Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru

We have stayed at Sun Siyam Iru Vali on 3 occasions and became friendly with one of the staff, Uma, a lovely young lady from Nepal. When we found out that Uma had moved from Iru Veli to Vabbinfaru we decided to book a holiday there. Uma is based at the Japanese restaurant at Vabbinfaru and we had several delicious lunches and dinners there. It was so good to meet up with Uma again. Our “ambassador” was Fatima. She was very friendly and efficient, arranging things for us, which included two visits to the “sister island” Dhawa Ihuru, 5 minutes away by speedboat, for lunch. Our beach villa was on the sunrise side of the island (our choice) and was well appointed. Our “house boy” Nooh was a pleasant young man who efficiently kept our villa neat and tidy. Vibbinfaru is well known for its snorkelling, which wasn’t of interest to us. We were more interested in the “peace and serenity” aspect of the island. It was so different from the hustle and bustle of so many Mediterranean resorts. Apart from the Japanese restaurant there was another restaurant, Saffron, specialising in Thai food. There were also buffet dinners offering a range of foods. Whether it was breakfasts, lunches, dinners or buffet meals, the variety and quality of the food was outstanding. We sometimes had a cocktail before and after dinner in the Bar…….like the Japanese restaurant, a wonderful building with an array of comfortable seat. Everywhere the staff were so polite and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. On several occasions when at our beach villa we asked for some ice, which was delivered within two minutes! We also met the Catering Manager, Aden, who was from South Korea, a very pleasant man. We chose this Maldives island because of Uma. It proved to be a wonderful holiday.

A perfect paradise island vacation! Not having had a beach holiday previously we weren’t certain that Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru would live up to our expectations, especially as it was an expensive holiday. However our expectations were actually exceeded. We chose a sunset view villa which although was more expensive was well worth it. The villa was just beautifully laid out, with hot tub, plunge pool & open air shower in the enclosed rear & a lovely deck & shaded seating area at the front on the beach. The bed was comfy, the bathroom very well equipped & spacious. But it was the laid back but professional vibe of the staff & the island itself that meant the most. Banyan Tree obviously train their staff very well, and look after them very well. And it fully shows in the service that you receive. Very attentive but chilled & always with a wonderful smile. There are activities on the island - some like snorkelling are complementary but others are quite expensive. However the afternoon guided tour of Male was well worth the $65. Some folks are confused about the full board/inclusive packages. Inclusive includes soft drinks & local beverages plus a range of spirits & wines. Plus a slightly wider range of food menu items. If you do like a drink or two it is worth it as everything on the island is relatively expensive. However there is still a supplement for quite a few dishes regardless of what package you are on. But there is more than enough choice without having to pay more. It is also well worth mentioning the green credentials of the Vabbinfaru resort - plastic free, sustainability focused, plus the Marine Lab. We celebrated Earth Hour whilst we were at the resort and it was very moving. Everyone from front of house through the wait staff, bar staff, maintenance team & our wonderful Villa attendant, Hassan, need a pat on the back. Splendid service is delivered peacefully & seemingly effortlessly.

I had an amazing stay at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru. Beaches are great, villas were spacious and clean. The whole trip was relaxing and well taken care of, with consistently thoughtful service exactly as advertised. Special appreciation to Allath at the front desk for being so supportive and kind, making my stay even more enjoyable.

Brilliant week at Banyan Tree. Lovely staff - friendly and accommodating and sorted a couple of very small issues promptly. Close to Male but still feels calm and relaxing. The island is beautiful and small, with good snorkelling on the house reef and the added benefit of regular speedboat ferries to the sister island with its own house reef. Only takes about three minutes and adds nice variety to your stay, plus your meal / drinks package can be used on the other island too. We saw sharks and turtles on the house reefs and a stingray in the lagoon. Special thanks to Waheed on front desk, Ahmed and Aimon in Saffron restaurant and Ziyan, Uma and Nis in the Japanese restaurant - and the two chaps who took us out on the catamaran whose names unfortunately we didn’t note down, sorry!

We were lucky enough to stay at this beautiful island for 19 nights, having had our trip unexpectedly extended due to the cancellation of flights via the Middle East. It is a stunning island with only 48 villas and no water bungalows. You can walk around it in less than 10 minutes, which adds to its charm. We experienced 3 different villas during our stay due to rooms having already been allocated out before our additional 12 nights. 2 were Oceanview villas with fabulous sounds of the sea heard from inside the rooms. The Beachvilla was set slightly back but had a larger garden area and a little more privacy. Otherwise all are designed exactly the same and all fabulously equipped. Our first Oceanvilla had shared access to the beach with a neighbouring Beachvilla which may not be desirable to some. If staying on an all-inclusive basis, the mini bar is plentiful, with beers and soft drinks replenished daily, wine and 37.5ml bottles of spirits every 5 days. Meals at the Japanese restaurant and Thai were lovely, and they will happily change dishes to suit tastes/special diets. Great to see the Head Chef at meal times and in discussion with diners. The evening Buffet is served 3 times a week, Mediterranean, Maldivian and a BBQ, delicious and with excellent choices. We also ate at the sister Island resort for breakfast, lunch and dinner which gives you some additional options during your stay. Their restaurant has a decked area with waves lapping around you as you dine, likewise the bar there is equally charming to experience the sound of the waves with a sundowner. Snorkelling is fabulous at both islands and the Marine lab both interesting and committed to conservation. It was truly heart warming to see their efforts to save the coral reefs and marine life. There was a protected turtle nest on the beach while we were there, and thanks to a recent posted video shows the successful hatchlings heading to the sea. The Spa is a wellbeing oasis and has many interesting treatments on offer. We tried various massages which were first rate, as well as the reflexology and acupuncture performed by Dr Sharma. Again excellent. There is a daily programme of wellbeing events, some complimentary including 4 sessions of yoga each week. A great way to kick start or end your day relaxed. Without repeating too much of what is clearly evident from the other reviews, the staff are the most customer focused team we have encountered on our travels. They are genuinely interested in you and making your stay as perfect as possible. It was refreshing to see happy, friendly and supportive staff in every role. Too many fabulous individuals to name but a big thank you to one and all.