Helengeli

Offers

Early Booking Offer
For bookings made before 27th February 2012 for stays between 1st May 2012 to 15th July 2012 :

Free upgrade from Bed & Breakfast to Half Board or from Half Board to Full Board

Price: 2 adults, 7 nights, 1 Beach Bungalow, Half Board, Emirates flights + Seaplane transfers from £2,400

The Island

We stayed here for 2 weeks with our boys Matthew 13 and Thomas 11. We immediately warmed to the natural simplicity of the island. It took just a little while longer for the caring personality of the island to shine through and by then we were hooked. Our first snorkelling trip ‘wowed’ us all. No where else have we seen so many fish and of such variety in one snorkelling trip. Octopus, turtles, rays, eels, lionfish, napoleon fish, squid, reef sharks on top of the usual suspects were all sighted on that first trip. This is as good as it gets in the Maldives.

The island itself is long and thin with 50 Beach Bungalows scattered amongst the vegetation. A sandy path meanders behind the accommodation which is located around the beach perimeter of around 2/3 of the island. The remaining 1/3 is taken up by the restaurant, bar, swimming pool, dive centre, spa and staff quarters. This means that all the facilities are in close proximity to one another which is helpful. For such a small island, the swimming pool area is a real bonus. Nicely laid out with a surrounding decked sunbathing area, it consists of a main pool and a separate child’s paddling pool. This area leads directly onto the beach which means that families with small children are well catered for. It is also the perfect spot for the obligatory sunset cocktails as the hermit crabs dance around the sand and the sun sinks into the inky ocean.

Transfer

Located in North Male Atoll, transfer to Helengeli is by seaplane and takes around 15 minutes. On arrival at the small wooden floating pontoon, a dhoni boat will complete the short transfer to the island.

Accomodation

Accommodation is of a relatively basic nature. There are 50 Beach Bungalows arranged primarily in units of two semi-detached rooms.  The rooms themselves are clean and perfectly adequate, but nothing more. There is air conditioning, a stocked mini bar and safe in the room plus a surprisingly large giffilli style bathroom which is nice. There is a small terrace outside each bungalow with 2 chairs and a small table.  Nestled amongst the vegetation, you are never more than a stones throw away from the sea and plenty of options for stringing up the odd hammock. There are no TV’s and no telephones. Each room can accommodate 1 extra bed.

The single Deluxe Villa is detached, has a ground floor living area and first floor mezzanine bedroom reached by rather steep ladder style stairs. The bathroom is enclosed but there is a wonderful private decked patio area leading directly onto the beach.  Two extra beds can be accommodated in the living area which makes it ideal for a Family.  The Deluxe Villa is situated at the best part of the island, not far from the sand spit which juts out into the turquoise waters. This accommodation is very much in demand so book early to avoid disappointment.

Facilities

House Reef: The house reef is excellent and close to the shore all round the island. There can be a current but our experience is that providing you snorkel in the same direction as the current, there is no problem. The array and quantity of fish is unmatched in anywhere else we have been (26 islands so far!).

Diving: Ocean Pro operates a full programme of courses and boat dives to local sites. This is very much a dive island, you won’t be disappointed.  The lobster cave on the house reef is a particular highlight.

Water Sports: There are no water sports on Helengeli.

Shop: There is a well stocked shop selling snacks and souvenirs.

Spa: For those who want to be pampered, ‘The Duniye Spa’ offers a full range of treatments and therapies which can be booked either individually or as a pamper package.

Child Minding: This can normally be arranged on an informal basis with a member of staff for an additional charge.

Internet Access: is available around the reception and bar area for a small charge.

Dining

All meals are on a set basis and are buffet style. Not gourmet dining, but with a variety of dishes, particularly based around freshly caught fish.  There is also a main bar area where a wide range of drinks and snacks are served.  There is sand on the floor throughout the restaurant and bar and the atmosphere is always relaxed and informal.

Once a week, weather permitting, the management holds a BBQ on the beach instead of serving evening meal in the main restaurant.  On most islands, this would be charged as an extra, but not on Helengeli and is a good example of the genuine, friendly nature of the island.

Bed & Breakfast, Half Board and Full Board are available.

Main Restaurant	All meals are buffet style, good quality but more limited choice than in some resorts.
Main Bar	Serving coffee, cocktails, beer, soft drinks etc. plus a selection of bar snacks

Recreation

Land Based:  table tennis, billiards, darts and volleyball

Excursions: Trips to inhabited local islands and deserted islands give you the unique opportunity to discover more of the Maldives and their way of life. A special excursion is the dolphin search, as many dolphins call the waters around Helengeli their home.  Some of the excursions are:

• Snorkel Safaris
• Island hopping
• Shopping trip to Male

Spa: Place yourself in the hands of Duniye Spa and let yourself be pampered. The experienced therapists will relieve the stress from your body with the wide selection of treatments on offer. Choose between Swedish, Aromatherapy or Foot Massages or try the traditional Balinese or Thai Treatment. Several special packages have been created to suit all guests.

Diving: Due to Helengeli’s location on the outer reef the unspoiled house reef is just off the beach, easily accessible for snorkelling and divers. Some of the best dive sites, such as the Helengeli Thila, are also found near Helengeli.  The dive school is run by Ocean Pro and equipped with the best modern equipment. Experienced, multilingual European diving instructors teach PADI courses up to internationally accepted diving certificates of different levels. Twice a day diving excursions to some of the 36 dive sites nearby Helengeli are arranged, some as close as 5 minutes from the island.

Prices

All our holidays are bespoke, tailored to your requirements. Because of this we operate a “price on application” system. However, this page will give you an indication of the cost of your holiday.

Guide Prices for 2 Weeks, 2 People, Half Board, Including flights from the UK and seaplane transfers:

This Resort	Type of Resort	Total Price – High Season	Total Price – Low Season
Helengeli	Good Value	£4,750	£3,600
	Mid Market	£5,700	£4,100
	Deluxe	£10,500	£7,500
	Luxury	£11,975	£8,300

High season: Early Jan – End April (prices are higher again over Christmas and the New Year)
Low season: May – Mid July