Anantara Dhigu Maldives Review.
We stayed for a week at Anantara Dhigu while working on our photography book Dreaming of Maldives. This review is based on that stay with my family.
Anantara Dhigu is located in South Male Atoll, at a short 35 mns ride by speedboat from Male airport. Set on a medium-sized sandy island, the resort enjoys an exceptional location in one of the largest lagoon in Maldives.
The resort offers many highlights : spacious villas, excellent dining, superb family facilities, surfing, and a kids’ club that makes it one of the best family-friendly resorts in the Maldives.
Anantara Dhigu is the perfect resort for travellers looking for excellent watersports, family time and wellness holidays.
Luxurious yet friendly, both tranquil and active, Anantara Dhigu is a perfect choice for those seeking discretion, gentle hospitality, family holidays, and plenty of water sports.
Every photo, the video and every insight in this review comes from our own experience at the resort.
Anantara Dhigu is part of the Anantara Hotels group in the Maldives, alongside some of the country’s most iconic resorts. I have also reviewed Anantara Kihavah Maldives and Naladhu Private Island Maldives, two very different properties that show the diversity of the Anantara collection in the archipelago.
Category
5★ Luxury
Villas
110
Atoll
South Male
Island Size
Width – 120m
Length – 480m
Transfer
35 mns
by speedboat
Airport
21 km / 13 mi
Diving
Very Good
Snorkeling
NONE
Lagoon
Excellent
Watch our complete video tour of Anantara Dhigu Maldives, featuring the island, villas, lagoon, dining, dreamy moments and places.
Anantara Dhigu Maldives – The Island
Set on the small Island of Dhigufinolhu, in South Male Atoll, Anantara Dhigu enjoys an exceptional location in one of the largest lagoon in Maldives.
The island is a true natural beauty ! It is surrounded by one of the most beautiful, large, blue sandy lagoon I’ve seen in Maldives, which makes it a paradise for windsurfing ad kiteboarding.
Obviously, with such a wide lagoon, there’s no house reef, Dhigu is not a snorkeling resort. Forget about underwater explorations straight from your villa or the island’s shores. For snorkeling adventures, you’ll need to head out by boat on a guided excursion.
Anantara Dhigu is set in the same lagoon as its sister resorts Naladhu Private Island Maldives and Anantara Veli. Together they form a unique trio of islands connected by turquoise waters.
As a guest at Dhigu you can benefit from this close proximity, with the possibility to dine across the three resorts and enjoy a greater variety of experiences. In the aerial view below, you can clearly see Dhigu, Veli, Naladhu, and the Baan Huraa Thai restaurant standing elegantly over the lagoon.
A panoramic aerial view of Anantara Dhigu Maldives showing the lagoon, the sister islands Anantara Veli and Naladhu, and the overwater Baan Huraa Thai Restaurant.
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Villas at Anantara Dhigu Maldives
The resort offers a large collection of villas, either along the beach or set above the lagoon, with full catch at the Sunset or the Sunrise.
From my stay, I much preferred the Beach Villas ( we were with our son who was 8 at the time ) : more shade, more space, and the freedom to step directly onto the sand.
The Water Villas, however, are stunning for couples, with dreamy views at the blue lagoon.
All villas are elegantly designed in a Maldivian Style with a wide array of amenities and offer comfort, elegance with unique outdoor bathrooms. Some villas have terrazzo tubs, and some with private plunge pools.
Tip : For the best Water Villa experience at Anantara Dhigu, choose one at the end of the jetty, sunset-facing, with dreamy views of a small deserted island.
If you are choosing a Water Villa at Anantara Dhigu, I recommend the ones located at the end of the jetty, facing the sunset. From there, the views are endless across the lagoon, with the bonus of looking out toward a small deserted island. It’s one of the most dreamy spots to enjoy privacy, magical sunsets, and the feeling of being surrounded only by sea and sky.
Dining at Anantara Dhigu Maldives
Anantara Dhigu has an excellent choice of classical and ethnic gourmet restaurants, all located in extraordinary places around the island or isolated in the middle of the lagoon. Bars complete the experience : Aqua Bar is the perfect spot by the pool for light bites and refreshing cocktails, while Dhoni Bar is relaxed and casual, ideal for sunset drinks by the lagoon.
