Right from the start, our aim at Baros was to share the beauty of this magical place with the world, stripping away formality and creating an authentic island experience.
Within living memory, the Maldives was a forgotten archipelago, the smallest dot on a map of the world, peopled by devout fisher folk scraping a living from the islands’ few resources: fish and coconuts.
It was in this milieu in the middle of the Indian Ocean that one small island set out to create a new concept of tourism in the Maldives – sustainable, unpretentious luxury for discerning, vacationing ‘castaways’.
Baros might be small, but its relevance today is mighty. This tiny island resort has pioneered tourism and won countless awards, generating new employment opportunities and meaningful careers for Maldivians, especially as other resorts followed and tourism became a lifeline for so many.
1973
Baros becomes the third resort to open in the Maldives.
1984
Baros installs a reverse osmosis desalination plant, the first resort in the Maldives to do so.
1990
Water bungalows are added, overlooking the lagoon.
1996
The original room blocks and some roundhouses are deconstructed and replaced by wooden-walled and thatched guest villas.
2004
The tragic Indian Ocean tsunami hits northern Sumatra, Indonesia, devastating the surrounding coastlines. At Baros, the sea rises but the island is left unscathed.
2005
Baros is meticulously redeveloped, transforming it into a luxurious island haven.
2006
Baros' first coral restoration project begins.
2014
Baros wins World's Most Romantic Resort at the World Travel Awards.
2018
Baros launches new Coral Lines conservation project.
2020
The coronavirus pandemic forces Baros to close for six months.
2023
Baros celebrates its 50th anniversary.
2025
Parent company Universal Resorts becomes Versa Hospitality as part of plans to become a global consumer brand.
2026
Baros is voted #2 Resort in the World and #1 Resort in Asia in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2026.
Baros was created by Maldivians, for the world. Everything we know about hospitality – the instinct for warmth, the deep respect for place, the belief that the best service feels effortless rather than performed – came from our heritage. That is our education, and it travels with us. Our roots shape the path ahead.
