Veligandu
Accommodation in room types indicated
Whilst the Maldives is generally a great destination for couples, Veligandu is perhaps our favourite resort of all for couples looking for a honeymoon or romantic break - especially since the stylish renovation it received in 2024 which saw the introduction of gorgeous over-water villas with private swimming pools!
The perfect romantic resort for honeymooners – just 100 gorgeous villas means it feels intimate and personal and that’s backed up by top notch friendly service! The new Ocean Pool Villas with their private pools perched above the waters of the lagoon are especially drool-worthy!
Very few kids around (it’s just the 9 entry-level Beach Villas that accept kids) which adds to the quieter and romantic “grown-up” atmosphere that pervades Veligandu
Fantastic sandy beaches – including a huge sandbank that stretches out into the lagoon and is studded with sun-loungers under thatch umbrellas – so perfect for swimming and sun-worshipping alike
We’re always a fan of sandy floors which is what you’ll find in Veligandu’s main Dhonveli buffet restaurant and bar area – after all, there really is nothing better than enjoying a tropical cocktail with your toes in the sand!
The food at Veligandu gets consistently excellent reviews and there are a choice of restaurants available – good thing then that there are padel courts and a state-of-the-art fitness centre, not to mention your daily snorkelling adventures of course, as these will probably be necessary to keep the waistline under control!
The recent renovation which saw Veligandu going from 4 star to 5 star level has also inevitably resulted in prices rising
If you’re looking for a buzzing resort with loads going on, then Veligandu is likely to be too quiet and chilled for you
Whilst kids are welcome here, the fact that only 9 rooms accept kids mean that they’re not likely to find many playmates – so if you’re wanting to bring the family along, then we would probably recommend other resorts
remain ensconced with your better half in your private pool or Jacuzzi whilst sipping on a glass of bubbles and admiring the spectacular ocean views!
100 - split into 10 different room types
Yes - and private pools in the Ocean Pool Villas
So what makes Veligandu the perfect resort for a honeymoon or romantic holiday? First up it has just 100 villas which gives it a very intimate and personal ambiance and you never get that over-crowded feeling; then the vast majority of the accommodation here are over-water villas (which are always a firm favourite amongst honeymooners - especially the brand-new Ocean Pool Villas with their private swimming pools over the lagoon!); this in turn means that there are very few children around as they are only allowed in the 9 entry-level Beach Villas, so it’s very much a grown-up atmosphere that prevails with little chance of being disturbed by noisy kids. Back this up with top notch yet relaxed and friendly service and delicious food and the result is one of the most consistently raved about resorts on TripAdvisor in the Maldives!
In terms of aesthetics, Veligandu is a long, thin island dominated by a massive sandbank that extends for more than 80 metres off the southern tip of the island and actually gives the island its name (“Veligandu” means sandbank in the local Dhivehi language) Combine this sandbank with the fine white sand beaches that extend down both sides of the island and the result is you’ll enjoy some of the best swimming and sun-worshipping beaches in the Maldives with plenty of sun-loungers under shady thatch umbrellas if you need a bit of respite from the tropical heat - that’s if you manage to drag yourself away from the private deck of your villa of course!
More good news is that there’s also very good snorkelling easily accessed on the house reef with plenty of beautiful corals and fish life to be seen – not to mention turtles and mantas if you’re lucky! This isn’t one of those resorts which buzzes with action though: here you’ll generally find people prefer to simply chill out and relax - on their deck, around the swimming pool or lounging about on the beach – or perhaps treat themselves to a relaxing massage at the Spa. Having said that, there is however an excellent dive operation at Veligandu, and if you’re feeling a bit more lively then you can always head for the padel and pickleball courts or the state-of-the-art fitness centre, potter about in kayaks or perhaps try your hand at things like windsurfing, deep sea fishing or a game of beach volleyball.
As mentioned earlier, Veligandu is quite unusual in that a massive proportion of the rooms (75 out of 100) are actually over water villas. The resort was extensively renovated and largely rebuilt to upgrade it from 4 star to 5 star level when it re-opened in late 2024. It's the newly built Ocean Pool Villas that especially catch the eye. Built along 2 arcing boardwalks reaching out from the northern tip of the island, guests are therefore able to choose from either sunset or sunrise facing rooms (whilst many people love the romance of facing the sunset, some of our clients who went recently preferred the sunrise facing rooms for offering better and more easily accessible snorkelling). The entry-level Beach Villas are your only choice if you want to bring the kids along - from there the rooms become larger and more luxurious as the price goes up. Funnily enough one of the room types that we particularly like are the revamped Sunset Ocean Villas - although they lack a pool or jacuzzi, they do boast a lovely contemporary outdoor bathtub and there's also an over-water hammock net integrated into the lovely wooden deck, perfect for lounging about whilst admiring the sunset. They also offer direct access to one of the best parts of the island's house reef.
The general ambience at Veligandu is very relaxed and informal yet classy – this is encouraged by the sandy floors which you find everywhere: in the main Dhonveli restaurant and bar and reception (of course if you’re staying in one of the over-water villa types you’ll still need to brave the hot wooden walkways from your room so a pair of slops will be a good idea if you don’t want to bake your feet!) Speaking of restaurants, the dining experience here is consistently praised for its quality and variety – the standard meal basis is Full Board (all meals) but we find that most of our customers prefer to go the All Inclusive Dine-Around route (where drinks are also included and you can also experience dining at all of the resort's restaurants) as this is usually far more cost effective.