IMJ Travels
All resorts, South Ari Atoll

Radisson Blu Resort Maldives

A 128-villa family resort on Huruelhi Island in South Ari Atoll, built around year-round whale shark and manta ray encounters and an on-site PADI 5-Star dive centre.

A heart-shaped loop of overwater villas at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, seen directly from above, encircling a private stretch of lagoon within the reef
A Three Bedroom Overwater Villa at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, its wide pool deck stepping down toward the lagoon at sunrise
A snorkeller trailing a group of spotted eagle rays over a sandy seabed near Radisson Blu Resort Maldives
Raha's overwater dining deck at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, tables set above a turquoise lagoon with a sandbar and palm trees beyond
Getting there
Seaplane, Confirmed at booking
Atoll
South Ari Atoll
Island
Huruelhi
Villas
9 categories

Radisson Blu Resort Maldives occupies Huruelhi Island in South Ari Atoll, an area known for whale shark and manta ray sightings year-round. Its 128 beach and overwater villas run across nine categories, up to a 790-square-metre Presidential villa, backed by nine restaurants and bars, an overwater Blu Spa, and an on-site PADI 5-Star dive and watersports centre. Kids stay and eat free across every villa category, and a weekly lobster beach BBQ runs at Crusoe's Beach Bar.

The villas

The bedroom of an Overwater Villa at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, glass doors open to its private pool deck and the lagoon beyond

Overwater Villa – Pool and Lagoon View

220 square metres over the lagoon, with a king bed and a private pool that steps straight toward the water.

2 adults + 1 child · Private pool · Overwater, lagoon view

See this villa

An Overwater Villa's private pool deck at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, facing open water on the island's sunrise side

Overwater Villa – Pool and Sunrise View

The same 220-square-metre overwater layout, oriented to catch the sunrise from the pool deck.

2 adults + 1 child · Private pool · Overwater, sunrise view

See this villa

An Overwater Villa's private pool deck at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, facing the island's sunset side

Overwater Villa – Pool and Sunset View

The same layout again, turned west instead, for a pool deck that faces the sunset.

2 adults + 1 child · Private pool · Overwater, sunset view

See this villa

A Beach Villa's private pool and sun deck at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, set among palm trees on the beach

Beach Villa – Pool and Sunset View

215 square metres on the sand, with a private pool set beneath the thatch and room for three adults.

3 adults · Private pool · Beachfront, sunset view

See this villa

The bedroom and balcony of a Two Bedroom Family Villa at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, overlooking the beach and lagoon

Two Bedroom Family Villa – Pool and Sunset View

355 square metres and two king bedrooms on the beach, built for a family of five to share one pool.

5 adults · Private pool · Beachfront, two bedrooms, sunset view

See this villa

The bedroom of a Two Bedroom Beach Villa at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, sliding doors open to its private pool deck

Two Bedroom Beach Villa – Pool and Sunset View

370 square metres with a king bedroom and a twin room, the larger of the resort's two-bedroom beach categories.

5 adults · Private pool · Beachfront, two bedrooms, sunset view

See this villa

A Three Bedroom Overwater Villa at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, its wide pool deck and glass-walled bedrooms opening onto the lagoon

Three Bedroom Overwater Villa – Pool and Lagoon View

350 square metres over the water across three bedrooms — two king, two twin — for a group of up to seven.

7 adults · Private pool · Overwater, three bedrooms, lagoon view

See this villa

A Three Bedroom Overwater Villa's pool deck at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, facing the sunset side of the atoll

Three Bedroom Overwater Villa – Pool and Sunset View

The same three-bedroom overwater layout, oriented for sunset rather than the lagoon side.

7 adults · Private pool · Overwater, three bedrooms, sunset view

See this villa

An overwater villa's pool deck and glass-walled bedrooms at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives; a dedicated photograph of the Three Bedroom Presidential Overwater Villa was not available in this research pool, so this three-bedroom overwater category image stands in as the closest match

Three Bedroom Presidential Overwater Villa with Pool

The resort's flagship and its largest villa category at 790 square metres — three bedrooms, a kitchenette and a private pool, sleeping up to eight over the water.

8 adults · Private pool · Overwater, three bedrooms, presidential category

See this villa

All villas at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives

Wine & Dine

Raha's overwater dining deck at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, tables set above a turquoise lagoon with a sandbar and palm trees beyond

Raha

Cuisine
Fusion & seafood
Setting
All-day dining, à la carte
Hours
Breakfast 07:00–11:00 · Lunch 12:30–15:00 · Dinner 18:30–22:00
Reserve
At the resort, or via IMJ

The all-day anchor — fusion and seafood à la carte from breakfast through dinner, with a kids' menu at every service.

Kabuki's overwater dining pavilion at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives lit up at dusk, other overwater villas visible along the jetty behind it

Kabuki

Cuisine
International, Mediterranean
Setting
Dinner only, reservation required
Hours
Daily 19:00–22:00
Reserve
At the resort, or via IMJ

An International-Mediterranean dinner menu, reservation required, served from an overwater dining room as the light drops.

Experiences & activities

Cinema Under the Stars

Evening · for two, all ages

An open-air cinema screening, whether at a fixed venue, a jungle clearing, a sandbank or a private beach setup.

Floating Breakfast

Morning · for two

Breakfast served on a floating tray in the villa's own pool, with nothing scheduled after it.

