Dhigali Maldives is a magnificent modern and exquisite five-star, Premium All Inclusive resort in the Raa Atoll of the Maldives that offers a beautiful natural island setting and everything else your heart desires for a luxurious and dreamy vacation. The paradise hideaway comprises azure lagoons and fine white sand beaches, contemporary design, stunning villas, a variety of dining options and much more. (GALLERY + 4K VIDEO)
Location
Dhigali Maldives is located 156 km north of the capital Malé and Velana International Airport. Located in the southern part of the beautiful Raa Atoll, it can be reached by a scenic seaplane flight (about 45 minutes) or alternatively by an internal flight to a nearby island and an additional motorboat ride (about 1 hour and 15 minutes total). We recommend taking a seaplane flight directly to the resort with Manta Air
The resort has been welcoming guests since 2017 and has retained about 80% of its original lush jungle-like vegetation in the centre of the island. It is surrounded by a crystal-clear lagoon, pristine reef and beautiful white sandy beaches.
Transfer and Accommodation
Arriving at Velana airport, we were met by a friendly resort representative who escorted us to the seaplane check-in. The scenic flight took just 45 minutes, flying over spectacular atolls and resorts – views without a par anywhere on earth. When we arrived, we were greeted by the resort staff who directed us to a separate modern arrivals lounge. With refreshing towels as well as delicious welcome sodas, we also received a full presentation of the resort, including Dhigali’s unique mobile resort app. After checking in, a buggy tour of the island followed and we received some more information about the island, resort and facilities. Then we were accommodated in a beautiful villa with pool on the beach, with the indispensable welcome compliments of sweets and fruit and champagne.
Property and Amenities
Dhigali Maldives offers everything you need for a luxurious exotic vacation. The resort’s facilities and all wonderful villas are built in a contemporary and clean design that exudes modern luxury, while blending seamlessly into the island’s natural environment. All the buildings (except the water villas, of course) are nestled among the lush vegetation of the island and look as if they belong there. There is even a small jungle walkway at the resort where you can learn more about the local flora and fauna. In addition, the resort has a lively reef just 20 metres from the beach.
The property itself is divided into three main areas. The first area includes the main buildings near the pier, such as the open reception, the day lounge where we checked in, a café, gym, retail boutique and photo shop, and the resort’s water sports centre.
On the eastern side of the island there is a beautiful area with 3 different pools and a picturesque eastern beach providing very comfortable sun loungers, tents, and palm fringed umbrellas, with phenomenal ocean views. There you can also find the main bar (East Bar) and its accompanying beach centre, the main restaurant Capers, and the all-day dining restaurant Jade. The Play Kids Club is also located on the east side of the island.
On the opposite side of the island, to the west, there are two eateries (Faru and the pop-up Pizzeria), as well as the Haali Bar, which is the perfect place for chill out evenings and cocktails to enjoy and welcome the amazing romantic sunsets on the beach.
To see the whole island, you can either walk on foot (the island is about 1 km long) or catch one of the buggy shuttles that continuously circle the island, and through the resort’s app, you can track their whereabouts in real time.
The PADI-certified dive centre is on the north side of the island, Dhigali Spa is located in the middle of the island and you can find the resort’s signature Battuta restaurant amongst the lush jungle, completing the amenities of this tropical five-star haven.
All in all, Dhigali’s Premium All Inclusive package is the best way to enjoy what this little paradise may offer. It is completely different from most AI packages in the Maldives. Not only are breakfast, lunch and dinner included, but also all beverages (including fresh juices, specialty coffees, premium wines, cocktails, premium branded spirits, etc – the beverage menu is endless), all dining venues, including a la carte specialty restaurants and bars. Furthermore, the entire minibar, including snacks and alcoholic beverages, is part of the Premium AI package.
You will also receive snorkelling equipment here, benefit from non-motorized water sports, group yoga sessions, free excursions (1 glass-bottom boat ride and 1 dolphin cruise per stay), and complimentary access to the VIP lounge once you arrive at Velana International Airport. Indeed, this package ensures your carefree vacation and satisfaction of all your needs! Plus, it’s not even tied to check-in/check-out times. We really recommend the Premium All Inclusive package at Dhigali! This is the best AI package we have experienced so far in the Maldives.
Rooms
Dhigali Maldives has around 180 modern villas that are divided into eight accommodation categories. If you like to be close to the beach, you may choose one of the following beach categories: Beach Bungalows, Deluxe Beach Bungalows, Beach Villas, Beach Villas with Pool, Beach Suites with Pool or the exclusive two-bedroom Dhigali Suite. If you prefer to stay over the water, you can choose one of the water villas or the water villas with pool. WiFi is free throughout the complex.
