Dec 292010

An island for those who need a little more going on. As well as good beaches and snorkelling it has a sports centre and a number of restaurants to choose from.  The accommodation is similar in style to the neighbouring up-market resort of Soneva Fushi, a simple, rustic feel with lots of natural colours.  The price tag however is much more affordable.  The Deluxe Villas offer a sitting area that can provide an additional sleeping area for 2 children, making Reethi Beach an ideal choice for families.

  • Reethi from the seaplane

    Reethi from the seaplane

  • Deluxe Villa

    Deluxe Villa

  • Pool

    Pool

  • Reethi Villa

    Reethi Villa

  • Reethi Villa

    Reethi Villa

  • Water Villa

    Water Villa

  • Water Villas

    Water Villas

  • Feeding the rays

    Feeding the rays

  • Reethi Villa

    Reethi Villa

  • Path through the island

    Path through the island

  • No Shoes!

    No Shoes!

  • Feeding the rays

    Feeding the rays

  • Cats

    Cats

  • Beach bar

    Beach bar

  • Beach

    Beach

  • Bar

    Bar

  • Beach

    Beach

The Island

In Baa Atoll, north west of Male International airport. Reethi Beach is on the lush Fonimagoodhoo Island, surrounded by a beautiful lagoon and white, sandy beach. The island is just 600 m x 200 m and is reached by a scenic 35 minutes (124 km) seaplane flight. The wonderful house reef is some 50 to 150 metres from the island.  There are 110 rooms in total, including 30 water villas.

With a choice of 5 restaurants and an indoor sports complex, Reethi Beach will appeal to those who prefer a little more going on.  However, the island still retains a natural Maldivian feel, complemented by the chic, rustic style of the accommodation which is very similar in feel to its upmarket neighbour, Soneva Fushi.  Having undergone refurbishment in 2010, rooms are in particularly good condition.  The All Inclusive option at Reethi Beach offers particularly good value compared to other Maldives resorts.

There is an excellent beach all the way down the west side of the island, where the Reethi Villas are, and an even wider bulge of fine sand at the southern end, where the Deluxe Villas are. At the other end is a smaller bulge behind the semicircle of  water bungalows.

Reethi Beach is one of the most environmentally friendly islands in the Maldives. The interior of the island is left as undisturbed as possible, no groynes or walls have been built and there is no pumping of sand to supplement the beach.  It is claimed that island energy consumption per client is a quarter of the industry average.

Transfer

By seaplane, taking around 35 minutes.  Transfers are operated by Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) from their seaplane terminal located a short distance from the international airport and reached by a frequent mini bus service which is free of charge.  Seaplanes operate according to international arrival and departures at the various resorts – there is no fixed timetable.  As seaplanes are only able to operate during daylight hours, you will be required to overnight at one of the hotels in Male if you arrive late in the afternoon.  The first seaplane departure from Male is around 6am, the last around 4pm.  The timing of the seaplane transfer from resort back to Male will be advised to you locally, the night prior to departure.

Please note: If your international flight is delayed and you miss your seaplane departure, you may need to stay the night in Male at an additional cost. Your transfers would be arranged the following day on the earliest possible seaplane but again at an additional cost since your original seaplane is then treated as a no-show. Guests will also not be refunded the night unused on their island resort.

Accomodation

All rooms have one king size (2m x 2m) or twin beds, air-conditioning, ceiling fan, IDD telephone, mini bar, safe, satellite TV, hair dryer, hot and cold water.
All villas are serviced twice daily and bath towels, hand towels, beach towels, shampoo, shower gel, soap and body lotion are provided.

30 Reethi Villas (38 m2)
Detached or semi detached beach-front villas, part open-air bathroom with shower, terrace and deck-chairs, sun loungers (with mattress) on the beach

50 Deluxe Villas (47 m2)
Detached beach front villas, part open-air bathroom with bath tub and open-air shower, bathrobes, larger sitting area, terrace with deck chairs, Maldivian swing, sun loungers (with mattress) on the beach.  The sitting area can be used as an additional sleeping area, ideal for families.

