JA Manafaru, the private Maldivian island resort located in Haa Alifu Atoll, has earned a place in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide hotel selection, bringing international recognition to the island retreat of Dubai-born JA Resorts & Hotels. On this island in the northern Maldives, hospitality takes its character from the destination: Maldivian flavours served among the branches of a living banyan tree, days spent exploring the surrounding waters, and a team whose personal welcome brings guests into island life.

Independently selected by MICHELIN Guide inspectors for its global hotel collection, JA Manafaru offers an experience shaped around privacy, space, and attentive service. Its 84 villas and residences with private pools sit alongside distinctive dining venues, extensive leisure facilities, and a secluded spa sanctuary, with new residences and treetop restaurant Kuriadding fresh dimensions to the stay. The inclusion follows the resort’s Forbes Travel Guide Recommended recognition in the 2026 Star Awards, securing a second notable international acknowledgement this year.

Ralph Porciani, Chief Executive Officer, JA Resorts & Hotels, commented: “JA Manafaru’s selection in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide is a proud achievement for our entire group. Following its Forbes Travel Guide Recommended recognition earlier this year, it is a meaningful acknowledgement of the quality and consistency our island team delivers. Our story began in Dubai in 1981, and seeing that hospitality recognised internationally is particularly special. We continue to invest in our destinations, but it is the care of our people, their knowledge of the island, and the personal experiences they create that give JA Manafaru its character.”

The resort’s new residences expand its appeal for families and groups. Among the highlights is the Three Bedroom Royal Beach Residence, spanning 5,800 square metres across two levels. With two private pools, a dedicated spa pavilion featuring steam and sauna facilities, private cabanas, generous living areas, and personal butler service, it offers an expansive retreat for multigenerational holidays and special celebrations.

Food and a sense of place come together at Kuri, an intimate treetop restaurant within the canopy of a living banyan tree. Meaning “treetop” in Dhivehi, Kuri welcomes up to four guests for a five-course tasting menu led by Executive Chef Moosa Nazeeh. Its 0km philosophy draws on ingredients sourced from the surrounding atoll, including reef fish, coconut, pandan and screwpine, interpreting traditional Maldivian flavours through a contemporary lens. Handcrafted ceramics from JA Manafaru’s own on-island clay studio complete the setting.

Elsewhere, guests can enjoy wine-paired dinners at The Cellar, carved into volcanic rock beneath the island, beachfront dining at Ocean Grill, and Japanese cuisine at White Orchid. Maldivian cooking classes offer a hands-on introduction to the destination’s culinary traditions.

Across the island, experiences balance discovery with time to slow down. Snorkelling, diving and excursions to nearby islands reveal the surrounding marine environment, while kayaking, paddleboarding, and castaway island picnics offer different ways to enjoy the ocean. Guided nature trails introduce guests to the island’s landscape, complementing days spent on the water.

Wellbeing is woven into the stay through treatments and rituals at Calm Spa Sanctuary, nestled within tropical greenery, alongside yoga and fitness sessions. Tennis, cycling, and family activities complete an offering that allows guests to shape their holiday around their own interests, whether seeking adventure, rest or time together.

Roberto Garrone, General Manager, JA Manafaru, added, “This inclusion is a recognition of what the team at JA Manafaru lives every day. Our island offers a rare combination of privacy, natural beauty, and space, but it is the people who bring the experience to life. To see the resort included in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide hotel selection is a significant moment for our team and a wonderful reflection of the destination we are proud to call home.”

For JA Resorts & Hotels, the recognition brings international attention to a hospitality legacy established in the UAE more than four decades ago. At JA Manafaru, that legacy finds its own island expression through warm service, Maldivian culture, and experiences rooted in the destination.

For more information and bookings, visit the resort’s official website.

The most memorable stays leave a feeling that endures beyond the journey home. At The Nautilus Maldives, it is the ease of being understood, the warmth of a familiar welcome and the freedom to spend each day entirely as you please. This personal connection has earned the island renewed recognition in the 2026 Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, with the magazine’s readers placing The Nautilus sixth among the best resorts in the Indian Ocean.

