Anantara Dhigu, South Male Atoll The Maldives, Central Islands

The bigger sister of Anantara Veli, Dhigu is a short hop away by boat. It is bigger than Veli with 110 rooms in total – beach villas and over the water suites.

The rooms are large – the Beach Villas are 110sqm and have all the amenities you would expect from a top quality 5-star hotel. The pool villas are 162sqm and, as the name suggests, have a lovely little plunge pool. You are unlikely to need to use the pool much though as the lagoon is calm and the resort has a beautiful infinity pool.

Unlike the smaller Veli, Dhigu is very much a family-friendly resort with plenty of space and things to do for children of all ages. There is a kids club and babysitting services are also available. The lagoon is protected by the outer reefs, which makes swimming calm and fun for all ages. The reef is just off the island too so there are fantastic snorkelling opportunities right off the beach or perhaps you may want to canoe out to an uninhabited island!

The spa has a great reputation and the resort offers beachside yoga, meditation, a cooking school, tennis, volleyball, and badminton.

There are 2 restaurants in Dighu itself, with a few cafes to choose from, too. The advantage of Anantara is that you are free to go over to eat at Veli too – with another couple of fine restaurants to add to the variety. The meal plans work across both islands. 

The resort is just a short speedboat ride away from Male into the much quieter South Male Atoll. All in all, a brilliant choice for families or couples looking for some choice and variety in what there is to do and see.