Opened in early 2007 after extensive remodelling, this island formerly called Lohifushi, is now a good-looking, 4-star resort promising top value for money with an abundance of activities and smart, contemporary rooms.

As well as the expected sports facilities, the resort has tennis, squash, badminton and a gym.

Big and private

A relatively large island, it easily accommodates the 137 beach bungalows with unobstructed views to the beach. And being a mature island of lush vegetation, privacy between the rooms is assured.

Historically, however, it is not an island with a great beach everywhere. The west side, facing into the atoll has decent beaches held by frequent groynes while the east side, facing the ocean, has some beach and a good deal of coral stones. Judicious sand-pumping may change all this. It is on the southeast side that the surfers congregate for some excellent, predictable breaks.

There is lots of lovely, soft sand in the lagoon, which is great for swimming and water sports. It is too large for house reef snorkelling but the management puts on (charged) snorkelling trips.

Diving has long been a big part of the resort and this should continue, although numbers do tend to drop off when a resort becomes all-inclusive. The dive sites are all well-established but still good, with a great variety of destinations within an hour’s dhoni ride: from channels, thilas and outside dives (think whale sharks) to caves and wrecks.

Ocean villas

The 30 new water bungalows in the lagoon belong to a separate resort, Adaaran Ocean Villas, although under the same management company. As expected, this is the premium resort on the island. The rooms are very large, well-appointed, wooden and thatched.

Finally, at just a half an hour’s speedboat ride from the airport this born-again resort island should do very well.

Reviewed by Adrian Neville