When it comes to choosing a resort in the Maldives there is a lot to consider. Are you someone that wants to simply lounge around or are you someone that prefers keeping things exciting with fun activities for you and your family? Luckily, there are resorts in the Maldives that cater to all preferences. If you’re looking for a bit more to do than just lay on the beach all day, then I would recommend checking out Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, an IHG Hotel. Not only does this property offer beautiful accommodations, it has a sizeable amount of activities to keep everyone satisfied during their next holiday.
Click HERE to get a special rate at the Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives!
Actually, I paid my first visit to the resort in 2018 which you can read about in a separate article here. This year, I made my second visit to Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives and got to experience several amazing activities which added a lot of value to my trip. I’ve made a list of my favorites below and believe that they are strong reasons to consider Holiday Inn Kandooma for your next Maldives getaway!
Snorkeling
I’ve now visited four different resorts in the Maldives, and thus far, the snorkeling at Holiday Inn Kandooma has surpassed the others. I believe there was a major reef bleaching event in 2016 and by my first trip in 2018 a majority of it hadn’t yet recovered. However, in 2021 the conditions were much better all over the Maldives and I was shocked to see a resurgence of colorful corals in places that used to be colorless!
There are so many colors and varieties of marine life to enjoy! At Holiday Inn Kandooma you’ll have a few options of where to get your snorkel on.
On-Site Snorkeling
The first and most convenient would be right at the resort itself. When you’re looking at the surface of the water around the Water Villas, it’s really hard to tell that there’s so much going on underwater. However, once you dive in from the beach, or directly from your water villa, you’ll discover an incredible underwater community teaming with life!
In this area there were tons of creatures to enjoy as well as coral that has definitely rebounded from my last visit. Along with all of the common reef fish that I found, I’ve also seen stingrays and sharks in this area as well. Definitely worth checking out!
Snorkeling Excursions
Where snorkeling becomes a lot more interesting, is just surrounding Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives. There are several vibrant reefs to explore and I was able to try two different excursions to accomplish this.
The first that I experienced was an included snorkeling excursion that all guests can participate in, free of charge. If I’m being honest, this was the best snorkeling I have ever had in my life. This reef was incredibly colorful and I even got to see an eel as well as some other exotic fish!
The second I attended was one of the resort’s premium excursions. On the premium excursion I was able to see more varieties of coral and more dramatic underwater landscapes than I had ever seen previously. This all was very beautiful but had less marine life than the included excursion did. This may have simply been because of my luck that day, it’s very difficult to guarantee sightings.
Water Sports
All resorts offer some variety of watersports but I believe Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has way more than its competitors. During my last holiday I was able to try catamaran sailing, ocean tubing, as well as banana boat riding. My favorite of these three had to be catamaran sailing. This was my first time on such a boat and I was sincerely impressed with how smoothly and effortlessly it was able to cut through the water. When we caught the wind, we cruised! Among these activities they also have others such as kayaking, surfing, and stand-up paddle boarding.
Spa Treatments
After all the more exciting activities on or in the water it was great to treat myself to some more relaxing varieties as well. Luckily, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has their incredible Kandooma Spa by COMO Shambhala. A nice massage was just what I needed to slip into that true holiday mood!
The Kandooma Spa has a true island feel with its appearance and layout. The treatment rooms are large and have attached private pools. The whole area continues the tropical oasis theme and is very peaceful.
For the treatment, I went for a signature COMO Shambhala Massage. I found out that my therapist has been working at the resort for nearly 3 years arriving just after my first visit in 2018. Once the massage commenced, I found that her skills had truly been perfected in that time. The COMO Shambhala Massage technique was very soothing and sensual. I love when a therapist slows down and uses long relaxing strokes. I might have dozed off because I was so relaxed! All in all, a very lovely massage that I can easily recommend to you.
Conclusion
When it’s all said and done, you can see why Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives is so desirable for guests looking to stay active during their holiday! The property has something for everyone from the youngest to the oldest. I look forward to returning yet again in the years to come to experience it all again. It was just what I needed to refresh my mind and body after being locked down for so long. Without a doubt, for those that enjoy a wide variety of experiences, I can easily recommend Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives. Have a happy holiday in paradise!
Looking for a chic Maldives luxury resort with all the bells and whistles? Look no further than LTI Maafushivaru Resort which has recently re-opened after undergoing a complete renovation. Maafushivaru’s stunning architecture really blew me away. Nearly everywhere I turned there was a perfect Instagram photo waiting to be snapped. This beauty paired well with everything else they have to offer such as an on-site reef, incredible food, and their warm and friendly service. The whole package really makes it a top-pick for a perfect Maldives tropical island getaway. That being said, I’ll hold my final thoughts until the end of the article, let’s dive into LTI Maafushivaru!
