IMJ Travels
All resorts, Baa Atoll

Vakkaru Maldives

A 2,300-coconut-palm reef island in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with 111 beach and overwater villas and residences, a Blue Hole house reef, and an award-winning 680-label wine cellar.

Aerial view of Vakkaru's tree-covered island, a jetty of thatched-roof overwater villas curving out across the reef flat, with a deep blue hole visible in the turquoise lagoon
The furnished deck of an Over Water Pool Villa, lounge and dining seating beneath a thatched roof beside the private pool and open lagoon
A scuba diver drifting past a coral wall dense with orange anthias and reef fish, sunlight filtering down from the surface
Vakku's beachfront dining tables set for dinner among palm trees at dusk, rattan pendant lamps lit against a fading sky
Getting there
Seaplane or domestic flight + speedboat, 30 min seaplane / 20 min flight + 30 min boat
Atoll
Baa Atoll
Island
Vakkaru
Villas
11 categories

Vakkaru occupies its own reef island in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, named for the 2,300-plus coconut trees left from its plantation days. Eleven villa and residence categories run from beach villas with plunge pools to the 950-square-metre Vakkaru Over Water Residence. Six restaurants, two bars and the 680-label Vakkaru Reserve wine cellar sit beside Merana Spa, a Splash watersports centre, and the Parrotfish Club for children.

The villas

A thatched-roof Beach Villa with Plunge Pool set among jungle trees, its private pool and sun loungers on a sand terrace

Beach Villa with Plunge Pool

A 115-square-metre villa with a 25-square-metre terrace, 120 square metres of private beach frontage, and a 12-square-metre plunge pool.

2 adults, or 2 adults + 1 child · 12 sqm plunge pool · Beachfront

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Interior of an Over Water Villa's bedroom and deck, glass doors open to a lounge area and the open lagoon beyond

Over Water Villa

140 square metres over the lagoon, with a 40-square-metre sundeck and no pool — steps lead straight down to the reef from the deck.

2 adults, or 2 adults + 1 child · No pool — 40 sqm sundeck instead · Overwater

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A Beach Pool Villa's rectangular pool in front of a thatched-roof villa, sun deck and lounge area visible through the open doors

Beach Pool Villa

A 250-square-metre villa with its own 34-square-metre pool and 196 square metres of private beach frontage — room enough for a family of three or four.

2 adults, 2 adults + 2 children, or 3 adults · 34 sqm private pool · Beachfront

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The deck of an Over Water Pool Villa, daybed and lounge chairs beside an infinity-edge pool facing open lagoon

Over Water Pool Villa

165 square metres over the lagoon, with a 60-square-metre sundeck and a 35-square-metre pool set into the deck above the water.

2 adults, or 2 adults + 1 child · 35 sqm private pool · Overwater

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Exterior of a One Bedroom Beach Pool Residence, its thatched roof opening onto a private pool and an outdoor soaking tub

One Bedroom Beach Pool Residence

A 285-square-metre one-bedroom residence with a 224-square-metre private beach and a 36-square-metre pool.

2 adults, 2 adults + 2 children, or 3 adults + 1 child · 36 sqm private pool · Beachfront

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The private pool of a One Bedroom Deluxe Beach Pool Residence, glass doors open to the bedroom beyond

One Bedroom Deluxe Beach Pool Residence

The deluxe version of the one-bedroom residence, 240 square metres with a 37-square-metre pool and 196 square metres of private beach.

2 adults, 2 adults + 2 children, or 3 adults + 1 child · 37 sqm private pool · Beachfront

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Living room of a One Bedroom Over Water Pool Residence, sofa and TV console beside glass doors opening onto the lagoon

One Bedroom Over Water Pool Residence (Sunset View)

310 square metres on the sunset side of the jetty, with a 77-square-metre sundeck and a 62-square-metre pool — the largest pool among the one-bedroom categories.

