| The marketing pictures do not lie. The sea has not | | | | during our stay. The prices were as high as |
| been digitally enhanced it really is varying shades of | | | | everywhere else though but you have to price that |
| crystal turquoise. Looking out of the plane window I | | | | into your holiday before you leave and then the |
| was transported straight towards the aqua imagining | | | | surprise of it won’t affect your enjoyment. The |
| myself lying on my own island under dappled palm | | | | kids club here was the best we saw but there were |
| tree shade, soft white sand sifting between my toes. | | | | no three year olds to get feedback from. In peak |
| The question is which island should become yours? | | | | season they have up to 70 children to keep |
| The Maldives used to be a small fishing community. | | | | entertained and babysit for and there is a good |
| Now it is home to 87 different island resorts. And | | | | space to do this – outside and in air-conditioned |
| once the sea plane roars away it is difficult to | | | | rooms. Diva exceeded our expectations; the staff |
| escape. If the feel of an island meets your | | | | were lovely, naturally friendly, the room was more |
| expectations then without doubt the Maldives will be | | | | luxurious than expected. This was James’ |
| one of your best beach holidays. Seclusion, pure | | | | surprise favourite. |
| white coral sand, warm clear water, sea views at | | | | Main meal: $35 |
| every turn. | | | | Drinks: $9 bottled beer (free water for your room) |
| Holidays for me will not be the same for 17 years. | | | | Snorkel equipment: Free |
| James and I have a one year old. With both of us | | | | House reef: No |
| working for Imagine Africa this was a work/holiday | | | | Waterski: $50 for 15 mins |
| trip. Find out about the Maldives, take Baby L and | | | | Four star: Kandooma |
| take some time out. We visited a range of resorts, | | | | The Kandooma barnacles greet you as your step off |
| staying at five resorts and visiting four more. Each | | | | the speedboat – these are giant smooth domes, |
| was different due to size, ethos, staff, quality, food | | | | airy, white, and modern inside. Settled into circular |
| and cost. | | | | retro-60s chairs, chilled fresh lemon cocktail in one |
| In summary, you get what you pay for. We went | | | | hand, check-in takes place. It is the sort of greeting |
| without knowing the exact price for each resort. At | | | | that makes you look at each other and smile with |
| the end we ranked them based on what we thought | | | | extreme satisfaction. Kandooma is a new concept for |
| they should cost and were spot-on. Beware that | | | | the Maldives, promoting a modern, vibrant, activity |
| five star in the Maldives is not a category on its own. | | | | and family focused island with hints of luxury. Bean |
| There is top-end five star and bottom-end five star. | | | | bags, modern sometimes uncomfy furniture, Ikea |
| All Inclusive deals are not offered in many resorts | | | | abounds. Kandooma radio provides background music. |
| although this is changing. Budget to pay a | | | | Staff are relaxingly friendly. Our favourite idea was |
| considerable amount for any extra meals or drinks. | | | | that food and drinks were available for take-away at |
| Standard $20-25 for burger, $7 for a bottle for beer. | | | | no extra cost if you pick it up yourself. It was so |
| Dives cost the same on every island. Activities | | | | refreshing to be able to enjoy your room and eat |
| differed. Snorkelling equipment is sometimes included | | | | alone together looking out to sea. In the mornings, |
| in your stay. | | | | you are encouraged to order you breakfast in – |
| Five star luxury: Conrad Rangali | | | | unlike other resorts this does not mean your |
| We arrived feeling like frauds – feeling | | | | B&B status is revoked and you have to pay all |
| undeserving of such luxury – mere mortal travel | | | | over again. Instead a $5 charge is added and at the |
| workers being spoilt. The true luxury of the island did | | | | appointed time, hampers of chosen food and drink |
| not jump out at us. In fact it wasn’t until after | | | | arrive. Your room has a juicer and oranges to make |
| the standard greeting drink and being politely | | | | juice whenever you fancy. We stayed in a Duplex |
| gestured through the door of our villa that the fake | | | | Villa giving us a lovely sandy area with sofa, table, |
| nonchalance started. Instead of screaming jubilantly | | | | outside shower. These are not pretty rooms from |
| “oh my goodness is this all ours”, we nodded | | | | the outside and that is all part of the modern |
| at each feature and murmured “lovely”. This | | | | “new concept”. Scattered on the beaches of |
| was a Luxury Beach Villa. It was stunning. Past the | | | | the island are two storey white concrete blocks. |
| calm trickle of our fountain, was a courtyard garden | | | | Stairs lead to your room. It is a decent size, smaller |
| with sunken marble bath and outdoor shower hidden | | | | than the five star resorts but so well-decorated in |
| amongst palms. The room was by far the largest | | | | clapboard marine style that it immediately feels |
| that we stayed in and quickly became a favourite for | | | | homely. The bathroom was small in comparison to |
| baby L as she crawled the massive bed and sofa like | | | | other islands and lacked a bath. We used the sea |
| a large play area. There were floor to ceiling glass | | | | anyway! However swimming is not possible at all |
| windows on every side which opened up to an | | | | spots around the island but the pool is undoubtedly |
| infinity pool tucked into lush green plants - perfect | | | | one of the best I’ve seen in my travelling life. |
| for family days in the luxury of our room. This was | | | | The food was good – a couple who had been at |
| the only resort where there wasn’t a sea view. | | | | Kandooma for a week mentioned that it did not vary |
| Privacy is clearly seen to be more important. Instead, | | | | as much as they’d hoped. We didn’t find this |
