South Palm Resort Maldives

We can't thank everybody at South Palm Resort enough for such an incredible honeymoon. We booked 11 nights through Blue Bay Travel staying in a water villa and although we had a 5 hour wait at Male Airport before the flight onto Gan, they provided us with complimentary access to a lounge with free food and drink so it didn't feel too long. The forecast had suggested thunderstorms almost every day but we didn't have any rain during the daytime, and other than a torrential downpour the night we arrived, just a couple of showers on a few evenings. We saw turtles, spotted eagle rays, cow-tailed stingrays and baby sharks all within a few metres of the bottom of our steps. If you swim out a bit further you can find a number of nice reefs teeming with colourful fish. Our butler Ali and everybody in the restaurant team were absolutely amazing. Our coca-colas were on our table before we'd even sat down most days and refills were brought within seconds of finishing the drink. They cooked some delicious pasta right in front of you and would bring it to your table if they was going to be a wait. Everybody would wave and high five you. It was a lovely atmosphere. We are fussy eaters so always worry about food at an all inclusive, but it was delicious. We regularly had potato curry, noodles, pasta and much more - they even make toasties for you at lunch time if you want one! One of the best things we did was snorkelling with nurse sharks with Southern Maldives Divers which is right next to the watersports centre. It only cost us $40 per person and we were the only people on the trip. The nurse sharks swim all around you and the team are on hand to make sure you're safe and even took our GoPro to help with photos and videos. We loved it so much we did it three times. We also booked the dolphin trip through them as they offered a better deal than the hotel. The one annoyance we had was with Blue Bay Travel, not the hotel, as a free snorkelling trip to a reef was included with our deal, but days before we travelled Blue Bay backtracked. They offered a guided tour of buildings on a local island, but this wasn't something we were interested in so we paid for the snorkelling trip through the hotel instead ($55 per person). The reef was lovely and it's definitely worth doing. There is no ATM on the island and they accept US dollars so if you want to give tips I'd suggest getting some dollars beforehand. We didn't realise so asked at reception and they were happy to change some money up for us using a card machine, but it's best to let them know in advance so they can make sure they have enough cash in hand for you. Finally, the island is absolutely beautiful. The different shades of blue, the palm trees, the coral - it really is like being in paradise. We would definitely return!

Great ten day break here. Yes, it does take a long time to get there but this is mainly due to waiting at Male for a flight connection to Gan. They give free access to the lounge so it could be worse. It's worth it though. It's 4 star not 5 star but hopefully your price has reflected that. Greeted from the speedboat transfer from Gan by the biggest of smiles and warmest of welcomes. We were in an over water villa which was idyllic. They come with a 'butler', ours was Mr Ali and there was nothing he wouldn't do for you..the nicest, most helpful person. The villa was lovely, sit on the deck and watch the turtles swim by. We saw sharks, rays and turtles all from the villa. The excursion packages are worth doing too. Dolphins, snorkelling, sunset cruise, shark feeding and fishing all great . Chef will even cook your fish if you wish. The food is generally very good and most of it freshly cooked at stations on the buffet. A lot of (good) chicken, beef and fish and excellent salads, sweets etc as well as hot dishes such as curries etc. The restaurant is a little cavernous and lacking in atmosphere but you will be very well looked after. The staff pride themselves on getting to know your likes so your drinks will arrive without asking...the correct amount of milk will be added to your coffee etc etc. All in all a fantastic, relaxing holiday spent eating, drinking and just watching the beautiful world go by. Thoroughly recommend it.

