Kandima
Maldives

5 Restaurants & 3 Bars

Ten dining venues — the most of any resort at this price point. Two buffet halls, three à la carte restaurants, a deli, a café, and three bars.

Flavour

International Buffet

One of two main buffet restaurants with live cooking stations spanning Asian, Mediterranean, Indian, and Western cuisines. Rotates themes nightly so repeat meals never feel repetitive.

SettingBeachfront · Main restaurant

Our tipThursday night is seafood night — get there early

All plans

Zest

International Buffet

The second all-day buffet, positioned by the main pool. Same quality as Flavour but with a different layout and slightly different rotation — useful when one gets busy.

SettingPoolside · Open-air

Our tipQuieter than Flavour for breakfast

All plans

Smoked

Steakhouse

Charcoal-grilled steaks, smoked ribs, fresh catch, and a solid vegetarian menu. The open-air BBQ kitchen makes for good theatre. Reservation recommended.

SettingBeachfront · Open grill

Our tipThe tomahawk steak is the signature — share between two

Premium AI Dine Around

Sea Dragon

Asian

Pan-Asian fine dining with Chinese, Thai, and Japanese dishes. The teppanyaki counter and dim sum are standouts. Adjacent to the adults-only Forbidden Bar for post-dinner drinks.

SettingIndoor · Adjacent to Forbidden Bar

Our tipBook the teppanyaki counter on your first night

Premium AI Dine Around

Azure

Mediterranean

Relaxed Mediterranean beach house with pasta, seafood, and wood-fired dishes. The most casual of the à la carte options — ideal for a long lunch with ocean views.

SettingBeach house · Casual chic

Our tipBest sunset views of any restaurant on the island

Premium AI Dine Around

Breeze Bar

Cocktails

The main bar and social hub — live music, cocktails, and a relaxed beachfront setting. The natural gathering point after dinner.

SettingBeachfront · Live music

Our tipThe mojitos are the bartenders' signature - order one by the pool.

Premium AI Drinks

Beach Club

Light Bites

The largest beach club in the Maldives with DJ sets, pool access, and a lively daytime atmosphere. Drinks and snacks served all day.

SettingPoolside · DJ sets

Our tipTime it with the DJ set - the swim-up bar and daytime party vibe peak in the afternoon.

Premium AI Drinks

Forbidden Bar

Cocktails

Adults-only bar adjacent to Sea Dragon with live DJs and craft cocktails. The closest thing to nightlife you'll find in the Maldives.

SettingIndoor · Adults only

Our tipEnter through the psychedelic tunnel - adults-only DJ nights go late.

Premium AI Drinks

Dining Inclusions

Four meal plan tiers — the Premium All-Inclusive is the sweet spot for most guests.

Meal plan prices are a guide only — generally an average across the year. Resorts can change them at any time, they often vary by season, and a plan sold in one season may not be offered in another. We'll confirm what's available and the exact price for your dates.

Your Days on the Island

Kandima has more activities than almost any other resort in the Maldives — partly because of the island's size (3 km), partly because the resort genuinely leans into sport, art, and music as part of the experience rather than just offering a spa and a dive centre.

Family-Friendly Features

Kandima welcomes babies from six months old at Kandiland — one of the largest kids clubs in the Maldives, open until 8 PM. Older kids race e-go-karts, bowl, and play VR games at PlaySpace, while the 100-metre infinity pool gives everyone space to spread out. And the 2 Bedroom Family Sky Suite means nobody sleeps on a sofa bed.

House Reef & Underwater

The house reef at Kandima is accessible but not the island's main draw. It's a reasonable snorkel with decent coral and reef fish, but the best diving in Dhaalu requires a boat trip — which the resort runs daily to 20+ sites with better visibility and bigger pelagics.

PADI dive center on-site. Night snorkeling available. Marine life observations sourced from dive logs and guest reports.

Transfer from Malé

Kandima is in Dhaalu Atoll — too far for a speedboat, too close for most seaplane routes. The standard transfer is a 35-minute domestic flight to Kudahuvadhoo followed by a 15-minute speedboat.

Resort island map — Kandima Maldives

Who This Resort is For

Reviewed by Tym Lewtak, founder of LuxAtolls ·Updated Sep 27, 2026

Kandima fills a gap in the Maldives that few resorts attempt — genuine five-star facilities with energy, variety, and accessibility rather than exclusivity. It won't win awards for intimacy or reef quality, but for sheer range of things to do at a competitive price, very few resorts come close.

Kandima Maldives — FAQ