If you needed proof that the Maldives has a near-monopoly on the Indian Ocean's best resorts, here it is: Condé Nast Traveller's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards placed Maldivian properties in 20 of the 25 slots, with JOALI Maldives topping the regional ranking on a remarkable satisfaction score of 99.83.
The annual awards, published on 6 October, are voted entirely by the magazine's readers, so the results reflect guest satisfaction rather than critic opinion. Maldivian resorts didn't just dominate the list — they occupied seven of the top eight positions and eight of the top 10. The only interlopers near the summit were Madagascar's Miavana by Time + Tide in second (99.59) and Mauritius' St Regis Le Morne in ninth.
Behind JOALI, COMO Cocoa Island took third with 99.35, followed by Soneva Secret (99.21), One&Only Reethi Rah (99.18), The Nautilus Maldives (99.06) and Soneva Fushi (99.01). Four Seasons at Landaa Giraavaru and Constance Halaveli rounded out the top 10. Further down, familiar names like Gili Lankanfushi, Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi, Niyama, Patina and the tiny Kudadoo Private Island all made the cut, alongside newer entries such as Jumeirah Olhahali and SO/ Maldives.
The Nautilus has extra reason to celebrate. The 26-house resort in Baa Atoll — a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — also picked up Two MICHELIN Keys and a place on Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List 2026 this year. Its pitch is a flexible, no-fixed-schedules style of luxury, with a dedicated House Master tailoring each stay. General manager Philippe Cavory framed the reader-voted award as a tribute to the relationships the team builds with guests.
Baa Atoll features again further down the list via .Here Baa Atoll, a design-led private island retreat that stood out in this year's awards cycle. It has just nine residences across two islands, bluntly named Somewhere and Nowhere. Somewhere holds seven multi-bedroom villas for families and groups, each with several pools and private dining, while Nowhere is bookable by one group at a time — eight bedrooms and 3,329 square metres of space in total. Guests arrive by private speedboat straight to their villa, skipping the lobby check-in entirely. It also made the magazine's Hot List 2026.
What does this mean if you're planning a Maldives trip? The reader scores are a useful shortcut when the choice feels overwhelming — there are well over a hundred resort islands to pick from. If guest satisfaction matters most to you, the top 10 offers a reliable shortlist spanning very different styles: the barefoot eco-luxury of Soneva Fushi, the sleek romance of COMO Cocoa Island, and the big-resort polish of One&Only Reethi Rah. Budget matters too, as prices range from mid-four-figure nightly rates at Constance Halaveli to the stratospheric at Kudadoo or Soneva Secret.
The remaining five Indian Ocean spots went to Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar — worth remembering if you want a similar feel with fewer flights via Malé.
