Kandolhu Maldives

We’ve been coming to Kandolhu for quite a few years now and we don’t know anywhere else that can top it. If you’re coming to the Maldives, you’re coming for the soft white sandy beaches, crystal clear blue water and spectacular underwater life. Kandolhu has all of those in spades, and it has a special magic that no photos can convey. Add to that the top class accommodation, an excellent range of dining experiences and a superb spa, and you’ve got just about anything you might want. It is a small island with just 30 villas, so the tranquility and sense of privacy are palpable - especially if you’re lucky enough to have booked a beach pool villa, where you basically have a beach to yourself. But the greatest thing of all on Kandolhu is that it feels like home, albeit a spotless, luxurious home where you don’t have to lift a finger. The staff are truly exceptional and will make your stay special and memorable. They get the combination of high levels of service and human warmth just right, making for a gentle, friendly environment where you feel genuinely looked after. Kandolhu is the perfect mix of barefoot luxury without the swagger and brands. If like us you’re looking for calm and relaxation in beautiful surroundings, this is the place for you. There is some serious competition on the island for the most infectious smile, but from an in-depth survey of two, we agree that Elvie, Naveen and Justin are the deserving winners. Thank you to all of you who made our stay so special: there are far too many of you to name, but you know who you are :-). A special mention nonetheless for Samad, who kept our villa positively gleaming each day, and Raghu who constantly pandered to our predilection for Sri Lankan food. See you next year!

This was our second time staying, the last time was 9 years ago. We were pleased that nothing had changed, it remains as beautiful as ever. We stayed in water villa 211 which is the one on the end, which is great ti access the snorkelling channel to the reef. The weather was unfortunately not kind and was very windy & rainy for the majority of our time there, so i would avoid October in future. The staff are definitely who make this place special from the grounds men working to constantly keep the paths & walkways free of leaves, to Elvie, Maan, Iffam and all the team at the restaurants who are always happy & smiling and offer great service. The cocktails are also amazing and such a great selection. The star of the show for us would be chief Raghu who made some special spicy curry’s for my partner who enjoys his curry’s hot & they were the best! The seafood grill was our favourite place to eat, definitely a must for those who love fish. We also ate at the Teppanyaki which was very entertaining. I had the best message I’ve ever had from Jenny at the Spa. I also made use of the gym during the rainy weather, so it’s great to have that facility. The main purpose for our visit was the snorkelling and although it was a bit rough, we did still manage to get out most days, and the final two days when the weather was good, it was the best snorkelling ever, seeing turtles, sharks, tuna, eels, as so many fish. My partner also went to a local reef diving, with Ibrahim, who was great, he did say snorkelling at the house reef was just as good as the house reef is excellent.

My husband and I spent 10 nights at Kandolhu in January for our honeymoon, and it was absolutely incredible from start to finish. We split our stay between a beach villa and a water villa, and both were equally amazing in their own ways. The beach villa felt private and peaceful, with our own stretch of sand and the most beautiful sunsets, while the water villa was a dream - spacious, romantic, and perfect for a dip straight into the sea.||The house reef was another real highlight. We went snorkelling almost every day and were blown away by how much there was to see - turtles, colourful fish, and so much vibrant marine life right off the beach. My husband also went scuba diving one day, which he really enjoyed, but honestly, you can see so much just snorkeling that you don’t even need to go far to experience the reef’s beauty.||We chose Kandolhu because it’s small and boutique, with only around 30 villas, and that intimate feel made it so special. You really do feel like you’re on your own private island. The staff were wonderful - they get to know you by name and are so warm, welcoming, and attentive in a way that feels so personal.||A special mention to Ameen, who always made us laugh and brightened every meal when he was our waiter, and to Astrid, whose food and company were absolute highlights of our trip. She went above and beyond to make every lunch special, and we adored chatting with her - we eat there every day if we could, she’s an incredible chef!||We’d return to Kandolhu in a heartbeat. It’s the perfect mix of luxury, privacy, and genuine hospitality. For anyone looking for a truly romantic and unforgettable Maldives experience, we couldn’t recommend it more highly! We hope to be back!

My partner and I spent six days on the island, and we truly had a wonderful time. The setting is absolutely stunning — peaceful, romantic, and perfect for couples. The house reef was a real highlight; snorkelling there was incredible, and the staff we met were always warm, friendly, and happy to help. The friendliness of the team was amazing. Everywhere we went, we were greeted with genuine smiles. Staff at the restaurants even remembered our names and room number — especially Nana, who was incredibly kind and helpful. The team also arranged a speedboat to pick us up from our previous resort, which made our transfer so much easier, and they organised a late checkout for us since our flight wasn’t until 11 p.m. Great people, great service, and truly memorable hospitality. There were just a couple of areas where our experience could have been even better. Before arriving, we emailed and followed up to request a more private beach villa, but unfortunately didn’t receive a response. Upon check-in, our villa ended up being directly opposite the water villas, which meant people could see straight onto our balcony. Mornings had quite a bit of foot and buggy traffic, so we often needed to keep the curtains closed for privacy — a bit disappointing since we couldn’t enjoy the beautiful views from our room. Food-wise, we really enjoyed the variety and overall quality. The only part that felt a little underwhelming was breakfast, as the options were more limited compared to other meals. During one breakfast service, we were served raw pork sausages and a mouldy lemon. The mouldy lemon especially raised a concern, as it’s something that should be simple to avoid. All that said, we still had an amazing, relaxing stay and would happily return for the friendly staff and breathtaking scenery. With a bit more attention to food safety and communication in customer care, this resort could easily be close to perfect.

