The Maldivian island resort of Bandos had an overhaul in 2005 that added some accommodation and an extension to its facilities. The appearance of the complex provides a good balance between casual and formal styles. The reception has a lot of modern facilities, such as an Internet access point, conference room, plasma TV, etc. but this has not affected the tropical beauty of the island which has not been compromised at all, with quiet accommodation and private beach areas shaded by tall palm trees and other tropical vegetation.
This resort has gone to great lengths to accommodate families, with a purpose-built nursery with female staff available to babysit and babysit in the evenings if needed. Some of the rooms in the standard and junior class also have a connecting door for families who need to split between multiple rooms. The resort is popular with families, so kids who aren’t old enough to take part in some of the larger activities can probably find other kids their age to play with.
The main bar and cafe are conveniently located near the water, and the bar is often a hive of activity until the early hours of the morning. The restaurants, while not particularly inspiring in their decor, serve a variety of quality dishes. Visitors with young children should note that the lagoon tends to get deeper fairly quickly.
Activities
Bandos is undoubtedly one of the main diving centers in the Maldives, especially since it has one of the few decompression chambers in the country. It offers a wide range of courses, from absolute beginner open water courses to expert re-breather courses. The snorkeling is very good and you can snorkel all over the island. The dive center here is both an International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers Platinum Facility and a PADI Gold Palm Resort.
Accommodation
There are 48 Junior suites arranged in groups with a shared garden. They are ornately decorated, with a yellow and ocher color scheme, solid wood canopy bed and a sense of style that makes them very cosy. The only major drawback, from what we could perceive, is that the beach in this section of the resort is almost completely submerged at high tide, but I think this is a minor issue for most. There are 84 beach-adjacent standard rooms and an additional 19 non-beach facing rooms. These alternate between double and twin bed layout to provide for families again. They are nicely furnished with tiled floors and balconies. You may consider the bathrooms to be on the slightly smaller side. Some of these rooms face west towards the sunset and are also blessed with one of the best sections of the beach.
The 48 circular beach villas are the latest accommodations to be added to the complex. Each one is on two floors, with a bedroom on the top floor and a balcony overlooking the sea. These rooms have been decorated with care and good taste to give that superior feeling. Bathrooms are half inside and half outside the villa, complete with thatched-roof Jacuzzi tubs. The 24 Garden villas are located primarily by the relatively new pool, which will suit those who like to lounge by the pool all day. Although they are not as large as the Junior suites, they are cozy in their atmosphere and decoration and are located just a few steps from the beach.
