Nika is a dhivehi name for a certain shell of the Banyan Tree. The shell is their emblem and the resort is named after the tree. An enormous banyan tree grows in the middle of the island, clearing the rest of the canopy and plainly visible from out at sea.
As a resort it is probably the most private of all. The simple reason for this is that there is only one path around the island and it is inside, behind the bungalows. with careful growth of bushes and trees one is unable to see the neighboring bungalows and it's quiet difficult to even visit them. There is an unspoken rule here that you do not cross this privacy boundary and means no jogging on the beach.

As you can see from the picture, each bungalow has its own private beach front. The price to pay for this is the sight of groynes. Almost every bungalow has two groynes either side of its plot. Some of these are low and unobtrusive walls, but others are large and frequent. On the other hand they are the best constructed and maintained groynes in the country.

The beaches themselves are good to very good. And the lagoon is excellent, not too large or too shallow. the coral starts at a good distance away and the reef edge is never far, so it is good for both swimming and snorkeling. One surprise, on this classy resort is the beach furniture: white plastic chairs and white plastic loungers (though these have a cotton mattress cover).
The rooms were designed, like the whole island, by an Italian Architect. They are undoubtedly in the top few of all the resort rooms (We would like to put Sonevafushi's, Kuda Huraa's and Banyan Tree's up with them). It is not one round design but several curving spaces coming off each other., like the inside of a shell. The sitting room, bedroom and shower/washroom are all large. The shower/washroom itself is bigger than many resorts' bedroom and shower room together. There is no A/C (anywhere on the island) and it is completely unmissed with the abundant slatted windows, high roof and quiet ceiling fan.

There is no reception, but one enters from the main jetty into a lovely, curvy and comfortable lounge and bar. At the end of the other jetty is the restaurant, and fine dinning is outside on the deck. Dinning is, as expected, of the first class. Only the finest ingredients are imported. Breakfast and lunch are buffet, five of the evening meals are set, and two are barbecues on the beach. At any time, however, you may order in advance some dish you would particularly like and it will be prepared for you at no extra cost.
The resort is a high end resort but once here you will not be surprised by a big bill for extras. For example; the telephone and fax charges are possibly the cheapest of any resort. Windsurfing and canoes are free and so are sunset fishing, tennis, badminton and bowls.
Morning trawler fishing is also offered and unique fishing experience - shark fishing, where you set off in the afternoon, sleep on the fishing dhoni and return the next morning. Nika is fortunate to share an uninhabited island for other full and half day excursions.
This used to be an all-Italian resort, but now it is, in fact mostly of mix, Italians make up around 40% in the high season and 10% in the low season. Austrians, Swiss, French and British are the others.
Nika has been around a long time, and on top of the tree for most of that time. It has hit upon a great formula and its maintenance is excellent, so we expect it will stay in the very top bracket for a good many years more.

Maldivian landscape and the limited surface of the islands reserved to tourists do not allow the building of the classical hotel complexes, therefore bungalows are the only building solution. Nevertheless, for administrative policy or owing to the class of tourists involved, very often their number is superior to the allowed area without respecting the rules for the environment. The result is an overcrowded village-club suitable only for very young people who do not mind the noise and the absence of privacy. The alternate possibilities are very few and the only real answer which can bear no comparison is the NIKA HOTEL. Therefore there are Maldives and Maldives! You can choose according to your taste and possibilities, but do not expect to find with the first proposal what is available with the second and vice-versa. For the ultimate in comfort and privacy we recommend the NIKA HOTEL set in an enchanting coral atoll as an environmental solution enhancing the character of a particularly exotic vacation meeting the requirements of a selected and more demanding class of tourists. Along the beaches of Kudafolhudhu (local name for the resort), surrounded by luxuriant vegetation emerges a magnificent multi-centenarian Ficus Bengalensis (named Nika by the natives) which dominates the 25 bungalows-cottages of 70 sq.mts. each, separated by garden on both sides and disposing of their own private beach. Each bungalow-cottage has a charm of its own and offers the finest in comforts and spaciousness combined with accurate service in order to satisfy the most discriminating guest and qualifying the NIKA HOTEL among the Middle-Far East most prestigious tourist complexes. NIKA should not be considered like a hotel or a tourist village, but like a private island in the middle of the Indian Ocean tailor-made as a private paradise.

Nika for the Honeymooners
The privacy and the romantic surroundings of the NIKA HOTEL are the ideal components for a fabulous Honey Moon.
The Nika Hotel Direction allows the honeymooners, if desired, to keep their identity unknown and will organize a special reception Maldivian style, decorating the bungalows with palm-leaves and flower-garlands. Champagne and wedding-cake, of course, included. At last the honeymooners will be abandoned on a desert island for half a day where they can play the survivors or the owners of the island.

Restaurants at Nika
The restaurant bar serves all kinds of aperitifs, soft drinks, cocktails and Italian ice-cream. The Coffee-shop, at the entrance hall, is a second bar where you can admire picturesque sun-sets on the ocean. Tea and coffee, mineral water, soft drinks, wines, champagne, liqueurs, etc. are charged extra. Menu's choice: Hors d'ouvres include: row fish Carpaccio, pizza, etc. First course: Italian spaghetti with different sauces, "pasticcio Bolognese" (baked pasta), pasticcio di pesce (baked fish), buttered tagliolini (a kind of pasta), fish rice. Second course: baked-cooked-grilled-paned fish and fish curry. Also available poultry, roast-beef, steaks. Fresh vegetables are a must. During meals, supplementary courses are allowed free of charge. At the end, fresh fruit and ice-cream at your choice. Barbecues and Maldivian suppers are organized twice a week.

Sports and creative activities at Nika Hotel
You have a wide range of sports facilities to choose from: - Flood-lit tennis-court in synthetic grass, bowling-alley, badminton, volleyball; - Snorkeling, windsurf, canoes and water-sky; - Weakly excursions to fishermen islands, barbecues or picnics on desert islands; - Traina-fishing, shark-fishing, dark-tuna fishing and big-game. 

The Scuba - Diving School at Nika
Is equipped with all necessary material: mouth-pieces, masks, fins, compressed air-tanks, erogators, manometers, rubber-suits, equilibrators, stabilizing jackets, cameras, video-cameras, fishing-hooks etc. All diving activities are always supervised by highly qualified teachers. Equipment for diving, course for obtaining an international certificate, single and group diving, night-diving, motor-boat hiring, are charged extra.

Accommodation at Nika
The bungalows-cottages, overlooking the sea, are all surrounded by a large garden. On the private beach side, the solarium is ideal for intimate breakfast. The mini-bar in the living-room offers a choice of soft drinks and liqueurs. No air-conditioning has been installed, but electrical fans in the living and bed- room provide a pleasant and healthy ventilation. Bed are equipped with mosquito-nets. All bungalows dispose of fresh running water with their own boiler for hot water. Each bungalow has a telephone set connected with the other bungalows and with the reception, the bar, the restaurant, etc. For administrative reasons, calls to abroad have to be made from the reception.

Nika Hotel....you'll notice the difference even from sky.