Short list for next June
Hi after lots of research we are down to 3 if anyone has been to any of these I'd love your opinion please.
Easy access house reef is vital - enough to tootle for an hour two or free times a day and see the odd big or unusual thing.
Dive centre for other half to do two dive boat trip most days.
Good mix of well behaved guests.
Nice staff, good AI food and drink.
Beach front accommodation - no pool or jac required. (over 100 rooms)
Pretty clean Island - but fine with sea defences (usually improves reef)
Sun Siyam Vilu Reef
Helengeli
Sun Siam Olhuveli
Any other suggestions welcome in similar price range. (North North Male, South South Male. South Ari and just south of South Male / Ari
We liked Vilu Reef a lot - not too big, good food options (Buffet and a la carte all included in the AI package), reasonable snorkeling. We stayed in a deluxe beach villa twice, both in October - mainly because this included a very comfortable Maldivian swing close to the beach which proved invaluable as we could still sit outside even when it rained!
It's off our list for now because we understand they are about to start a refurb and building programme, including construction of new water villas. This will obviously affect the waters around the island - but also the increase in numbers of guests has the potential to make the island and faciliites feel more crowded. Once everything is finished - we may look again and reassess.
Oh Dear - and another one bites the dust!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you know when there doing it?
Where are you going instead?
According to information in the Vilu Reef group on Facebook from the Maldives environment Agency, work is scheduled to start in Sept 2025 and the project is supposed to be complete in 18 months. In the meantime - they are keeping the resort open.......
We have current bookings for Cocogiri and Komandoo.
If vilu reef is out, so you are down to the other two,I think probably I’d be asking myself how important the house reef is tbh
Edited: 2:25 pm, July 19, 2025It is quite important - problem is its hard to get accurate view of reef.
I'm adding Hudhuran Fushi to the mix and keeping looking.
One thing I think we have decided is a 4* suits us better then the 5* look like - too honeymoon / wedding / party /spa and posh food.
Hi Runnelstone
Have you looked at Bandos? I've not been but I've heard from friends the reef is fantastic...
Just a thought
Shaun
Runnelstone, I haven’t been to Helengeli, but I’m a member of a Maldives group on Facebook, and one of the group recently made this very favourable post about the reef:
“Back from Helengeli, and the house reef was amazing! Thanks for the recommendation. I truly enjoyed villa, buffet, bar, hospitality, and snorkeling at the house reef! It is one of the best house reefs I have visited in the Maldives. For speedboat access from AP, I’ve previously visited Kagi, Vabbinfaru, Coco Palm BH, Taj Coral, Huvafen Fushi and Baros, and the top 3 reefs are Huvafen Fushi, Baros & Helengeli now. Will definitely go back!”
I’d be surprised (but always open to surprises 🙂) if anyone disputed that the snorkeling at helengeli should be in a different league.
That said, if there’s also a bigger picture to it, a friend of mine went to olhuveli last year (first time to the Maldives) and loved every aspect to it, had a very special holiday by all accounts.
Indiasign, that poster’s experience tipped me into booking 😁
I was already teetering, but some significant experience and comparisons going on there!
Hi all
I think Bandos is too close to Male for me - stayed at Embudu and loved the snorkelling but very weird looking up to see a bit of London skyline, also need to consider dive sites so I think further north North Male or south South Male or below South Ari.
Looking like:
Helengeli - seems to have been in the background for years - only did Ari in March but now doing a second trip out of the best season the speedboat transfer is good.
Olhuveli - mention of Mantas off the deck? (only want beach room are we allowed on that deck?)
Hudhuran Fushi - do like the look of it and went to AS Meedhupparu this year and had a great time.
I booked end of Oct last year so have time to research.
Want the best price but rather pay more and get the best possible as we are getting on and wont be able to do it for ever (Healthwise 73 is already quite old for OH diving- I'm only 65 so should be snorkelling a while yet) and rather spend than give it to Rachael.
Would love a really nice island but we are not posh or honeymooners (they accidently decorated our bed as honeymooners this year - room boy was puzzled) and love the friendly chattiness of the 4* Islands.
