Just had the most amazing week away with my two children (age 17 and 20), we stayed half board in a deluxe beachfront room. Bandos and the Maldives exceeded every expectation and reminded me just how beautiful our world really is. From the crystal-clear water and stunning islands to the kindness and warmth of all the staff, every moment felt special.
Our room was cleaned daily, fresh towels for the room and beach, fresh water and mini bar stocked up.
Half Board was ideal for us and we dined every day for breakfast and dinner in the Gallery Restaurant. All the food was delicious, lots of choices, very fresh and healthy - staff very friendly. Cocktails were delicious and we took advantage of happy hour at Huvan, with its sunset view.
We were very lucky with the weather, sunshine every day with rain only twice in the evening. Our room 286, was minutes from what felt like a private beach, which we shared maybe at most with a handful of others. The water was alive with fish - baby black tips, cute box fish and a cuttlefish being highlights. Bring your own snorkel set and fins.
One day, in particular, will stay with us forever. It started with a morning scuba dive where we were lucky enough to see giant manta rays, turtles, and blacktip reef sharks in their natural habitat. Watching these incredible creatures glide effortlessly through the water was breathtaking. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, the afternoon was spent snorkelling alongside nurse and black tip sharks, and stingrays. Our Scuba Diving guide - Amar, introduced my children to this underwater world for their introductory course and exceeded expectations by his calm manner, giving confidence and reassurance to us all, going the extra mile by filming our snorkelling experience.
Being surrounded by animals that many people fear was an experience I can hardly put into words. They were so beautiful, graceful, instead of fear, we felt a deep sense of awe, respect, and gratitude for being able to witness them up close in such an extraordinary environment.
Travel often gives us memories that last a lifetime, and this trip was full of them. Sharing it all with my two made it even more special. Bandos and the Maldives truly is a remarkable place, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have experienced it. These are memories we will cherish forever, I felt very sad saying goodbye but I hope to return someday.
