Safari Island

Overall we enjoyed our holiday here BUT two aspects mean we will never visit here again We paid, I think £3,400 extra for 'All-Inclusive' but coffee from one of their many machines is NOT included and costs c. $6 a cup or $31 for two espresso martinis - WOW! It's regimented, limited meal-times. Without the AI, I can have a snack anytime in the Palm Bar from an extensive menu. With AI, only a choice of 4 sandwiches with instant coffee and Not between 11:30 AM and 3 PM Remember, you have paid £3,400 for this dubious privilege! AI finishes before lunch on your last day, notwithstanding our flight was not until nearly 9 PM It's their attitude that gets to me - trying to screw more dollars after already paying £9000 for a 2-week holiday for a couple. Uncompromising despite that we did the hotel a big favour to allow them to accommodate other guests on a trip The overnight boat trip was great for us BUT there was no sheet for us in our cabin, food was very basic, no alcohol allowed onboard and worst is that the cabin stank of fumes. The air-con wasn't operating adequately and could not be adjusted because of it's "age". Crew were very helpful but clearly disappointed with $35 tip - it already cost us $733 so expectations were high. We were lucky that after many, many hours searching, we did see a whale-shark but they are elusive and there are Many other boats and snorkellers pushing for a view of the creature. There are very definitely improvements that could be made in both the trip and conservation aspects Reef is good and we enjoyed seeing a great variety of marine life including many sharks :)

We stayed at sunset water bungaloo and that was a perfect choice for us, since we are not morning people and would not enjoy early sunsets. The bungallo itself simply, but nicely equiped, private terrace with a private entrance to the sea - that was all we needed from the hotel. Crystal clear water, all natural beaches (a lot of islands offer artificial beaches), all the water wildlife you’d expect to meet at Maldives - black reef and nurse sharks living just under the restaurant building, mantas, eagle rays and turtles swimming by - everything in the hotel beaches area. Food was a little disappointing, ‘cause we expected fresh seafood, variaty of fruits, but the choices were very limited as everything is being brought from somewhere (nothing locally grown/ fished). Private boat trip for a day was one of the highlights - highly recommended for snorkling experiences and island hoping, while enjoying mini cruise on an old ship. Ship’s crew extremely friendly and professional. The island itself is extremely small - you can walk around it by the coastline in 15 min tops. Almost no activities organised by a hotel in the island area (one night only - live music evening in the sea bar), other than that - just eating and drinking parties. We expected some more creativity and utilisation of the private island area. In general clean environment, well taken care of. Quiet and calming experience. Overall - it is a pertect getaway if no active time is expected exept for enjoying the water life, sun and relaxation. We would improve the food for a better value for money.

