Banyan Villa

Dhangethi Island sits in Alif Dhaal Atoll, and Banyan Villa is set a short walk from the strip of sand known locally as Bikini Beach. The island is small, low, and ringed by lagoon, and the villa's own stretch of private beach opens straight onto it. Rooms are plain and comfortable rather than showy: garden-view rooms come with a double bed and a private patio looking onto island greenery, while the two-storey family room separates sleeping areas across its levels. A deluxe room upgrade adds a jacuzzi. All rooms carry air conditioning, ceiling fans, and free Wi-Fi. Meals are served at an on-site restaurant, and an open-air living area and gardens fill the space between buildings. Getting there takes some planning. Speedboats run daily between Malé and Dhangethi, a crossing of about ninety minutes, and a domestic flight to nearby Maamigili or a seaplane transfer both end with a short boat ride to the island. More than fifty dive sites lie within reach, and whale sharks, manta rays, and turtles are regular sightings on the boat trips run from the property. Sandbank picnics and night fishing are arranged locally. It is a modest, well-run base rather than a resort, built for travellers who want the reef and the island itself, not a private stretch of imported sand.