Makunudu Island

This was my first trip to the Maldives, visiting Makunudu Island in December 2024 with my mother. Having traveled to many Asian countries, I can confidently say this resort is the best I've ever experienced, and I look forward to returning soon. ||The experience was incredible; it is truly a paradise with stunning beaches and an authentic tropical island vibe. Our bungalow, though not yet refurbished, had a nice beach on the jetty side and partial sea views directly from inside.||The staff was kind and welcoming, making us feel at home. Mr. Shri, the reservation manager, contacted me via WhatsApp before our arrival, which made me feel more comfortable and reassured about our upcoming stay. Our waiter Bhasker was friendly and attentive, always mindful of our halal food preferences. While this resort isn't ultra-luxury by Maldivian standards, everything was of high quality: the accommodation, service, food, and beds, plus free Wi-Fi.||Contrary to some reviews, our speedboat transfer from Velana Airport was smooth with no waiting time. The departure was also well-organized; our flight was in the evening but we were lucky to enjoy the resort until 4PM. Because it was a rainy day, we received a late checkout and could stay in our room until 1:30 PM and our last lunch was included.||Our six-night stay flew by, and we wished for more time. We left the island feeling as if we were leaving home. Thank you, Makunudu, for an unforgettable stay!||Small remarks:|There has been leaks in the bathroom sink and hopefully will be refurbished soon.|The speedboat transfer is quite expensive (249$ per person)||Overall, these minor issues didn’t overshadow the wonderful experience we had. I highly recommend this resort to anyone seeking relaxation in a beautiful natural setting.||Thank you, Makunudu team; we will definitely return and see you all again soon!

Fell in love with the hospitality, the scenery and the people there. The hospitality - they care about the little details, be it around food, accommodation, the bar or the activities. The scenery - such a peaceful and yet lively place it is. We have enjoyed it in all colours the sunrise, the sunset or be it the nights. The people - well just waaoo, the people are amazing here 👏. The staff here really cares. And a very special thanks to - Su and Riccardo (lots of love ❤️) you made this trip a memory for the lifetime be it our shared boat rides or water activities, we will definitely meet again. Saifu man without you we wouldn't have been able to adventure at all. 🎊 Athee you're a beautiful soul keep smiling. 😇 Thanks to all. Will visit again, and always in our heart. ❤️

Entire team’s hospitality is commendable right from a warm welcome till departure, everyone takes care of the customer like their own family which makes them stand apart from other resorts Makunudu should definitely be visited and stayed at who are planning for male trip And the management headed by especially Su and Ricardo.. these two guys are the best you can find there , they are extremely polite, took care of us in terms of adventure activities and snorkelling , their work is passion as they always go out of the box to make it a special experience for us. They are so genuine and super talented water babies .. it’s because of this kinda management , our hearts is going to cherish the moments spent there for ever. The makunudu island paradise isn’t a paradise without these people :- Su, Ricardo, Saif (water activities crew), Athi (spa) and many more at the front office and restaurant.. keep rocking you guys… will miss the time spent there 🤗

Makunudu excelled in a lot of ways. It’s not pretentious which was a key factor in choosing this resort. There are mega expensive resorts within touching distance of Makunudu.|Yes the rooms aren’t pish posh but they’re perfect if you’re after a tropical island vibe. The rooms are serviced every morning and evening with water, fresh towels etc.|The beaches are beautiful - just bring some water footwear as that makes wading in to the sea a lot more comfortable.|The food is excellent, the employees are clearly happy and will do anything for you.|Be clear on pricing and really investigate what is and what isn’t included in full board and all-inclusive. We almost went AI but realised that it was better to have total flexibility on what you want to drink and where you drink it.|The snorkeling is incredible. We have snorkeled in the Caribbean and other parts of the world but this is the best by far. I did my research and there are world class reefs close to Makunudu and local tours stop by the Makunudu house reef. We saw a lot of live thriving coral, sharks, turtles eels and an array of beautiful fish - the reef is teeming. We leave very impressed and would stay here again in a heartbeat.

