Here are highly regarded eco-friendly luxury resorts in the Maldives, with a short note on the sustainability features that set each apart so you can match them to what matters most to you.

Top eco-luxe resorts (what they do + why they’re notable)

• Soneva (Soneva Fushi & Soneva Jani) — iconic “eco-luxury” pioneers that combine very low-key, high-end villas with long-running sustainability programs (waste-to-wealth recycling, large-scale solar, on‑island water purification, marine conservation and education). Soneva has publicly documented long-term carbon/waste reduction and community programs. (vogue.com)

• Six Senses Laamu — Mission Blue “Hope Spot” atoll and a dedicated Sea Hub / Maldives Underwater Initiative. Focus on passive-cooling villa design, sea‑grass and mangrove conservation, on‑site water treatment/reuse and guest education programs. Excellent for guests who want hands-on marine science experiences. (sixsenses.com)

• Gili Lankanfushi — barefoot-luxe resort with an Eco Centre, coral-restoration projects (Coral Lines), seagrass conservation and recent EarthCheck Gold certification for its sustainability benchmarking across energy, water, waste and community impact. Good for coral/conservation-focused stays. (gili-lankanfushi.com)

• JOALI (JOALI Maldives & Joali Being) — strong eco-design and wellbeing focus; biophilic architecture, in‑house desalination and glass-bottling, greywater recycling, large food-waste composter and community sustainability fund; EarthCheck-certified resort operations. Joali Being is oriented toward wellness plus responsible infrastructure. (JOALI.com)

• Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru — one of the long-standing “eco-luxury” resorts in the Maldives with a resort Marine Lab, coral-restoration and community training programs (partners with Maldives National University), and regional sustainability awards/recognition. Good pick if you want conservation + long history of local engagement. (corporate.visitmaldives.com)

• Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru — (widely noted for) Baa Atoll marine research partnerships, coral restoration, manta research and on‑site Ayurveda/wellness that integrates conservation messaging. (Four Seasons has a major marine‑science presence in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere.) (cntraveler.com)

• JOALI Maldives (if you want design-forward responsible luxury) — craft-forward materials, local community support and initiatives to reduce single‑use plastics plus marine‑focused guest activities. (JOALI brand sustainability pages and regional press highlight these programs.) (maldives.net.mv)

Quick tips when choosing and booking

• Look for certifications and third‑party benchmarks (EarthCheck, Mission Blue, carbon-neutral claims with verifiable partners). Resorts with on‑site labs, coral nurseries or formal NGO partnerships offer real opportunities to participate. (gili-lankanfushi.com)
• Ask the resort specific questions before you book: how they manage wastewater, where their electricity comes from (solar vs generators), whether they bottle water on‑site (glass vs single-use plastic), and how guest activities support conservation (do trips fund research or are they commercialized?). Reputable resorts will provide specifics. (JOALI.com)
• If marine conservation is important, choose resorts in atolls with active research programs (e.g., Baa and Laamu) or those with coral nurseries and citizen‑science snorkels. (sixsenses.com)
• Travel impact: consider longer stays (fewer flights/transfer legs per night), carbon offsets through the resort (transparent programs), and pack reef‑safe sunscreen. Many resorts let you offset booking emissions. (maldives.net.mv)

If you’d like, I can:

• Narrow these to the best fit for a particular interest (wellness, diving/coral restoration, family-friendly eco programs, or privacy/overwater villas).
• Compare 2–3 specific resorts side‑by‑side (prices, how to get there from the U.S., transfer times, the sustainability highlights you’ll actually experience).

Which of the above do you want more detail on?