Most Maldives atolls have one thing they’re known for. Laamu has three that seem unlikely to coexist: world-class surf, ancient pre-Islamic ruins, and one of the most celebrated resort stays in the Indian Ocean.
The surf is centred on Yin Yang — a left-hander off the southern coast that earns consistent praise from serious surfers looking for an uncrowded, quality wave. The ruins are a more unusual draw: a series of ancient Buddhist temples and mounds on Laamu’s inhabited islands that pre-date Islam in the Maldives — a reminder that this archipelago has a human history far older than its resort-island image suggests.
And Six Senses Laamu — built on wooden walkways across a long reef flat, with 97 villas, a resident marine biologist, and a spa that’s consistently listed among the finest in the Maldives — ties all of it together. Getting here requires a domestic flight (35 minutes) rather than a seaplane, which means no luggage restrictions and a different, more conventional arrival experience.
