South Palm Resort Maldives

My husband and I visited this resort a couple of weeks ago. It was the best holiday we have ever been on and I hope my honest ‘warts and all’ review will help future visitors. Food- The food is very Asian orientated but delicious. There is Tuna every night, but it is fresh out of the sea and very nice. There were some ‘western’ alternatives - beef bourginon, Lasagne, chicken in various sauces and there were some sort of potatoes every night - no chips though which wasn’t an issue for me. The salads were very good, and the desserts, though limited in choice were good. There were at least 4 live cooking stations every night. Lunch was very similar, but they did some very nice toasted sandwiches. Breakfast had a huge variety of options - we loved the omelettes, French toast and egg choices. The best meal of the week was the BBQ - the lamb chops were amazing! The restaurant is hot, but at least your plates are warm and food isn’t freezing by the time you sit down. Hint - the air conditioning is fierce in the toilets there so great if you need a cool down! Island - We were looking for rustic, unspoiled Maldives which is exactly what we got. If you want height of luxury, premium all inclusive, this is not the place for you. The drinks list is limited, but adequate. We did have a few off list cocktails which were a similar price to UK bars. Yes, as previous people have said, it would be a benefit to have a free mini bar, but we managed without it. The free bottle of Bottega Prosecco was a very welcome gift though! Water Villas were very spacious and comfortable. Everything you needed but no frills. While there is no house reef, there is plenty to see right off your steps - turtles, juvenile sharks, juvenile Mantas and a whole variety of fish. At low tide, you don’t need to snorkel, just stand on your balcony, or sit on the steps and nature comes to you. We had the trip deal, 3 for $150 plus 10% off for AI. Highly recommend all of them - Reef snorkelling/dolphin spotting/sunset sharks and fishing. The Watersports and Dive Centre staff are very knowledgeable about the local marine environment. Staff - what can I say! They couldn’t do enough for you. Shout out to our butler, Ali, who made our holiday but the waiting and bar staff were exceptional too. The only thing that would stop us going again is travel time - 27 hours was a lot, but if they ever start flying from UK to Gan, we will be there like a shot!!!