Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru

Had a great time exploring the island—seeing the coral and fish up close was amazing. The staff were friendly and the hospitality was really good. Afraah was very helpful throughout our stay—whenever we had any questions, he was always there to assist us and made everything easy.

You are ushered from the minute you step through immigration into the welcome lobby of the airport by hotel staff who take your luggage to the waiting water taxi for a less than 30 minute trip to the island. As you get off the boat, you are introduced to your personal host who will add you to a whatsapp group to answer any question, book activities, meals and provide advice. Afraah was our personal host who went above and beyond with any request we had. Even when we wanted a dolphin cruise on an off day, Afraah arranged a personal cruise for us, road on the cruise with us and spotted the dolphin pod before any other boats to provide an amazing experience for the whole family. Location/Atmosphere: Perfect white sand paradise, no shoes needed. The entire island is a flower filled tropical botanical garden surrounded by a shallow warm water lagoon. Great snorkeling, though wear a life jacket unless you are a strong swimmer. We rented a glass bottom boat to paddle around the reef on a sunny calm day to fully enjoy the extreme variety of coral and marine sealife. Free water taxi to the sister island Dawa Ihuru runs multiple times a day which may have even better/easily accessible snorkeling where I spotted a sea turtle up close. Rooms: There is no bad ones. Most rooms it seemed all had a walkout beach access with the beach right off your back patio. A well air conditioned bedroom with open bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers, a private plunge pool and Jacuzzi. Food: All breakfast buffets included and highly recommend upgrading to half board for dinners included as well, there is 3 restaurants on the island and no real way to store or prepare your own food. Noise level: Cuckoo call's, ocean breeze, and the surf on the beach. Nothing else. Value: No price tag can be set on the experience. If you can afford it, do it. A+ Cleanliness: The rooms and beach were pristine. Included room cleaning up to 2 times a day with all the water you need replenished in glass bottles.

Shuja is friendly and polite. He does his best to make the room exactly the same way every day. Thank you to make us a comfortable stay..hope to be back.

The island is stunningly beautiful. Our butler Holly provided excellent service, the food at the restaurant was delicious, and the staff was very warm and welcoming. It made me feel so cared for, and it was truly a perfect trip.

This detached villa, complete with a Jacuzzi and a small pool, ensured absolute privacy. The back door leads directly to an open-air terrace connected to the beach – this "open-door ocean view" design provided an unparalleled vacation experience. I especially want to commend the attentive restaurant staff. Within two days, she remembered our dietary preferences (e.g., our usual drinks and food choices), a model of exceptional service that made me feel right at home. Our thoughtful butler, Afraah, was the heart of the trip. From pick-up and drop-off at the pier, he not only handled daily chores but also provided surprises and reassurance. Each day was packed with activities, starting with a morning yoga session to energize myself, enjoying the sun and beach, and relaxing with a massage (SPA). Watching the sunset was an unmissable experience, perfectly concluding each day. In summary, after four relaxing days, Banyan Tree is a place I highly recommend.