We booked 2 water villas for 4 people through Blue Bay Travels for approximately £1600, and had a brilliant time! We flew with Etihad from London to Abu Dhabi to Male to Gan, followed by a 20 minute speedboat ride. Of course it's a long journey (~25 hours in total), but the flights and airports were all comfortable. Our bags were well taken care of by airport and hotel staff from the moment we arrived to when we left. The service at the resort was brilliant. All of the staff were so friendly, upbeat, attentive and great at their jobs. The waiters in the restaurant and bar never let our drinks run dry, and our cleaner kept our room tidied twice a day, and well stocked with towels and water. The rooms are very well equipped. The WiFi was really reliable and is also available in most of the public buildings. We didn't need plug adaptors, as they have UK plugs and USB ports. The air con was great, and there's a ceiling fan, both of which were a welcome refuge from the heat outdoors. We really enjoyed the convenience of the water villa balcony, which were nice and private from neighbours. I swam out early every morning, it was a great way to start (and sometimes end) the day. Naturally, it's not too deep - you can stand waist-deep around most of the island. But that is quite handy if currents tire you out, and there were still plenty of fish to see. In some places a little further out, there were coral reefs teeming with life. We were forecast for heavy thunderstorms for the whole week, but in the end it only really poured it down on the night we arrived. The rain is loud on the room roof, but it's actually quite a relaxing sound. In one of our water villas there was a small leak in the villa roof, but the staff were quick to get the guests and their luggage moved to another water villa, and had the leak fixed in time for the next guest in that room. Other than that, we had beautiful hot days and sun. It's an easy and picturesque ~20 minute walk across the island, but if you like there is a buggy on demand to scoot you around, with really kind and chatty drivers. We bought a 3-excursion deal for $135. The dolphin spotting was brilliant, they swam right alongside the boat and put on a show with their jumps. The nurse shark feeding was also great to see, and the night fishing was OK - personally I much more enjoyed being out on the sea for the sunset/stars than the fishing. The snorkeling was also a great way to see some deeper reefs than those around the island. There was also a free walking tour on the neighbouring island which, while you don't see anything particular, you do get to see how local Maldivians live. The locals love to wave! I also used the dive centre. I'm certified though haven't dived in years, but Terry and the rest of the team were amazingly helpful - they answered my many questions and led 2 unforgettable dives in 28C water. I fulfilled a lifelong dream of diving with manta rays (said to be a 97% chance they'll be there at the dive), and also saw countless fish, turtles and sharks along the reefs. The food at the buffet was tasty and changed everyday. There were 5 "live" stations where things are cooked for you, as well as cold salad/dessert rooms and hot pots for several dishes. Rice, curries, pasta, soups, bread, beef, tuna and chicken were all options every day - I really enjoyed the variety and couldn't help but try everything out at each meal. The drinks variety in the package is a little limited, but definitely more than enough. A good tip is that you can add any package liqueur to the package mocktails. Yashmun was a lovely waiter. There's a great array of animals and plants - white terns, herons, hermit crabs, fruit bats, and of course lots of fish. On the excursions and dives we saw dolphins, reef and nurse sharks, turtles and manta rays. There were no rats at all like one review said, and while there aren't loads of bugs, it's best to bring bug spray to avoid any bites. Overall, we had an amazing time. It's not a 5 star luxury resort where you have included butler service and room drinks (instead you have to pay extra), but the service already provided was definitely stellar and is all you need! If you're worried about the few negative reviews on here, I wouldn't pay attention to them. They're few and far between and seem a bit high maintenance, and I didn't experience any of the things they complained about.

Everything was perfect, we had the most relaxing time. From the water villa to the staff and food we couldn’t fault a thing. Do take; Water shoes Torch Snacks Plenty to read You will be looked after from the minute you land in male, the extra plane trip to Gan is so worth it. We don’t usually go back to the same hotel but we definitely would here.

We have just returned from the most amazing 2wks at South Palm. The food was fantastic, so much variety and the staff very attentive and absolutely amazing. We had our own personal waiter the whole time we was there for all meals. Nothing was too much trouble and they could't do enough for us. The island is gorgeous and everything is spotless. The pool is fantastic and Kumar, the pool attendant is obsessed with keeping it clean and tidy. We had a wonderful time just chilling by the pool and reading. The guy came to our beach villa twice a day to clean and change towels and sweep sand. The rooms were spotless and the outdoor shower was gorgeous. The trips to see the dolphins, sharks and snorkelling are well worth the extra cost. These are not included in the all inclusive price and this was told to us on the day of arrival. We was told what was not included and what the extra costs would be if we wanted to partake in any of the extras. Nothing was hidden from us and our final bill was $4 for the crab race, which was so much fun. We also had a beautiful anniversary dinner on the beach, complimentary of the resort, which was totally unexpected and very romantic with a beautiful sunset. If you want an Ibiza holiday then this is NOT the place to come. This island is for relaxing and basically doing nothing. Lounge by the pool, eat, sleep, read and repeat. I really don't understand the negative comments listed for this island only to say that the people obviously did not research the island properly or just those sort of people that are never happy, no matter what!!. The travel agent details clearly state that there is not much to do on the island and once you land in Male then you will get on another plane and then a speedboat to the island, which is quite fun. We would definitely come to this island again and would highly recommend it.