Honest review
If you want a resort with a real house reef, Anantara Kihavah is one of the safest bets on Baa Atoll. The reef rings the island and shields the shore from waves and currents, so the beach stays wide, with no washed-out stretches — we walked the whole perimeter and checked the reef ourselves.
On villas, our advice is simple: a couple will be perfectly happy in the entry-level Sunrise Beach Villa — a large pool, full privacy behind dense greenery, two dressing rooms, an open-air shower. Families should look at the Family Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Villa: two villas joined by a passage with a nanny's room, and the second bedroom has two small doubles — handy for a boy and a girl. Larger groups can take the residence, which combines into up to four bedrooms — a rarity in the Maldives.
On dining: half board covers the two main restaurants, while Spice, the teppanyaki and the underwater restaurant cost extra — though you get a 50-dollar credit to spend in any of them. Book the underwater restaurant for lunch or an early sunset dinner: the visibility and the marine life are far better than after dark. The Asian buffet and the barbecue each run once a week — sign up in advance; the foie gras is surprisingly good.
The spa sits over the water — six treatment rooms, each for two, with Thai and Balinese programmes, Ayurveda and a nutritionist whose tests are processed in Germany. The sauna, hammam and infrared bath are free for all guests from 9 am to 9 pm, no massage booking required.
Transfer is by Manta Air seaplane, with its own lounge; you land on a platform out in the ocean — it rocks in a storm, but the island is spared a noisy jetty. A resort for couples, for families with children from four (the kids' club runs 10 am to 7 pm), and for anyone coming to the Maldives first and foremost for the reef.
First-hand experience of the Maldives Expert team — we have been here ourselves
Video review
