Lhaviyani Atoll, also known as Faadhippolhu Atoll, is a group of 54 islands about 80 miles north of Male, the capital city of the Maldives and the site of the international airport. Just five of the islands support local populations, and four islands have been developed as exclusive tourist resorts. Each self-contained resort boasts lush tropical island scenery, pristine white coral-sand beaches, and open ocean horizons - as well as luxurious accommodations and extensive recreational facilities for guests. The area is famed for its beauty and abundant sea life, and several live-aboard dive boats include Lhaviyani in their itineraries as they tour the best scuba diving sites in the Maldives.
The four resorts offer a range of styles and luxury accommodations to suit almost any taste or budget. The Komandoo Island resort is a coconut palm-covered strip of land surrounded by a beautiful turquoise lagoon, sheltered from the atoll currents by sparkling white banks of sand. The lagoon is also home to a magnificent house reef, where snorkellers can explore coral gardens filled with schools of colourful reef fish. Komandoo is also is close to a major coral channel running between the islands of the atoll, which offers opportunities for snorkellers and divers to see large pelagic species such as dolphins, sea turtles, mantas, eagle rays and whale sharks.
The Kerudu Island resort is spread over three parts of one relatively large island. Each of the three resort areas offers different styles of accommodation, including private beachside villas, water villas built out over the lagoon, and large luxury villas in the centre of the island with their own private swimming pools. Kerudu has plenty of restaurants, bars, shops, and activities for guests - including the first golf course in the Maldives. The Kanuhura Resort is a smaller and more intimate resort that is very popular with scuba divers, thanks to its proximity to a coral reef drop-off that plunges more than 2000 feet to the sea floor. It is also popular with honeymooners, who are drawn to its stylish seclusion and beautiful tropical island location.
The Palm Beach Resort on Madhiriguraidhoo Island is an eco-resort on a larger island, with accommodations ranging from private beachside and water villas, to luxurious and modern two-bedroomed Presidential Suites, with a private swimming pool and even a private butler. Like each of the Lhaviyani Atoll resorts, it hosts a certified scuba diving school that offers equipment and instruction to guests on the nearby house reef, as well as guided boat trips to the best dive sites in the area.
Most guests arrive at their resorts in Lhaviyani Atoll by taking a 40-minute seaplane transfer from the international airport at Male - although the proximity of the atoll to Male means it is possible to make the transfer by speedboat in a few hours, the voyage can seem long and arduous compared to the scenic seaplane flight low over the azure seas and tropical islands, before the thrill of landing in the water a few hundred yerds from the resort.