Angsana Velavaru: Is It Worth It? An Honest Review
Whenever I think about a natural paradise, I imagine this resort. I remember waking up to the sound of gentle waves and stepping out onto the sandy beach, with the turquoise waters of the private lagoon stretching out before me. It was like stepping into a postcard.
Angsana Velavaru is a high-end resort with all-inclusive options situated on a pristine private lagoon in the Maldives.
Completely surrounded by turquoise waters, it merges its luxurious facilities with the natural attractions of its surroundings, becoming the ultimate vacation spot for both relaxation and adventure.
Its top-notch facilities are highlighted by its sustainability efforts and the experiences offered to guests. There is no doubt that Angsana Velavaru is a great destination - but is it the right one for you?
With this Angsana Velavaru review, we want to help you find out if the resort is indeed what you’re looking for. Read on to learn all about its amenities, activities, and eco-friendly practices. We stayed in a Beachfront Villa and spent an afternoon in two InOcean Villas.
Table of Contents
The Location
Angsana Velavaru is located in Dhaalu Atoll, and while many of its villas are situated on the beachfront, some others stretch into the ocean, making it seem as though the resort was floating in the sea.
How To Get Here
Getting to Angsana Velavaru requires a 40- to 45-minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport, and let me tell you: this was one of the highlights of our entire trip. I don't think we had realized how out-of-this-planet the Maldives are until we looked down and saw all the atolls.
Once you reserve your hotel stay, the reservation office will reach out and book your seaplane transfer with you. Share your international flight details in advance. Unless your booking includes transfers, you'll pay for them at the resort.
At your arrival at Velana International Airport, look for an Angsana representative who will escort you to the seaplane terminal and will help you check in. Relax and get ready for one of the most insane flights of your life.
The Rooms
Angsana Velavaru is an all-villa resort, featuring two different villa types: beachfront and overwater villas.
They all boast gorgeous views of the ocean and are fully equipped with modern amenities, coffee and tea-making facilities, bathrobes and slippers, and flat-screen TV (although, who needs a TV in paradise?).
Unlike other resorts in the Maldives, the overwater villas are not connected to the main island by a wooden pier. The InOcean area has its own walkways.
The two areas of the resort, the actual island and the area with the InOcean Villas, are completely separated and are connected by a short boat transfer (the boat runs every hour).
Some people might think this is an advantage as it gives them a heightened sense of privacy, while others might not enjoy being separated from the island with other restaurants and bars and the pool.
It's something to consider when choosing to book an InOcean Villa at Angsana Velavaru.
Beachfront Villas
We stayed in a Beachfront Villa, with a king bed facing the beach and numerous windows letting in the natural light into the bedroom. The accommodation also has a private garden with sun loungers and furniture for al fresco dining, besides direct access to the ocean.
You never have to walk more than 15 steps to be in the water - it doesn't get better than this!
The villa also comes with an outdoor shower. It was so nice to shower outside in our own garden.
If you're looking for a bit of extra luxury, the Beachfront Infinity Pool Villa and the Deluxe Beachfront Pool Villa boast private swimming pools, besides being located right on the beach.
The Infinity Pool Villa accommodates up to 2 people, while the Deluxe Villa has room for 3. At 2,228 square feet, the Deluxe Villa is almost twice the size of the Infinity Pool Villa. The Deluxe Villa boasts a private garden and Thai sala (gazebo) overlooking the beach, an outdoor shower, a sitting area, and an elegant bedroom with a king bed, besides a private pool.
If you're coming with the whole family or a group of friends, you can also rent the Beachfront Family Pool Villa, with two interconnecting villas and room for 4 guests.
Other options include the Velavaru Two-Bedroom Pool Villa, which accommodates up to 4 guests, or the Angsana Three-Bedroom Pool Villa, which has room for 6 guests. Several beachfront categories also come in sunset-facing versions.
InOcean Pool Villas
For an utterly luxurious vacation, you can book the fantastic Angsana Velavaru InOcean Villas, which are 2 stories high and situated over the water. They all feature infinity pools with either sunrise or sunset views.
While we stayed in a beach villa, the manager let us spend an afternoon in two of their InOcean Villas so we could experience it and tell you about it.
The Deluxe InOcean Pool Villa has a rooftop pavilion from which to enjoy the stunning views of the ocean. It also features a terrace with hammocks and sunbeds, and an infinity pool overlooking the ocean.
The 2-Bedroom Deluxe InOcean Pool Villa also boasts a swimming pool over the water and a terrace with ocean views, besides being fully equipped and accommodating up to 5 people in the two bedrooms.
The rooftop pavilion has comfortable furniture to relax or dine al fresco in, and there are sitting and dining areas, and a bathtub overlooking the ocean.
▶ Book your stay at Angsana Velavaru on BOOKING.COM or ON THEIR WEBSITE.
The Activities
Many people who choose the Maldives as the destination for their vacation are looking for relaxation, and they're perfectly happy just chilling on the beach or on their deck tanning and reading a book.
We personally loved going for walks around the island (you can circle it all in around 15 minutes), stopping for a dip in the water here and there. I mean, this was the most perfectly blue water I've ever seen!
But if you're more of an active type, you'll also find plenty of activities on offer and you won't get bored here.
