Vilamendhoo — Attraction in South Ari Atoll

I had the pleasure of staying at this incredible resort with my family, marking our second visit after many years. The outstanding experiences here are what keep bringing us back.

Below is my review based on our recent stay:

Check-in/Check-out Process

The entire process, from the airport to the sea-plane and boat transfers, was flawless. Right from the arrival boat transfer, the staff recognized and warmly welcomed our family.

When we reached the resort, Jully greeted us personally and even addressed us by name, which made us feel truly valued. She walked us through the resort and updated us on its latest features. As returning guests, we were delighted to receive a bottle of red wine as a special gesture.

The check-out process was equally seamless. Resort representatives were present at every transfer point to ensure everything went smoothly.

Villa

We stayed in a standalone beach villa facing the north. The villa was spotless, cozy, and well-maintained. Its excellent soundproofing ensured a peaceful stay, with only the faint sound of waves breaking the silence. The air conditioning was powerful enough to keep us comfortable during the hottest days, and the bed was incredibly comfortable.

While items like shavers, toothbrushes, and vanity kits are not provided by default, we were well-prepared, knowing this is a remote island resort without a mini-mart. However, they can probably be obtained from the housekeeper, too.

The villa’s location was perfect, with a snorkeling reef exit just a short walk away and a stunning beach right in front. The turquoise waters were mesmerizing, and the occasional sight of sea planes landing and taking off added a unique charm.

House Reef

Like many reefs worldwide, this one has experienced coral bleaching due to global warming, especially in the warmer shallow waters near the beach. In 2014, I remember vibrant corals and abundant marine life, including stingrays and blacktip reef sharks, closer to shore.

Now, the vibrant corals and diverse marine life are mostly found at the reef drop-off, where the water is cooler. During our snorkeling adventures, we encountered a variety of colorful reef fish, blacktip reef sharks, eagle rays, and even a sea turtle.

Food

We chose the full-board package and enjoyed all our meals at the Funama Restaurant. The food was outstanding, with a different international theme every day. We were spoiled for choice and particularly loved the curries and Maldivian-style dishes.

Special Mentions

A big thank you to Jully for arranging the perfect villa for our family and for her exceptional hospitality. She truly made our stay unforgettable.

We also want to express our gratitude to:

Lamiu, who ensured our villa was spotless and refreshed twice a day.

Rifath, Shah, and Chandana at the restaurant for their attentive and friendly service. A special shoutout to Rifath, who impressed us with his energy, efficiency, and quick service.

This resort continues to exceed our expectations, and we look forward to returning for another memorable stay...

Vilamendhoo was our third, and arguably our favorite resort that we stayed at in the Maldives. I had tried to book resorts that were not overly expensive, but that offered a great deal of comfort and serenity, along with decent diving. Vilamendhoo is a perfect place for families or couples (although it was a little more geared towards families than honeymooners in comparison to some resorts). The western side of the island is more-or-less off limits to children, which made our honeymoon stay much more enjoyable! The restaurant and bar were the same way—with one of each only for adults on the western side. Staying in an over-water-villa was the perfect escape at the end of our trip. The villas were much nicer than their sister resort, Veligandu, with nicer décor and a nicer hot tub outdoor area. However, the beds were stiff! For how nice everything else in the rooms were, we were both taken aback by how firm the beds were. Usually I do not mind a firm bed, but these were a whole new level of firm. Each morning we would wake up sore, which is unfortunate, especially after paying ~$300 for a couple’s massage at their spa (which was otherwise fantastic). So just keep that in mind and perhaps book a spa on your last day… but honestly the resort should just invest in some pillow-topping foam to make the beds a tad less springboard-y.

My only other complaint was the amount of smokers. Smoking was pretty much allowed everywhere, except in the dining areas and inside the bar. So as non-smokers, we were upset by the constant smokers who would sit upwind and puff away at all hours. We found ourselves constantly looking for new areas to be where we could breathe fresh air-- an unfortunate way to spend what should be a relaxing day. Consequently there were also cigarette butts all around the grounds, and some made their way to the ocean. Realistically this should be a bigger deal for resorts situated on the ocean, with their tourism stemming from maintaining a pristine ocean environment and healthy atmosphere.

Other than that, the food buffet had plenty of options, and even some options for my wife, who has a number of dietary restrictions. The water was also crystal clear when compared to some other resorts dealing with rising seas and beach erosion. The house reef suffered some bleaching and mortality during the previous El Nino, so the corals were still recovering (many were toppled from storm surge, or long dead with some pockets of colorful life), but were still full of fish life! Baby sharks patrol back and forth by the shore and under the villas! Rays cruise by the sand flats, and turtles munch algae at the reef’s edge. Shore diving along the outer reef wall was interesting as well, with some overhangs, a cave, and plenty of bigger fish and sharks in the deep. The watersports were also fun, with kayaking, windsurfing, as well as other things to try while on the island. Overall, I would for sure recommend the all-inclusive over-water villa for couples looking for an adventurous, yet...

A mid-range resort where you can get value for your money. We stayed 4 days on full board. We booked a beach bungalow (we really recommend it as opposed to the garden bungalow) and although located 400m away from the reception and the restaurant, we didn't mind the walk and we felt we were more secluded and away from the crowds. The food caters for everyone and even vegans can have a good meal, especially if Indian food is a favourite. They have thematic nights and prepare dishes from a specific country or region every night. The resort looks modern and is well kept. Our bungalow was spacious, clean and we especially liked the outdoor bathroom with a small private garden. The beds have net but we found mosquitoes not to be a big issue on the island, since they fumigate quite frequently. They provide 2 liters of water everyday (refilled, no plastic bottles). Service is incredibly friendly. Although they didn't seem to be looking forward to getting a tip, we tipped our restaurant waiter and the staff who helped with our luggage. We assume they are quite used to it, since there was no surprised look. There are a lot of services and facilities available to guests: gym, 2 swimming pools, tennis court, snooker, table tennis, etc. There is entertainment every night. Although there are two restaurants in the property, the one closest to the water villas can only be used by guest staying in the water / jacuzzi villas. We dived with Euro Divers - the dive outlet located in the resort and we also recommend them. They organise orientation dives every day at 10 am for newcomers and after that you can book as many dives as you want with them. Everything is well organised and their equipment is in very good condition. Upon check-in we were provided with two vouchers for free massage at the spa. When we went there to book, the receptionist immediately tried to sell us treatments instead of helping us booking the free massage. We understand the commercial side of their business, but did not appreciate the pushiness. One expects to feel relaxed in a spa, not being pushed to acquire unrequested treatments. We strongly suggest management to sanction this behaviour from the staff. Although we informed the staff at check-in that we would like to leave around 10 - 10:30 am on our departure day, they booked us on the 7:15 am seaplane. We understand that other guests had planes to catch and we were just transferring to another island but still, it's not pleasant to wake up at 5:45 with an unrequested wake-up call when you don't need to. All in all, a very good choice to stay when visiting the South Ari Atoll. The seaplane transfer is quite expensive (360 usd per person return) but this is the case with any other resort...