Eriyadu Reviews

We chose Eriyadu because it its quite small (60 rooms or so) and had a reputation for having a good housereef (deserved).

Picked up from the airport by Captain Jalu and provided with a welcome cold towel and drink for the one hour journey by boat.

Eriyadu has two speedboats for this purpose, one is fine and the other one seems inherently unstable and puts you in fear of your life (well it did us anyway) as we made the one hour journey in to Male for a trip later in the holiday.

The island is small and welcoming and the staff are great. The management (as seems usual in the Maldives) want to rip you off at every turn. Take your mobiles as phone calls are charged at a whopping $7 a minute and they have the nerve to add a 10% service charge to EVERYTHING. When I asked for some milk for a cup of tea in the room they very kindly offered to supply a litre for a very customer friendly $10. Plus the service charge.

We had heard that the accommodation had been refurbished not to long ago, but I have to say it certainly did not seem as if that was the case. Rooms were a little on the shabby side and furniture was heavy and old (bit like me then really)

The island's principal client base is German, but a few other nationalities can be found. It is very popular with divers, and the Werner Lau dive centre seems very well run. Here too the staff were excellent (as you might expect).

Food was very acceptable BUT very repetetive. Its not exactly cordon bleu but filling and nutritious and plenty of fresh veg salad and fish on offer so ate better there than in UK which is no bad thing.

Staff were unfailingly friendly and helpful. Chefs were an excellent bunch and if you go and one of the islands 3 or 4 cats adopt you the chefs are always happy to provide you with some food to take for the poor little blighters. One kind lady even took worming tablets for the express purpose of giving them a little boost.

Special metion to receptionists Nina and Sree, Chefs Cameron, Adi, Renjen and Kumar, and waiters Shafeeq (Fantoshi) Abbas (Pharoah)and Wajeev (Jack Sparrow) - and lastly Dr Manik - in charge of laundry and garden services and as mad as a box of frogs.

Was there 3 weeks and despite changeable weather had a splendid time and the only downside was the trip in the deathboat. If the guy driving has his cap on backwards and is wearing cool shades you are probably ok - if not measure the distance to the lifejackets carefully.