As a guest of the island you also have the nice option to take a free boat ride and enjoy the restaurants and cafes located on her sister island resort Veli.
Baan Huraa Thai restaurant
Baan Huraa is a beautiful overwater restaurant standing right in the lagoon between Dhigu and Veli. It’s Anantara’s Thai signature, and for me, one of the best Thai restaurants in the Maldives. The setting is magical at sunset, and the food is full of authentic flavors — from spicy salads to rich curries. Dining here felt like being transported to Thailand, with the bonus of the Maldivian sea all around.
From Grill to Maldivian restaurants, from Japanese to the best Thai restaurant in the Maldives, Dhigu is a dream location for food lovers.
Main Restaurant at Sunset
Activities. What to do at Anantara Dhigu Maldives ?
Dhigu is clearly an activity-oriented resort. On land, you’ll find tennis, yoga, fitness, a cinema in the jungle for special nights.
But for me, it’s on the water that the resort shines : the choices are endless : windusrfing, funboarding, kitesurfing, paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing, and a bit further : surfing – Anantara Dhigu has a surf school !
For me, as a funboarder, this lagoon was absolute heaven. Every day I could just grab a board and sail into a turquoise dream.
On the day time, an excellent range of activities and leisure is proposed with many excursions, tailor made escapades and treatments at the overwater Spa .
Anantara Spa
The spa at Anantara Dhigu is often praised as one of the best in the Maldives, and I can confirm, it truly is. Let’s not forget that Anantara is Thai, and wellness is here at the heart of its philosophy.
The menu is wide and inspired, with everything from traditional Thai massage to Ayurvedic treatments, deep tissue, facials, and holistic wellness rituals. Therapists are highly skilled, and every treatment feels both deeply relaxing and effective.
Set overwater, Anantara Spa offers 6 treatment rooms with sea views and two open-air salas for Thai massage.
The spa also offers the Balance Wellness by Anantara program, which goes beyond treatments to include yoga, meditation, nutrition, and fitness guidance.
If you’re looking for a serious wellness retreat close to Male, Anantara Spa is definitely the place to go.
Surfing in South Male Atoll with Anantara Dhigu
Surfing at Anantara is a highlight. The resort sits close to some of the Maldives’ most famous surf breaks, and the resort organizes trips for all levels.
Top spots like Natives, Quarters, Chickens, and Cokes are within reach, making Dhigu a great base for surfing in the Maldives, if you want some good breaks not too far from Male. Besides surf excursions, its surfing center, Tropicsurf offers surfing lessons for adults and kids.
Note : surfing excursions are limited to eight people per surf trip so booking in advance is recommended and also cheaper.
Read about Surfing at Anantara Dhigu Resort
Anantara Dhigu Kids Club
Anantara Dhigu is a dream resort for families. Our son loved it, which gave us time to enjoy the lagoon and relax.
Called the ‘Dhoni’ Kids Club, it is located at the heart of Dhigu island and welcomes children aged from ages 3-12 in a very cute and real Dhoni (the famous local Maldivian fishing boat).
The resort offers different type of family accommodation and children will spend great times at the Kids club – one of our favorites !
There is plenty of tree shades, and a beautiful and wide sandy playground with swings and wooden games.
Some of the activities include cooking lessons, treasure hunts, painting/drawing, a TV and films for rainy days, arts and crafts activities, fish and sting rays feeding, island exploration, play indoor, practice outdoor sports, and many other fun activities for our kids to enjoy their time too !
Read also : The Child-Friendly Resorts in Maldives. The Ultimate Guide
Bubble Makers Dive Courses for 8 and 9 years old and Junior Scuba Diving are available at the Diving Center and Baby sitting services are available for additional charge.
Snorkeling and Diving at Anantara Dhigu
The lagoon at Dhigu is stunning, but its size means there is no house reef.
Snorkeling is therefore limited from the beach or villas, while diving in South Male Atoll is excellent, and the resort is located close some of the Maldives’ most famous dive sites.
Snorkeling around the resort
Let’s be honest here : Anantara Dhigu is not a snorkeling resort. With such a wide lagoon, the island has no house reef, which is normal, and it’s not the only resort like this. It’s simply a matter of topology.
So, forget about snorkeling straight from your villa or the beach.
