Why the Overwater Villa Still Means the Maldives

The Maldives is made up of 26 natural atolls and roughly 1,192 coral islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, fewer than 200 of which are inhabited. Its tourism industry runs on an unusual model: most resorts occupy an entire island to themselves, reachable only by seaplane or boat, with no towns, roads or other hotels sharing the view. That set-up is what made the overwater villa, a room built on stilts directly above the lagoon, the country's signature stay.

One island, one resort

Because a single resort typically has an island entirely to itself, privacy is less a marketed feature than a structural fact. Villas are arranged along jetties running out from the beach, each with a private deck or ladder giving direct access to the lagoon, and there is rarely another building in sight beyond the resort's own.

What fills the days

Days tend to move around the water rather than away from it: snorkelling directly off the villa deck, diving trips out to the surrounding reef, and sandbank excursions to uninhabited islets nearby. Baa Atoll, home to some of the country's best-known dive sites, was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2011 for its coral reefs and resident manta ray population.

Getting there

Nearly all international flights land at Velana International Airport on Hulhulé Island, next to the capital Malé, from where resorts arrange seaplane or speedboat transfers, a leg that can take anywhere from twenty minutes to over an hour depending on the atoll.

Traveller tips

• Seaplane transfers only operate in daylight, so late-arriving flights may mean an overnight in Malé before reaching the resort.
• Overwater villas usually cost more than beach villas at the same resort; a beach villa is worth considering for longer stays.
• The south-west monsoon, from May to October, brings more rain and rougher seas than the December to April dry season.
• Check what is included before booking, since transfers, meals and water sports vary widely between resorts.