and light bites
- Dhaavani Coffee Shop — open around the clock for coffee, tea, pastries and light snacks
- Captain’s Bar — a 24-hour bar by the jetty and the pool, with live bands and DJs in the evenings
- Beach Bar — a daytime bar on the sand next to the water-sports centre
Swimming
White sand beaches and a shallow turquoise lagoon with coral reefs ring the island. The main free-form infinity pool is joined by a second pool with its own children’s section. Beach towels are provided in every villa, and snorkelling gear is handed out at the water-sports centre.
Rooms
The 282 villas come in ten types, set among the palms on the beach or on stilts over the lagoon, from 54 m² beach villas to two-bedroom overwater suites. Interiors are light and contemporary with nautical touches, and an Island Host service is available on request.
Every villa has air conditioning, satellite TV, a phone, a safe, a minibar, tea and coffee, a hairdryer, free Wi-Fi, daily housekeeping and 24-hour room service, with UK-style sockets plus one international socket.
Two-bedroom Ocean Suite with Pool
The island’s largest overwater villa, one of four: two bedrooms, a plunge pool, a whirlpool and a broad sunrise-facing deck with steps into the lagoon. Sleeps four adults and two children.
One-bedroom Ocean Suite with Pool
One of four overwater suites, with an east-facing bedroom behind floor-to-ceiling glass, a private freshwater pool, a whirlpool, a sundeck and direct lagoon access. Up to three adults, with space for up to two sofa beds.
Oceanfront Pool Villa
One of six villas in a secluded corner of the island, with contemporary interiors in ocean tones, a private pool, a sundeck and an open-air shower, and the lagoon a few steps away. Two adults and one child.
Water Villa with Whirlpool
An overwater villa on the island’s east side with a living area, a sunrise-facing sundeck with whirlpool and steps down into the lagoon. Two adults and one child.
Two-bedroom Beach Villa with Two Pools
A sunset-facing beachfront villa with two king-bedded bedrooms, two private pools, generous lounge areas and a sundeck opening onto the sand. Four adults and two children.
Sunset Deluxe Beach Pool Villa
On the sunset side of the island, with a private pool and sundeck, steps straight onto the sand and an open-air shower. Up to three guests.
Sunset Beach Pool Villa
A sunset-facing beachfront villa with a pool, its sundeck leading straight onto white sand and into the lagoon, and an open-air shower. Two adults and one child.
Deluxe Beach Pool Villa
On the east shore near Araamu Spa: a private plunge pool among flowering gardens, a sundeck, an open-air shower and the beach at the door. Two adults and one child.
Water Villa
A sunrise-facing villa over the lagoon with a private sundeck and a staircase straight down into the water. Two adults and one child.
Beach Villa
A one-bedroom villa shaded by palms and tropical greenery, with a sundeck opening onto the beach, lagoon views and an open-air shower. Two 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.