2 adults, 2 adults + 2 children, or 3 adults + 1 child · 62 sqm private pool · Overwater, sunset-facing

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Aerial view of a Two Bedroom Beach Pool Residence's private pool, sun loungers and umbrellas on the sand beside it

Two Bedroom Beach Pool Residence

500 square metres across two villas joined by a shared living area — a recent addition to the category — with a 38-square-metre pool and 225 square metres of private beach.

4 adults, or 4 adults + 2 children · 38 sqm private pool · Beachfront

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Three connected thatched-roof pavilions of a Three Bedroom Beach Pool Residence, lit at dusk beside its pool

Three Bedroom Beach Pool Residence

A 700-square-metre, three-bedroom residence with a 135-square-metre terrace and a 55-square-metre pool — one of a kind, and adaptable to a four-bedroom configuration with the villa next door.

6 adults, or 6 adults + 3 children · 55 sqm private pool · Beachfront

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Exterior of the Four Bedroom Beach Pool Residence by day, its pool and dining deck facing the beach and lagoon

Four Bedroom Beach Pool Residence

The resort's largest beach residence at 900 square metres, with a 160-square-metre terrace and 68 square metres of pool split across two plunge pools.

8 adults, or 8 adults + 4 children · 68 sqm private pool (two plunge pools) · Beachfront

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Aerial view of the Vakkaru Over Water Residence, its multiple thatched pavilions and pool built out over the reef

The Vakkaru Over Water Residence

The resort's largest villa overall at 950 square metres, with a 300-square-metre sundeck and a 60-square-metre pool at the reef edge — one of one.

8 adults, or 8 adults + 4 children · 60 sqm private pool · Overwater

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All villas at Vakkaru Maldives

Wine & Dine

Amaany's open-air dining pavilion set beneath a high thatched roof, tables laid for dinner with the overwater villas and lagoon visible beyond

Amaany

Cuisine
International breakfast buffet; themed dinner with local and tropical influences
Setting
Beachfront
Hours
Breakfast 7:00–10:30 AM · Dinner 7:00–10:00 PM (selected nights)
Reserve
At the resort, or via IMJ

The breakfast buffet runs each morning by the beach, with themed dinners on selected nights built around local and tropical flavours.

Isoletta's poolside dining room, tables set beneath a canopy of greenery strung with rattan pendant lights

Isoletta

Cuisine
Italian with international influences
Setting
Poolside, tropical and whimsical design
Hours
Lunch 12:30–4:00 PM · Dinner 6:30–10:00 PM
Reserve
At the resort, or via IMJ

Vibrant Italian cooking by the main pool, in a tropical, whimsical dining room that leans into colour rather than muting it.

Experiences & activities

Ayurvedic Treatment

Afternoon · restorative

Ayurveda-rooted treatments — shirodhara, dosha-based facials — led by an on-site Ayurvedic specialist as a named modality distinct from a generic massage.

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.

Kids' Club Programme

Morning · all ages

The resort's own kids' club — supervised, age-segmented crafts, sports, water play and themed activities, running under dozens of different in-house names.

Cooking Class & Culinary Workshop

Afternoon · for two, all ages

A hands-on cooking class or mixology session led by one of the resort's own chefs.

The factsheet

Every fact we hold on Vakkaru Maldives (villas, dining, transfers) in one document.

Download the factsheetPDF

Recommended For

Divers and snorkellers

A Blue Hole House Reef, a dedicated Splash dive and watersports centre, and a Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere setting give the reef here a reason to book on its own, before the villas enter the conversation.

Families

Parrotfish Club runs supervised activities for ages three to twelve, sports fields cover tennis, padel, football and beach volleyball, and Beach Pool Residences scale up to four bedrooms for a larger family group under one roof.

Couples who care about wine and quiet dining

The 680-label Vakkaru Reserve cellar, a private Jungle Cinema dinner-and-movie option, and reservation-only sandbank and beach dining give a couple a different reason to eat somewhere new each night.

