Third Time's a Charm: Maldives Experience

I'm a UK citizen visiting the Maldives for the third occasion， and it's my debut at this specific island. Previously， I spent 5 nights at the sister island， Helengeli (a 20-minute boat transfer away). To sum up， this island is outstanding. Of the four Maldivian islands I've explored， this one tops my list. I'd return in a flash. From staff to amenities， everything was remarkable. If you're considering booking here， don't delay. It's ideal for couples， families， and groups of friends. If you're debating between this island and Helengeli， this one is the better choice， without a doubt.Accommodation; We were a group of 3 in a sunset overwater villa with a private pool (room 510). The room was， simply put， beautiful. The bed was extremely comfortable， and the bathroom was spacious. The glass floor panel allowing views of fish below is a fantastic feature. It's the best room I've stayed in by far. There's also a wardrobe area to keep the room tidy， and the air conditioning is excellent. We spent numerous hours on our deck sunbathing， watching the fish， or lounging in the private pool. You can snorkel right from your villa with stairs leading into the sea. We observed various fish from our villa (more on that shortly). I can't comment on the beach villas， though they seem to offer a lot of beach space around them， which is great.Island & facilities; This large island has an amazing beachfront area by the main bar and pool. It's a splendid spot for sunbathing and enjoying the sea. The pool was adequately large and never crowded during our visit. There's a volleyball court there too， plus a water slide， although the slide wasn't operating while we were there. The main bar provides a cozy atmosphere. Though smaller compared to Helengeli， we had no trouble securing seats. Additionally， there's an upstairs section where construction was happening during our stay， possibly offering more seating. The main area is a short walk to reception， the dive center， water sports area， and shop. You’ll find the start of the jetty guiding you to the water villas (with the gym at the beginning)， and if you follow the jetty you'll reach a second， smaller adults-only island featuring its own pool area (smaller than the main one)， spa， and two restaurants. This secondary island is a fantastic facility adding variety with fresh scenery—I suggest more sun loungers at the pool area， as they were scarce and always occupied. Hence， it was a bit disappointing if you sought a lounger there. The spa on this smaller island was excellent. My wife and mother-in-law had treatments and praised them highly. On the main island’s opposite side， you’ll find the sunset bar (we passed by but didn't drink there) and a tennis court， which was fantastic. As a tennis enthusiast， I utilized it often， although we had to wrap up early once due to a persistent wild parrot that wouldn't leave me alone. My wife found it amusing. There are four quality tennis rackets， but new balls are needed. The main dining area was quite spacious， with no fewer than four main seating sections， with staff rotating our spots for a fresh experience each time. I visited the gym several times， and it truly impressed me. It’s the best I've encountered in a Maldivian resort. The equipment is top-notch and well-maintained. Both personal trainers were very friendly. I also enjoyed free kayaking， which was entertaining. Stand-up paddleboarding was another option.Snorkeling; The snorkeling here is phenomenal. During our time， we spotted numerous white and black tip sharks， nurse sharks， eagle rays， sting rays， Nemo fish， sea turtles， and more. The all-inclusive package offers a guided snorkel tour around the house reef， where we saw four turtles together. Many thanks to our guides for helping us find them! Tip: Many mornings， I woke at 6 or 7 am and went to the gym area. From there， I gazed into shallow waters and saw a large nurse shark， sea turtle， and rays. They were closer than I'd seen before. We even encountered a huge barracuda， approximately 1.5m long. If you're an early riser， visit this spot and observe the water.Food & Drink; The all-inclusive dining was fantastic. Dishes varied daily， complemented by a pasta station， salad station， and a daily special station with freshly made dishes. Desserts were commendable too. Each meal offered truly great-tasting food. All staff were attentive and courteous， swiftly seating us and serving drinks. Additionally， there are two separate restaurants part of our package. Our final night’s dinner at The Grill beautifully concluded our trip， with superb food and service. Lunch at The Wok was exceptional， especially the beef. It was outstanding! Kudos to Chef Kamal， and thanks to our polite waiter， Shifal. For drinks， expect typical beers， wines， spirits， and soft drinks. They also offer daily special cocktails that were delightful. Try the Sangeli Secret.Staff; As with Helengeli， staff here are clearly encouraged to greet everyone， wherever you meet them. Every staff member followed through on this， creating a welcoming atmosphere throughout the island. All staff we interacted with were excellent. Though I couldn't catch everyone's names， we were welcomed by Hifaaz and Sherif， who were quite helpful. Isuru was an exceptional waiter， recalling my name and always checking in on me. Moe at the dining area’s front was very polite. Our room cleaner， Thohir， was excellent， keeping our room immaculate.Summary; We had a fantastic 5-night stay and were saddened to leave. Should I return to the Maldives， this island would be a top contender. The staff are superb， facilities equally so. It’s a stunning island with amazing marine life to underwater explore. A truly remarkable trip. Don't hesitate to book here. If you're choosing between this island and Helengeli， this island is the superior choice. Despite having an enjoyable time at Helengeli， we wished we'd extended our stay at Sangeli!

Post by _TI***hy | Aug 25, 2025