Canareef Resort Maldives

We have just returned to the UK after spending the most fabulous 10 days on this very “special” island in the southern most atoll of the Maldives. Indeed if you go any further south you encounter penguins at the South Pole!!! But first it’s worth mentioning the journey for us, the rest of the UK and Europe. It’s a long way, be prepared for 3 flights and a speedboat trip. (Some airlines fly direct to the capital of the Maldives, Male, but that’s still a 10+ hour flight) So what I am trying to say is, be prepared. Having said that, Canareef have thought of the possible negative effect of this and have arranged at Male airport for ALL their guests to stay in the executive lounge at the domestic terminal (Moonimaa Lounge.) We had a 10 hour wait (not typical I have to say, but we arrived at 6.30am and the lunch time flight was full, so we were put on the 16.45pm flight. I can hear readers already thinking this is a negative, not so, the time went really quickly. Full breakfast, lunch and evening meals are provided, plus snacks throughout the day, plus hot/cold drinks. WiFi is provided and there is a shower room. All paid for by Canareef. ) We also were allowed to use the separate bed area away from the main lounge. We had 2 lovely meals, used the WiFi, had a shower, changed cloths and had a snooze!!! When we arrived at the resort it was dark, but there was a warm welcome with some traditional music and we were meet by Millie (she was the first person we meet and the last to hug us at the airport at the end.) She talked us through the resort activities, where things were and showed the various trips that were on offer. For the next 10 days we totally relaxed, enjoyed the food, our sunset villa with jacuzzi and 4 poster bed. The outdoor shower was a brilliant experience, as this is the rainy season and it’s worth mentioning that for the first 4 days it rained consistently, but we didn’t mind at all, we were in the Maldives and had known this could happen. The rest of our stay was a mixture of sunshine and showers. Our villa (673 for 1 night) and then 655 was amazing and kept spotlessly clean and tidy by room attendant Mootar (apologies if I spelt your name wrong.) He checked we had everything we needed, including extra water, toilet rolls and towels. And I know he enjoyed the sweets we left him each day!!!! (the only reason we asked to change villa’s was purely Villa 655 had a view of the ocean and we spend a lot of our time watching the water, totally relaxing, especially when it was raining!!!) Reception staff always had a smile on their face (special thanks to Winda, Alba, Jessica, Jasmin and so sorry if I missed anyone out. They were also the ladies I would call for the buggy service.)❤️❤️ Dive Centre was amazing and professional, Heather went on a snorkelling trip and loved every minute of it. (Worth mentioning if you don’t have your own mask, snorkel and Finns there is a small change for these.)❤️❤️ Food in the buffet restaurant (KILHI) was plentiful and the quality and choice for all 3 daily meals was outstanding. We were on All Inclusive and for the 10 days we always found something tasty to each. Fish, Various Meats, Pastas, plus local curries were available and pleased to report we had no tummy issues thanks to the excellent preparation of all the food. (Worth noting I suffer from Gout, brought on my eating good quality food and drinking good quality spirits, after 2 days guess what it returned ya my Gout!!!) On arrival you are allocation a waiter for the duration of your stay. We had Shafaz and he remembered what we liked to drink and always asked if we were having an enjoyable holiday. Of course we were. My only regret is that he was given some rest days at the end of our time at Canareef and we didn’t get to say goodbye to him and thank him.❤️❤️ Spa Treatments: we had 2 each and at this point I have to say I am totally biased to who are the best massagers in the world, Bali and it was with great excitement to learn they were at Canareef. We had our first treatment with Sri and Ayu Widya (a foot treatment for Heather and a head, shoulder and back for me) highly recommended and these ladies know their stuff. Ayu Widya noticed I had several knots around my shoulder and she managed to put them back in place and reduce the pain. We booked a Bali massage for both of us again with these ladies on our final day and that was truly wonderful. Plus we had a coffee scrub. (Note, these ladies might be small, but boy can they deliver the goods? They are so strong with their application) Thanks also to Boni for the extra service and duration. ❤️❤️ Both the Dhoni Bar and Beach Kuda Bar-were our chosen area to be found at at certain times of the day and thanks to Chef Lucky for his advice on my gout and to Gilbert for remembering our drink choices and always making us laugh. The waitress too were a joy to chat to. ❤️❤️ As said earlier the resort is spread out so bicycling is a good way to get from the villa to the beach bar restaurant spa etc. we also used them to visit the town island (you will need a special pass from reception to do this) but it does show the real Maldives and we spent a pleasure half day cycling through the town and arrived at the beach at Addu Meedhoo. Yes the locals stopped us and asked where we were from ( the bikes have “Canareef” on them, but I know it was just so they could practice their English and we were Happy to talk to them.) By the way on the subject of bikes I noticed a lot of reviews state they had their bikes taken, we saw this and decided this would not happen to us, so much to the staff’s amusement we brought our own pad lock and locked our bikes. I guess it was Gary from Glasgow that tried to take out bikes and found they were locked together!!! As you can probably tell we had a wonderful time and talked to all staff, that comes from my first ever sales job where the MD asked who would you talk to when going into a call. The answer is every one as everyone is important no matter what their role is in a company and that’s the same here. This resorts works so well because of the people employed and at this point a mention to the management lead by the ever friendly and approachable Sherzod who was always available and talking to guests. And to Deepak who responds to all these reviews, great to see the top management out and about interacting with guests. I did have a few suggestions while talking to Sherzod and these were; it would be nice for AL guests to have a few beers, soft drinks in the fridge in the villa to have while on the terrace area and could there be some light snacks at the Kuda Beach Bar, as it was a long way to the restaurant at lunch time if like us we spent a lot of time at this beach? And finally I asked if like other resorts, one meal a week could be taken in the A La Carte restaurant at no charge.? I did ask if I could post this section on TripAdvisor and he was firstly delighted that I did and he thought the other suggestions warranted further consideration. The positive at this resort is what sets it apart from so many others. ❤️❤️❤️ And so our time at Canareef came to an end and as we were waved off from the jetty, who was there, Sherzod and his top team. Needless to say it was a long flight home and we were missing the resort and staff from the moment the speedboat left the jetty. We will be back, thank you at all at Canareef for making our holiday so special. We deliberately did not mention either before or while we were there, but it was special for us in a different way. We were married in 1994 and this being 2024 meant we were celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary, but we didn’t want any special treatment, but like everyone else we were treated special as it’s the Canareef Resort way. ❤️❤️

