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• Location + arrival
• First impressions 
• Rooms
• Food & drink
• Amenities 
• Rates
• Reasons for choosing this resort
• Other resorts we considered 
• Final thoughts

To get there, you must first fly to Male, the capital of the Maldives. Then you take a seaplane or boat depending on how far you are from your island. Our international flight arrived late at night, so we actually spent the first night in Male. 

We had the option to arrive to Reethi Faru Resort by seaplane or boat. We chose to arrive by seaplane and returned back to Male by boat. The seaplane only flies during daylight hours and in good weather. When we were scheduled to depart, it was raining. We had to wait until the weather cleared before taking off. 

Once we were seated inside the tiny 2 x 1 configuration Trans Maldivian Airways seaplane, our pilot hopped in and started up the plane barefoot. Lol, yes barefoot! Welcome to the islands!

Then we were whisked away, mesmerized by all the little islands and lagoons below us. Be prepared for the landing. It was a little intense but so much fun! 

When we took the boat back on our return trip, it was a very BUMPY ride. I would strongly advise taking the seaplane both ways! Flying in a seaplane was definitely a bucket list experience for us.  

1. Better than the postcards 

2. Exotic 

3. Is the water really this color?

Most of the resorts in the Maldives will give you the option of a beach or overwater bungalow. While both are great choices, staying in an overwater bungalow just takes it to the next level. Do it if you have the chance! 

It is important to pick which side you want your bungalow to face (if that’s an option). Facing west will give you some amazing sunsets during cocktail hour, and facing east will reward you with beautiful sunrises while you sip on your morning coffee.

Some of the Maldives resorts offer some pretty swanky overwater bungalows with personal plunge pools. That will come with a hefty price. 

Reethi Faru Resort offers incredible value for the money. There’s no personal pool, but you have a gorgeous modern room, a lovely outdoor and indoor shower, a stunning community pool, and a great outdoor space where you can lounge on your deck or jump right into the super clear turquoise water. 

The island = the resort, so make sure to pick one that has great food options since it will be your only choice. 

I loved that Reethi Faru Resort offers 5 restaurants and 6 bars to choose from every day. Food options ranged from wood-fired pizzas, local Maldivian dishes, pasta, vegetarian, and fresh seafood dishes. You are bound to find something you enjoy. 

No, this is not 3-star Michelin quality, but that’s not why you flew to the Maldives in the first place. What you can expect are flavorful, delicious island dishes that won’t leave you disappointed. If you are looking for foodie experiences, pair your Maldives trip with Hong Kong as we did. Then you get the best of both worlds. 

At the time we went, the only restaurant we had to make a reservation for in advance was the Huvandhu Garden. Otherwise, you could just walk in when you were ready to eat. Bon appetite! 

Important to note you will have several dining package options to choose from when you book:

• Breakfast only
• Half board (breakfast + dinner at the main restaurant)
• Full board (breakfast + lunch + dinner at main restaurant)
• All-inclusive (breakfast + lunch + dinner + drinks at the main restaurant
• All-inclusive Dine Around Experience (unlimited dining + drinks at any of the 6 restaurants)

We do not eat 3 meals a day, so we just chose the breakfast package. We had a liquid diet for lunch. 😉 I’m not a fan of sweet drinks, but I love a great Piña colada every now and then. Especially when you are sitting in the sun and relaxing poolside.

Then we rotated among the restaurants for dinner and dined a la carte. 

Reethi Faru Resort has a gorgeous infinity pool, where you can watch the seaplanes come and go.

Definitely book a massage at their spa! They do a fantastic job melting your stresses away.

Reethi Faru Resort does have a gym and offers racket sports, but we did not use these amenities.

Rates will vary depending on the time of the year, the type of room selected (garden villa, over the water villa, etc). and meal plan (breakfast only, all-inclusive, etc).

Garden Villa: $250 USD+

Over the Water Villa: $350 USD+

Be aware if you choose the seaplane for your roundtrip transfer, it’s expensive! Expect to pay anywhere from $350-500 USD per person. 

What you may not realize is the Maldives is composed of 1,190 islands. All these islands are grouped into 26 atolls. An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef surrounding a lagoon. Each resort sits on its own island. 

A house reef is the resort’s reef you can swim to right from the shore. No boat is required. We love to snorkel. Some of our favorite snorkeling destinations have been St. John USVI, Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Belize, and Bora Bora. The Maldives also tops that list!  

Having an amazing house reef was one of the top things we looked for in a Maldives hotel. And Reethi Faru Resort has an incredible house reef! We felt like we were swimming in a fish tank.

Blue and blacktail surgeonfish, parrotfish, black pyramid butterflyfish, blue fusilier, triggerfish, white spotted pufferfish, clown triggerfish, empress angelfish, orange clownfish, unicorn fish, scorpionfish, oriental sweetlip, pipefish, goatfish, spotted sweetlip … and those were just the ones I could identify! So many fish.

All of this action was literally feet away from our overwater bungalow.

If you love snorkeling, don’t miss my full snorkeling trip report on the Reethi Faru house reef below. 

There’s no way around it. If you are traveling to the Maldives, it’s going to be expensive. Between the international flight, the cost of the transfers to/from Male via boat or seaplane, the lodging and dining packages, tips, and excursions, the cost can add up quickly.

The time of the year you choose will also dictate the price. Prices widely range from around $250-$2000/night. After weeks of research and sifting through the numerous hotels, we determined Reethi Faru Resort hit the sweet spot.

We were already including a side trip to Hong Kong with numerous foodie stops in our itinerary. I wanted to make sure we balanced the cost and value of our time in the Maldives. Who doesn’t love a great deal? That’s how you’ll feel when you book Reethi Faru Resort. And we were able to get an overwater bungalow! 

You will be overwhelmed with the many options of where to stay in the Maldives. Decide what’s important to you. Awesome house reef? Beach vs. water villa? Variety of food options? Distance from Male to your island? Arrive by seaplane or boat? Excursions offered? And the all-important question … what is this going to cost? 

When my husband and I travel, we always ask ourselves if we are getting good value for the money. We have stayed in a variety of accommodations from very affordable boutique hotels like Anio Boutique Hotel in Hoi An, Vietnam to super-luxury lodges like Lion Sands River Lodge in South Africa. I don’t mind spending money if it’s going to be worth it. 

Luckily, Reethi Faru Resort offers incredible lodging and service at a reasonable cost. And you won’t have to take out a loan to make it happen. 

Questions about our stay at Reethi Faru Resort? 

Let me know in the comments below!