On my most recent visit, I stayed at the breathtaking Kuredu Island Resort & Spa, located in the idyllic Lhaviyani Atoll. This resort encapsulates everything I love about the Maldives—luxurious accommodations, incredible dining experiences, and a plethora of activities that showcase the region’s natural beauty. Whether you’re planning your first Maldives vacation or considering a return trip, Kuredu is a destination that deserves a spot on your bucket list.

In this post, I’ll share everything you need to know about Kuredu, from how to get there and the best time to visit, to the resort’s standout dining experiences, activities, and diving sites. If you’re dreaming of crystal-clear waters, colorful reefs, and a touch of tropical luxury, keep reading to find out why Kuredu should be your next getaway.

Where is Kuredu Island Resort?

The Maldives is an archipelago of 1,192 coral islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, southwest of India and Sri Lanka. The islands are grouped into 26 atolls, forming unique rings of sandy beaches and sapphire lagoons.

Kuredu Island Resort is located in the Lhaviyani Atoll, 145 kilometers north of Malé, the capital of the Maldives. The resort is accessible via a stunning 35-minute seaplane flight operated by Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA). This journey offers breathtaking views of coral reefs and turquoise lagoons, giving you a taste of what’s to come.

Getting to Kuredu by Seaplane

Arriving at Kuredu is part of the adventure. After landing at Malé International Airport, TMA operates seamless transfers to the island. Guests are treated to a comfortable lounge experience at TMA’s dedicated terminal, where refreshments and air conditioning help you relax before boarding.

The seaplane flight itself is bucket list worthy —gliding over the Maldives’ distinct atolls, you’ll witness views that look like they’re straight out of a postcard. Be sure to have your camera ready!

Best Time to Visit Kuredu

The Maldives boasts warm, tropical weather year-round. Temperatures hover around 30°C, with water temperatures a steady 28°C, making it ideal for beach days and underwater adventures.

• Best Months (Dry Season): November to April, during the northeast monsoon, when the skies are clear, and the seas are calm.
• Wet Season: May to October, influenced by the southwest monsoon, brings occasional rain and stronger winds but also lower prices and lush greenery.

Our visit in December was during the dry season, and the weather was not the most stable —partly sunny or cloudy days, some occasional rain and calm waters.

Accommodations at Kuredu

Kuredu offers a variety of accommodation options catering to different preferences and budgets. Each type is thoughtfully designed to provide comfort, privacy, and a true Maldivian experience:

• Garden Bungalows: Set amidst lush greenery, perfect for nature lovers.
• Beach Bungalows and Villas: These are ideal for waking up to the sound of the waves, offering direct beach access and stunning ocean views.
• Water Villas: Luxurious overwater villas with direct access to the lagoon, perfect for honeymooners.
• Private Pool Villas: Ultimate privacy and luxury with a private pool and spacious outdoor living areas.

We stayed in a Premium Beach Villa on the island’s north side. It was perfectly situated—quiet, close to amenities, and offered incredible snorkeling opportunities. From our villa, we spotted reef sharks, turtles, and colorful fish every day, just a few steps into the water.

Restaurants and Bar's at Kuredu

Food is a highlight at Kuredu, with multiple restaurants and bars offering diverse cuisines and experiences. Here are our must-try spots:

Babuna Bar

Located near the main pool, Babuna Bar is the resort's entertainment hub. Friday’s White Night Party is a must for those who love music and dancing. Even on quieter nights, it’s a great place to unwind with a cocktail in hand.

Sai Kotari Tea House

Perched at the end of the jetty, Sai Kotari offers a tranquil setting for tea, coffee, and pastries. In the evenings, the area transforms into a natural aquarium, with sharks and eagle rays swimming below.

5.8 Undersea Restaurant

The 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, located at the nearby Hurawalhi Maldives, is a marvel of design and gastronomy. As the world’s largest all-glass underwater restaurant, it offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dine below the ocean’s surface while surrounded by a living coral reef.

The restaurant offers two lunch sittings and one dinner sitting, but dinner is particularly special. As daylight transitions to dusk, the underwater world comes alive in new ways, creating an ever-changing, captivating backdrop. The multi-course tasting menu is inspired by seasonal ingredients and the chef’s creative experimentation, ensuring every visit is unique.

Our dinner experience was nothing short of magical. As we enjoyed exquisitely plated dishes, a turtle swam by, feeding right next to the glass, followed by sharks hunting gracefully near the restaurant. Watching marine life in their natural habitat while savoring exceptional food felt surreal.

The wine pairings complemented the dishes beautifully, with the attentive staff ensuring glasses were generously refilled. The service was striking a perfect balance between professionalism and warmth.