The resort offers a wide range of experiences, most of which are water-based. The dive center offers PADI courses for all levels, and also fun dives in the 30 different dive spots surrounding the island. This is a paid activity, but in my opinion, it's not necessary to dive in order to appreciate the rich marine life that surrounds Angsana Velavaru.
We are not divers and still loved snorkeling here. The house reef at Velavaru isn't reachable by swimming from the island, so the resort offers a daily complimentary snorkeling excursion by boat.
You'll be given all the necessary equipment and you'll be snorkeling for about 45 minutes. I recommend wearing a life jacket even if you're a good swimmer.
At the Water Sports Center guests can enjoy windsurfing, wake-boarding, kayaking, and water skiing. Some activities require an extra fee, while others like kayaking and paddleboarding are complimentary.
Still looking for more? Visits to a local island and sunset cruises are offered as well.
Dining & Meal Plans
There are three restaurants at Angsana Velavaru, offering a variety of traditional cuisines, from international dishes to typical Maldivian and Asian options.
➤ The Azzurro Restaurant & Bar serves Mediterranean cuisine in the InOcean area. Kaani Restaurant offers international cuisine and a fantastic themed night buffet.
➤ Funa Restaurant boasts a great menu of Pan-Asian cuisine. It faces sunset, so it’s particularly romantic right before dusk, and ideal for pre-dinner drinks.
➤ For daytime drinks and snacks, the best place to go to is the Kuredhi Pool Bar, situated right next to the swimming pool to guarantee an afternoon of leisure and utter relaxation.
➤ As for the Destination Dining experiences (extra fee), they include a scrumptious set menu in beautiful locations, dinner in a romantic setting by the beach, and floating breakfast at villas with a private pool.
Angsana Velavaru offers five meal plans: breakfast, half-board, full-board, All-Inclusive Dine, and All-Inclusive Premium.
Breakfast, Half-Board, and Full-Board
The breakfast plan includes breakfast only. Half-board includes breakfast and lunch or dinner, while full-board includes all three meals. Drinks are charged separately.
All-Inclusive Dine
The All-Inclusive Dine is the most classic all-inclusive plan. It includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner from the buffet or an à la carte menu at the included restaurants. It also includes standard alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, afternoon tea, and minibar soft drinks and snacks replenished daily.
For Beach Villa guests, the included dining outlets are Kaani Restaurant and Kuredhi Pool Bar. InOcean Villa guests can also dine at Azzurro.
All-Inclusive Premium
The All-Inclusive Premium is the most comprehensive plan. It adds premium beverages and dining at Funa. Beach Villa guests can also dine at Azzurro, with reservations required and subject to availability. For InOcean Villa guests, it includes one in-villa dining meal per day. The plan also offers discounts on transfers and Destination Dining.
Not every restaurant is included in every meal plan. Guests on Full Board or All-Inclusive Dine can dine at Funa for a supplement. Beach Villa guests on these plans can also dine at Azzurro for a supplement.
The Facilities
Angsana Velavaru is a 5-star resort, and the amenities are modern and on par with the category. If there's one thing the hotel could improve, though, is the service level, which sometimes was not what you would expect at this price point.
The resort boasts a swimming pool, the Kuredhi Pool, with sunbeds and a pool bar, a water sports center, a dive center, and the Rangers’ Club to keep children entertained all day long. Being a family-friendly resort, it also provides babysitting services.
Guests can also keep in shape at the fitness center or relax at the award-winning spa that features 8 outdoor pavilions on the island, offering beauty treatments, massages, envigorating therapies, facials, and body polishes.
Sustainability
Embracing the Environment, Empowering People is Angsana’s ethos. The resort lists several sustainability initiatives, from waste reduction to marine conservation.
These include regular cleaning activities that are organized alongside the local communities, and resource conservation through waste reduction, recycling, reusing, and refusing unnecessary materials.
The promotion of local culture is a big part of Angsana Velavaru resort’s commitment. Therefore, performances and talks that showcase the traditions and customs of the communities are held frequently, engaging guests with the locals and bringing them closer.
Having the ocean as a backyard, marine conservation is also top of the list when it comes to sustainability priorities at Angsana Velavaru. There are ongoing efforts for conservation run by the in-house Marine Lab, two of the main tasks being coral planting and reef cleaning.
Guests can take part in these efforts, and visit the coral nurseries and garden in the lagoon.
Rates
Rates at Angsana Velavaru vary with your dates, villa category, and meal plan. When comparing options, look at the final total for your stay and whether seaplane transfers are included.
We spent a total of 3 weeks across Angsana Velavaru and Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, plus 1 week at Angsana Ihuru (now Dhawa Ihuru). We paid through the Habitat Program, which we bought in one-week blocks. The program is no longer available.
The Verdict: Is Angsana Velavaru Worth It?
So, is Angsana Velavaru worth it? We think so. We've stayed at multiple resorts in the Maldives, and the water at Angsana Velavaru was the most incredible we've ever seen. In the Maldives or anywhere else.
We loved how the beach villas and the overwater villas were separated, as it felt like we had two separate resorts to explore. All in all, we loved our stay. The only thing we didn't like? That we had to leave.
Still deciding? Here are other Maldives resorts to compare.
▶ Book your stay at Angsana Velavaru on BOOKING.COM or ON THEIR WEBSITE.