Dine beneath the reef at the Maldives' only underwater restaurant, stargaze from a rooftop observatory, and step off your private pool villa onto one of Baa Atoll's finest house reefs.
5-Star Luxury Seaplane 35 min Exceptional Reef UNESCO Biosphere
Atoll
Baa
Villas
80
Transfer
Seaplane
Transfer Cost
~$850 pp RT
Packages From
$5,429 / couple
Meal Plans
BB / HB
$5,429 / couple
Save $3,250 per coupleSAVE 37%From $5,429
Get a Personalised Quote
More inclusions than direct
Opened2011Renovated2025
Inside the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Anantara Kihavah combines one of the finest house reefs in the Maldives with an underwater restaurant, rooftop observatory, and 80 pool villas ranging from overwater retreats to a 2,736-sqm four-bedroom compound.
131 new reviews in the past 6 months across Google, TripAdvisor & Booking.com. Average rating 4.7 / 5 from 3,311 total reviews.
+52% review volume vs. prior 6 months
15
Awards since 2019
Best Hotel in the Indian Ocean
ULTRAs Awards '25
Readers' Choice
Conde Nast Traveler '25
Best House Reef in the Maldives
Travel + Leisure SE Asia '23
Best Hotel in the Maldives
DestinAsian '22
Travellers' Choice
TripAdvisor '23
How It Compares
Anantara Kihavah vs. the Field
Where this resort sits across the dimensions that matter most when choosing a Maldives property.
BudgetUltra-Luxury
Adaaran Club
LUX* South Ari
Soneva Fushi
Anantara Kihavah
LivelySecluded
Kuredu
Lily Beach
Kudadoo
Anantara Kihavah
Easy AccessRemote
Gili Lankanfushi
Park Hyatt Hadahaa
Anantara Kihavah
CouplesFamily
Komandoo
W Maldives
Siyam World
Anantara Kihavah
BoutiqueLarge Resort
Makunudu (36)
Coco Bodu Hithi (100)
Meeru Island (286)
Anantara Kihavah (80)
Poor ReefExceptional
Finolhu
Vilamendhoo
Anantara Kihavah
Anantara Kihavah
Reference resorts
Accommodation
Choose Your Villa
Every villa at Anantara Kihavah has a private pool — there are no exceptions. The real decision is beach or overwater, and whether you need the space of a family villa or the grandeur of a multi-bedroom residence. Sizes start at 258 sqm and go all the way to 2,736 sqm.
BeachAll pool
Beach Pool Villas
From
$680
258 sqm ·86% larger than avg
Beach Pool Villa258 sqmPool$680
Sunset Beach Pool Villa258 sqmPool$780
OverwaterAll pool
Over Water Pool Villas
From
$780
267 sqm ·92% larger than avg
Over Water Pool Villa267 sqmPool$780
Sunset Over Water Pool Villa267 sqmPool$930
FamilyAll pool
Family Pool Villas
From
$1,100
412 sqm ·3× larger than avg
Family Beach Pool Villa412 sqmPool$1,100
Family Over Water Pool Villa412 sqmPool$1,200
SignatureAll pool
Residences
From
$2,500
872–2,736 sqm ·10.4× larger than avg
Two-Bedroom Beach Pool Residence872 sqmPool$2,500
Two-Bedroom Over Water Pool Residence872 sqmPool$3,200
Three-Bedroom Beach Residence1,330 sqmPool$5,500
Four-Bedroom Beach Pool Residence2,736 sqmPool$9,000
Not sure which villa is right? We'll match you based on your group size, budget and priorities.
Prices shown are indicative low-season per night. See the season guide in the sidebar for how rates vary by time of year. We'll confirm exact pricing for your dates.
Dining
6 Restaurants
The signature SEA.FIRE.SPICE.SKY complex is built over the water — four venues stacked across four levels, each with a different cuisine and perspective. Plus Plates for breakfast and Manzaru for poolside dining.
Plates
International
Rotating international buffet with live cooking stations, beachfront with lagoon views. Breakfast 7:30–11 AM. Theme nights: Taste of Asia (Tue, incl. HB), Riviera Night (Sun, ~$195 pp), Lobster & Champagne (Thu, ~$245–295 pp).
SettingBeachfront · Main restaurant
Our tipRequest the beach table for breakfast — front-row lagoon views
SEA
Fine Dining
Six metres underwater with a 6,500-bottle wine cellar. Contemporary European cuisine. Lunch 5-course ~$365, dinner 5-course ~$450 or 7-course ~$560. Adults only dinner (except Mon family nights).
SettingUnderwater · 6,500-bottle cellar
Our tipBook for lunch when natural light illuminates the reef
$50 net credit per adult on HB plan
FIRE
Teppanyaki
Teppanyaki in an over-water setting. Open 6:30–10 PM, closed Tue. Part of the SEA.FIRE.SPICE.SKY complex.
