Hotel Review: JA Manafaru, Maldives

JA Manafaru is located on the farthest northern stretch of perfect Maldivian islands. We were so excited to have the chance to experience this raw, unique resort in 2022. The resort is reminiscent of the Maldives 30 years ago, and it did not disappoint. While some resorts look out at other resorts and local islands, there is truly nothing but sandbars and palm trees in the distance at JA Manfaru.

In the review, we’ll tell you everything you need to know:
00:00​​ - JA Manafaru Intro
00:33 - JA Manafaru Location
02:02 - JA Manafaru Lobby & Check in
03:45​ - JA Manafaru Rooms
07:36​ - JA Manafaru Service
10:15 - JA Manafaru Dining
14:18​ - JA Manafaru Facilities
17:12​ - JA Manafaru Style

For the full written review, check it out here:

The hotel is located on a private island that is completely natural, with towering banyan trees and palm trees that cast stunning shadows across the entire property. The white sand beaches are filled with fine sand and teal blue water as far as the eye can see. This remote luxury resort is perfect for travelers looking to get as far away from seaplane sounds, boat traffic and light pollution as possible.

In the Maldives, your lobby and check in experience actually begins in the Malé international airport when you arrive. You are greeted by a JA representative at the arrivals area and taken to the domestic terminal to check in for the flight. JA Manafaru is the furthest northern hotel in the Maldives and was not running seaplane transfers so a 45-minute domestic flight and a 45-minute boat ride was the only way to get to the resort. They recently opened the domestic airport just 5 minutes from Manafaru to allow for MUCH easier access for guests.

JA Manafaru has 84 villas split between beach villas, overwater villas and residences, each with their own private pool. We were booked into the Deluxe Beach Villa with Family Private Pool for 2 nights and upgraded to the Two Bedroom Ocean Residence with Family Infinity Pool for the last 2 nights. We also were able to tour a few room types so we will break down the different options so you can choose the best room for you.

The standard beach villas with pools are a great option if you are looking for a comfortable villa without breaking the bank. While the pools are smaller, you are still getting a true Maldives experience with the outdoor bathroom, outdoor lounging pagoda next to the pool and the spectacular views from your bed. This villa sits at 2,100 square feet inclusive of the outdoor spaces and is an excellent choice if you plan to spend most of your time exploring the island and indulging in the amenities of the hotel, while still seeking a comfortable, private villa to come back to. I mentioned this earlier, but there’s truly no bad view or bad villa on this property and that includes the beach villas.

The Ocean Residence is stunning and sits at just over 4,000 square feet. This villa is at the very end of the jetty and is perfectly symmetrical. Two identical bedroom suites protrude from the central living area and there is nothing but stunning, untouched lagoon and sandbars in sight. The living room has a large sofa facing out towards the patio and lagoon. There is a half bath as well as a butler pantry that contains the minibar, wine fridge, full sized refrigerator and nespresso machine.

The property has everything and more and really feels like they developed a lot of their facilities to ensure even on the rainiest days, guests have a lot of opportunities to explore the island and not be bored.

Manafaru is a wonderful island to explore and discover because everything is so incredibly lush. Be sure to spend a day hunting for one of the few messages in a bottle tucked beneath the banyan trees or between bushes – they contain free gifts like bottles of wine, discounts to the spa and more ;).

If you're looking for our Destination Guide on the Maldives, check it out here:

So check it out and let us know what you think in the comments below!
Have you been to the Maldives? What was your favorite hotel?

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Maren Engh & Max Jallifier

#luxuryhotelreview​​ #luxurytravel​​ #beautifulhotels

[mattjbaker]

My wife and I are going to JA Manafaru in February for our honeymoon so it’s great to see our destination in such detail. Thank you so much for such a comprehensive review!

[mary]

Again, a super helpful and detailed review! Good work guys! 😊

[lindalundmark]

We love, love, love your films!!! Being huge Maldives fans ourselves, we really appreciate your input on islands we have not yet visited. Like Manafaru. 🤗😀🌞🍾 We decided def on Milaidhoo after seeing your film for example. You are the

[yvonneyu]

Voyager Guru is a truly a great Maldives review channel! You guys mentioned that you were at JA Manafru in low season but may I ask which month were you at JA Manafaru? We're planning to return to the Maldives to celebrate our 20th anniversary in September and we're worried about the bad weather.

[dianareardon]

Beautiful property . I especially like the infinity pool and the interior decors in the villas ! Can’t wait to see what’s next !

[z-iroc]

My wife and i love this video we have book for December 23 thanks a lot 😎

[coclarereviews]

Great reviews!!!! Thank you very much!!!
Do you have any suggestions regarding north water villas vs south water villas? I followed your recommendations and check on Google map and I can see there are fewer water villas and with larger pools in the south? Would you prefer the north or south villas? Pros and cons?

[TarenaD]

I'm obsessed with the Maldives which is how I came across your channel, and I'm so glad I did. Have you traveled to Tenerife? It's on my bucket list.

[concho]

Another excellent review. When will you review Pullman.

[kayladeveau]

I have been following your travels for a while now, and always trust your feedback to be so dependable and honest.
I would love to know which resort each of you would call your 100% favorite all inclusive resort?
Is there 1 that you would go to time and time again without hesitation? Would love a video on this!
Ours would be a hard tie between Xcaret Arte and Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana.

Thank you ❤️

[skylarz]

Thank you for this! I couldn’t find anything this in depth on this resort! I’m so excited for our first trip together across the world next year here!! What airlines did you fly with?

[MarquishaTurner]

Amazing video! What time of year did you visit?

[jimguo]

The music in your video is very good, what is the name of the music?

[nishanek]

Loved the review thanks!! Just wondering if there is an all inclusive package you can book?

[kathleenheaslet]

Did you do the all inclusive here by any chance? If so, was it truly all-inclusive/limitless for all the restaurants and bars? (Except the wine room of course.)

[emana]

One point please if you can clarify, what is the difference between sunset and sunrise water villa? Which better

[fairfaxplace]

I see you posted this in Dec 2022 but what time of year did you go here?

[marzenak.]

Looks beautiful. Please visit Ayada. It’s wonderful.

[priyasardar]

I heard this Island also offer unlimited icecream 🍨

[DJMilo]

These sponsored videos do a good job but it's not the full picture. We loved our honeymoon.