If you typed ‘paradise island’ into AI it would draw a picture of Nova. This idyllic, crowd-free resort in the Maldives is still relatively unknown yet just a short hop by seaplane from the international Malé airport.
When you arrive, it’s like stepping into a dream: turquoise waters, soft, ivory sand scattered with cowrie shells and frangipani flowers scenting the air. It took me a day to believe I was really there and once I did, I thought, selfishly, I’m reluctant to tell anyone where it is. But here’s the secret – just four years ago, Nova was a budget specialist dive centre. Now it offers five-star, all-inclusive service to guests staying in one of only 76 rooms.
You can walk around the entire island with your feet in the sea in less than 10 minutes, swim it in about 45 minutes or snorkel around the edges of the coral reef in just over an hour. The whole idea of Nova is to connect – with yourself, with the ocean and, as the mood takes you, with other guests. They call it ‘your soul place – where the only vibes are good vibes’. And it’s not just a marketing tagline – everybody at Nova, including the staff (collectively called ‘soul mates’) are friendly and welcoming.
We shared the island with a mixture of intergenerational groups – a single dad travelling with four teenagers, a young couple with a five-year-old, two 40-something sisters treating their mum to a 70th birthday trip, and the kind of loved-up honeymooners you always find in the Maldives.
Every Friday, ‘soul mates’ and guests gather under an ancient banyan tree at the heart of the island for Holhuashi. Typically led by the resort manager, it’s a Maldivian tradition, in which stories are shared about the local culture and history. Afterwards, everyone disperses for dinner with a smile on their face, either in the buffet-style restaurant, Soul Kitchen, which serves traditional curries and delicious seafood (not to mention dangerously moreish gluten-free coconut muffins for breakfast), Flames, which specialises in grilled meat and seafood, or Mizu, an overwater Japanese teppanyaki restaurant at the end of a jetty.
I’d always dreamt about staying in an overwater villa and the one we had at Nova, facing the sunset, didn’t disappoint. Our private balcony ran the full width of the room and our bathroom was so big it looked borderline ridiculous. I can’t imagine what anyone puts in the enormous double wardrobes – the only clobber you need are swimming costumes and gallons of Factor 50. The complimentary minibar is restocked daily with wine, beer, juices and soft drinks, the housekeeping service is faultless and the steps down to the sea are wide, wooden and coated in rubber so they don’t get too hot or slippery – just watch out for the crabs!
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I only had to glance up from my book to see eagle rays, Chinese trumpet fish, dazzling blue parrot fish and four-foot-long reef sharks casually swimming by.
Braver guests than us went on whale-shark quests, but we opted to swim with majestic mantas instead. After a clear and comprehensive briefing – touching the animals is strictly prohibited – our guide tracked down a manta swimming in the lagoon. ‘Be ready – the manta won’t wait for a selfie,’ he said. We donned our snorkelling gear and jumped straight in. My breathing eventually fell in time with the rhythmic swoop of the manta’s seven-metre wingspan and we swam together for a good few minutes – until I couldn’t keep up and it drifted elegantly away.
Nova is so relaxing I couldn’t stop falling asleep, dozing off on the bed, the balcony and by the pool. As an anxious traveller with a hectic work and family life, it’s a new and unexpected experience. Something deep down within me just… unwound. The spa probably helped. After a hibiscus tea and lavender foot rub, I enjoyed a blissful hour spotting tropical fish through the glass floor, while my therapist rubbed my aches away. There’s also a yoga studio, steam room (if you’re not hot enough already!) and a well-equipped gym (hilariously called Muscles).
Ultimately, the sea is the star of the show and there are plenty of ways to make the most of it. The watersports centre, called Aquaholics, offers scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing and even coral gardening. Before you ask, the latter involves attaching little pieces of living coral to a personalised metal frame that your free-diving guide ‘plants’ for you at the base of the reef. Between 2023 to 2025, 84% of the world’s coral reefs were impacted by rising ocean temperatures. While our little frame will grow painfully slowly, it feels good to do something to help. Plus, it gives an excuse to come back one day.
In the increasingly crowded Maldivian resort market, Nova is a hidden gem. Just don’t tell anyone I told you so.
