We visited this paradise island 19-26 November 2023. We stayed in the Over Water Suite 724, we got the sun all day.
What can I say but WOWZA!
This is our 5th time at this resort and it just gets better every year.
Special shout out to the lovely Sattar who goes above and beyond to keep you happy around the pool.
Sanjaya and Akila at the pool bar always smiling offer drinks with brand names on the all inclusive package and a great array of cocktails.
Our waiter for the week was Nasir, a very gently spoken pleasant young man who was attentive and always made sure our glasses were filled and our table was clear.
The restaurant offers the widest range of food from around the world, if you can't find something to your liking, you must be VERY fussy! Pasta station guy (sorry can't remember his name) will make you any pasta you desire with a fist bump and a smile. There is always a full roast, be it turkey, fillet steak, or lamb, freshly cut and seared on the griddle. Always plenty of fish dishes, curries, or just plain soup and chips. There is a chilled room just for salads and cold cuts, and a chilled room specially for deserts, or which you can choose from at least ten deserts every night and they were never repeated in the week we were there. Breakfast is the same, many dishes including eggs benedict, fried, poached and boiled, beans, sausages, waffles, french toast, pastries, coffe latte, cappachino, or curries if you fancy and even fish dishes. I just happened to mention to the restaurant manager that some blue cheese might be nice at dinner and by magic, the next evening a small plate was delivered to our table, we laughed when on the mprning we left
Our room was kept spotless with 2 visits per day. In the room there is a mini fridge beer and soft drinks are free and spirits and food has to be paid for at the end of the visit. In over water suites there is a living room with a glass floor so you can see the fish. Huge bed in bedroom with large TV. Bathroom has bath with bi-fold doors you can open whilst you bathe, it's very private and not overlooked. Shower is massive too. Lots of toiletries in case you forget anything, even toothbrushes and razors so don't worry.
Entertainment at nights at this end of the island is pretty chilled, they have singers in the restaurant twice a week, one played sax beautifully. If you want something more lively, there's crab race, karaoke and live bands at the other side of the island in Sunset and Surf bars. Your all inclusive package is valid in all bars.
The over water suite restaurant is exclusive to those staying in that accommodation, you keep your table and the same waiter all week. The pool is also exclusive so is never busy, always enough sunbeds and they are not close together. The pool water seems cold at first but it's warm when you get in. There are bar stools in the water so you can sit at the bar whilst in the pool.
This is not the kind of holiday for loud music, pool aerobics, or drunken louts shouting by the poolside, it is a relaxing, chilled place that you never want to leave!
Take cool clothing, it's hot even at night it was never below 29 degrees. Suncream too, remember you can still get burnt when that sun is behind the clouds. Plugs are UK 3 pin, don't bother with hair straighteners your hair will be frizzy the moment you leave the air conditioned room. Shorts are acceptable in dining room, but not swimwear. People tend to dress quite smartly in the evenings but it is by no means formal.
We paid around £6400 including flights for 2 people, we booked through Tropical Sky, Kuoni we find offer the same package for £1500 more, you get a Kuoni rep and airport, that's the only difference. We flew direct with BA from Heathrow it took around 10 hours, 11 hours on return. Once we flew via Dubai, but it's a long wait for next flight sometimes and those Duty Free shops are not cheap. Cigarettes are very cheap in Maldives Duty Free but alcohol is not. Don't try and take alcohol into the Maldives, it will be confiscated by customs. Also, this is a muslim country, so it's nice to respect their views by not bathing topless. Don't remove shells and coral as souveniers, its illegal. And finally, yes there are sharks, but they are usually the black tip reef sharks and quite harmless, you will see loads of these and huge rays spanning over a metre in width. If you're lucky you might meet a turtle, but you will see dozens of beautiful fish. Take a snorkel and mask, you won't be disappointed.
