Beach & Sky Studios
The entry category, 55 sqm along the main beach with a private terrace and ocean views — no pool, but the closest room type to the sand.
2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults · No private pool · Beachfront
All resorts, Dhaalu Atoll
Kandima Maldives
A colourful, design-led island built to run for every guest type at once — families through Kandiland, divers and watersports groups through Aquaholics, and an adults-only wing after dark at Sea Dragon Forbidden Bar.
- Getting there
- Seaplane or domestic flight + speedboat, 40 min seaplane / 35 min flight + 15 min boat
- Atoll
- Dhaalu Atoll
- Island
- Kandima
- Villas
- 8 categories
Kandima brands itself 'anything but ordinary': 264 studios, villas and suites across eight categories, from beachfront studios to an overwater suite at the tip of its signature jetty. Kandiland ranks among the Maldives' largest kids' clubs, Aquaholics runs PADI diving and watersports, and the island counts ten dining options, including a Far East restaurant with live seafood display tanks and a private beach-BBQ programme.
The villas
Beach Villa with Swirl Pool
97 sqm on the main beach, lagoon-facing, with a king bed, sofa bed, freestanding bathtub and a private swirl pool on the terrace.
2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults · Private swirl pool · Beachfront, lagoon-facing
Sunrise Beach Pool Villa with Swirl Pool
125 sqm on the sunrise side of the island, with the same king bed, sofa bed and freestanding bathtub as the Beach Villa, plus a larger swirl pool.
2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults · Private swirl pool · Beachfront, sunrise side of the island
Sunset Beach Pool Villa with Swirl Pool
125 sqm along the main beach, lagoon-facing on the sunset side, with a king bed, sofa bed, freestanding bathtub and private swirl pool.
2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults · Private swirl pool · Beachfront, lagoon-facing, sunset side
Two-Bedroom Family Sky Suites
110 sqm along the main beach, two bedrooms interconnected through a shared lounge, with bunk beds for children — built for families and groups travelling together.
2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults · No private pool · Beachfront
Aqua Villas & Aqua Villa with Swirl Pool
73 sqm overwater along the lagoon, with direct access into the water for swimming and snorkelling — available as a standard Aqua Villa or, with a private swirl pool, the Aqua Villa with Swirl Pool.
2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults · Available with or without a private swirl pool · Overwater, along the lagoon
Ocean Pool Villa
95 sqm on the sunrise side of the island, described by the resort as "semi-beach and semi-overwater," with a private pool.
2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults · Private pool · Overwater, sunrise side (semi-beach, semi-overwater)
Sunset Aqua Pool Suite
130 sqm at the tip of the overwater jetty on the sunset side, with a separate living area, an infinity pool and a private deck over the lagoon — the top overwater category.
2 adults + 2 children, or 4 adults · Private infinity pool · Overwater, sunset side, tip of the aqua-villa jetty
Wine & Dine
Flavour Zest
- Cuisine
- Market-style buffet, dishes prepared to order
- Setting
- Open-plan food hall
- Hours
- Hours vary — confirm at resort
- Reserve
- At the resort, or via IMJ
A light, bright food hall where chefs finish dishes to order rather than holding everything on a steam line.
Azure
- Cuisine
- Mediterranean
- Setting
- Garden dining area
- Hours
- Hours vary — confirm at resort
- Reserve
- At the resort, or via IMJ
Mediterranean cooking served in an extensive garden setting, with a wine list drawn from Kandima's own cellar.
Experiences & activities
Art Studio & Craft Workshop
Afternoon · all ages, restorative
A resort's own art studio, gallery or craft workshop where guests create or view local and traditional artwork — pottery, lacquer, glassblowing.
Destination Private Dining
Evening · for two
A private meal on the beach, in a villa, a garden or an overwater deck, arranged by a private chef and butler outside the resort's own restaurants.
Group Fitness, Gym & Training Classes
Morning · restorative
Structured group fitness beyond a yoga mat — HIIT, TRX, Pilates, boxing and circuit training, run out of the resort's own gym or fitness pavilion.
Dolphin Cruise
Evening · for two, all ages, restorative
A dhoni or speedboat trip, usually timed to sunset, built around spotting wild dolphins — the most widely offered named excursion in the Maldives.
Recommended For
Families
Kandiland is one of the largest kids' clubs in the Maldives, with its own water play zone, a daily activity programme, and a bespoke nanny service — plus interconnected Two-Bedroom Family Sky Suites with bunk beds.
Divers and watersports groups
Aquaholics runs PADI certification courses, scuba diving, kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking and jet ski alongside parasailing and live-aboard trips, with sea-turtle snorkelling built into the programme.
Groups of friends
Sea Dragon Forbidden Bar is an adults-only venue with resident DJs into the early morning, alongside Beach Club Kandima and Breeze Pool Bar and BURN Fitness Centre's group classes — aerial yoga, TRX, kickboxing.
Malé · 40 minutes by seaplane, or 35-minute domestic flight to Dhaalu Airport plus a 15-minute speedboat
- Seaplane
- 40 minutes direct from Velana International to the Kandima jetty
- Domestic flight
- 35 minutes to Dhaalu Airport, then a 15-minute speedboat crossing
- Nearest airport
- Dhaalu Airport (domestic) · Velana International (MLE)
Kandima Maldives · Dhaalu Atoll · 9 photographs
Before you book
How do I get to Kandima, and how long does the transfer take?
Two ways in from Velana International: a 40-minute seaplane straight to the Kandima jetty, or a 35-minute domestic flight to Dhaalu Airport followed by a 15-minute speedboat crossing. IMJ arranges either as part of the booking.
Are meal plans available at Kandima?
The brochure doesn't specify meal-plan structures such as bed & breakfast, half board or all-inclusive. With ten dining options and a Deli boutique orderable through the resort's own app, check current plan options and inclusions directly with Kandima or your consultant.
Is Kandima a family resort, or does it have adults-only areas?
Both. Kandiland is described as one of the largest kids' clubs in the Maldives, with its own water play zone and a daily programme of supervised activities, plus a bespoke nanny service. For adults, Sea Dragon Forbidden Bar runs as an adults-only nightlife venue with resident DJs playing into the early morning.
What's the house reef and snorkelling like?
The brochure doesn't rate the reef directly, but several villa categories — including the Aqua Villas — sit overwater with direct access into the lagoon for swimming and snorkelling, and Aquaholics runs snorkelling outings with sea turtles as part of its watersports programme.
How many restaurants are there, and what's the mix?
Kandima's brochure describes ten dining options island-wide. Six are named restaurants — Flavour Zest (buffet), Azure (Mediterranean), Smoked (grill), Sea Dragon (Far East, live-tank seafood), Deli (boutique snacks) and Aroma Café (lakeside coffee and crêpes) — plus Destination Dining's private beach BBQs and beachfront dinners, and three separate bars.
What villa categories are available, and which have a private pool?
Eight categories across 264 studios, villas and suites. The Beach & Sky Studios and Two-Bedroom Family Sky Suites have no private pool; the Beach Villa, Sunrise and Sunset Beach Pool Villas (all 'with Swirl Pool'), Ocean Pool Villa and Sunset Aqua Pool Suite all do, and the overwater Aqua Villa is available with or without one.
Talk to a specialist about this resort.
Thirty minutes on dates, occasion and which island actually suits you. No obligation, no scripted pitch.