Beach Pavilion
An interconnected beach unit built around a private outdoor terrace, at 60 square metres the resort's most compact category.
King bed, with twin-bed and connecting-room options · No private pool · Beachfront
All resorts, South Ari Atoll
LUX* South Ari Atoll
South Ari Atoll · Private island in South Ari Atoll — island name not given in the factsheet
A large, activity-led South Ari Atoll resort built around 180 villas, twelve dining venues, and year-round whale shark watching.
- Seaplane · 25 min
- 180 villas
- Kids' club
- All-inclusive available
- Reply within 24 hours
- Maldives only for 8 years · 50+ resorts visited in person
Villas
Family Beach Pavilion
A two-bedroom, two-entrance pavilion on the beach at 120 square metres, its wraparound terrace holding two separate seating areas.
Two bedrooms, king beds, with twin-bed and connecting-room options · No private pool · Beachfront, two-bedroom
Family Lagoon Pavilion
The two-bedroom counterpart to the Family Beach Pavilion, 130 square metres with its terrace facing the lagoon and the overwater villa row beyond.
Two bedrooms, king beds, with twin-bed and connecting-room options · No private pool · Beachfront, lagoon-facing
Beach Villa
The resort's largest beach-facing category at 35 units — a 95 square metre villa opening directly onto the beach.
King bed · No private pool · Beachfront
Beach Pool Villa
A 116 square metre beach villa with its own plunge pool set into the path down to the sand.
King bed · Private plunge pool · Beachfront
Beachfront Infinity Pool Villa
At 136 square metres, a beachfront villa whose private pool reads as an extension of the lagoon in front of it.
King bed · Private pool · Beachfront
Water Villa
The entry overwater category, 98 square metres with a deck set directly above the lagoon — 38 of the resort's 180 villas are built this way.
King bed · No private pool · Overwater
Overwater Infinity Pool Villa
The resort's largest single category at 46 units — a 110 square metre overwater villa with a private infinity pool that continues the line of the lagoon.
King bed · Private pool · Overwater
Temptation Pool Water Villa
One of only three, at 220 square metres with a 14-metre private pool and Jacuzzi set over the water.
King bed, with a separate lounge · 14m private pool with Jacuzzi · Overwater
Temptation Beach Pool Villa
The resort's single Temptation Beach Pool Villa — 206 square metres with its own lounge and private pool on the beach.
King bed, with a separate lounge · Private pool · Beachfront
LUX* Villa
The resort's one-of-a-kind villa, 360 square metres at the end of the jetty, with a glass-floored living and dining room set over the water.
King bed, with a separate lounge · Private infinity pool · Overwater, at the jetty's end
About LUX* South Ari Atoll
LUX* South Ari Atoll sits on a private island in South Ari Atoll with 4 kilometres of beach around it, 25 minutes by seaplane from Male. Its 180 villas range from beach pavilions to overwater pools, 73 with a private pool. Twelve restaurants and bars, a 15-villa spa, a kids club, and complimentary house-reef snorkelling fill the days, with year-round whale shark watching as the atoll's signature draw.
Recommended For
Families
PLAY keeps ages 3 to 11 busy from nine to seven, and the two-bedroom Family Beach and Family Lagoon Pavilions give a household room enough not to compete for space.
Divers and snorkellers
A house reef reachable by complimentary trip, 50-plus dive sites within range including Kuda Rah Thila, and a year-round whale shark watching spot make this a working base for underwater time, not just a backdrop for it.
Couples wanting a private pool
73 of the 180 villas carry a private pool, from the Beach Pool Villa's plunge pool to the Temptation Pool Water Villa's 14-metre overwater pool and the one-of-a-kind LUX* Villa at the jetty's end.
Wine & Dine
East Market
South Asian · Breakfast · dinner
A culinary tour of South Asia served for breakfast and dinner, part of the resort's Dine Around plan.
Mixe
International · Breakfast · dinner
An inventive international menu served for breakfast and dinner, part of the Dine Around plan.
Beach Rouge
Mediterranean · Lunch · dinner
Mediterranean cooking through the day, open from late morning until midnight, part of the Dine Around plan.
