Madivaru Finolhu

From the moment we found the Cinnamon representatives at Malé airport to take us to our seaplane, we didn't have to think for ourselves for the remainder of one of the most relaxing weeks ever. The staff at the resort were incredibly welcoming and friendly throughout our stay. The buffet food was varied and plentiful; every meal also had at least one station with a chef to make you, depending on the mealtime, custom eggs, pasta dishes, stirfys, plus a special station that would change daily, from burgers to pizza to tacos, curries, fresh catches, bbq'd meats, etc. We enjoyed the adults only aspect and appreciated the peaceful atmosphere all over the resort. Even the architecture was calming; the overwater villas with their white sail rooves and the sweeping pathways across the reef all felt so natural with the white sand and palms and added a tremendous feeling of peace. The other resorts we saw from the seaplane just didn't look quite as good! Our overwater villa was just as fantastic as the pictures advertising it. We spent several hours on our private deck, lazing in the floor hammock, tanning on the loungers or just sitting on the edge, watching the marine life in the shallows from above. On one of the days, we went on one of the free excursions to go snorkelling in deeper waters; special thanks and admiration to the captain of the boat, who dove to the bottom of the reef to retrieve a snorkel mask one of us had dropped. Must have been at least 6 meters. A true hero.

The island is breathtaking. I stayed in an overwater bungalow and it was absolute perfection. Very clean, verrry comfortable. I recommend the buffet over the restaurant. The restaurant meals were very hit or miss. Some of the service was excellent, others seem miserable and distracted. Saad at the dive school is a fantastic teacher for those who are first timers to snorkeling. If youre a smoker, bring your own cigarettes as a pack is $35 at the bar. If your a non-smoker, be aware that people smoke in pretty much all public spaces. My suggestion would be to bring USD and tip great servers, concierge and bartenders well ($20) early in your stay - it will elevate your experience 100%. They will go out of their way to make your stay the most comfortable.