As mentioned in my previous travel diary post, choosing the right resort in the Maldives is of utmost importance. There is a wide variety of resorts in this cluster of islands. And while almost all of them will give your the beautiful clear water, white sand beaches and dazzling sunset, you will be surprised at how much the amenities, dining and entertainment options will differ.

Some resorts are small and secluded, with one or two dining options and barely any water sports available: best for honeymooners who want to keep to themselves and stay in their sweet two-people universe. Larger resorts will have more restaurants to choose from and a wider range of classes and activities. There will be surf and diving instructors on-site and expeditions organized daily to the best coral reefs and snorkelling spots. Staying in these resort will surely bring you to encounter more people, not only couples and honeymooners but probably large crowds and families as well.

Anantara Veli brings the best of both worlds together. The resort is a complex of three sister islands: Dhigu the largest island, Veli a smaller one with an adult-only clientele and Naladhu, a private island with large villas you can rent if you’re amongst the richest 1% of us. A short ferry ride connects the islands together and is available until 11pm. The trip takes about two minutes one way.

THE RESORT: Veli is absolutely beautiful, clean and well kept. There are many separate beach areas so that customers can spread out to enjoy some privacy. During the lenght of our stay, never did the place feel crowded or noisy. There’s also a gift shop, a library with few magazines, a spa and a water sports equipment shop. The only down side is that there is only one pool, although with the Indian ocean right under your bed, this was not really a big issue. The infinity pool is large, faces the ocean and is right next to the bar area.

THE VILLAS: All the villas in Veli are over water, although the first two are half over the sandy shore. They are categorized into regular water villa (which are closer to the shore), deluxe water villa (these are further away, are bigger in size and have a double patio) and deluxe ocean villa with pool ( so far out you feel as if you’re right in the middle of the ocean…)

For the first night, we stayed in a regular water villa. It was absolutely paradise. The room is clean and large, the bed is fluffy and comfortable. The washroom, complete with double sink, separate shower and bathtub, is connected to the patio so you can rinse right after swimming in the ocean. The air conditioning doesn’t reach the washroom though, so it was a little humid in there.

We upgraded to an ocean villa for the rest of the stay. We thought we couldn’t be more impressed by this place, but we were! The room is similar to the first one, althought a little more spacious and more luxurious. However, the beauty of the outdoor area was absolutely overwhelming. The private infinity pool on the patio looked out to the never-ending horizon of turquoise water. The second level of the patio has a small dining area and a set of stairs leading into the ocean. THESE STAIRS ARE TREMENDOUSLY SLIPPERY because of the algae growing on them. I slipped and cut my foot, so ended up not being able to go into the water for two whole days, so please please please be careful!

THE RESTAURANTS: There are three restaurants on Veli and four more on Dhigu. We have only tasted the restaurants on our own island during our short stay and all of them were pretty tasty. My favorite is Origami, serving fine japanese cuisine. The food was fresh, which I’m very surprised about, for an island where everything from food to household supplies need to be shipped by boat daily. Try the seared yellowtail plate, one of the best I’ve had. The Thai restaurant is also quite authentic and the view is simply unbeatable.

73 degrees is the buffet restaurant. Although the morning breakfast buffet is outstanding, the dinner menu is much less impressive. The meat dishes are only brochettes (although they’re grilled on the spot as your order). Maybe the menu varies every night and we happened to be there on a bad one. On the plus side, the dessert buffet was heavenly! And that’s the most important part for me!

The meal that disappointed the most was the food we ordered for in-room dining. The burger was a little dry, which really blows when it cost 36 USD!

THE ACTIVITIES: 

Snorkelling can be done right from the bottom set of stairs down from your patio. The marine life is so beautiful and so diverse. The gear is complimentary for the length of your stay.

Kayaking is also a fun and easy way to explore the lagoon, although don’t go too close to the villas, it’s a little awkward when you surprise your neighbours coming from underneath their house. The first two hours are free of charge and you can also upgrade to a glass-floored kayak, allowing you to see who/what else accompanies you under your ride.

Many watersports classes are available with the option of a private instructor. So if surfing, diving or windsailing appeals to you, Veli certainly has the option. But beware, the prices are not only expensive, they can be downright alarming!

Diving, snorkelling, fishing or dolphin gazing expeditions are also arranged daily. This is why our five day stay was really just not long enough.

THE STAFF:  Leaving the best for last, the hotel staff is really amazing. They really tend to you as if you’re their friend or member of their family. Either they are very professional and are extremely well-trained or they are the most welcoming people I’ve ever met. In either case, you’ll be very satisfied. Other than giving the service you require, they take the time to chat with you, to get to know more about you and also to share with you stories and information about the Maldives and their people.

THE PROs:

– Luxury experience of a lifetime.

– Comfort and cleanliness makes you feel right at home ( housekeeping cleans the rooms twice daily)

– Vast choice of activities, whatever your interests are.

THE CONs:

– Luxury comes with a price… in this case, a very steep one.

– The first villas are very close to the shore (Room # 151, 152 and 153). There’s little privacy as the stairs lead almost right onto the beach and the house faces the ferry dock.

– While there is a large diversity of marine life in the resort lagoon, the size of the coral reefs is limited. We had finished exploring it in a few hours. For more things to see, there is the option of signing up for the snorkelling trip. If I remember correctly, the cost was 60 USD per person.

Overall: [9.5/10]

Time of stay: October 2014

TIPS:

– Get a Deluxe overwater villa: These are all located further away from the shore, so it will save you the anxiety of wondering whether you’ll be unlucky and get #151. Their prices, while being a little more than the regular villas, are much more reasonable than the pool villas. 

– I would recommend splurging for the high season travel. It’s a holiday of a lifetime, so enjoy the most of it by minimizing the chances of rain.

– Bring lots of small cut USD for tipping. Although your bill includes a service charge, the staff there don’t get much for a living, just five dollars could make a huge difference.