Resorts · North Malé Atoll

Gili Lankanfushi

An all-overwater barefoot-luxury resort in North Malé Atoll, originally opened as Soneva Gili in 2000 and rebranded by HPL in 2012. 45 thatched-roof villas on stilts, including Crusoe Residences with private boat access only.

The MT Verdict

The original all-overwater barefoot resort, two decades old and still distinctly itself. Wood-and-thatch villas, a no-shoes-no-news policy, and Crusoes that you reach by boat.

Atoll

North Malé Atoll

Villas

Opened

2000

Transfer

20 min speedboat

Dive Grade

Intermediate

From

$$$$$

The Villas

Gili Lankanfushi runs 45 villas — all overwater, all thatched-roof timber-and-rope construction. The signature units are the Crusoe Residences (the world's first overwater villas reachable only by boat) and the multi-bedroom Private Reserve, the largest standalone overwater residence on the property.

Dining

The flagship is By the Sea, an over-water Japanese-led restaurant. The wider line-up runs to Erehemā (overwater fine dining), Hamboo (chef's table), and Kashiveli (all-day beach restaurant) plus the resort's wine cellar.

Sustainability & Programme

Gili pre-dates and outlasts a lot of luxury sustainability fashion — the no-news, no-shoes policy is original to Soneva Gili days, the herb garden supplies the kitchen, and the marine biology programme runs structured snorkelling on the house reef.

Logistics

Transfer is a 20-minute speedboat from Velana International Airport — among the shortest in the Maldives. The property opened as Soneva Gili in 2000, rebranded to Gili Lankanfushi in 2012 under HPL ownership, and reopened in late 2019 after a fire damaged the main jetty restaurant.

In the Same Atoll

Other properties our editors have reviewed in North Malé Atoll.

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North Malé Atoll

Baros Maldives

One of the original Maldivian resorts, still independent and still itself. Discreet, adult-leaning, and a quiet pioneer of the country's diving programme.

75 villas$$$$

North Malé Atoll

Coco Bodu Hithi

A reliable, locally-owned mid-tier-luxury option with a long overwater chain and a short speedboat. Coco Collection's flagship — not flashy, but consistent.

98 villas$$$$

North Malé Atoll

Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives

A confident newcomer with the longest pool in the Maldives, a serious surf address, and a 30-minute speedboat from the airport. The Indian-developer-built spec is unusually generous.

95 villas$$$$

Related Coverage

Editorial we’ve published touching on this resort.

Awards

Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives Achieves Dual Nominations in the Condé Nast Traveller UK & US Readers' Choice Awards 2026

The North Malé Atoll resort has been nominated in the Resorts category of both the UK and US editions of the Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards 2026, building on a string of global recognitions over the past two years.

Lifestyle

05 Unique Luxurious Accommodation Options in the Maldives

Beyond the classic overwater villa, the Maldives offers some of the world’s most extraordinary accommodation — from underwater suites to private island estates. Here are five of the most unique.