We were met with a cold towel & drink, quick check in but our room wasn't ready so we were directed to the Palm bar which was extremely hot as no fans or AC. We were in a large comfy room with safe, AC, fridge, seating & 2 tables which were made of bamboo having a ridged surface so nothing would stand upright. The wardrobe was very short meaning dresses were badly creased at the bottom. Bathroom was roomy with a door to outside, shampoo, conditioner & shower gel were provided. There are no sink plugs so you cannot fill the sink with water to shave or rinse swimwear. We had no cockroaches, ants or geckos in the room. The room was cleaned daily & clean towels & beach towels were provided. There is a tray with coffee, powdered milk & sugar sachets, 2 each of earl grey English breakfast, peppermint & green teabags. As we only drink green tea we requested additional supplies but only received another couple. Outside there is a covered area with decking & 2 loungers & a table & 2 plastic loungers on the beach. Unfortunately there was not a sun umbrella on the beach & upon requesting one we were told "yes we have them but they are not for use in beach villas!" The resort do not provide rain umbrella's only a heavy plastic sweaty Mac which leaked. We were on the lagoon side which was busy with boat & seaplane traffic, sometimes there was an overpowering fuel smell too. The view was stunning. Our room was in front of the outside staff area which was very noisy with film night, games night, music night, awards night etc. The beach is amazing, soft powdery sand, very little broken coral washed up & gentle sloping access to the sea. Baby sharks, rays & large fish swim very close to the shoreline & we saw a large nurse shark too. Walkways are soft sand too so no shoes required. Snorkelling is easy & close to the beach, we found the best place was near the rear of the restaurant where we saw many white & black tipped reef sharks, rays & the usual fish. Food was very good, with live cooking stations & a good selection. Breakfast was particularly enjoyable apart from not being able to have a teapot so I was constantly looking for the waiter to refill my cup. You are assigned a specific waiter & keep the same table all stay which we liked, ours was overlooking the ocean so we could watch the sharks & rays swimming by. The huge positive is the Half Board+ which is essentially All Inclusive without lunch which suited us perfectly. There are 3 bars, the sundowner which opens for a couple of hours in good weather, the pool bar which has music & is open early til late but closed if it looked like the rain was coming or if there was a beach event, we found this bar was favoured by heavy smokers so didn’t visit often & the palm bar which is over the sea. The drinks were good & staff were friendly & accommodating. You can take drinks from the pool bar to the beach or your room. There was a mix of nationalities, mostly German, French, British & a few Russian & Chinese, th

Fabulous 2 weeks on Safari. An excellent easily accessible house reef; together with the reason we would return ….. their unique safari boats that you can privately hire with a crew of 3 for an exploration of the area. We spent time with some stunning sea life. It’s very well worth the overnight 2 day trip cost. Our room was rustic and lovely. A semi overwater villa with a perfect sunset view and direct access to the reef on one side and lagoon beach on the other. We felt it the best of both worlds. What wasn’t so great was the overly hot restaurant, at times, canteen style queuing for food; and fixed tables which could mean you were sweltering in the sun for breakfast and lunch. The food while good and plentiful was not the high standard of other Maldivian resorts we have stayed at. We like to enjoy leisurely meals with a few glasses of wine. Here it was a case of 20 min in and out to get back to a cool breeze elsewhere. The solutions are obvious, but our final day departure experience sums up managerial attitude. The all inclusive ends at 1200 on your last day irrespective of your arrival time. Meaning no lunch or drinks before a late afternoon flight…. Bizarre. We were told we needed to buy lunch and drinks including water. Having only had 13 lunches we queried this and were allowed a lunch, but no drink…. Shame we had to ask. The reef and boats made it for us. It is a stunning island and nature wise it’s in our top 3 that we have visited. We may return for this reason, but some disappointments.

We traveled to Safari Island for two weeks, and it was a wonderful experience. The staff was friendly at all times and anticipated our every need. Our beach bungalow was very cozy and was cleaned every day. The food was delicious and there was a wide selection of different dishes. There was something for every taste. One of the highlights of the island is definitely the amazing house reef with its rich underwater world full of fish. You discover something new every day. Safari Island is the perfect island to relax and unwind. The greatest experience for us was the whale shark overnight trip. We had a great crew with Imaad/Imran/Zuheyru who went to great lengths to find the whale shark. If you are also thinking about doing this, I can highly recommend this crew. The trip was really impressive and an experience you will never forget for the rest of your life. Highly recommended.

We stayed at Safari Island in April 2025 and absolutely loved it! The island is peaceful, without crowds or unnecessary luxury – just the perfect place to relax. Swimming with sharks and seeing majestic mantas was unforgettable. The staff were wonderful and truly went above and beyond, especially when we caught the flu during our stay. A big thank you to Jithu at the reception for his care and to the always-smiling kitchen team for their warmth and delicious food and to the housekeeping staff who kept our villa spotless and comfortable every day. Some of the buildings could use a little renovation, and during our stay the fountain in the restaurant was unfortunately not working but Safari Island is a place we would love to return to – both for the nature and the amazing people who make it so special. And we promise to return soon for the third time.