Hotel + Food Guide: Honeymooners, These Two Hotels Are a Must! 💒

Following up from last time! Let’s dive into Maafushi’s accommodation and the “hits and misses” of its food scene～ The joy of a residential island lies half in the sea breeze, and half in these little details: cozy stays and satisfying meals. 🏨 Stay at These Two: Kaani Beach Hotel & Arena, Ocean View Rooms Soothe the Soul! After tons of research, we locked in Kaani and Arena—and it was the right call! The two hotels are right next to each other, sharing a beach, with the ocean steps away 🌊. Unbeatable value. We stayed at Arena. The room isn’t huge, but the view knocked us out: the balcony faces the sea. Pull back the curtains in the morning, and sunlight turns the water glassy, waves rolling in like a live wallpaper. Since it was our honeymoon, the hotel quietly decorated the room: pink petals scattered on the bed 🌸, daisies on the windowsill 💐, even towels folded into swans. Instantly felt “worth every penny”! Their SPA is a must 🧖‍♀️! Done in a beachside pavilion, the therapist’s gentle hands used local coconut oil mixed with floral scents. Listening to waves while getting massaged, I almost fell asleep. Prices are friendly—half what resort islands charge. Walked out feeling loose and light. The biggest surprise? Nightly beach parties 🎉! The hotel sets up string lights on the sand, local bands play guitar, and tourists dance with islanders. People 晃 (sway) with coconut cups, sea breeze mixing barbecue aroma and laughter. This lively-but-not-loud vibe beats clubbing any day. 🍽 Food Check-Ins: Manage Expectations, But These Spots Are Worth a Try～ Maafushi’s food isn’t mind-blowing, but for filling up + trying local flavors, these work: 1⃣ Mr. Octopus 🐙——Huge octopus legs, but flavor’s just so-so The name drew us in! And it delivered on size—served with octopus legs thicker than my forearm, charred from the grill. Visual impact 10/10. But the taste let us down: meat was tough, seasoning bland. Only tasty with sauce. ⚠️ Big tip: Go during the day! We went with friends at night, and within minutes, the table was crawling with big ants 🐜—so many, we scarfed down our food and fled. Ruined the mood… 2⃣ Indian Cuisine 🇮🇳——Hidden gem below Kaani, curry and lobster are a must! Right below Kaani Hotel, unassuming exterior but solid flavor. Highly recommend BEEF CURRY: thick, rich sauce with tender beef. Mix with basmati rice—so good, we licked the spoon. Their lobster 🦞 is worth it too: fresh baby lobsters grilled with garlic butter. Crisp shell, tender meat, garlicky roe—we even dug out the claw meat. Cheaper than expected, perfect for two to share 3⃣ Thai&Asian——Tucked in an alley, dumplings and noodles are good, tom yum soup? Skip! Down the alley next to Kaani, serving Thai and Asian dishes. Their dumplings are fresh, soft wrappers with juicy filling—great with vinegar. Noodles are nice too, in a savory bone broth. But the tom yum soup was a miss 💣! Not sure if we ordered wrong, but it tasted fishy, with weird sour-spicy notes. Took one sip and stopped. (Forgot to take pics 🤦‍♀️) 💴 Cost Reference: Hotel: 1100rmb/night/room—unbeatable value for an ocean view; Food: ~50 USD/person/day—enough for seafood and local dishes, not pricey. Last, some Maafushi snapshots—any shot could be a wallpaper～ The joy of a residential island? Cozy stays, easy meals, and even staring into space feels worthwhile. #Maldives #Maafushi #IslandTravel #FoodGuide #MaldivesHotels #MaldivesIslandSelection #MaldivesTravel