Kandima Maldives
A 3-kilometre island in Dhaalu Atoll, built around food, water, and a house reef.
An island resort on Kandima
Kandima sits on one of the largest resort islands in the Maldives — about 3 km long — in the remote Dhaalu Atoll, roughly 172 km from Velana International Airport. The scale is notable: six restaurants, multiple bars, a PADI dive centre, a spa, and a kids club all fit without the place feeling compressed. Rooms start at Studios and step up through beachfront and overwater villas, most sleeping three. Rates begin around $227 per night. The google rating across 1,810 reviews sits at 4.7/5, with guests frequently singling out the location and the beds.
Who'll feel at home here
A large, activity-oriented resort island with serious dining variety, a house reef, and enough going on that you could fill a week without leaving the island.
Best for
- Couples who want overwater or beachfront pool villas
- Families needing kids club and multi-bedroom options
- Divers and watersports enthusiasts
- Food-focused travellers
Less suited to
- Travellers wanting an intimate, low-key atmosphere
- Those on a tight budget
A 3 km beachfront island
Kandima occupies one of the largest resort islands in the Maldives. That size means genuine separation between the beach areas, the pool, the restaurants, and the spa — you are not sharing a 200-metre strip with every other guest.
Dining across six restaurants
The lineup runs from Flavour & Zest's international buffet with live cooking stations to Azure's Mediterranean beachfront dinners, Sea Dragon's lobster and Asian seafood, Smoked's open-grill Teppanyaki, a Beach Club, and Aroma Cafe perched over a natural lake. The property's own Beach Club - casual beach dining is on site.
Bars with distinct character
Breeze Pool Bar runs live bands and DJs alongside tropical cocktails. The Forbidden Bar — adults only — is reached through a neon, psychedelic tunnel and operates as a cocktail lounge with live DJs. Two very different evenings. The property's own Beach Club - casual beach dining is on site.
Aquaholics and the house reef
Aquaholics is the on-site PADI dive centre and watersports hub. Diving and snorkelling happen directly off the house reef, so no boat is needed for a morning reef session. The centre also handles motorised and non-motorised watersports.
esKape spa and 24/7 fitness
The esKape spa handles the wellness side of the stay. The fitness centre runs around the clock, which matters on an island where the nearest gym is a seaplane ride away.
Villa and room design
Beach and Sky Studios give you 55 m² with a balcony and sofa bed. The pool villa tier — Sunrise and Sunset Beach Pool Villas at 125 m², Ocean Pool Villa at 90 m² — all include private pools. Aqua Villas sit overwater with full ensuite bathrooms.
Where you'll stay
Sky Studio
55 m² · sleeps 3 · 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- Balcony
- Air conditioning
- Free Wifi
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
Beach Studio
55 m² · sleeps 3 · 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- Balcony
- Air conditioning
- Minibar
- Free Wifi
- Shower
Beach Villa with Swirl Pool
97 m² · sleeps 3 · 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- 1 room
- Balcony
- Bath
- Air conditioning
- Attached bathroom
Aqua Villa
73 m² · sleeps 3 · 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- 1 room
- Balcony
- Bath
- Air conditioning
- Attached bathroom
Aqua Villa with Swirl Pool
73 m² · sleeps 3 · 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- 1 room
- Balcony
- Bath
- Air conditioning
- Attached bathroom
Ocean Pool Villa
90 m² · sleeps 3 · 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- 1 room
- Private pool
- Balcony
- Bath
- Air conditioning
Sunrise Beach Pool Villa
125 m² · sleeps 3 · 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- Private pool
- Balcony
- Bath
- Air conditioning
- Minibar
Sunset Beach Pool Villa with Swirl Pool
125 m² · sleeps 3 · 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- Private pool
- Balcony
- Bath
- Air conditioning
- Minibar
Family Sky Studio
sleeps 4 · Bedroom 1: 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed Bedroom 2: 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- Entire apartment
- Balcony
- Air conditioning
- Attached bathroom
- Minibar
Honeymoon Aqua Pool Villa
80 m² · sleeps 3 · 1 king bed and 1 sofa bed
- Private pool
- Balcony
- Bath
- Air conditioning
- Minibar
Inside Kandima Maldives
Amenities at Kandima Maldives
Most popular facilities
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Airport shuttle
- Spa and wellness center
- Fitness center
- 6 restaurants
- Room service
- Tea/Coffee Maker in All Rooms
- Bar
Bathroom
- Hairdryer
- Shower
Outdoors
- Outdoor furniture
- Beachfront
- Sun deck
- Private beach area
- BBQ facilities Additional charge
- Balcony
- Terrace
- Garden
Activities
- Bicycle rental Additional charge
- Aerobics Additional charge
- Live sports events (broadcast)
- Live music/Performance
- Tour or class about local culture Additional charge
- Happy hour Additional charge
- Themed dinners Additional charge
- Temporary art galleries
Living Area
- Seating area
Media & Technology
- Cable channels
- TV
Getting there
Kandima is in Dhaalu Atoll, 172 km from Velana International Airport. Two transfer routes run from Malé: a seaplane of roughly 40 minutes lands directly at the resort jetty; alternatively, a Manta Air domestic flight of about 35 minutes to Dhaalu Airport connects to a 15-minute speedboat to the island. The resort arranges airport shuttle transfers.
