Except that they treated the tsunami "refugees" from Kandooma like pariahs, refusing to open the gift shop for essentials and refusing to let people make telephone calls to their loved ones. "You want to call home - that's $3 a minute!" "What, lost all your money, credit cards, clothes, shoes, passport in the tsunami? Tough!".

The manager admitted he really didn't give a stuff about the people who had lost all their possessions and came close to losing their lives, as the resort was changing ownership within a few days.

So low marks for Villivaru on humanitarian grounds.

be advised food is served in unhygenic conditions,there is only 1 restraunt and 1 bar on the island,take no notice what your holiday brochure tells you,your holiday rep can never be contacted,the island is being run down due to sale of the island,the staff are wonderful,flies all over the food,accomodation is very basic,you can only eat at set times,and most drinks are not included in the all inclusive package,there is a problem with mosquitos so take plenty of protection,some tour operators rate this island 3star or 4 star,belive me it is not 1 star,i was not expecting luxury,but was not expecting sub standard restraunt and accomodation,the island itself is very beautiful with the surrounding coral reef,just beawre of the food being served as it is done in unhygenic conditions

This island (along with it's sister island Biyadoo) were planned to be closed for refurbishment this year but this changed and they are now open although there is some building work at one side (We were told it's being built for the owner to use, you only notice it when you try to walk all the way round the island).

The island itself is tiny with only 60 rooms. It's surrounded by reef so snorkelling is great but watch out for the current in some parts.

The rooms were basic but kept clean with a visit twice a day from the cleaner. Each night flowers were left on the bed when it was turned down. The only problem we had was our cleaner had a habit of turning off the air conditioning when we were out of the room which made it very hot so we took to hiding the remote control & problem solved.

All the meals were buffet which I believe is a change from their previous owner (changed hands on 1 Jan 2005). The food was good although it could be a bit cold at times. Lunch and dinner generally consisted of a number of salads, a soup (dinner only), a fish dish, a couple of meat dishes, a couple of vegetable sihes and a couple of curry dishes with rice, desserts were cakes, fuit or mouse. Every fortnight and on special occasions they take all the tables out of the restaurant onto the beach for a lovely open air dinner.

The bar didn't look great but had a reasonable range of drinks (a lot included in the all inclusive) and the staff took the trouble to learn your prefered drink & room number.

The dive centre were good and it you are an experienced diver then they allow you to dive with your buddy whenever you want (including night dives) from the house reef which has lots of life. They also have a Dhoni which they take out twice a day. Prices were about normal Maldives diving rates.

They have what looks like a brand new speedboat so the transfer can be done in less that half an hour.

We travelled on the Monarch flight and booked with Airtours as they are the only company offering this island since it was supposed to be shut.

The Villivaru Island Resort was a truely memorable experience for us. We spent five days there in mid March. This was toward the end of the dry monsoon period which gave us beautiful weather. The twelve acre island is very clean and laid out with easy access to all major areas. Meals were very good and provided three times a day with a variety of choices that changed every day. Our waiter, Rif took care of us throughout our stay and he was typical of everyone that worked there. The staff was so kind, helpful, and pleasent that we enjoyed there company as much as the other guests we encountered.
The island is best suited for water sports. It has a wonderful house reef that is easily accessable and great for both snorkling and diving. Sailing is also available. The dive center is very professional and for us being new to diving we felt comfortable and in good hands. The neighboring island Biyadoo is also available with free boat rides back and forth between both islands. It is quite similar to Villivaru, just twice as big.
Our room was very basic. No lavish amenities but it was cleaned twice per day. The back of the room has a glass door and back porch with beach access to the water. The lagoon was only five meters from our back door!
We would return to Villivaru Island Resort without hesitation to enjoy the underwater marinelife and hospitality of everyone there. The hotel confirmed that major renivations will begin in June of 2005 and last about one year. We hope that after the new buildings are completed this island will retain its charming tropical paradise atmosphere.