Vakkaru Maldives

Style

Thatch of the day

Setting

Baa Atoll biosphere

Reef-edge resort Vakkaru Maldives’ name means ‘coconut timber’, and its thatched villas — most with a private pool and butler service — dot the sugar-white sand or perch above the oh-so-blue ocean, just like the Ayurvedic spa. Drop little Smiths at the beachfront kids’ club and older ‘uns at the watersports centre, or gather together on adventures. It’s a family playground for sure — where parents can slip off to a secluded sandbank and take sundowners at Lagoon Bar. You’ll go (coco)nuts for this all-ages paradise...

Facilities

Rooms

111 villas.

Checkout

Noon; check-in, 2pm. Both are flexible, subject to availability.

More Details

Rates at Vakkaru Maldives include the buffet breakfast at Amaany and a round-the-clock butler for your villa.

Also

Unfortunately, this island retreat is not suited to guests with reduced mobility.

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

At the Hotel

Watersports centre, gym, yoga pavilion, kids' club, bikes to borrow; tennis, padel and beach volleyball courts; football pitch; boutique; free laundry service; and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV; iPad-controlled air-conditioning, curtains and lights; Bang & Olufsen speaker; tea- and coffee-making kit; minibar; free bottled water; yoga mat; beach bag; flip-flops; bathrobes and slippers; and organic bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

The island has inspired the interiors in all of Vakkaru Maldives’ villas: intricate wooden artwork, salt and sand hues, and traditional thatch roofing. In the Over Water Villas, hammock snoozing feels all the more meditative with the waves swooshing gently below; and the terraces at the One-Bedroom Over Water Pool Residences have a glass window in the floor, so the ocean’s your aquarium. The Beach Pool Villas are set on the palm-tree-line shores, with a garden-swathed private pool and outdoor shower. And you’ll feel like Poseidon on his honeymoon at the Vakkaru Over Water Residence, an all-frills villa with its own spa treatment area, Jacuzzi and pool-toting terrace, plus plenty of extra perks.

Poolside

Steps from the sunlounger-lined shore, the main pool is shaded by lolling palm fronds and seamlessly blends into the tropical landscape. After a few leisurely laps, doze off in an ocean-facing cabana or tuck into post-swim snacks and drinks at poolside eatery Isoletta. If you want a private plunge (or starlit skinny-dipping session), most villas have their own pool, set away from prying eyes…

Spa

The overwater Merana Spa is a secluded, stilted cocoon, with a cold plunge pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room at its heart; and — branching off into the ocean — water-gazing treatment rooms with a soundtrack of sea. The setting is as soul-soothing as the offerings: unwind with Ayurvedic rituals, aromatic body scrubs, vitamin-infused facials, treatments for two or tailored to little Smiths (just note: the relaxation area is for over-16s only). Doll-up for dinner with a manicure or pedicure, or meditate at a candlelit crystal-singing bowl session.

Packing Tips

Sturdy swimwear for watersports (something skimpier is acceptable in your private pool). Ditch your goggles and flip-flops: the Splash watersports centre supplies snorkelling kit, and you’ll find the latter in your villa.

Also

Running off into the sunset almost comes true at the round-the-clock gym, which is set facing west over the water.

Children

Welcome. Each villa has a sofa-bed for a child under-12; residences are suited to bigger families. The Parrotfish Club (for ages three–12) entertains with outdoor activities and cooking classes; older kids can head to the sports courts or games room.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Nab a sand-side table at Vakku or Amaany; Onu’s palm-shaded garden is particularly picturesque. The top table at Anguru Teppanyaki is the only table: right in front of the grill.

Dress Code

Go barefoot to Vakku; you can dine straight from the pool at Isoletta, and don earthy, nature-blending hues for Onu or the Organic Farm.

Hotel Restaurant

You won’t have to spearfish for your dinner or clamber for coconuts on this castaway island; leave that to the resort’s chefs (yes, they have a few, with six restaurants). Beachfront Amaany puts on a bountiful breakfast spread each morning, with corners dedicated to local and healthy cuisine; on select evenings, it rolls out internationally themed buffets. At toes-in-sand Vakku, golden-hued sunsets are the backdrop to dinners of grilled seafood and steaks. Set amid the island’s verdant vegetation, Onu takes culinary cues from Southeast Asia’s fresh, inventive dishes; and at Italian-inspired Isoletta, a poolside piazza and convivial dining table are the charming setting for lingering lunches and into-the-evening dinners. You’ll get front-row seats to the cooking action at intimate Anguru Teppanyaki, where à la carte lunches and set dinners (which you have to book ahead for) come with a touch of theatre. Staff can also arrange private soirées for couples or larger clans: at wine bar Vakkaru Reserve vintages are paired with refined plates, and at the Organic Farm garden-fresh produce delights in a foliage-framed setting.

Hotel Bar

The bartenders at poolside Cabana (drinks, 9am–11pm) shake up cocktails throughout the day at this alfresco lounge. You’ll feel loved-up at overwater Lagoon Bar (drinks, noon–11pm) where there are perches for rose-hued sunsets, sushi and sashimi platters to share, and breeze-kissed sundowners.

Last Orders

At Amaany, breakfast is 6.30am–10am, and dinner on select nights is 6.30pm–10pm. Isoletta serves lunch from 12.30pm–4pm, and pool snacks from 4pm–6pm; lunch at Anguru Teppanyaki is 12.30pm–3pm; dinner at Isoletta, Anguru, Vakku and Onu is 6.30pm–10pm.

Room Service

You can order dishes from a separate menu to your villa at all hours.

Planes

You’ll need to catch a 30-minute seaplane from Malé’s Velana International Airport to the resort; you can wait for your connection in Vakkaru’s private airport lounge. Return fares are US$950 for adults and US$475 for children (free for under-twos). Alternatively, you could hop on a 20-minute connecting flight to Dharavandoo Airport in Baa Atoll; from here, a speedboat can whizz you to the resort in 30 minutes. All transfers need to be directly arranged with the hotel. From 23 January to 30 April 2025 and 10 May to 19 December 2025, the hotel is offering 30% off seaplane transfers.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

At Vakkaru Maldives, go-getters can start their day with sunrise yoga at the ocean-facing pavilion or by zipping around the island on the jogging path. The resort’s every-shade-of-blue views are best relished at Splash, the dive and watersports centre, where you can hop on jet-skis, paddleboards or kayaks. Staff can also arrange game fishing, shorefront snorkelling and guided dive trips to the island’s reefs and otherworldly ‘blue holes’; or charter a sailing boat or yacht to glide past dolphin-dotted waves. On solid ground, get match-fit with tennis coaching or a round of padel; green-minded guests can meet the resident marine biologist or pick budding produce at the Organic Farm. Head to a secluded sandbank for a picnic, or book a private viewing at the jungle cinema.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .