We stayed in JW Marriott Maldives Kaafu Atoll Island Resort at the beginning of September for the birthday of our son.
Our stay at the Overwater Pool Villa, on a full board basis, was a luxurious experience that left us feeling indulged and pampered.
Let me first start with the weather. Since we visited the Maldives at the same time of the year at least 7 times (birthday celebration), we know that in September it will always have about 40% of the time raining. However, due to climate change, things are different now, and we have had ZERO rain. So perfect weather for the whole week we stayed.
The resort is brand new, and the facilities are in mint condition. The transfer on the boat is fast. There are many pluses and minuses of the resorts close to Male. For the JW, the super-fast arrival and possible very late departure are big pluses. As this was my 15th visit to the Maldives, I prefer the resorts that you reach with the seaplanes, as the nicer islands are far from the airport.
We loved our overwater villa; it was perfectly designed, with a magnificent view. I give the villa a 10/10 rating. Absolutely perfect. And our butler, Adina, was amazing. Such a lovely, young lady, so kind, and she was up to every task we asked. She is a real gem.
The food in the resort was yet another pleasant surprise. And it surpassed our high expectations. Our favourite restaurant was Athiri - the South American (Peruvian), but Veyo was right up there with a very high level. The breakfast buffet in Veyo was exceptional.
Some highlights in the activities sector. Nurse sharks' snorkelling trip is great. JW is so lucky to have this very special place right next to the resort with huge aggregations of nurse sharks and sting rays. It is actually a very popular place, and many boats travel there from much further islands.
Scuba diving: OMG, that was amazing. I dived with Cristina, the dive shop manager, who is such a sweet, intelligent and kind young lady; and of course, she is an amazing diver. We had the incredible luck of seeing four tiger sharks - some of them coming within 1 meter of us. Incredible. And the biggest highlight - we saw a Great Hammerhead Shark, which is something really, really rare (This was only the second Great Hammerhead Shark I saw in my life, the first one I saw in Rangiroa, French Polynesia).
The diving operation at JW Marriott Maldives, Kaafu Atoll Island Resort, is top-notch, with the highest standards in safety and convenience for guests. This professional setup ensures a safe and adventurous diving experience for all.
Overall, this is a highly recommended resort, and due to its proximity to the airport, it is also popular for shorter trips of one week or less.
