Beach Home Kelaa

We went in early October and saw no other tourists, though I imagine high season is different. Kelaa is a quiet way to experience the Maldives far from the central tourist areas. If you're choosing between JA Manafaru or Island Hideaway Resorts and want local life too, staying here could be a good fit. The island is easy and safe to explore on foot. We watched the sunset by the jetty and harbour, walked through the village when it was cooler, and saw local life. There's an outdoor gym, and plenty of space for a morning walk or run. We borrowed scooters from local friends and rode to the island's tip, through palm groves, farmland, mangroves and tropical forest. We also found the British RAF staging post, a metal transmission tower reaching above the palms, and tried our first Maldivian mud bath. Hilarious! Bikes would be a useful addition, since there’s so much to see. The west side has a beach with a designated bikini area and sand as fine as talcum powder. The guesthouse also offers water sports and excursions, including snorkeling from $30 per person. There’s no dive operator on the island at present, but a nearby resort can arrange diving, which will affect the price. Resort visits can also be arranged if you really want a beer, though the nearby places are all 5-star resorts, so expect high prices. Moosa designed and lovingly built the property, with a lovely garden and a terrace on the first floor. It has six rooms: three standard rooms downstairs and three larger deluxe rooms upstairs, one of them with a balcony. From the moment we came in, it felt like he was welcoming us into his home. Rooms are nicely furnished, with a reasonably sized en suite, a strong shower, toiletries and fluffy towels. Each has AC, a ceiling fan, mini fridge, safe, beach towels, TV and bottled water. There’s Wi-Fi. It worked well the first day but was slow on the second, one of the joys of island life! Tea and coffee are available in the ground-floor kitchen and dining area, and guests can use the kitchen to cook for themselves, which you don't often find in a guesthouse. The property can provide all meals, or there are three local cafes for a change. Sosun Cafe was lovely for evening tea.

We had breakfast at Sufra and enjoyed dinner there too. The owner, Moosa, was so welcoming and friendly, and the service was outstanding. He took us on personal sightseeing and snorkeling trips, and lent us bicycles and snorkeling gear. Our week at Beach Home Kelaa was perfect. We’d gladly stay again and highly recommend it.

Kelaa itself is huge but easy to get around by bike or on foot. We checked out Kandoofaa, the largest wetlands in Maldives, and the natural mud baths. There’s plenty of farming and banana plantations to see. The lagoon is one of the biggest in Maldives, a clear turquoise all the way to the horizon, and deep enough for a good swim. The sand is incredibly soft and white. It feels like an untouched paradise. We even spotted a dolphin in the lagoon! The guesthouse can arrange water sports and excursions, and the sunsets are so vivid. We were two girls on a trip to Kelaa, and felt safe and comfortable at this very hospitable guesthouse. They greeted us warmly with flowers and refreshing drinks, and arranged an easy transfer from Hanimaadhoo, about 30 minutes away. It’s a family-style place with huge rooms and a lovely garden. Breakfast is filling and made to order, so you can sleep in if you want. The chef was away while we were there, so we ordered from a great restaurant Trevor, the manager, recommended. They delivered, which meant lots of pizza in bed for us. The best part was the owner, Mr.Moosa. Meeting him was a privilege, and he made us feel so welcome. He personally showed us the wetlands and mud baths, arranged local goodies for us to take home, and even called while we were at the beach to ask if we needed chairs. That was really sweet. I can’t put into words how amazing Kelaa is. The owner and management made our trip extra special, and I can’t wait to go back.

We came with a group of friends, but the room options were for groups of three, two or one. There were four of us, so we had to rent two rooms, which wasn’t very comfortable for two people to sleep in. The rooms themselves are beautiful and well furnished, and the manager was friendly. We had dinner in their dining room, which was nice, and the food was delicious. Everything else was okay.