I spent 13 days in this hotel. I am satisfied with the service, food and drinks. Villa with a sea view, but the bed was not comfortable to sleep. From 1-5. My rating is 3. Hotel manager The bottom of the bottom 0. Rude, He-- shouldn't be a manager!

Hi travelled for 10 days here in September.Long journey but worth it.Dont worry about the connecting flight at Male,asca Canareef rep is there to guide you through it all.I just seen the commercial flight to Gan as getting a sea plane,once your on the Speedboat you are talking 20mins.Then you recieve a really friendly welcome.Then check in was effortless too,didn't take long as you sat with your complimentary coconut drink.We were in Room 117 which was a fully detached Sunset Villa,no complaints at all,as it was Central for Reception and also the Restaurant just a short walk away.The Cocktail Party was amazing highly recommended indeed we were lucky we got a Sunset both times we went.Spent most of the time at the Dohni Bar area,with the pool,friendly staff and amazing breath taking views on the decking area WOW All the staff were super friendly,always met with a smile at reception and dealt with right away,nice friendly guy always had a smile when I exchanged cash.All the bar staff at the Dohni were amazing,everyone looked happy at their work.Big shout out to the Lifeguard Zoysa,we left our LILO but was put safely away until next day by him.Then also was put by our loungers every day for the rest of our vacation.I noticed helped a lot of folk and always had a kind welcome for everyone,bringing them towels etc A really nice guy.Our waiter was Muhammad we were table 117 he was amazing,he moved us closer to doors when another couple left.He was courteous friendly and on the ball every day.I understand he stays local.Best waiter service I've had on any holiday and I've been a few,never got to say goodbye as we were at the Cocktail Party.It was great having the Dj too can't beat having a bit of music at night time,please don't change this as some other Islands are screaming out for more Dj nights,big shout out to him also.I would definitely recommend CANAREEF to anyone it's well worth the long journey.I may even comeback one day who knows,and I don't usually REPEAT my long haul trips,but this place is a bit special.All the staff were just super friendly,the Manager guy was always there on point too to sort things.Hopefully he can pass on my kind words to staff mentioned.Apologies also,for the first few days it was ME taking bikes from the Restaurant to go to reception to change cash.I thought you just grabbed any bike you wanted.So to any member of staff or holiday maker who came out to no bike I'm sorry,thankfully our great waiter Muhammad spotted me struggling with a chained up bike and put me right,Funny story now,but not at the time for folk who were inconvenienced.And thanks to our Room guy he done a great job plus i got a lovely tray of fruit and stunning Birthday surprise bed display,thank you.So what you all waiting for get yourself down to CANAREEF RESORT MALDIVES

We had a pleasure of staying in Careneef Resort, and we must say,it exceeded all our exceptation. From the moment we arrived, we was warmly greeted by the attentif staff. Fantastic resorts with amazing food,lovely sunset beach villa with jacuzzi, staff remarkable friendly. Sherzod Berdov was always accessible, approachable, and went above and beyond to ensure that guests like us had a wonderful stay. Overall, we cannot recommend Careneef Resort enough. Will definitely be returning in the future. Thank you to entire team for a truly exceptional experience. Monika & Andy Stefanowicz

My stay at Canareef Resort, Gan Island, Maldives, was an unforgettable experience marked by warm hospitality and stunning surroundings. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with a traditional Maldivian welcome, setting the tone for a luxurious getaway. I stayed in both the Sunset Villa and the premium villa with a jacuzzi, both offering incredible views and a perfect balance of comfort and elegance. The resort’s all-inclusive package allowed me to indulge in a wide variety of international dishes from its three restaurants, with highlights being a candlelight dinner by the seaside and the impeccable service throughout. The activities at Canareef were equally memorable. A dolphin cruise and evening shark feeding provided exciting encounters with marine life, while the peaceful beachside atmosphere made for perfect relaxation. The attentive staff, including the resort’s AGM, Deepak, ensured every detail was taken care of, and the seamless travel arrangements made by Sri Lankan Airlines further enhanced the overall experience. Canareef Resort is an ideal destination for those seeking both adventure and relaxation in a beautiful Maldivian setting.