Malé · seaplane, 30 minutes · Vakkaru Island, Baa Atoll

Seaplane transfer
A 30-minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport direct to Vakkaru.
Domestic + speedboat transfer
A 20-minute domestic flight to Dharavandhoo Airport, followed by a 30-minute speedboat ride to the resort.
Distance from Malé
125 km / 68 nautical miles.

Vakkaru Maldives · Baa Atoll · 10 photographs

Aerial view of two Beach Pool Villas, each with a private pool set among trees beside the beach
Two Beach Pool Villas seen from above, private pools tucked behind the beach
Aerial view of Vakkaru's tennis and padel courts cut into the jungle, overwater villas and open lagoon visible beyond
The tennis and padel courts, cut into the jungle with the overwater villas beyond
Lagoon Bar's overwater hammock day beds strung along the jetty rail above turquoise water
Lagoon Bar's overwater hammocks, strung along the jetty rail at sunset
Wine racks and glassware inside the Vakkaru Reserve cellar, lit by a starburst pendant light
Vakkaru Reserve's cellar wall, 680-plus labels behind glass
A young child stacking building blocks at Parrotfish Club, a parent looking on
A morning at Parrotfish Club, the resort's kids' club for ages three to twelve
A therapist administering a hot-stone massage on an outdoor treatment deck
A hot-stone massage at Merana Spa
A Beach Villa with Plunge Pool lit at dusk, its private pool and open-plan bedroom visible through the trees
A Beach Villa with Plunge Pool at dusk, lit from within
Isoletta's poolside dining room, striped rattan chairs at tables beneath hanging pendant lights
Isoletta's poolside dining room, by the main pool
The Four Bedroom Beach Pool Residence's three thatched pavilions lit at night, reflected in its private pool
The Four Bedroom Beach Pool Residence at night, its three pavilions reflected in the pool
Golden-hour aerial view of the Vakkaru Over Water Residence's pavilions and pool at the reef's edge
The Vakkaru Over Water Residence at first light, the resort's largest villa at 950 square metres

Before you book

How do we get to Vakkaru, and how long does the transfer take?

Vakkaru sits in Baa Atoll, reached either by a 30-minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport or by a 20-minute domestic flight to Dharavandhoo Airport followed by a 30-minute speedboat transfer. IMJ confirms which route suits your arrival time and books the connecting leg.

What meal plans does Vakkaru offer?

Vakkaru's own materials don't publish fixed board-basis packages — dining runs à la carte across six restaurants (including a reservation-only farm-to-table experience at The Organic Farm), two bars and the Vakkaru Reserve wine cellar. IMJ confirms which meal-plan options are open for your dates when we book.

Is Vakkaru good for families, and what does the kids' club offer?

Yes. Parrotfish Club runs supervised activities for ages three to twelve from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM, with indoor play areas, a kids' pool, an outdoor playground and daily themed programming. Teens and adults have their own space at Coconut Club — an unsupervised 24-hour lounge with billiards, table tennis, foosball and board games — and Beach Pool Residences run up to four bedrooms for larger family groups.

How good is the house reef at Vakkaru?

The resort's own materials describe the house reef as having unique marine biodiversity and deep blue holes, with the resort map marking a dedicated Blue Hole House Reef entry point. A separate zone near the overwater residences is marked for strong current, worth knowing before a first swim off the deck.

What's the standout dining or wine experience?

Vakkaru Reserve is the headline: an award-winning cellar holding more than 680 labels, with a resident sommelier running tastings and private wine dinners by reservation. Destination dining also runs from barefoot beach dinners to a picnic on a secluded sandbank, both by reservation.

What's the largest villa, and are there options for bigger groups?

The Vakkaru Over Water Residence is the resort's largest villa at 950 square metres with a 300-square-metre sundeck, sleeping up to eight adults and four children. On the beach side, Two, Three and Four Bedroom Beach Pool Residences scale from 500 to 900 square metres, with the three- and four-bedroom categories adaptable to each other for larger parties.

Vakku's beachfront dining tables set for dinner among palm trees at dusk, rattan pendant lamps lit against a fading sky

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.