Accessing the restaurant is easy, with a short 5-10 minute drive from Kuredu arranged by the hotel for a small fee. For anyone visiting the Maldives, dining at 5.8 Undersea Restaurant is an experience that combines luxury, innovation, and the beauty of the ocean in a way that’s impossible to replicate elsewhere.

Kuredu Beach BBQ

Kuredu’s main beach is also home to the resort’s famous Beach BBQ nights, where the focus is on fresh, charcoal-grilled delicacies. Held on every Wednesday evening, this vibrant dining event showcases a wide array of dishes, including lobster, tiger prawns, Maldivian reef fish, and tender meats. The smoky aromas and sizzling flavors of the open grill perfectly complement the natural beauty of the beach.

What sets the Beach BBQ apart is the lively atmosphere. Guests dine by the ocean while enjoying live music and entertainment, such as a fire show. The setting sun paints the sky in breathtaking colors, creating a picture-perfect backdrop for this special dining experience.

Kuredu Sommelier Wine Pairing Dinner on the Beach

The Sommelier Wine Pairing Dinner is one of the most exclusive and extraordinary dining experiences offered at Kuredu. Initially hesitant, we decided to join this event on a whim after learning there were only two spots left out of the twelve available—a decision we were thrilled to make.

Held only once a year, this special dinner features a sommelier flown in from South Africa, who expertly pairs fine wines with a curated menu of seafood and fish dishes. The evening began with an unmistakable buzz among the staff, setting the stage for what was clearly an exceptional event. The intimate setting on the beach, illuminated by soft lighting and accompanied by the soothing sound of the waves, created a magical ambiance.

Each course was beautifully presented, and the wine pairings elevated every bite, showcasing the sommelier's expertise. Beyond the food, the dinner fostered a sense of camaraderie among the guests, creating a relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere.

Held in mid-December during our visit, this dinner is not to be missed if you’re lucky enough to be at Kuredu when it’s offered. While the exact dates may vary each year, the experience is worth planning around—a culinary and social highlight of our trip.

Kuredu Activities and Adventures

Snorkeling with Turtles

The house reef is teeming with marine life, making every snorkeling trip a unique adventure. Just meters from the shore, you’ll find schools of tropical fish, colorful coral formations, and an abundance of turtles. On our visit, we encountered turtles of various sizes daily, often within a couple of meters of the beach. Watching these gentle creatures glide through the water was a magical experience—something that must be seen to be believed.

Kuredu Manta Snorkeling

The Lhaviyani Atoll is renowned for its manta ray population, offering snorkelers a rare chance to witness these majestic creatures up close. Snorkeling with mantas is a highlight of any visit to Kuredu and an experience you’ll treasure forever.

While diving is a popular activity in the Maldives, snorkeling was the best way to observe manta rays this day. Sometimes these gentle giants feed on plankton near the surface, making them easily accessible to snorkelers. The Prodivers team recommended we try snorkeling instead of diving during this occasion, as mantas were most active near the top of the water.

We joined an early morning excursion at around 7 AM, designed to reach the feeding sites before the crowds. This strategy allowed us to have an intimate encounter with the mantas, undisturbed by other boats. Within minutes of entering the water, several mantas arrived, gracefully circling and gliding just beneath us. At one point, a manta passed so close to me that I could feel the water shift with its movement.

For an entire hour, we were mesmerized by their elegant loops and feeding techniques. Sharks were also spotted near the entry point, adding to the thrill. Later, as more boats arrived, the mantas became shy and swam away, reaffirming the importance of those early starts.

This atoll is home to one of the largest populations of juvenile mantas in the Maldives, with nearly 300 individuals identified. The Manta Trust, in collaboration with Prodivers, actively studies and protects these creatures, ensuring sustainable tourism practices. Seeing these playful yet peaceful animals in their natural habitat was both humbling and exhilarating.

Read my full manta snorkeling guide here.

Dolphin Encounters

While mantas are the stars of the show, the Lhaviyani Atoll has plenty of other surprises in store. On our return journey, our boat was accompanied by a pod of playful dolphins. Watching them leap and twirl alongside the boat was a joyous moment, leaving us all grinning from ear to ear. The crew's enthusiastic shouts of “Koamas, koamas!” (the local term for dolphins) made the experience even more memorable.

