Dhonfulhafi Beach View & Spa Guest House

The island feels natural and small, with a little jungle and two lovely Bikini Beaches, one right by the hotel. The house reef is huge and well kept. We saw turtles, small sharks, rays and octopuses right in front of the hotel, and had good snorkeling gear provided for free, plus tips on great dive spots. There are also professional diving courses on the island. We made wonderful friends here and never felt we were missing anything. Haneef and his team arranged worthwhile excursions at very reasonable prices. We saw turtles, picnicked on sandbanks, explored uninhabited islands and learned to fish, with a BBQ afterward. The hotel restaurant served delicious local dishes, along with pizza, fries and pasta. Compared with resorts, a stay here costs much less while offering similar luxury, uncrowded beaches and a real look at local life. The excursions are similar too, but cheaper and more private, without large groups. Maalhos is a great place for a holiday with Haneef, and we’ll definitely return. We won’t forget this trip or the friends we made. The locals welcomed us as if we lived there, which made it easy to learn about their way of life. This was our best holiday ever. We were looked after around the clock, and every wish we could think of was fulfilled. Haneef and his team offered wonderful outings, and the locals made us feel at home. It’s well worth the trip!!!

The food was tasty, from the excellent grilled fish to the vegetarian dishes, and even with my food allergies the team always made sure I had something good I could eat. The traditional breakfast was nice too. Trips with the owner to uninhabited islands for picnics, turtle reefs, dolphins and sandbanks were available, though sometimes the sea was too rough to go by boat. The trips we did manage were great. I saw plenty of turtles, sharks and dolphins, including several turtles on the house reef just off the beach. My room was on the second floor, clean and simply furnished with a comfortable bed, wardrobe, shelf, fan and air conditioning. The bathroom had a hot shower, toilet, sink, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. There was also a kettle with coffee and tea. Drinking water on the island comes from salt water and was provided in glass bottles in the room. The upstairs terrace had tables, chairs and sunbeds, with a great view of the sea and beach. Sometimes you could see dolphins. Meals could be taken there, sheltered from wind and rain, or on the beach. Haneef was helpful from booking through departure. At Male international airport I was taken to check in for the domestic flight. After 30 minutes, I arrived at Dharavandoo Airport, where Haneef was waiting. A short speedboat ride took us to Maalhos Harbour. The hotel is on the other side of the harbour, less than 500 metres away on foot. It has 14 rooms on two floors, right by the beach. The owner Haneef and manager Inu were around and kind, and the staff were friendly. I felt well looked after and enjoyed the holiday. They also organized the PCR test and departure transfer well. The bikini beach was a bit small during my November visit because of the season; there was more sand and beach on the other side, and this changes in other months. You can walk along the long beach and almost around the island, watch local people fishing, and see sunset at the harbour and sunrise on the beach by the hotel. There are a few shops, two coffee shops for snacks or meals, a hospital and a school. People were very friendly, and guests were welcome at a beach food festival with lots of regional delicacies. It’s a quiet, beautiful little island. There’s also a shipyard where small speedboats and large freighters are built. The owner plans them by sketching the designs in his head instead of drawing on paper. There were mosquitoes, mostly in the evenings, though not too many. Bring repellent and something for the itchy bites. Thankfully I didn’t have any in my room. In the jungle they were around both day and night. It was an exciting and relaxing holiday, and I’d come again.

The rooms were great, the food was wonderful, and the guesthouse sits right on the beach. I had a really nice stay and enjoyed the beach.