30 Water Villas (61 m2)
Semi detached villas built on stilts over the lagoon, bathroom with bath tub and separate shower area, bathrobes, large sitting area, DVD player, tea and coffee making facilities, balcony with sitting area with parasol and sun loungers with mattress (additional sun loungers with mattress on the beach)

Facilities

House reef: is on a channel along the western side of the island and is easily accessible from the beach with a number of cut throughs for entry and exit. It harbours a wealth of marine life and will satisfy snorkelers of most levels. During the northeast monsoon (May – September) it is not uncommon to see Whale Sharks and Mantas.

Diving: The dive centre managed by Sea-Explorer is a PADI 5 Star School offering educational, recreational and nitrox diving with courses for beginners and advanced divers. There is the option of  diving at the house reef in addition to the many different boat dives – early morning dives, morning dives, two tank dives, afternoon dives, night dives, plus snorkelling trips. Spoken languages: English, German, French and Japanese. Some of the best diving in the Maldives is to be found here in the relatively unexplored Baa Atoll. The majority of dive sites are reached within 20 minutes by boat – the furthest being just under an hour. Over a third of the diving is on Thilas (submerged reefs), some of which are split by canyons and even by Maldivian standards, are literally teeming with fish and under the overhangs, sea fans and black corals are found. It is not uncommon to see Sharks, Barracudas, large Groupers, Napoleon Wrasse and Mantas (in season); The Outer Reefs of the north-eastern Baa Atoll slope gently down into the blue and one often comes across large Turtles and Eagle Rays, incredibly rare pink fire coral, fantastic soft corals and much larger fish in the blue. Two of the more popular sites include ” Donfan Thila” with its unique underwater landscape and its massive amount of marine life. The ‘Blue Hole’ is as the name suggests is a blue hole with an entrance at 23 metres and exit at 8 metres level.

Water Sports: The water sports centre ( H2O World) is managed by Sasha’s Water World and offers:

Catamaran sailing: rental, excursion and courses

Windsurfing: rental and courses

Kite-surfing: rental

Canoeing: rental

Speed boat excursions (e.g. dolphin trip), traditional sailing dhoni, glass bottom boat

Sports Complex: The sports complex on Reethi Beach offers:
2 outdoor floodlit artificial grass tennis courts, 2 indoor badminton courts, 1 squash court, gymnasium, 2 table tennis tables. Small fresh water swimming pool (chlorine free – ozonized) next to the sports complex (deck-chairs with mattress + free towels).

Spa: Coconut Spa at Reethi Beach located beach front has 2 air conditioned ‘couples’ rooms with bath tub and 3 air conditioned ‘singles’ rooms. There is also 1 free standing /detached massage room as well as a steam room and a Jacuzzi located next to the relaxation area of the spa. There is a Manicure / Pedicure and hair treatment room on the ground floor. The reception also includes the Spa boutique, waiting area and changing rooms.

Clinic: There is a clinic on the island permanently manned by a resident doctor, handling minor injuries.

Souvenir Shop: For souvenirs, postcards, T-shirts and essentials

Business Centre: located at the reception offers fax, telephone, e-mail and internet facilities.

Other Facilities:

24 hrs room service. Laundry & pressing. Internet access (W-LAN) at reception. Multi-lingual staff. Umbrellas. Choice of mattresses. Wake up call. High chair for children. Baby cot. Electricity: 240 volts (standard UK plug; adaptor provided)

Eating & Drinking

The food at Reethi Beach is of a good standard for this category of resort.  There is adequate variety in the main restaurant and the option of a number of speciality restaurants.

The Rehendi
The main restaurant serves buffet-style breakfast, lunch and dinner and has a different theme night each evening. This restaurant also caters for vegetarians and for special dietary requirements on request.

Moodhu Bar & Restaurant
Built on stilts over the lagoon this 24-hour restaurant and coffee shop offers a wide range of à la carte menus and drinks

Reethi Grill
An open air dinner rendezvous, offering seafood nights, lobster evenings and BBQ-grill.

