Reethi Faru Maldives Trip Report
At the end of March 2021, my wife and I spent 5 nights at the Reethi Faru resort in the beautiful island of Maldvives. It had been a long time since our last international trip and we desperately needed a short break. We chose the Maldives as it was one of the few destinations that was open to travellers.
We booked the flights, accomodation and meals as a package using PickYourTrail a tour operator based in Chennai. They also take care of the transfer from the airport to the island which is expensive if done separately.
Travel in the time of COVID
All travellers to Maldives need to take a COVID test atleast 72 hours prior to landing inside Maldives. After we booked the package, the Indian government implemented a similar rule for return travel as COVID cases were starting to rise. This meant that we had to do a test in the Maldives before returning. Resorts typically arrange for this, but it’s expensive (100$ per person). Even worse, a positive test result means a paid 14 day quarantine, not a trivial expense when room rates are typically 500$ and above.
Luckily, we did not face any hassles apart from the added expense of testing. The airlines provided face shields to be used while flying, however, several passengers removed them and no one seemed to care.
Where we stayed
The choice of resort is important as you will be spending the entirety of your vacation there — moving between islands is expensive and time consuming. We stayed at the Reethi Faru resort which is a large mid range resort. It was fully booked during our time there but it never felt crowded and we got the intimate island feel that we wanted. On thing we did not like — on arrival, there was a group check in which felt very impersonal and low end.
From the international airport, Reethi Faru is 40 minutes away by seaplane. The seaplane was a unique experience that I recommend trying atleast once. It flies low, so you get a nice view of the islands as you travel to your resort. Be warned that seaplanes require a lot of waiting! While arriving, we waited over 3 hours for the plane which meant that we arrived quite late on Day 1. For short trips, choosing a island accessible by boat may make more sense.
We choose the full board option which meant that all meals were included. You can also choose half board (breakfast+dinner) if you want to save some money or choose the all inclusive package that includes drinks. Meals were served buffet style in the main restuarant, quality was average. There are other restuarants in the island too, which are not included as part of the package. If you are on full board, you get a 20$ per person credit to apply towards the bill. We dined at the Reethi Grill which was quite good.
There are a variety of room options to choose from, we went with a water villa which was lovely (much better than the one we experienced in Langkawi). All water villas have direct access to the ocean, we ventured out a couple of times during low tide.
Things to do
Most travellers come to the Maldives to relax, swim, and lounge on a beautiful beach and that’s what we ended up doing for most of our stay. Neither my wife nor I can swim well, but even in shallow waters we saw a variety of sealife including a couple of baby reef sharks. The beaches in Maldives are the best that I have seen — water is crystal clear and features several shades of blue and the sand is white and soft.
There is a water center in Reethi Faru which offers a range of activities such as canoeing, scuba, snorkelling etc. We took a guided snorker tour for beginners which we enjoyed. The highlight was an encounter with a turtle — it swam so gracefully around us. While I typically prefer suba diving, the currents in the Maldives are strong and not recommended unless you are a good swimmer.
There are a number of bars placed around the island. We enjoyed the view from the main bar, it had a couple of couches placed outdoors where we relaxed while sipping glasses of the excellent house wine.
There are activities (free and paid) arranged every day from yoga to guided snorkelling and karaoke nights. We attended management cocktails, an opportunity to share feedback with the management while sipping wine. We were never bored during our 5 day stay there, we understand that most European visitors spend a couple of weeks when they visit.
Summary
We had a great time relaxing in the Maldives — it’s one of the most beautiful places that we have seen. The Reethi Faru is a solid midrange option that I would recommend if you can get it on a deal.