For underwater adventures, you’ll need to either swim out 15–20 minutes to the closest reef edge (only for strong swimmers) or join a boat trip. The resort organizes daily excursions to nearby reefs, where marine life is fantastic and the corals are healthier. Please check the map below for a clearer look and understanding of the area.
If snorkeling is a priority for you, I suggest looking at Dhigu’s sister resort in Baa Atoll, Anantara Kihavah, which has one of the Maldives’ most beautiful house reefs right off the beach.
Learn more : Anantara Kihavah complete review
+ my dedicated review of Snorkeling & Diving at Anantara Kihavah.
Anantara Dhigu Diving & Snorkeling Map
Alongside the resort arial map you will see further below, I also created this aerial view marking the main snorkeling areas and dive sites around Anantara Dhigu, Veli, and Naladhu.
It highlights how the lagoon opens to outer reefs, the nearby wreck of Kuda Giri, and well-known dive spots like Gulhi Thila.
This gives a clear picture of where to snorkel and dive during your stay.
Diving
That said, scuba diving around Anantara Dhigu is excellent and offers more than 35 dive spots.
Besides, South Male Atoll is a top diving area, famous for its channel dives, rich biodiversity, and reliable pelagic encounters. It’s also close to Male, the Maldives capital city, which makes it more popular (and sometimes crowded), but underwater, it’s absolutely worth it.
Nearby dive sites include :
- Kandooma Thila – a classic site with grey reef sharks, eagle rays, and huge schools of fish.
- Cocoa Thila – one of the most famous thilas in the Maldives, known for sharks, trevally, and barracudas.
- Guraidhoo Corner – a spectacular channel dive with strong currents, reef sharks, and napoleon wrasse.
- Kuda Giri Wreck – a small wreck covered in coral, ideal for macro photography and night dives.
With these sites so close, diving at Anantara Dhigu offers the thrill of big fish action and diverse reef life, making it a strong choice for divers.
The PADI 5-Star Dive Center AQUAFANATICS is well equipped and staffed with multilingual instructors, offering beginner’s discovery courses to more advanced Nitrox, deep water and rescue dives and a complete range of programs to suit everyone.
Anantara Dhigu resort aerial Map
To help you explore Anantara Dhigu and choose your dream villa, here is the resort’s aerial map that I created.
It shows the full layout of the island : from the long stretch of Beach Villas on both the Sunrise and Sunset sides to the rows of Over Water Suites reaching into the lagoon.
You can also spot the main restaurants, bars, kids’ club, spa, and watersports center. The map gives you a clear view at the island and how easily connected it is to sister resorts Anantara Veli, via the lagoon channels.
Anantara Dhigu – Our Photos
Here is our photo collection of Anantara Dhigu Maldives. From aerial views showing the island and its vast lagoon, to intimate moments inside the villas, the spa, and dining settings, each image reflects what it feels like to stay here. You’ll see several aerial views of the resort, the Beach Villas and Water Villas, the infinity pool, kids’ activities, the lagoon hammocks, private dining by the sea.
Every photo was taken during our week at Dhigu for Dreaming of Maldives, capturing the resort exactly as we experienced it : family time, watersports, and the beauty of the island.
all photos © Dreaming of Maldives
Anantara Dhigu Maldives is a resort full of contrasts, playful, yet serene and refined. For me, the vast lagoon was unforgettable. As a windsurfer, I could not have dreamed of a better place. It’s one of the best watersports playgrounds I’ve seen in the Maldives. With our child, I loved the Beach Villas. But the Water Villas, with their wide ocean views, are stunning for couples. Dining is excellent, varied, and enriched by the option to enjoy restaurants at sister resorts. The spa is a highlight in itself, among the best in the Maldives, rooted in Anantara’s Thai heritage.
For travelers who want space, excellent watersports, family time, and wellness, Anantara Dhigu is a beautiful choice.
It may not be the best Maldives house reefs, but it is the Maldives Dream for of sailing. For me, it was pure joy.
Anantara Dhigu is a wonderful resort for families and watersports lovers. But if you’re looking for the most dreamy and iconic Maldives resorts, I invite you to explore my Dreamy Resorts Collection Reviews : a handpicked selection of the Maldives top luxury resorts that truly define the word dreamy.
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