Scuba Diving

The Lhaviyani Atoll is a diver’s paradise, with 60+ dive sites to explore. Highlights include:

1. Kuredu Caves: Turtle Airport

Known as “Turtle Airport,” this site is home to a large community of green sea turtles. The reef features overhangs and shelters where turtles rest and cleaning stations where they have their shells meticulously cleaned by smaller fish. As you descend, you’ll find turtles gracefully swimming to the surface for air before gliding back to their shelters. This was one of my favorite dive's ever.

What to Look For:

• Turtles: Dozens of turtles in varying sizes can be seen on every dive, making it a paradise for turtle enthusiasts.
• Other Marine Life: Stingrays, eagle rays, and reef sharks are frequent visitors, along with schools of Napoleon wrasse and a variety of smaller reef fish.
• Proximity: Just a 5-minute boat ride from Kuredu, this site is convenient and ideal for short excursions.

2. Kuredu Express: Big Fish Action

This renowned dive site gets its name from the strong currents that flow through the channel, making it a hotspot for large pelagic species. It’s a thrilling dive for those who love big fish encounters and fast-paced underwater exploration.

What to Expect:

• Marine Life: Grey reef sharks, eagle rays, large tunas, barracudas, and schools of jackfish are common here.
• Terraces: The dive features terraces at different depths, offering excellent vantage points to observe the action.
• Difficulty: This site is best suited for advanced divers due to the strong currents, but the payoff is immense for those seeking adrenaline-filled dives.

3. Anemone Thila: A Macro Photographer’s Dream

This site is an underwater island teeming with life and vibrant colors. Overhangs and terraces are covered with anemones, which house swarms of clownfish darting in and out of their protective homes.

Highlights:

• Marine Life: Blue-stripe snappers, glassfish, and trevallies are abundant. Lucky divers may also spot nurse sharks and ghost pipefish, a rare find for macro photography enthusiasts.
• Photography: The combination of vibrant anemones and diverse marine life makes it a fantastic site for both macro and wide-angle photographers.
• Accessibility: Suitable for divers of all experience levels, this is a great spot for a relaxed and scenic dive.

4. The House Reef: Dive Right In From the Beach

Kuredu’s house reef is perfect for divers looking for a convenient yet rewarding experience. Located just off the main beach, it offers excellent visibility and minimal currents, making it an ideal spot for beginners and experienced divers alike.

What Makes It Special:

• Wreck Dive: The reef is home to a shipwreck, which serves as a haven for lionfish, batfish, and jacks. At night, Napoleons and other species use the wreck for shelter.
• Marine Life: Turtles, scorpionfish, puffers, and even the rare leaf fish can be found here.
• Flexibility: With tank rentals available, experienced divers can explore the house reef independently at their own pace.

5. Manta Point

Located nearby, Manta Point is one of the best places in the aldives to see manta rays up close. These graceful creatures gather at cleaning stations to have parasites removed by smaller fish.

Best Time to Visit:

• Mantas are most active during the plankton-rich monsoon seasons, but sightings are possible year-round.
• Snorkelers and divers alike can enjoy this site, as mantas often feed near the surface.

Kuredu Sandbank

Kuredu’s sandbank is one of the island’s most breathtaking features—a pristine stretch of white sand surrounded by crystal-clear waters. During the day, it’s a serene escape perfect for relaxing, strolling along the narrow strip of sand, or taking in the endless aquamarine hues. Low tide reveals more of the sandbank, allowing you to walk further into the ocean, creating a surreal and tranquil experience.

Sundowners on the Sandbank

The Sundowner experience on the sandbank is a must for those looking to start their evening in style. From 6:00 to 8:00 PM daily, the resort serves expertly crafted cocktails in this idyllic location. As you sip on your drink and watch the sun dip below the horizon, the sandbank becomes a front-row seat to one of nature’s most spectacular shows.

The sandbank is also a favored location for private dinners, yoga sessions, and professional photo shoots, offering an unforgettable blend of romance and exclusivity.

Why Choose Kuredu?

Kuredu offers something for everyone:

• Couples: Romantic overwater villas, private dining, and spa treatments.
• Families: Spacious accommodations, kids’ activities, and safe swimming areas.
• Adventurers: Diving, snorkeling, and excursions to explore marine life.
• Relaxation Seekers: Quiet beaches, tranquil pools, and soothing spa therapies.

The island’s blend of natural beauty, exceptional service, and diverse activities ensures an unforgettable experience.

Tips for Your Visit

• Book Early: Popular experiences like the 5.8 Undersea Restaurant and wine pairing dinner sell out quickly.
• Pack Light: Lightweight clothing, reef-safe sunscreen, and a good underwater camera are essentials.
• Plan for Extras: While Kuredu’s all-inclusive packages are comprehensive, some excursions and premium dining experiences may require additional fees.

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