SettingOver-water · Show cooking
Our tipSunset tables on the outer deck are the best seats
$50 net credit per adult on HB plan
SPICE
Pan-Asian
Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian flavours with a show kitchen. Open 6:30–10 PM, closed Tue. Most consistently reviewed restaurant at the resort. Home to Spice Spoons cooking classes.
SettingOver-water · Show kitchen
Our tipTry the shared tasting menu — better than ordering individually
Manzaru
Mediterranean
Wood-fired pizza, fresh pasta, and Aperol spritzes by the 49m pool. Lunch 12–5 PM, dinner 6:30–10 PM, closed Thu. Widest gin selection in the Maldives.
SettingPoolside · All-day
Our tipPerfect for a long lunch — casual dress code
SKY
Rooftop Bar
Rooftop bar with the Maldives' only over-water observatory. Open 11 AM–midnight, live music nightly. Sky Guru stargazing sessions after sunset with professional-grade telescope.
SettingRooftop · Observatory & telescope
Our tipGo for the telescope, stay for the cocktails. Best on clear new-moon nights
Meal Plans
Dining Inclusions
Anantara Kihavah does not offer an all-inclusive plan. Half board includes breakfast at Plates plus dinner at Plates, Spice, or Manzaru. A $50 pp credit applies when dining at FIRE or SEA. Most guests choose half board — the specialty restaurants are worth paying a la carte.
All restaurant prices are subject to 10% service charge + 16% GST (~27.6% on top of listed prices).
Plan
Restaurants
Alcohol
Minibar
~pp/day
Bed & Breakfast
Plates (B only)
—
—
Included
Half Board
Plates (B+D) or Spice/Manzaru
—
—
+$90
Bed & BreakfastIncluded
Plates (B only)
Alcohol —Minibar —
Half Board+$90 pp/day
Plates (B+D) or Spice/Manzaru
Alcohol —Minibar —
Experiences & Activities
Your Days on the Island
The Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve location is the headline — Hanifaru Bay manta rays are minutes away. Add in one of the best house reefs in the country, an underwater observatory, and a rooftop telescope, and this resort punches above even its premium price tag for experiences.
Water & Marine
World-class reef, manta rays, diving, water sports
House reef snorkelingDirect shore entry · wraps entire island
Manta ray snorkeling at Hanifaru BayMay–Nov · world's largest aggregation site · minutes from resort
PADI dive centreReef and channel dives · intro through advanced
Dolphin sunset cruiseSpinner dolphins · traditional dhoni boat
Swim with nurse sharks experience
Turtle snorkeling excursion
Jet ski, parasailing, Seabob, Jetpack, kayak, SUP
Hanifaru Bay manta rays. The world's largest manta ray aggregation site is just minutes from the resort. Over 100 mantas can gather during full moon tides (May–Nov season). This alone makes Anantara Kihavah one of the top marine life destinations in the Maldives.
Muay Thai ringOnly ring in the Maldives · private ~$250 · couples ~$350
Spice Spoons cooking classesLearn to cook Thai, Indian & Maldivian dishes
Wall climbing
Fully-equipped fitness centre
Cycling around the island
Culture DayEvery Thursday — Maldivian traditions, crafts, music
SKY observatoryThe most powerful telescope in the Maldives · dedicated Sky Guru
SKY observatory. The only over-water observatory in the Maldives. A dedicated Sky Guru guides you through constellations and planets using a professional-grade telescope. Best on clear new-moon nights.
Thiththi Boli kids club runs daily activities for ages 4–12, from marine biology sessions to Maldivian craft workshops. Two-bedroom family villas are available in both beach and overwater configurations — the latter sitting directly above the house reef. Children under 12 stay free, and babysitting is available for younger ones so parents can dine at SEA, the underwater restaurant.
Thiththi Boli
Ages 4-12 · 10am-6pm · Free
Under 12 Stay Free
Babysitting
$25/hr
Highlights for Kids
Underwater restaurantObservatory
Family Villa Options
Two Bedroom Family Beach Pool VillaTwo Bedroom Over Water Pool Residence
Snorkeling & Marine Life
House Reef & Underwater
9.2
Exceptional House Reef
Lux Atolls Reef Score · top 5% of Maldives resorts
Shore entry · Wraps entire island · UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
300+ fish species · 130+ coral species · Yellow Wall soft coral · HARP conservation
Widely regarded as one of the finest house reefs in the Maldives — wrapping almost entirely around the island with over 300 species of fish and 130 species of coral. The notable Yellow Wall is a vertical section of soft coral descending to 25 metres, alive with gold and yellow colonies. The Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere location means exceptional biodiversity, and the resort's HARP coral conservation program is actively regenerating reef sections damaged by bleaching.
