Bandos Island Resort

Bandos is a very popular destination for visitors to the Maldives, partly because it is relatively close to Male, but also because on top of a fine resort with great activities and facilities, it is also very family orientated. Like its near neighbour Baros maldives, this resort had a major overhaul in 2005 which added some additional accommodation and an extension of its facilities. The general look and feel of Bandos is a good balance between casual and formal, with thatched roofs but fine tiled floors, for example. The reception is complete with modern conveniences such as a conference hall, plasma TV and an internet hotspot, but the tropical beauty of the island hasn’t been compromised at all, with tranquil accommodation and private beach areas shaded by ubiquitous tall palms and other indigenous vegetation.

The resort has gone out of its way to accommodate families, with a purpose-built childcare facility complete with female staff on hand to look after the children and provide babysitting in the evenings. Some of the rooms in the standard and junior class have an interconnecting door for families split between several rooms. The resort is popular with families, so kids who are not quite old enough to take part in some of the older activities can probably find other children their age to play with. Visitors with young children should be aware that the lagoon tends to deepen quite quickly.

The main bar and coffee shop are well-placed near the water, and the bar is often a hive of activity until the early hours of the morning. The restaurants, while not particularly inspiring in their decor, do serve a range of quality dishes.

Accommodation

There are 84 standard rooms which affront the beach and an additional 19 that are not at the beach side. These alternate between double and twin bed layout to provide for families. They are nicely furnished with tiled floors and balconies, but you might consider the bathrooms to be on the slightly smaller side. Some of these rooms face westwards into the sunset and are also blessed with one of the best sections of beach. There are 48 Junior suites arranged in groups with a shared garden. These are ornately decorated, with a yellow and ochre color scheme, solid wood four-poster bed and a sense of style that make them very accommodating. The only main downside, as far as we could perceive, is the beach in this section of the resort is almost completely submerged at high tide, but this is a small matter for most I should think.

The 48 circular-shaped Beach villas are the latest addition to the island. Each is two-storey, with an upstairs bedroom and a sea balcony. These buildings have been carefully and tastefully done to give you that superior feel, with the bathrooms half inside and half outside, complete with thatched jacuzzi. The 24 Garden villas are mainly based alongside the relatively new swimming pool, which will suit those who like to lounge by the pool all day. Although not as large as the Junior suites they are cosy in their feel and decor and are only a short walk to the beach.

Activities

Bandos is without doubt one of the focal points of diving in the Maldives, not least since it has one of the few decompression chambers in the country. The dive center here is both a PADI Gold Palm Resort and a Platinum Facility of the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers. It offers an extensive range of courses from absolute beginner open water courses to expert re-breather courses. The snorkeling is very good and you can snorkel the whole way around the island.

Weddings at Bandos

The Bandos resort accomodates visitors getting married with the “Kuda Bandos Sunset Wedding” which features a taste of traditional island ceremony, a sunset boat ride, unique cultural costumes, Maldivian drums and traditional style and ceremony. The ceremony is held on the beach of one of the uninhabited islands in the atoll – Kuda Bandos – and is followed by a private cruise for the newlyweds on a Dhoni (Maldivian boat). Later, the newlyweds can enjoy a romantic private dinner set on the beach of Kuda Bandos.

Filitheyo Island Resort

Filitheyo is a popular island resort for 2 main reasons: firstly, it has all the features that make a typical Maldivian island resort special and secondly, it is not in the category of the more expensive resorts. The superb beaches are unbroken on each side of the island offering, great walks and views, and the diving here is typically superb.

The resort itself is very well done, integrating nicely with impressive coconut palms and other typically exotic indigenous vegetation. The resort is also a little special compared to some other resorts in that it allows you to walk through the island as well as around it with a network of interior trails. The wooden walkway through the public area is the only change in surface from the smooth sandy floors, so if you wish to spend your whole vacation barefoot then you will not have any problems here.

This resort was once predominantly German-speaking but now has a more cosmopolitan flavor with a mix of European and Japanese visitors. Although the resort does not advertise itself as a family center, it treats them very well and has therefore become popular with visitors who have children in their group.

The bar is very well done with a wide selection of cocktails, ice coffees and other drinks, and the tables that run right down to the waters edge. The dining here is probably the best to be found in a resort in this class. There is a wide range of meal options in the main bar and the a la carte restaurant, from where, of course, you can watch the sunset as you eat. You can also choose villa or beach dining, and half-board is a good option here since the resort allows guests to choose lunch or dinner as the included meal.

The Accommodation

The majority of rooms on the island are in the superior class and face eastwards onto the narrower beach. These rooms are semi-detached, unlike the deluxe rooms and water villas, but do have an advantage in that they offer the most convenient access for snorkeling on the reef. The deluxe rooms have the same standard of furnishings as the superior ones but are detached, are a bit larger and have an extended bathroom.

The water villas have a Maldivian swing joli, cushioned sun loungers and the snorkeling is just a few steps away. The villas are lovely but are open on each side to the neighboring ones, so visitors who value their privacy may be better suited in a superior or deluxe room. Some guests split their holiday between different room types to vary the experience.

Activities

The diving at Filitheyo is excellent for all levels of ability. With a channel adjacent to each side of the island and several shallow thilas inside the atoll for inexperienced divers, the resort offers challenging diving for all. The house reef is popular for both day and night dives and with a healthy level of coral re growth, the reef provides a habitat for many fish species and there is a good opportunity to see big fish here.