Huvafen Fushi Maldives

Character and identity

Huvafen Fushi occupies a 300-metre sliver of sand in the North Malé Atoll, 30 minutes by speedboat from Velana. The 44 thatched bungalows and pavilions, recently reworked by Clint Nagata's BLINK Design Group, lean into a minimalist island palette with Jim Thompson silks, glass floors and three-tier decks with plunge pools. Each accommodation comes with a thakaru (butler), and the property holds two genuine signatures: the world's first underwater spa, with glass-walled treatment rooms set against a live reef, and Vinum, a subterranean cellar of more than 5,000 bottles. Dining spans Salt (Japanese-Peruvian, overwater), Raw (organic, light) and Fogliani's beachside Italian.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What sets this resort apart is the combination of the underwater spa and the marine setting, genuine firsts that still hold up two decades on, paired with butler service that locals deliver with warmth rather than stiffness. Spend the money if you value the spa and reef above all else; book an Ocean Bungalow for the glass-floor and direct sea access, and time a dinner at Vinum.