Restaurants and Bars
Dhigali Maldives has five elegant dining venues, one café and two bars to cater to your culinary well-being. The resort also offers room service in case you want to dine in the privacy of your own villa.
Capers is the resort’s main restaurant offering breakfast, lunch, and themed dinner. We loved the abundant international and local food selection, as well as the live cooking stations. The quality of the dishes at Capers is always superb. The vast space with tables and ocean views makes it a great place to start your day. Right next door is the all-day dining restaurant Jade, which serves lunch, brunch, and dinner. On our first night, we dined at Jade outside on the beach right under the tall palm trees and truly enjoyed the delicious Asian seafood dishes in this beautiful setting.
On the other side of the island, you will find the resort’s grill restaurant, Faru, which specializes in continental cuisine, grilled meats, seafood, and burgers. We went there for lunch or dinner and always had the best meals – whether it was an appetizer, main course, or dessert. Right behind Faru you can find Pop-up Pizzeria. The pizzas there were really great!
We also enjoyed our complimentary dinner at Dhigali’s elegant signature restaurant Battuta, nestling in the jungle in the centre of the island. The restaurant serves North African, Middle Eastern and Asian dishes inspired by the travels of Ibn Battuta, one of the most famous travellers of the 14th century. We tried several Indian vegetarian dishes which were amazing! We loved the unique setting of this restaurant nestled in the jungle.
If you want to dine at the specialty restaurants Jade, Faru and Battuta, you need to make a reservation in advance through the app. As all restaurants are Premium All-Inclusive, seats fill up very quickly.
On the island you will also come across two neat bars: the main bar, East Bar, on East Beach, and Haali Bar on the west side, which has a cool beach bar vibe with upstairs terrace seating and hanging swings at the bar – a lovely vibe and laid-back mood! Haali Bar is where you want to truly enjoy the beautiful Maldivian sunset and listen to live music or DJs. There are numerous puff chairs and sacks scattered around the beach in front of the bar, inviting you to just relax with a drink in hand. Definitely one of our favourite places on the island!
Staff
While staying at Dhigali Maldives, we always felt welcome interacting with the resort staff. As most of the guest requests can be managed with the excellent resort app, contact with staff is kept to a minimum and is mainly limited to the restaurants and bars.
Activities
The resort offers a varied programme of daily activities and events. You can also join one of the various tours offered in Dhigali Maldives. Although your stay already includes a complimentary glass-bottom boat tour and dolphin cruise, other excursions such as a sunset cruise, fishing trips, snorkelling safaris, and trips to a local island nearby are also available. We joined the dolphin cruise, and it was a wonderful experience. During the shared cruise we saw three different species of dolphins (spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales) as well as a pink dolphin which is very rare! They also served drinks and small snacks during the cruise. I highly recommend joining a dolphin cruise in Dhigali!
At the Splash Water Sports Centre you can rent kayaks and SUPs for free or enjoy paid activities such as jet skiing, water skiing and parasailing. If you want to explore the beautiful reef and marine life around the island, pick up your free snorkelling equipment from the dive centre or ask the PADI certified dive crew to take you to one of the various dive sites in the area.
A fully equipped fitness centre, morning yoga and fitness sessions with the island’s local host ensure you will stay fit no matter how much you indulge in the resort’s premium all-inclusive dining offerings.
Spa and Wellness
Dhigali Spa is hidden in the centre of the island among palm trees and dense tropical jungle vegetation. The spa features 12 modern treatment rooms, a steam room, numerous couches and an outdoor pool. This lavish spa sanctuary offers a range of treatments. You may choose from signature treatments that combine Eastern and Western methods, Asian full-body massages, Indian wellness treatments and entire multi-day spa packages. Classic treatments such as body scrubs, facials or nail and hair treatments are also available. Since the resort is also quite popular with families, they have an entire section on the spa menu that is dedicated to families. This includes mother/daughter and father/son treatments as well as body care during pregnancy.
Sustainability
In Dhigali Maldives, sustainability is taken very seriously. That is why they have implemented numerous environmental initiatives. It all starts with preserving the original flora and fauna. About 80% of its dense vegetation is still intact. The jungle walk provides an opportunity to enjoy coconut palms, Indian almonds, Banyan trees and other plants up close. Other initiatives include having a wastewater treatment plant to produce treated wastewater for watering gardens and bottling their own water to reduce plastic waste.
After all, they also support the local community. Dhigali Maldives has a local DJ and invites local artists to perform cultural shows like the typical boduberu. Also, many of the Dhigali team members come from the islands near the resort.
www.dhigali.com
www.universalresorts.com
