Royal Island Resort & Spa

A visit to Royal Island begins with a domestic air transfer from Male Airport to Dharavandhoo Island. The scenic, 30-minute flight is followed by a quick boat trip to the resort’s private island, known locally as Horubadhoo. A more direct (and expensive) 35-minute seaplane transfer is also available.

The half-mile long island has 150 rooms and is surrounded by a waist-deep lagoon and white-sand beaches. Guests can walk between the two restaurants, bars, outdoor pool, spa, and sports facilities using shady pathways that wind through a lush jungle interior.

Decor-wise, the resort’s public areas are unremarkable. Simple wooden furniture, white walls, dark tile floors, blue seat cushions, and a handful wood carvings are about as exciting as it gets. Unlike most resorts in the Maldives, the building’s high rooftops are covered in ordinary shingles instead of dried palm leaves. The main buffet restaurant, Maakana, has a large saltwater pond with patches of coral and colorful fish. 

The liveliest area of the resort is the 24-hour Boli Bar, which is located next to a large beachfront pool.  At night guests also flock to the Fun Pub bar, which has snooker, billiards, live music, and karaoke.

Families are welcome at Royal Island, but the bulk of guests are couples and honeymooners from Europe. 

Located 120 kilometers northwest of Male in Baa Atoll, Royal Island is one of the more inaccessible resorts in the Maldives. Most travelers catch a 30-minute domestic flight to the local island of Dharavandhoo, followed by a two-minute golf cart ride to a marina and a 10-minute speedboat ride to resort’s private island, Horubadhoo. The island is 800 meters long by 220 meters wide, and guests can walk just about anywhere in under 15 minutes. There are 370 employees who live at the center of the island year-round. Baa Atoll is recognized as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and has some of the richest marine life in the Maldives.

Style-wise, Royal Island’s Beach Villas aim for stately luxury, but fall short. Covered in floor-to-ceiling wood paneling and decorated with carved wooden furniture and unusual impressionist art paintings, the overall style feels dated (and the old box TVs don’t help). Rooms are set back slightly from the beach and feature private patios, free fruit baskets, tea, instant coffee, bottled water, bathrobes, beach towels, minibars, and spacious indoor/outdoor bathrooms with an outdoor shower, bidet, and separate tub with showerhead. Slow Wi-Fi is available for a fee. All of the resort’s rooms are the same, except for a huge Presidential Suite, which also has dated decor but luxurious perks like a kitchen, bar, private pool, and big jetted tub. (Rumor has it that Ricky Martin has stayed in the suite.)

Royal Island’s best feature is a large beachfront infinity pool with a swim-up bar, poolside dining, and shallow section for kids. Other highlights include a fitness center, sports courts (squash, badminton, and tennis), a dive center, and a spa with a steam room, sauna, hot tubs, and small salon. For nightly entertainment, a disco bar offers snooker and billiards tables, live music, and karaoke.

Guests can choose from a number cushioned, wooden lounge chairs that dot the island’s beaches. The chairs aren’t paired with umbrellas, so plan on dragging them under a nearby tree for shade. The island’s peaceful, waist-deep lagoon is ideal for swimming, kayaking, and snorkeling. Most of the sand is soft and clear, but there are some broken pieces of coral that guests may want to watch out for.  The water is crystal clear and the temperature was perfect during our November visit -- cool enough to feel refreshing, yet warm enough to slip into without a chill.

The resort’s main restaurant, Maakana, serves international buffet cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is free, and guests can upgrade to full-board, half-board, or all-inclusive packages. Those who upgrade are entitled to a 15 percent discount at the a la carte restaurant, Raabondhi, which specializes in Mediterranean food. The main Boli Bar is open 24 hours a day and also serves a la carte dishes. The quality of the food is hit or miss, but average overall. Royal island is one of the few resorts in the Maldives with 24-hour room service.

Plenty of perks are available for those willing to pay extra. Popular excursions include snorkeling trips, dolphin cruises, local island tours, diving lessons, and big game fishing. A deserted sandbank (three minutes away by boat) is also available for private dinners, picnics, weddings, and camping overnight. A water sports center rents kayaks, Jet Skis, catamarans, and floats, among other items (snorkeling and windsurfing gear is free). Free Wi-Fi is offered in the main bar, pool area, a la carte restaurant, and sports area; slow in-room Wi-Fi comes with a  fee.