Experiences
Art Studio & Craft Workshop
A resort's own art studio, gallery or craft workshop where guests create or view local and traditional artwork — pottery, lacquer, glassblowing.
Coral Adoption & Restoration
Hands-on reef and marine conservation guests can join directly — adopting or planting coral frames, mangrove planting, and turtle-rescue visits with a hatchling release.
Dine-Around Meal Plan
A meal-plan upgrade unlocking à la carte dining privileges across some or all of the resort's own restaurants.
Floating & Aerial Yoga
Yoga staged over or above water — aerial, floating-platform or paddleboard yoga, distinct from a standard mat class.
House-Reef & Guided Snorkel
A guided swim over the house reef, off the beach or a short boat ride out, with private, night and beginner variants at resorts that run their own dive centre.
Kayak, SUP & Sailing
Kayak, stand-up paddleboard, sailing dinghy, windsurfing and kitesurfing — the wind- and paddle-powered end of the watersports centre, bundled as one booking.
Good to know
Getting there
Malé · seaplane, 25 minutes · South Ari Atoll
- Departures
- Seaplane from Velana International Airport — a private lounge there is held for LUX* guests between flights.
- Flight window
- Seaplanes fly daylight hours only; IMJ times international arrivals to make the connection.
At a glance
- Villas
- 180 villas · 88 overwater · 92 beach · Private pool in some villas · Largest 360 m²
- Dining
- 6 restaurants · 4 bars · Meal plans: Half Board, Full Board, All-Inclusive, Premium All-Inclusive · All-inclusive available
- Families
- Kids' club (PLAY, 3-11) · Babysitting
- Diving & reef
- Dive centre · House reef · Resident marine biologist
- Spa
- LUX* Me Spa · overwater treatment rooms
Before you book
How do we get to LUX* South Ari Atoll, and how long does it take?
By seaplane from Velana International Airport — the flight takes 25 minutes, with a private lounge at the airport for guests waiting between flights. Seaplanes fly daylight hours only, so IMJ times international arrivals to make the connection.
What meal plans does the resort offer?
East Market, Mixe, Beach Rouge and Senses Restaurant sit inside the resort's Dine Around plan, which covers all buffets and a la carte dining except Allegria and Umami. Half Board, Full Board and All-Inclusive guests draw a USD 30 per-person meal credit at those two restaurants; Premium All-Inclusive includes one complimentary dinner at each. IMJ confirms the exact plan and any credits before booking.
Is this a resort for families, or is any of it adults-only?
Both are catered for, separately. PLAY, the kids club, runs 09:00–19:00 for ages 3 to 11 with babysitting available from age 1, while LUX* Me Spa is set at 16 and over. IMJ books families and couples travelling without children into different villa categories accordingly.
How good is the house reef and the wider snorkelling here?
The resort's house reef is described as an extensive lagoon carrying a wide range of reef fish, and complimentary snorkelling trips run to it directly. South Ari Atoll is also a year-round whale shark watching area, and the resort's dive centre runs trips to more than 50 nearby sites, including Kuda Rah Thila.
What's included in the villa rate, and what costs extra?
Every villa carries Wi-Fi, a minibar refilled daily, complimentary tea and coffee, bottled water, and a private sunbed as standard. Complimentary water sports cover snorkelling gear, canoes, pedal boats and kayaks; windsurfing, jet-skiing, diving, kitesurfing, parasailing, fishing charters and private dhoni trips are available for a fee. IMJ itemises exactly what's covered before you travel.
Which villa category suits a first visit?
For couples, the Overwater Infinity Pool Villa is the resort's largest single category — 46 of the 180 villas — and pairs a private pool with direct lagoon access. Families of four generally do well in the two-bedroom Family Beach or Family Lagoon Pavilion. IMJ matches the category to who's travelling.
The factsheet
Every fact we hold on LUX* South Ari Atoll (villas, dining, transfers) in one document.
Talk to a specialist about this resort.
Thirty minutes on dates, occasion and which island actually suits you. No obligation, no scripted pitch.