Dhawa Ihuru Resort, Maldives

The picturesque getaway island of Ihuru (meaning 'old palm trees' in Dhivehi, Maldivian language) is located in North Male Atoll, a 20 minute speedboat ride from Male's International Airport. The island spans an area of 25,000 sq metres of lush greenery covering 590 metres of beautiful palm fringed beaches with crystal waters and kaleidoscopic corals.

The Dhawa brand takes its name from a Southeast Asian tree famous for the abundance and usefulness of it's leaves. Filled with a sense of discovery, Dhawa’s vibrant interiors aim to help a new generation of independent, design-savvy travellers explore the world on their own terms.

There are just 45 villas in three categories: Beachfront, Beachfront Jet Pool and Beachfront Rainmist. They all feature colourful interiors with king size beds, with the rare possibility to accommodate up to 4 adults within the room.

The environmentally-conscious resort is continuing with a variety of projects such as turtle breeding, reef clearing, barnacle building and sand bags to protect against sand erosion. The resort also offers interesting biology classes and escorted snorkelling safaris to encourage guest participation.

The Riveli Restaurant and The Velaavani Bar are situated on the beach, offering a good view of the lagoon and house reef, and offering a varied international cuisine. The resort is now All Inclusive only, with three packages to choose from, 'Dine', 'Style' and 'Max'.

The house reef - just 5 metres from the Dive Centre - is one of the best resort reefs in the Maldives. Sharks, eagle rays, moray eels, turtles, bat fish and trevallies are encountered regularly, and there are a couple of overhangs of 4-7 metres, where lobsters, nurse sharks and sting rays can be spotted.. The resort's shipwreck can be easily accessed from the shore and there are also a substantial number of dive sites throughout the Male atolls.

Other facilities include an excellent spa, a brand new, well-equipped gym, water sports centre and a small kids' club.