Bandos Maldives

My wife booked 10 days all inclusive at Bandos, for a surprise birthday present for me. There was only one thing bad, having to leave after our stay. The whole experience was fantastic from the moment you arrive by speed boat. The Island is beautiful and kept clean around the clock. The thing that made it extra special though, is the staff. Every staff member (and are a lot) from the waiters, house cleaners ground keepers etc. will not pass by, without a smile and a greeting. It is really hard to single out anyone in particular, but Guru who runs the pool bar, is one that needs mentioning. He makes you feel that extra special. Thanks Bandos. Read less

We went for a couple of days of diving and wished we had more time there. Divemasters were exceptional shark dives some of the best dives we have done in past 15+years amenities also great. Buffet did seem like we were on a cruise ship at times. All staff very friendly and always wanting to make sure our needs were met the rooms are spacious and very clean we stayed in a deluxe beachfront room with a 3 min walk to the beach. Absolute paradise Read less

We returned from a week on Bandos last week and had the most wonderful time. Just thought we'd share our highlights/top tips so it may help anyone due to visit this beautiful island soon. Arrival When we arrived at the airport, we found a desk for Bandos (and a lovely man holding a board with the island name) where we were checked off a list and taken out to the jetty. A boat arrived, and after a 15 minute speed boat ride we arrived on the island. It was absolutely stunning. We were given a drink and sat in the reception area while we were checked in. No queues, no effort - we were totally relaxed while check in just happened for us. We were given information about meal times and what's included in the AI package, and this was also sent via Whatsapp so we had it to hand during our holiday. A perfect start to the holiday! Accommodation We had booked 2 Superior Beach Villas (2 adults and 2 teenagers so we couldn't fit in just one) and WOW! They were absolutely gorgeous and so spacious. If there had been an additional sofa bed the 4 of us would have fitted in here with no problem. Air conditioning was a real hit as it was so hot during our week there. The outside bathroom was beautiful. It's quite something to shower outside while the stars are out. The bed was comfy and to lie there in the morning and have the view over the lagoon was spectacular. Housekeeping visited more than once a day - rooms were cleaned, mini bar stocked up and beach towels changed every night. Our only niggle was that from this side of the island you can still see Male in the distance (with some higher rise buildings) - so having paid for a more luxurious accommodation we felt we definitely didn't have the best view - the rooms on the other side of the island just has sea as far as the eye could see. But, proximity to the restaurant and bars was great, so maybe this was considered when deciding where to build them? It just took away from the desert island feel that the north of the island had. Food We dined at the buffet restaurant nearly all the time and the food choice was superb. Lots of curries, fresh fish, pasta etc. Buffet breakfast also had made to order options every day such as pancakes and omelettes. We had lunch at the Huvan a couple of times and this was really good quality. (You get a 40% discount for AI package, and drinks included as per AI package). The afternoon tea at Sea Breeze was sometimes all we needed instead of going for the buffet lunch - they serve a small selection of sandwiches, fries and cakes between 3.30-5.00pm - and the view across the sea is perfect. We didn't eat at The Grill or Um Yaki but these looked equally lovely. The island Bandos is a small and beautiful island. White sand and turquoise sea, it was just paradise. From our accommodation on the south of the island to the beach on the north of the island was no more than a 8-10 minute walk. The house reef was perfect for us as a family to explore while snorkelling. Just step into the sea and snorkel away! We saw plenty of black tipped reef sharks and beautiful fish within metres of the beach. We found the snorkelling better at the north of the island , and around the Huvan beach bar area too. The we enjoyed swimming in the lagoon outside our villas at the end of the day. We were often the only ones in the water. Beach beds and hammocks are dotted around, and we never struggled to find a couple free under a shady spot to chill out on. 6pm every night is shark and stingray feeding which was amazing. Pool We only went to the pool twice - we thought we would cool off there but the water was hot! We sat at the swim up bar for a drink and that soon cooled us off! Plenty of pool towels available here, so no need to take your own. Excursions We only booked one trip which was the sunset fishing and it was incredible. Just the 4 of us with 3 crew, fishing for 2 hours (our first time). We caught 8 tuna and a Jackfish, some of which were then prepared and cooked for us as the Sea Breeze restaurant that evening, It was a fantastic experience to know your dinner had been caught just 2 hours earlier! There are lots of other excursions on offer, but it was so hot during our week that we didn't want to be out on a boat with potentially no shade. Watersports As part of the AI package you get 1 hour per day each for non motorised watersports. We booked kayaking and paddleboarding. You are restricted to the lagoon by the watersport area and because of this it wasn't quite adventurous enough for the teenagers! We totally understand why they restrict you to a zone as there are boats and jet skis going past in the other areas, but we'd have loved to kayak round the whole island if we could. So it got a bit 'same-y' for an hour going round the same area, so we did only hire these once. If it's your first time trying these out then there's no more beautiful location to have a go. The staff are just so friendly. Within a day they knew our room numbers when we arrived in the restaurant and knew our drinks orders too! We had the best week in total paradise. Thankyou. Read less