Makunudu Island Resort

Where do I start. Arrived 2 weeks to ago on the islands speedboat, great welcome from the staff on arrival and it just got better and better. The staff on island are by far the best I have ever witnessed, special mention to Anwar in the restaurant who made our holiday extra special, he was always smiling, nothing was too much trouble, a pleasure to have him look after us. Also Subre could not have been more helpful from the moment we arrived to the day we left. The island was stunning, rooms immaculate, everything we needed and more. Then there was the sea and beaches, so unspoilt and natural. The dive centre team were brilliant especially Sue, she went out of her way to explain and help us to settle in and where to snorkel and what to do. Whole experience is making us want to go back next year.

This is the most beautiful, unspoilt, tranquil island we have been to. My Husband and I have just spent the best 10 days holiday we have ever had (and we have been together 57years. All of the staff were amazing, our waiter Lasanther was brilliant and organised the most amazing special romantic dinner for us, a memory never to be forgotten. Sue from the dive centre, extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Finally the GM Abdulla Shaugy all helped to make this holiday fantastic. We hope that one day in the not to distant future we will go back.

We stayed here recently and had a mixed experience. Positives:
The resort is only about an hour from the airport by speedboat, and transfer timings are flexible, which is really convenient. The island itself is beautiful — very natural, filled with trees, and has that calm old-Maldives vibe since it’s one of the oldest resorts. Interiors are a bit dated. We were on the all-inclusive package, which included non-motorized water sports (kayak, snorkeling gear, etc.) and activities like sunset cruising and catamaran rides. The sea was absolutely stunning — crystal clear and blue. Drinks were unlimited and good quality (though you can’t take them out of the bar, which felt a little odd). Food was okay — breakfast and lunch were buffet style, dinner was à la carte. Could use more variety, but overall decent. The restaurant host, Milon, went out of his way to make us feel welcome with his warm smile, friendly conversation, and attentive service. Thank you, Milon. The room itself was lovely, but the bathroom was disappointing. The Muslim shower was placed far from the toilet seat, so it couldn’t be reached, there was a strange smell, only one showerhead, and the tap was old and rusty. Negatives:
Unfortunately, the service let us down. Our very first impression wasn’t great — the resort rep scolded us for being “late” for the boat, even though we arrived at 7:15 for a 7:30 departure. Another guest mentioned the same experience. Not the welcome you’d hope for. We were also very disappointed about being denied snorkeling equipment. We explained that we can swim and snorkel (we do it often), signed the consent form, and even said we’d stay close to shore, but were still refused saying we initially mentioned we are not “pros” at swimming. This has never happened at any other resort we’ve stayed at. At check-in, the host didn’t know we were on the all-inclusive package and started explaining full board until we corrected her. Later, we were charged for sparkling water in the minibar, even though the host told us everything except alcohol was included. When we flagged it, we were told it was on the minibar menu — but since we were told otherwise, we didn’t think to double-check. Overall:
The island is gorgeous and the location is convenient, but poor communication and disappointing service affected our stay. With better hospitality, this could be a fantastic resort, but as it stands, I wouldn’t return.