We have been regulars to the Maldives for over 12 years. We always stayed at a beautiful laid back island called Rihiveli which is currently undergoing renovation. In search for another island with a similar atmosphere, we came across Makunundu Island. After reading lots of reviews, I gathered that there were some bungalows with hardly any privacy and no sandy beach in front or very clumsy beach access. When making the booking directly with Makunundu, I specifically asked for a bungalow with easy beach access which was "well noted". However, when we arrived we were given possibly the worst bungalow on the island. Unless you wanted to climb over a tree trunk and sharp rocks, a blue pipe and some discarded sand bags, you had no direct access to the sea from your property. The only option was to cross over your neighbours properties to make it into the water. The sun beds were cramped into a shaded area with no space to move them anywhere else if you wanted to sunbathe. My husband went back to the reception and asked for a different bungalow, but the island was fully booked and no alternative could be offered until "maybe tomorrow". We tried to find sun beds to spend the afternoon but the handful of them in the common area were all occupied. We tried to get our free snorkelling equipment but no sizes were available for me: "maybe tomorrow". We returned back to reception to speak to the GM and also mentioned that we specifically ask for a certain type of bungalow and were told: "We do not entertain requests from first timers. When you come back as a repeat guest, we will give you what you ask for".... This was quite a harsh statement and makes you not want to come back to be honest. ||The next morning, we were prepared to leave the island and move to a neighbouring resort if no other option had become available, but luckily we were moved to a new place. The new location was paradise, we had privacy, direct beach access, a beautiful view. It made all the difference and we were the happiest people for the remainder of the holidays. The bungalow itself was also bigger and although not upgraded yet, it was sparkling clean and very comfortable. ||Apart from the unfortunate room allocation, everything else was perfect. Food was delicious with tons of choices, staff always eager to help and make your stay better (special thanks to Ismail in the restaurant and Mohammed from the housekeeping team). The island itself is tiny but beautiful and the house reef stunning. Mosquitos are an issue so bring along your repellent. Fumigation happens regularly but there are still plenty of them around. ||After a very rough and disappointing start, we had a wonderful holiday on the island and will definitely come back again if a bungalow in a nice location is available and guaranteed. ||If you would like to see a comparison of the "beaches" of our and our neighbours bungalow, check out the photos. The discrepancy between the bungalows is huge and considering everyone is paying the same price, everyone should enjoy the same facilities.

Makunudu is truly a gem in the Maladives. It has the pearly white beaches, the endless blue waters filled with reefs (in front of the island) and the most lovable staff! ||The way they handle business at Makunudu enhances you stay. They put a max to the island for only 30ish bungalows which creates privacy, but with the option to engage with others or partake in fun activities. ||The Bungalows are clean, traditional and really get you into that holiday feeling. And to top it up walking out of the backdoor lands you right on the beach! our stay was perfect. Thank you everyone at Makunudu.

We thoroughly enjoyed our latest stay on Makunudu earlier this month. From the moment we stepped off the speedboat and were welcomed by management and colleagues, we felt like we were back among friends. The respect shown to returning guests is quite remarkable and is in our experience unique. It cascades from the hugely likable GM, Mr Shaugy, downwards. We were delighted to be involved by Mr Shaugy in Makunudu's latest environmental project, a survey of this tiny Island's incredible 69 species of trees and other plants, which are now being identified by name plaques together with a very professionally produced colour photo guide held at reception. Our room had been tastefully upgraded since our last visit, with a new bathroom and shaded seating area outside. Elsewhere, the food, service and friendliness were of the same exemplary standard as we had experienced previously. Obviously we greatly look forward to our next stay and we thank everyone for making our most recent one so enjoyable and memorable.

Makunudu island is a home away from home. Right from the management to the staff everyone contributes to making your stay a memorable one.. The rooms are very clean and with all essential ammenities included. The food is amazing and caters to all nationalities. The water sport team are very good and careful. We were there for New years, they organized an amazing gala dinner by the beach with about a 100 different food items prepared by the chefs.. a series of games for kids and adults and a night full of fun and good music. The staff are very humble and kind and well looked after. The best I have seen so far.