Velavaru Island Resort Reviews

Absolutely wonderful. This resort changed ownership at the end of 2004 and was supposed to be closed for rebuilding but hasn't shut.
The rooms are basic as described by others but are kept clean by the room boy who visits twice a day. The food is now 3 buffet meals plus afternoon snacks at the bar if you order drinks. All the meals were very tasty although generally a bit cold.

The staff were wonderful and we really felt like part of a family while on the island. We only saw the rep at the airport on our arrival but she advised us she didn't expect to make it to the island and all the staff on the island were so helpful we didn't need her services. Whilst it may only be classed as a 3* resort the staff are definitely more like 5*.
The diving and snorkelling is very good and easily accessed from the island.

If I could go back tomorrow I would.

This is a beautiful island and we had an enchanting holiday. velavaru is teardrop shaped, takes around 15 minutes to walk around and has a varied perimeter ranging from very soft white sand through to somewhat sharper corally parts. Our bungalow opened onto one of the sharper sands, but the snorkelling here was far better than elsewhere on the island. Loads of fish including some beautifull black tipped reef sharks (Completely harmless) and dinner plate sized reef sharks.

There are two free trips a day out to the reef that encircles the island for the more committed snorkellers. Food (buffet Style) is excellent, varied and beautifully presented. The restaurant and bar have sand floors, but are very clean and are well in keeping. The rooms (And we had a superior semi - posh words for standard) are excellent, with quality fitments, loads of storage, sfae deposits etc. The beds are given different sheet designs every night by the room attendants which is a nice touch. The dive school is a significant feature and the staff are very efficient. The instruction is excellent and the quality of their equipment is high.We only wish we`d started earlier and done the Padi course. Ah Well - perhaps next time.

One minor criticism - Even on an AI package, you have to pay for bottled water to take back to your room (You can drink as much as you want at the bar or restaurant, but that is not where you sunbathe and can be up to four or five hundred yards from your room)as well as for any alcohol or soft drinks from your mini bar. That said, all told, Velavaru will take some beating. Staff and accomodation are right up there as far as we`re concerned. Enjoy

This was our second trip to the Maldives (Meedupparu first time) and we were very impressed with Velavaru. HandJ and Airtours brochures don't do the island justice.

The island is set in a beautiful lagoon with good quality beach all around. Accommodation is of a high standard - we stayed in a ";Superior"; bungalow and would rate the room as 4* standard but the bathroom as 3* as it was quite small.

Food is varied and excellent and the service of bar and restaurant staff very good. Don't miss ";Happy Hour"; in the bar from 6.30 - 7.30 for complimentary Bombay Mix as the sun goes down.

We travelled on an AI basis whilst most UK guests were FB. AI only adds unlimited drinks and a couple of trips to the FB basis so whether it is cost effective depends largely on your thirst. We feel that we broke even but liked the convenience of having payed for drinks up front. Beer is about $4 for a large glass with soft drinks $2.

Snorkelling is excellent on the house reef which a free shuttle boat visits twice a day. Don't be put off Velavaru by the fact that you can't swim to the house reef. The reef is in good condition and we saw turtles, sharks and loads of beautiful fish and coral. There is some coral within the lagoon which can be reached from the shore for snorkelling - but the coral and marine life are poorer there. Snorkelling equipment costs $6 a day to hire and is not in AI.

Definately recommended would be a massage in the Spa and the half day trip to local island and Vilu Reef resort.

Overall we would say that Velavaru is an excellent and underrated island. If you seek a more authentic Maldives experience than on the big islands, with friendly local staff and a beautiful surroundings then we would recommend it.

This island really is paradise... lovely rooms with two sunbeds per person, one on the decking, one on the beach ( I think a previous review must have been for a different island) lots of shade if required (and it was)fabulous sandy beaches, great snorkelling with an indescribable variety of fish (and turtles) the food was excellent, not predominantly curry, the chef is italian. All the staff are excellent, friendly and helpful.

The sea-plane transfer was fantastic!

As the tap-water is undrinkable, I think it's unreasonable to charge for bottled water, the hotels in Sri Lanka provided flasks of water in the room for teeth-cleaning. (small crititcism)

BUT honeymooners beware... we had four idyllic, peaceful days, and then were invaded by Italian children, who had no idea of the desire for privacy, came charging through the gardens and over the decking, shrieking and rather spoiling the idyll. Italians appear to be the only race that can snorkell and shout at the same time!

All that said, I would go back like a shot if I could - in the Italian term time!