| a sandy path beside the pool ran down to the beach | | | | a problem and, amazingly, the food was very |
| where our sunbeds sat waiting for us to fall onto | | | | reasonably priced (for the Maldives). Activities were |
| whenever the need arose. We snorkelled straight off | | | | also reasonably priced and free snorkel trips are run |
| the beach and followed a turtle gliding through the | | | | each day as there is no house reef. You notice other |
| blue. There are two islands with plenty of restaurants | | | | guests on this island, it is not secluded and is the |
| to choose from including the world’s only | | | | least “idyllic” with other islands very close by |
| undersea restaurant. One island is exclusively for | | | | and sparse vegetation to offer shade and beauty. It |
| couples so you can escape our baby throwing food | | | | is a great concept and very well-run with a lovely |
| on the sand during mealtimes. There is still a feeling | | | | activity feel – we would return with an older child |
| that you are completely secluded even though there | | | | or for a dive holiday (without baby). |
| are 150 rooms. The dive outfit was very well-run and | | | | Main meal: $20 |
| like all diving in the Maldives was some of the best in | | | | Drinks: $6 bottled beer (free still water) |
| the world. Both Conrad Rangali and Diva are in the Ari | | | | Snorkel equipment: Free |
| Atoll – one of only three places in the world | | | | House reef: No (but free snorkel trips daily) |
| where you can spot whale sharks. There was a kids | | | | Waterski: $25 for 20 mins |
| club that a three-year old girl we met could not be | | | | Four star: Medhufushi |
| dragged away from – much to the delight of her | | | | Although definitely not a five-star resort and much |
| parents who said it was like being on a second | | | | smaller than a lot of places we visited, Medhufushi |
| honeymoon. Lovely touches all over the island | | | | was a favourite of mine. Due to rain, first impressions |
| especially the subtle evening lighting in basket lanterns | | | | were not great but one dip in the crystal clear sea |
| hanging from trees. In comparison to other resorts | | | | with baby L squeaking and giggling and things started |
| you can see that the islands are extremely well | | | | to get better. The beach villa is dark wood, a fair-size |
| looked after - adding to the feel and beauty of the | | | | with an outside shower and a lovely wooden veranda |
| island. All in all a very special luxury experience even if | | | | looking out through shady coconut trees to the sea. |
| the service does feel a little forced into friendliness. | | | | There are sister properties in Thailand and you can |
| Equally lovely for families and couples. | | | | feel a Thai influence in the design. The beach is a |
| Main meal: $40 (buffet $75) | | | | strip of sand that can disappear at high tide but |
| Drinks: $8 bottled beer (still water was free) | | | | provided plenty of room for sunbeds most of the |
| Snorkel equipment: Free | | | | time. Food is important to me and for a small island, |
| House reef: Yes | | | | the food here was outstanding. We stuffed |
| Waterski: $55 for 10 mins | | | | ourselves with the full-board buffet. Fresh sushi, fish |
| Five star: Diva | | | | curries, home-made ice cream, delicious salads and |
| Diva was one of the only places that we had | | | | counter after counter of meal options. Dinner turned |
| expectations about. These were negative reports | | | | into a self-styled tapas evening because I found it so |
| that as a new island, its service needed work. The | | | | hard to miss out on the different dishes. We stayed |
| good thing about bad expectations is that they are | | | | for six nights and the food never got boring. During |
| easier to beat. And Diva certainly did that. This time | | | | meals, Baby L encouraged attention and this gave a |
| the greeting was enough for us to feel that were in | | | | great insight into the patience and good-humour of |
| a special place and the room continued that feeling. | | | | the waiters. She loved them – searching each |
| We stayed in a Beach Villa which was well designed | | | | one out for smiles whenever we sat down. With only |
| with a huge outside bathing area – two showers, | | | | one main restaurant you do become familiar with |
| one under the sun and stars and a huge bath. The | | | | other guests and you do not get a feeling of being in |
| bed faced the sea and the glass doors opened | | | | a special exclusive place – more a relaxed beach |
| completely onto the wooden veranda creating a | | | | island style resort. There are plenty of family villas |
| lovely space (especially for a crawling baby). Beyond | | | | but we found the majority of people were couples |
| a palm tree the sea twinkled. The island is big and | | | | and honeymooners – there is no kids club and |
| feels big as restaurants, bars and facilities are | | | | the pool is a bit cold for young ones. However there |
| scattered. There are golf buggies available to take | | | | are lots of activities – we sampled kite-surfing, |
| you everywhere which is good for the lazy but can | | | | water-skiing and diving – all excellent. And the sea |
| take the magic away if you fancy a quiet wander | | | | was calm, clear and somehow encouraged swimming |
| along the sandy paths. The west side of the island | | | | much more than anywhere else. Overall the staff |
| has wide sandy beach whereas the east side is a | | | | were the best out of everywhere we visited, the |
| small strip – this is the sort of thing where | | | | feel of the island was idyllic and very relaxed with no |
| Imagine Africa can make a difference and ensure | | | | pretensions which perfectly suited what I was looking |
| you get the best room for your money. There was | | | | for. |
| a fantastic choice of restaurants and the food was | | | | Main meal: Chose the FB option. |
| absolutely amazing. Probably the best that we tasted | | | | |