Kayak, SUP & Sailing

Afternoon · for two, all ages, restorative

Kayak, stand-up paddleboard, sailing dinghy, windsurfing and kitesurfing — the wind- and paddle-powered end of the watersports centre, bundled as one booking.

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.

Recommended For

Families

A Kids' Club running 9:00am–6:00pm, a Kids Stay & Eat Free offer across every villa category, and a PADI Bubblemaker programme for ages 8–9 make this one of South Ari Atoll's more straightforward family bookings.

Divers and snorkellers

An on-site PADI 5-Star Dive and Water Sports Centre and a South Ari Atoll setting known for whale sharks and manta rays year-round give this resort a genuine diving identity, not just a pool and a house reef.

Couples

Blu Spa's overwater couples' treatment rooms, Alifaan's sommelier-run Italian dinners and a weekly lobster BBQ at Crusoe's give a couple enough of a rhythm without needing to leave the island.

Malé · seaplane · Huruelhi Island, South Ari Atoll

Transfer
Seaplane from Velana International Airport (MLE); the resort's official site does not publish a flight duration — IMJ confirms exact timing at booking.
Atoll
South Ari Atoll, known for year-round whale shark and manta ray encounters.
Government tax
Maldives Green Tax, USD 12 per person per day, applies to all visitors regardless of age.

Radisson Blu Resort Maldives · South Ari Atoll · 10 photographs

The heart-shaped loop of overwater villas at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, seen directly from above, tracing a private lagoon within the reef
The resort's heart-shaped ring of overwater villas, seen from directly above
A beachfront villa's private plunge pool and sun deck at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, set back from the sand beneath tall palms
A beachfront villa's pool deck, tucked back from the sand
A yoga pose held on Blu Spa's overwater pavilion at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, an outer island visible on the horizon
Blu Spa's overwater yoga pavilion, complimentary sunrise and sunset classes
Blu Spa's open-air reception at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, seating either side of a timber welcome desk
Blu Spa's reception, open to the gardens on both sides
One of Blu Spa's couples' treatment rooms at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, a glass floor panel open to the water below and an outdoor tub facing the ocean
One of Blu Spa's six couples' treatment rooms, glass floor panel included
A snorkeller swimming above a group of spotted eagle rays over open sand near Radisson Blu Resort Maldives
South Ari Atoll's waters — a short boat ride from the jetty
Two jet skis crossing the private lagoon at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, seen directly from above
Jet skis on the resort's private lagoon
Two guests paddleboarding across open blue water near Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, seen from above
Paddleboarding out from the island in the morning calm
Two kayakers on open water near Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, seen directly from above
Kayaking the lagoon, part of the complimentary non-motorised watersports
The Lab – Wine Cellar's long dining table at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, floor-to-ceiling wine racks lining the room
The Lab – Wine Cellar, built around the resort's own collection

Before you book

How do we get to Radisson Blu Resort Maldives?

The resort is reached by seaplane from Velana International Airport (MLE) to Huruelhi Island in South Ari Atoll. The official resort site doesn't publish a flight duration, so IMJ confirms exact timing once the seaplane operator's schedule is set at booking.

Which meal plans are available?

The resort's official pages don't publish specific meal-plan names or inclusions online. IMJ confirms the current meal-plan options — and which of the nine restaurants and bars they cover — against your dates at the time of booking.

Is this a good resort for families, and what happens with kids?

Yes — Radisson Blu is built as a family-friendly resort. The Kids' Club runs daily 9:00am–6:00pm for ages 4–12 with an outdoor playground and an indoor area for arts, crafts and games. Up to two children under 12 stay free (on existing bedding) and eat free across every villa category, redeemable at Raha, Crusoe's Beach Bar and Eats & Beats Pool Bar, provided at least one adult from the same villa orders a full-priced main. Babysitting and a rollaway bed are available for an additional fee, and the PADI Bubblemaker programme introduces ages 8–9 to diving in the pool or calm lagoon.

What's the diving and snorkelling like here?

South Ari Atoll is known for whale shark and manta ray encounters year-round, and the resort runs its own on-site PADI 5-Star Dive and Water Sports Centre for certifications, renewals and atoll expeditions, available daily 8:00am–6:00pm and weather-dependent. The official site doesn't publish a house-reef description, so IMJ checks current reef conditions directly with the resort ahead of a stay for guests planning to snorkel straight off the beach.

What's included in a stay, and what costs extra?

Every villa includes free Wi-Fi, a minibar/fridge, an espresso machine and free bottled water, plus daily complimentary sunrise and sunset yoga classes and access to the 24-hour fitness centre. Meals beyond what's on your plan, spa treatments, motorised watersports, yacht charters, Dining By Design and Floating Indulgences are booked and charged separately. The Maldives Green Tax (USD 12 per person, per day, for all visitors regardless of age) also applies on top of the room rate.

What are check-in and check-out times?

Check-in is 2:00pm and check-out is 12:00pm. Early check-in and late check-out aren't listed on the resort's official pages, so IMJ requests these directly against your flight times when booking.

Raha's overwater dining deck at Radisson Blu Resort Maldives, tables set above a turquoise lagoon with a sandbar and palm trees beyond

Talk to a specialist about this resort.

Thirty minutes on dates, occasion and which island actually suits you. No obligation, no scripted pitch.

Inspiration for the next trip

A few ways into the resorts, by the kind of trip you have in mind.