Alifaan (Fire) Restaurant
An open-air day time restaurant, in a casual setting with a wood fired Pizza oven and Traditional Tandoor, serving selected Italian and Indian food

Saima Restaurant
A boutique restaurant serving Maldivian and International cuisine. Reservations required.

Rasgefaanu Bar
The main bar, divided into three parts, comprises an open- air deck, a semi-closed bar and a games room. A wide range of cocktails, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available from the bar. Table tennis, pool, darts, carom, many board games as well as books are available in the games room.
Rasgefaanu Bar also hosts disco nights as well as crab-racing evenings.

Veyo Bar
This poolside bar offers a wide range of fruit juices, non alcoholic and health drinks, cocktails, beers and ice creams.

Handhuvaru (Moonlight) Bar
Located at the north end of the island, close to the water villas, serving a wide variety of drinks.

Sunset Bar
A small bar located at the southwest end of the island, serving a wide variety of drinks.

Riyaa (Sail) Beach Bar
A small bar located at the southeast end of the island, close to the watersports centre, serving a wide choice of drinks.

Meal options available: Bed & Breakfast, Half Board, Full Board, All Inclusive

All Inclusive: The optional All inclusive package includes the following:

- All meals taken in the main restaurant ( namely Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner).
- Drinks consumed during meals time in the main restaurant, limited to mineral water, soft drinks, beers and house wine.
- Afternoon tea, Coffee and Snacks served between 16h00 to 18h00.
- Limited Drinks in the Main Bar & Beach bars namely mineral water, soft drinks, beers, house wine and selected spirits.
- Free Use of Badminton, Tennis, Squash, Table Tennis and Gym (excluding equipment).
- 2 Half Day Excursions per guest per week.
- Free use of windsurfing equipment (lessons are excluded)

- One free introductory dive per client per stay.

Recreation

Entertainment: Beach volleyball, cultural evenings on the beach, disco nights, crab races,

Excursions:

Island hopping: full day excursion to a local island, picnic on a deserted island and a visit to a Resort island
Eydhafushi & Dhonfan: Half day excursion to the capital island of Baa Atoll, Eydhafushi plus a visit to the fishermens island of Dhonfan
Kamadhoo & Kihadhoo: Half day excursion to two local islands
Sunset on a sandbank
Daravandhoo & sunset cocktail: Visit to a local island and cocktail on a sandbank at sunset
Moonlight BBQ: Barbecue on a deserted island
Private excursions: private picnic on a deserted island or private island dinner

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
Reethi Beach 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

Aug 302010

What a find – for those who love the natural, uncomplicated Maldives, the way it used to be, come to Helengeli before it’s too late! So far, Helengeli has resisted the temptation to revamp and rebrand into a 5* Deluxe characterless resort.  For now, it remains a simple Maldivian island, relying on it’s natural assets of some great beaches and amazing snorkelling combined with a very friendly, genuine attitude amongst the staff and clean, though somewhat basic accommodation.

  • Pool at sunset

    Pool at sunset

  • Beach Bungalow

    Beach Bungalow

  • Playing on beach

    Playing on beach

  • Beach

    Beach

  • Beach Bungalow

    Beach Bungalow

  • Deluxe Villa

    Deluxe Villa

  • Dhoni at sunset

    Dhoni at sunset

  • Flowers in the sand

    Flowers in the sand

  • Deluxe Villa

    Deluxe Villa

  • Beach Bungalow Interior

    Beach Bungalow Interior

  • Sand bank

    Sand bank

  • Sunset

    Sunset

  • Heron

    Heron

  • Helengeli from the air

    Helengeli from the air

  • Path through the island

    Path through the island

  • Playing in the sea

    Playing in the sea

  • Sun deck

    Sun deck

  • Sunset

    Sunset

  • Looking back at Helengeli from the sandbank

    Looking back at Helengeli from the sandbank

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

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