Joined: 06 Jul 2008
Posts: 3
| Hi - Just seen your question and thought I would write. We have just returned from our 6th visit to Maldives and have been to a different island every time. While we dont scuba (our daughter and son in law do) - we are avid snorkellers and choose which island to go to with the coral and fish being far more important to us than a luxurious room! Our latest visit was to Vilamendhoo Island Resort in South Ari Atoll and we found it to be great as regards the coral gardens, with fish life equalling any we have seen at other, more up-market resorts. Vilamendhoo is an older type island, of which unfortunately, there dont seem to be many left now. Every island seems to be upgrading and becoming way to expensive for the average Joe. The food was plentiful and very good, the service good, the rooms perhaps slightly tired as far as decor goes, but perfectly adequate and comfortable. Its an average priced island for us (we live in South Africa) and while it wasnt the smartest we have been to, it certainly ticked all the boxes for us. We have been to Veligandu as well - great island. Vakarufahli, which as present is closed for renovation I gather - also excellent. From all accounts the dive schools at these resorts were excellent. Also Lily Beach, in South Ari Atoll was very good and Nakatchafushi was fantastic as well. Unfortunately it is no more - its been upgraded to a highly exotic and highly expensive resort that you have to be a millionaire to visit! This time we chose South Ari Atoll, as for our daughters honeymoon in 2006, they chose Filathayo Island - which was excellent they said - but were very disappointed to see all the coral bleaching. They heard and on investigation we found it to come up all the time, that South Ari Atoll is the quickest recovering atoll as regards coral replenishment after all the bleaching recently - and it's true! We had no complaints at all re the coral - and as I said, the fish life was superb.
Hope this helps a bit.
Regards,
Dbn7777
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