Maldives
Jawakara Islands Maldives: two islands, one resort
Picolo has stayed at Jawakara Islands in Lhaviyani Atoll. We had a villa with its own pool, played golf and tennis, and dived among turtles. Here is what the resort is like, and how to pick the right island.
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Picolo has been here
Breakfast is barely over when you slip into your own pool, the lagoon a few steps beyond the deck. By lunch you have played nine holes. In the afternoon you float over the reef as a turtle takes its time beneath you. That was a normal day for us at Jawakara, and it tells you what kind of place this is: one where you rarely run out of things to do.
Jawakara opened in October 2023 on two islands, Mabin and Dheru, joined by a long bridge across the reef. With 290 villas it ranks among the largest resorts in the Maldives. It belongs to Crown & Champa Resorts, the group behind Hurawalhi and its undersea restaurant 5.8 in the same atoll.
In short: Jawakara Islands
Jawakara Islands is a large luxury resort spread over two islands in Lhaviyani, 35 to 40 minutes by seaplane from Malé. Mabin suits families and active couples, with a golf course and kids’ club. Dheru is smaller and quieter, sold on an all-inclusive basis only. Our advice: book a pool villa.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Jawakara Islands
Two islands, two speeds
Mabin is the big island, about 1.4 kilometres long, with 202 of the villas. The golf course and the dive centre are here, along with most of the restaurants. This is where families stay and where most of the action happens.
Dheru is roughly a third of the length, with 88 villas and an all-inclusive-only policy. Evenings are noticeably calmer, which is why couples tend to prefer it.
The bridge between the two is part of the experience. Halfway across sits Umi, a restaurant with the lagoon on either side. You walk, cycle or take a buggy over, and guests on either island can book the à la carte restaurants on both.
Beach pool villa
The pool is where you end up at midday, and again once the children are asleep.
The villas: pay for the pool
You can choose between beach villas, beach pool villas, water pool villas and villas with two or three bedrooms. We stayed in a villa with a private pool, and that is the upgrade we would pay for again. It is where you end up during the still hours around midday, and again in the evening once the children are asleep.
The interiors are by Yuji Yamazaki Architecture of New York: pale tones, blue accents, plenty of timber and rattan. Beach villas open straight onto the sand. Water villas stand on stilts above the lagoon, with steps down into the sea. The multi-bedroom villas make it easy to bring the grandparents.
Eating, drinking and meal plans
Restaurants and bars are spread across both islands, from buffets to à la carte. We ate well every evening, which is not a given at a resort with hundreds of villas.
Mabin offers every meal plan, from bed and breakfast up to premium all inclusive. On Dheru, all inclusive is standard. The premium plan adds a wider drinks list, more restaurants to choose from and daily snorkelling trips by boat.
The maths is simple. Everything on a Maldivian resort island has to be shipped in, and a bottle of wine at dinner is priced accordingly. If you are staying more than five nights and like wine with your meals, all inclusive usually pays for itself.
Turtles on the house reef
The best of Jawakara happened underwater. We dived among turtles, met dolphins and found reefs thick with fish. The dive centre is run by Prodivers, a PADI 5-Star operation with more than 50 sites across Lhaviyani. Beginners can learn to dive on the island.
We also took the speedboat to 5.8 Undersea Restaurant at sister resort Hurawalhi, about an hour and a half away. It sits 5.8 metres below the surface and has very few tables, so reserve before you leave home. There is more on dining under the sea in our guide to adults-only resorts in the Maldives.
Tennis among the palms
The court sits sheltered behind the palms on Mabin. Play early, before the sun is high.
Golf, tennis and the spa
Jawakara has a nine-hole golf course, a rarity in a country where most islands are far too small for one. We played golf and tennis, then booked a massage at the spa. There are two spas and two infinity pools, and the kids’ club keeps younger guests busy while the grown-ups are out on the course.
Who Jawakara suits
Jawakara works for families with children of any age, and for couples who get restless after two days on a sun lounger. Golfers and divers will get more out of it than out of most resort islands.
The honest caveat: Jawakara is big. With 290 villas, buggies on the paths and plenty of restaurants, it feels more like a small village than a desert island. If you want few neighbours and silent evenings, look at the resorts in our guide to private island holidays.
Getting there
The seaplane from Velana airport in Malé takes 35 to 40 minutes and lands on the lagoon by the resort. It flies in daylight only, so if your long-haul flight lands late you will need a night near Malé. The alternative is a domestic flight of around 35 minutes to Madivaru, followed by 40 minutes by speedboat. From the UK, most routes connect via Doha, Dubai or Istanbul.
For help matching transfers to flight times, read seaplane or speedboat in the Maldives.
When to go
December to April is the dry season, with the most sunshine and the calmest seas. Summer brings lower prices and more showers, but the turtles are there all year. For a month-by-month view, see the best time to visit the Maldives. Planning a festive trip? Read Christmas and New Year in the Maldives before you book.
Our first choice in Lhaviyani
Jawakara Islands
We have stayed here ourselves, and we would choose Jawakara again. You get two islands for the price of one. Mabin is lively, with a golf course and kids’ club. Dheru is calm, all inclusive and made for quiet evenings. Take a pool villa, reserve a table at Umi in the middle of the bridge and keep a whole day for the reef. Families and active travellers get luxury here without long, empty afternoons.
Frequently asked questions about Jawakara Islands
Is Jawakara Islands all inclusive?
It depends on the island. On Dheru, all inclusive is the only meal plan, while Mabin can also be booked on bed and breakfast, half board or full board. The top tier is premium all inclusive, which adds more drinks and boat snorkelling trips. If you drink wine with dinner and stay a week, it usually pays off.
How do you get to Jawakara Islands?
The quickest way is a 35 to 40 minute seaplane flight from Malé, which only operates in daylight. You can also take a domestic flight of about 35 minutes to Madivaru, then a 40-minute speedboat. The resort arranges transfers once you have booked. If you land in the evening, plan on a night in Malé first.
Is Jawakara Islands good for families?
Yes, Jawakara was designed with families in mind, especially the larger island of Mabin. That is where you find the kids’ club and the two infinity pools, and the two and three-bedroom villas give big groups plenty of room. The shallow lagoon is good for young swimmers, though children should always be watched in the water.
What is the difference between Mabin and Dheru?
Mabin is the larger island, with 202 villas and almost all of the facilities. Dheru has 88 villas and is sold on an all-inclusive basis only. Families are happiest on Mabin, while Dheru is quieter after dark. Because the bridge links the two, you can use the restaurants and beaches on both.
Can you eat at 5.8 Undersea Restaurant from Jawakara?
Yes. 5.8 is at Hurawalhi, which has the same owner and lies in the same atoll, and you reach it by speedboat from Jawakara. We made the trip ourselves during our stay. The restaurant is 5.8 metres below the surface with only a handful of tables, so arrange the boat and the booking well ahead.