Regularly spotted here (+7)
Reef Sharks
Blacktip & nurse sharks — frequent at reef edge
Sea Turtles
Hawksbill — resident feeders on the reef
Stingrays
Eagle rays — regular sightings at reef wall
Tropical Reef Fish
Parrotfish, butterflyfish, angelfish, clownfish — 300+ species
Octopus
Spotted on reef and during night snorkeling
Dolphins
Spinner dolphins — frequent on sunset cruises
Manta Rays
Hanifaru Bay — world's largest aggregation site (May–Nov)
Not typical at this reef (−1)
Whale Sharks
South Ari is the reliable spot
PADI dive center on-site. Night snorkeling available. Marine life observations sourced from dive logs and guest reports.
Getting There
Transfer from Malé
Anantara Kihavah is in the northern Baa Atoll — a comfortable 35-minute seaplane from Male. Guests enjoy a VIP seaplane lounge with complimentary refreshments before departure.
Option A — Fastest
Seaplane Direct
Direct from Malé · ~35 min · Daylight only (6 AM–4 PM)
~$850 pp roundtrip
Option B — Night arrivals
Domestic Flight + Speedboat
Malé → Dharavandhoo (25 min) + speedboat (15 min) · Day & night
~$850 pp roundtrip
Seaplane daylight only. Arrivals after ~3:30pm need airport overnight or domestic flight. We arrange both.
Resort island map — Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas
Our Take
Who This Resort is For
Anantara Kihavah is the rare resort that earns its premium through genuinely unique experiences. The underwater restaurant, the observatory, the house reef, and the proximity to Hanifaru Bay manta rays make it more than a luxury stay — it's a destination in itself.
Ideal for
Snorkeling enthusiasts — world-class house reef plus Hanifaru Bay manta rays minutes away
Couples wanting unique dining — underwater restaurant and rooftop stargazing are unmatched
Families needing space — family villas from 412 sqm with dedicated kids programs
Marine life lovers — Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere has the richest biodiversity in the Maldives
Guests wanting easy-ish access with remote feel — only 35 min seaplane from Male
Consider elsewhere if
Budget travellers — ultra-premium pricing plus $850 pp transfers
Those wanting all-inclusive — not available here, specialty dining adds up
Party seekers — this is refined luxury, not vibrant nightlife
Season & Pricing Guide
Dec 20 – Jan 10Peak · Highest rates
Jan 11 – Apr 15High · +40–60%
Apr 16 – Jun 30Shoulder · +10–20%
Jul 1 – Dec 19Low · Best value
Peak season fills 4+ months ahead. Shoulder season offers the best balance of weather, price and availability.
Why Book Through Lux Atolls
More Inclusions, More Maldives
What you get booking with us vs. going direct or through an OTA
Book with Lux Atolls
Best rate guarantee — avg. 11% below OTAs
Complimentary room upgrade (subject to availability)
Welcome bottle of champagne on arrival
One complimentary 60-min couples spa treatment
Early check-in / late checkout (subject to availability)
Personal trip advisor — villa matching, transfers, meal plan guidance
Direct resort relationship — we resolve issues in real time
Book Through Others
Standard rack rate
Room type as booked — no upgrades
No welcome amenities
No spa inclusions
Standard check-in/out times
Generic customer support
No direct resort contact
Frequently Asked Questions
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas — FAQ
Does Anantara Kihavah have an underwater restaurant?
Yes. SEA is an underwater fine dining restaurant at Anantara Kihavah — one of only a few in the Maldives. It sits below the lagoon surface and serves multi-course dinners surrounded by marine life. Advance booking is essential.
How do you get to Anantara Kihavah?
A 30-minute seaplane from Male airport to Baa Atoll. The resort is in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve near Hanifaru Bay, one of the world's premier manta ray gathering sites. Seaplanes operate during daylight hours only.
Is Anantara Kihavah good for stargazing?
Yes. The resort has a professional overwater observatory — SKY — with a powerful telescope and a resident astronomer. It is one of the only resorts in the Maldives with a dedicated stargazing facility, offering evening sessions.
How many villas does Anantara Kihavah have?
Anantara Kihavah has approximately 80 villas across beach and overwater categories, all with private pools. Villa sizes range from 260 to 2,500 sqm, making them among the most spacious in the Maldives.
Can you see manta rays at Anantara Kihavah?
Yes. The resort is 15 minutes by speedboat from Hanifaru Bay, a UNESCO-protected manta ray feeding site. During season (June-November), hundreds of manta rays gather here. The resort runs regular snorkelling excursions to the site.
Packages From
$5,429 / couple
4 nights · Beach Pool Villa · Half Board · Transfers
Quote Request Sent
We'll reply within 4 hours with a personalised itinerary and exact pricing.
Lux Partner Rate
Save $3,250 per couple
4 nights in a Beach Pool Villa with Half Board (breakfast and dinner daily, dine-around). Upgrade to Over Water Pool Villa from $6,259 or Sunset Over Water Pool Villa from $7,429 per couple. Seaplane transfers ~$1,753 extra.
