Because most resort islands are compact and roughly oval, which side of the island your villa sits on genuinely changes the experience — a detail that matters more here than at almost any land-based beach resort, where the whole property often faces one direction anyway.
Sunrise-facing
Generally the calmer side of the island, since prevailing weather patterns often affect one side more than the other depending on season and atoll — worth asking your specific resort about local conditions. Good for early risers who want coffee on the deck as the sun comes up over the water.
Sunset-facing
The classic "golden hour over the lagoon" villa orientation, and often the more requested — and sometimes more expensive — of the two, particularly for overwater villas (see our overwater villas guide) where evening drinks on a private deck are part of the appeal.
Why this is worth asking about specifically
Resort villa maps aren't always intuitive from a website's category description alone — two villas in the same category can face opposite directions. If orientation matters to you (for a honeymoon, an anniversary, or just personal preference), ask your resort or travel agent to confirm the specific villa number's facing before booking, not just the category name.