Click HERE to get a special rate at LTI Maafushivaru!
Seaplane Transfer From Male
LTI Maafushivaru requires a bit of travel after arriving at the Velana International Airport in Male. First, we were loaded up onto a bus and taken to the Trans Maldivian Airways Seaplane Terminal. Mind you, this was all organized by the LTI Maafushivaru staff at the Male airport. Once at the seaplane terminal, guests were brought to a comfortable lounge where they could await their departure flight. The lounge was lovely and had a variety of beverages that were free to consume.
After only about 30 minutes of waiting, it was time to board our seaplane and get this party started. I must admit that because this was my first time taking a seaplane, I was extremely excited! It shocked me how smooth the takeoff and landings were in the water. Much smoother than planes with wheels! From Male, it only took 25-35 minutes to land and offboard on the floating dock out in the sea. From there, we transferred to a speedboat which picked us up and brought us to the resort. The suspense was building as we got closer to LTI Maafushivaru!
Check-In at Maafushivaru
From the moment we stepped off of the boat we were greeted with many smiles. The LTI Maafushivaru staff lined up with yellow umbrellas along the jetty, all the way to the reception counter to give guests a warm and personalized welcome that won’t be forgotten. I’m glad they do this because it really makes everyone feel special, and introduces you to the homely service you’ll experience during the rest of the stay. Pierre approves!
The amount of staff present matched the amount of arrivals. Having so many staff around insured minimal wait times before everyone was shown to their respective accommodations.
First Impressions of Maafushivaru
Before the visit to LTI Maafushivaru, I had done a lot of research on the resort and was excited to see all of the modern architecture this luxury boutique resort had to offer. This place is seriously a tropical oasis! It looked great in the photos but I must say it was truly jaw-dropping in person. The sleek buildings with very beautiful roofs settled into the gorgeous nature got me excited to start smashing my shutter button on all of my cameras.
From the arrival jetty and reception, the rest of the public areas and facilities are just a few steps away. Everything seems to surround the property’s main pool. This area felt like a town square, an area where many guests would meet which created a village atmosphere. This community of guests and staff members contributed to the overall warm and welcoming feeling that surrounds you while on Maafushivaru.
Water Villa
For this five-night stay at LTI Maafushivaru, we reserved one of their gorgeous Water Villas. Everything inside the Water Villa was shiny and new. To match the natural surroundings, the Water Villa had blue, white, and grey colors which made it feel bright and refreshing. There were a lot of aspects of the Water Villa to take note of. There was a king-size bed, daybed which could be converted into a normal bed, Bluetooth Stereo, Smart TV, capsule coffee maker, large working desk, a sizable closet, and more.
Furthermore, I’d like to point out that I visited during the COVID pandemic. Maafushivaru was largely a mask free zone except when guests were congregated in the buffet area at Cuisine Gallery. This was a great feeling to mostly getting life back to some sense of normality, even if it was only for six days!
The Water Villa had tons of windows which allowed for seriously amazing views at all times of the day. Every evening we had some of the most spectacular sunset views! Even with all of the windows, the way that the villas were arranged, ensured lots of privacy. It felt like it was just us and the ocean!
The Water Villa had a large L-shaped deck which is where we spent a good portion of our time. On the deck there were two lounge chairs for sunbathing, a table and chairs great for morning coffee with the view, a small padded bench with table, direct access to the ocean, and a very stylish shower for cleaning off the salt water after your dip. From the deck, it’s possible to directly access the shower in the bathroom as well. How convenient!
We also must take note of the glorious bathroom inside of our Water Villa. Completely coated in white marble, it really was an impressive design. The bathroom had a single sink vanity with a trendy circular mirror, glass shower stall, large bathtub, and luxurious toiletries. I loved the high ceilings and overall bright feeling that this space provided. My recommendation would be to enjoy a relaxing bath with ocean views.
Moreover, our Half-Board Plus Meal Plan included some complimentary mini-bar soft-drinks, which were a nice touch (I will go deeper into the meal plan later in the article.) The staff refilled two large bottles of water each day as well. The coffee capsules were also promptly refilled both in the morning or evening which kept my caffeine kick going strong! I only wish the water bottles wouldn’t have been made of plastic.
I was pleased by the evening turn-down service each night. For some reason I wasn’t expecting it so I was super delighted when I came back after dinner to find the Water Villa superbly prepared for counting sheep. The housekeeping staff paid great attention to detail during every cleaning and always had smiles on their faces. Great job!