Set within Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, The Nautilus is an intimate collection of 26 beach and ocean houses and residences. Its bohemian spirit finds expression in inviting spaces, thoughtful details and a philosophy that gives guests room to be themselves. A dedicated House Master comes to understand each guest’s preferences, allowing the experience to evolve naturally throughout their stay.

“This recognition is particularly meaningful because it comes from the people who have experienced The Nautilus for themselves,” says Philippe Cavory, General Manager of The Nautilus Maldives. “We want every guest to feel at home here, with the freedom to express their wishes and the confidence that we will listen. Being chosen by Condé Nast Traveller’s readers is a wonderful tribute to the relationships our team builds and the care they bring to island life each day.”

The accolade joins a significant year of recognition for The Nautilus, which was also awarded Two MICHELIN Keys and included in Condé Nast Traveler’s The Gold List 2026. Together, these honours celebrate the character of the island and the dedication of the people who make each stay personal.

The annual Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards recognise the destinations and travel experiences most cherished by the magazine’s readers. For The Nautilus, this latest honour carries a special significance: a place in the memories of those who have made the island their own.

To book your stay, visit the resort’s website.

The Maldives has secured 20 of the 25 places in Condé Nast Traveller’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards ranking of the best resorts in the Indian Ocean, with JOALI Maldives taking the top position in the region.

Published on 6 October, the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards are based on votes from Condé Nast Traveller readers, with the scores representing the overall average level of satisfaction reported by respondents. JOALI Maldives was ranked the best resort in the Indian Ocean with a score of 99.83.

The Maldives accounted for 80 per cent of the 25 resorts included in the Indian Ocean category. Maldivian properties also occupied seven of the top eight positions and eight of the top 10, underlining the destination’s strong showing in this year’s awards.

Following JOALI Maldives in first place, COMO Cocoa Island was ranked third with a score of 99.35, while Soneva Secret placed fourth with 99.21. One&Only Reethi Rah took fifth place with 99.18, The Nautilus was sixth with 99.06, Soneva Fushi seventh with 99.01, and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru eighth with 98.89.

Constance Halaveli completed the Maldives representation in the top 10, ranking 10th with a score of 98.59. Madagascar’s Miavana by Time + Tide was the only property to separate the Maldives resorts at the top of the ranking, taking second place with 99.59, while Mauritius’ The St Regis Le Morne Resort placed ninth.

The Maldivian resorts featured in the 2026 Indian Ocean ranking are:

1. JOALI Maldives — 99.83
2. COMO Cocoa Island — 99.35
3. Soneva Secret — 99.21
4. One&Only Reethi Rah — 99.18
5. The Nautilus Maldives — 99.06
6. Soneva Fushi — 99.01
7. Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru — 98.89
8. Constance Halaveli Maldives — 98.59
9. Dhigali Maldives — 98.48
10. Jumeirah Maldives Olhahali Island — 98.24
11. SO/ Maldives — 98.18
12. The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands — 98.08
13. LUX* South Ari Atoll, Maldives — 97.84
14. Six Senses Kanuhura, Maldives — 97.33
15. Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi — 96.50
16. Niyama Private Islands Maldives — 96.38
17. Gili Lankanfushi Maldives — 95.84
18. Patina Maldives, Fari Islands — 95.52
19. Amilla Maldives — 93.64
20. Kudadoo Maldives Private Island — 93.24

The other five places in the Indian Ocean category went to resorts in Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar. The ranking included Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa and The Oberoi Beach Resort in Mauritius, Six Senses Zil Pasyon in Seychelles, The St Regis Le Morne Resort in Mauritius, and Miavana by Time + Tide in Madagascar.

The Readers’ Choice Awards recognise destinations, hotels, resorts, airlines and other travel experiences selected by Condé Nast Traveller readers. In its overall list of 2026 winners, the publication separately confirmed JOALI Maldives as the Indian Ocean resort category winner.

The results mark another strong international showing for the Maldives, with properties ranging from established private-island resorts to newer luxury developments represented across almost every level of the Indian Ocean top 25.