Expect roughly $150–400 per person round trip for the domestic flight + speedboat, arranged by the property. Confirm the fare when booking.
Across 1,810 Google reviews, Kandima holds a 4.7/5 rating. Guests consistently single out the island location and the quality of sleep — the beds are frequently mentioned by name in feedback. The volume and variety of dining is another recurring positive theme among recent reviewers.
Reviews scoring 9–10: 25 · average 9.6
They wrote about: staff, breakfast, room
Reviews scoring 7–9: 5 · average 8
They wrote about: breakfast, comfort, cleanliness
No reviews in the selected score range.
Guest reviews summarised from Booking site partners.
Worth knowing
Common questions
How do I get to Kandima from Malé airport?
Two routes: a seaplane of approximately 40 minutes direct to the resort jetty, or a domestic flight of around 35 minutes to Dhaalu Airport (Manta Air) followed by a 15-minute speedboat to the island. The resort is 172 km from Velana International Airport.
Which transfer option is better — seaplane or domestic flight?
The seaplane is the faster single-leg experience and lands at the resort jetty, but seaplanes are daylight-only. The domestic flight plus speedboat combination works for later arrivals and is often cheaper.
What room types are available?
Options range from 55 m² Beach and Sky Studios up to 125 m² pool villas. Overwater choices include the Aqua Villa and Ocean Pool Villa. There is also a Family Sky Studio sleeping six.
What is the price range?
Rates start from around $227 per night for a Sky Studio and rise to $438 per night for the Sunset Beach Pool Villa with Swirl Pool or the Ocean Pool Villa. The Family Sky Studio starts from approximately $612 per night.
How many restaurants and bars are there?
Six restaurants: Flavour & Zest (international buffet), Azure (Mediterranean beachfront), Sea Dragon (Asian seafood), Smoked (BBQ and Teppanyaki), Beach Club, and Aroma Cafe. Bars include Breeze Pool Bar and the adults-only Forbidden Bar.
Is there diving and snorkelling at the resort?
Yes. Aquaholics is the on-site PADI dive centre. The house reef is accessible directly from the island, so snorkelling and diving do not require a separate boat trip.
Is Kandima suitable for families?
The resort has a dedicated kids club called Kandiland, family rooms, a kid-friendly buffet, and kids' meals. The Family Sky Studio sleeps up to six.
What spa and wellness facilities are available?
The esKape spa handles treatments and wellness. There is also a 24-hour fitness centre on the island.
What dining options are included at breakfast?
Kandima serves continental, full English/Irish, vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free, kosher, Asian, and American breakfast options, including a buffet format. Breakfast in the room is also available.
Is there a private beach?
The resort is beachfront with a private beach area, outdoor sun terraces, and beach furniture across the 3 km island.
What other activities are on the island?
The island has tennis, badminton, aerobics, bicycle rental, fishing, live music, themed dinner nights, cultural tours, and temporary art galleries. Destination Dining can arrange sandbank, floating, and private beach BBQ experiences.
Is WiFi available throughout the resort?
Free WiFi is included in all room categories listed.