Half-Board Plus Meal Plan and Cuisine Gallery
Along with our Water Villa, we had a Half-Board Plus meal plan. From their website “Half Board Plus includes breakfast and dinner at the Cuisine Gallery, unlimited selected alcoholic, and non-alcoholic beverages, and Tea and Coffee in all restaurants including the Water Bar. This meal plan also includes daily High Tea at the Library Lounge, soft drinks and mineral water from your in-villa mini-bar, a 25% discount on food when dining à la carte and an option of selective non-motorised water sports on a complimentary basis.”
The dining room of the Cuisine Gallery was very spacious and had both indoor and outdoor seating. When the weather was nice, it was hard to beat sitting directly next to the water while enjoying a tasty meal.
Breakfast at Cuisine Gallery
Each evening I would get excited to sleep so I could wake up and enjoy the delicious buffet breakfast. Of course they had all of the standard Western Breakfast options, but they also had a lot of Southern and Eastern Asian items. The conclusion for breakfast was a lot of variety, great service, and a lovely view. Spoiler alert: dinner was the same!
Dinner at Cuisine Gallery
The quality of the food overall was quite high for all of the meals. There was truly something for everyone with a seriously impressive number of options to choose from. During my stay, I was really missing Asian food so I took advantage of offerings like Pho, Dim Sum, Korean-Style Chicken, and a wide selection of Indian dishes. They always had just what I needed to fill my spice addiction!
In addition to the tasty and large variety of food, the amazing staff members provided a warm and personalized service every meal. The Cuisine Gallery always had just the right number of staff floating around which were all very attentive. It was always easy to get what we needed fast and easily. Well done Maafushivaru team!
Daily High Tea at Library Lounge
As mentioned, the Half-Board Plus Meal Plan includes daily High Tea at the Library Lounge. First I’d like to say that the Library Lounge was stylish and offered many tasty beverages. That being said, unlike Cuisine Gallery, the Library Lounge often only had one staff member working which made for a slower service. The High Tea consisted of a hot or cold beverage of choice served with a small plate of fried food items and two scones. The High Tea food items never changed for the duration of the stay. A bit of variety would have been appreciated but these were still tasty.
If you want to step it up from Half-Board Plus Meal Plan and go for the All-Inclusive option, you can try the Dine Around Package. From their website “Dine Around All Inclusive additionally includes lunch and dinner at any of our à la carte restaurants. One Snorkelling Excursion or Sunset Cruise per person, per stay, 25% discounts on additional Excursions and 25% discount at Maafushivaru spa.”
Water Bar
We found ourselves often at Water Bar where we could enjoy unlimited beverages from the Half-Board Plus plan. The service was quite good at all hours, no matter how busy the space became. We were told that this outlet would only close once the last guest left, meaning we could stay all night if we really wanted, but sadly we never put this to the test! My recommendation would be to order a Fantasy Colada, and lounge by the pool.
Cielo
We mostly ate at Cuisine Gallery as it was included in our meal plan. However, we did have one meal upon arrival at Cielo. Out of all of the items, the sushi was what stood out to me the most! You can expect the same great service at Cielo as at Cuisine Gallery and Water Bar.
Activities and Facilities
What’s great about LTI Maafushivaru is that not only does everything look gorgeous there are also lots of activities to enjoy! Unfortunately, not all resorts in the Maldives can say this. Some are only pretty to look at but don’t have much substance, this isn’t the case with LTI Maafushivaru. Some of the activities you can participate in are swimming in the pools or in the ocean, snorkeling or diving around the resort, taking diving excursions, fitness at the gym or on the island, spa treatments, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, and more.
Throughout my stay, I really enjoyed snorkeling at the Maafushivaru reef. Just next to the arrival jetty I was able to see tons of reef fish, sharks, and even a sea turtle!
Conclusion
As expected, my time at this pristine oasis flew by and before I knew it, I was checking out and boarding a departure boat. In conclusion, my stay at LTI Maafushivaru was absolutely superb! From beginning to end I felt a strong feeling of delight and satisfaction with nearly all aspects of the property. I truly loved that LTI Maafushivaru not only looks gorgeous, it actually has a lot of depth with what you can enjoy while you’re there. All this beauty plus a top-notch service made it somewhere I’d happily return to again and again. That being said, there were a few areas that could use some improvement, such as their Umi Restaurant, but this didn’t play much of a role in my overall experience at the property. All in all, highly recommend visiting LTI Maafushivaru as soon as possible if you really want to enjoy yourself in the Maldives!
Looking for a chic Maldives luxury resort with all the bells and whistles? Look no further than LTI Maafushivaru Resort which has recently re-opened after undergoing a complete renovation. Maafushivaru’s stunning architecture really blew me away. Nearly everywhere I turned there was a perfect Instagram photo waiting to be snapped.…