An unforgettable Maldives experience. Excellent service, a dreamlike villa, and a fantastic SPA made our stay truly special. The food was top class, and the house reef is perfect for diving and snorkeling. A heartfelt thank you to the amazing hosts Claudio & Luciana and the entire team for their warmth and professionalism. Everything was simply perfect … we can’t wait to return ☀️ 🌴✨

Wow what a fantastic Island! We stayed for 14 nights in a Duplex villa in September and from the moment we pulled up to the welcome jetty to the most warmest welcome from Lucy, Claudio and several staff members to the day we left we were made to feel very special and treated with the utmost care. It seemed all staff knew out name from the first day!|Our villa was perfect - the view from the bedroom of the ocean was amazing, waking up to that every morning was a dream. Sunsets were spectacular. The room had everything you needed the fridge and wine fridge were replaced daily with whatever you used. A fantastic wine selection which i must admit we didn't really use - it was too hot to drink through the day! Our room attendant was brilliant - the room was cleaned exceptionally well every day.|The island was perfect for chilling and relaxing, hubby used the gym every day which was well maintained, i made use of the Spa! Jenny was amazing and i was totally relaxed after my 5 day tranquil package.|The island was very well maintained - the staff behind the scenes worked hard at keeping it immaculate. Even though it is a small Island you never felt like there were many people there - Although there were only about 11 guests when we first arrived Lol!|the snorkelling and house reef were amazing, we go for the relaxing and snorkelling and it did not disappoint. We saw Black, and white tip sharks every time we snorkelled - they were a lot larger than we had seen at Vilamendhoo previous years. Eagle rays, turtles, so many different fish - i'm not into the names but my husband was very impressed. The highlight of our trip was snorkelling for 2 hours with Manta rays - thank you Shaad for helping to fulfil my wish. First time in our 4 visits to the Maldives we have had such a special and magical experience!|We spent an afternoon helping do a reef clean with the staff which made us feel like we were helping the environment.|Now the restaurants - the food and service were out of this world - i don't think i could name a favourite they were all exceptional. |I could go on and on, we will definitely be returning.|Special mention to all the restaurant waiting staff - Elvie, Ameen, Shameen, Maan and Sharif. They made us feel so welcome and nothing seemed to be too much trouble, we miss you all ! The chefs looked after my husband well - making him a special lactose free dessert every night, many thanks !|Lucy and Claudio - thank you to you and all your amazing staff for making our stay so memorable it was the perfect place to chill, relax and heal.|We hope to see you again!!

Wonderful place to unwind, even being aware that relaxation and sustainability are in stark contrast when traveling to the Maldives, we had a fabulous time on Kandolhu. Sending my warmest regards for 2026.

From the moment we landed at Malé airport, the Kandolhu experience began. We were warmly greeted by hotel staff who assisted us with our seaplane check-in and escorted us to the private lounge at the seaplane terminal. After long travels, the snacks, drinks, and welcome shower were a refreshing start to what would become the most unforgettable 10 nights of barefoot luxury.||||The seaplane touched down at a neighboring island, followed by a scenic 20-minute speedboat ride to Kandolhu. We were welcome d on the boat by friendly staff, cold towels and some chilled water. Management and staff greeted us personally on arrival at the Kandolhu jetty and we were immediately escorted to our Duplex Pool Villa, our home for the first five nights. The villa was stunning—private, beautifully designed, and complete with a lovely pool. The minibar and wine fridge were standout features that added a touch of indulgence.||||For the final five nights, we moved to an Ocean Pool Villa. All we can say is: WOW. The bathroom alone is a masterpiece—luxurious, spacious, and offering a 180-degree view of the turquoise waters. It was like living in a dream. And what more can you ask to just go down a few steps, and you are snorkelling on the amazing housereef.||||Lets touch on the housereef. This was one of the main reasons I chose Kandolhu, and we were not dissapointed. The variety of fish is incredibale. The reef itself with such a colourful variety of both soft and hard corals are a feast on the eye. Top that off, by seeing eagle ray, stingray, turtle, reefshark, nurseshark, eels and so much more. This was by far the best reef I have had the privilge to snorkel on.||||Dining at Kandolhu is a culinary journey. Breakfast at The Market includes a small buffet and a delightful à la carte menu. For lunch, we alternated between The Market and Ata Roa, where Mexican-inspired tacos and ceviche stole the show. A special mention must go to Astrid, the chef at Ata Roa. Her warmth, creativity, and genuine hospitality made every meal memorable. On our last day, she surprised us with a dish from her personal recipe—an absolute treat.||||Dinner options included The Market, Sea Grill, Olive, and Banzai. While the Japanese experience at Banzai was exciting and a lot of fun, we found the flavors at the other restaurants more to our taste. Olive was a standout, especially the Tuna with Truffle and Saffron Jus.....a flavor bomb and our favorite dish of the trip. Sea Grill offered the freshest seafood, prepared to perfection.||||What truly elevated our experience was the exceptional staff. From the moemnet you arrive, the staff no your firts names, which makes the experience so personal. Besides Astrid, we were looked after by Elvie and Ameen, who remembered not only our names but also our preferences from the second meal onward and always had thoughtful recommendations. By the end of our holiday they were not staff anymore, they were our friends. Maan crafted exquisite cocktails, and Nasru shared his passion for wine—definitely a future sommelier!||||A heartfelt thank you to Claude, the GM, and his wife (whose name sadly escapes me), as well as Les, the Food & Beverage Manager. Their presence, warmth, and attention to detail made us feel like part of the Kandolhu family.||||This was my seventh resort in the Maldives, and without a doubt, Kandolhu is number one. I never thought I’d return to the same resort twice—but Kandolhu may have changed my mind. It’s not just a resort; it’s an experience of a lifetime.||10 nights of barefoot, feet-in-the-sand, 7-star luxury. Thank you, Kandolhu. We’ll be back.