The team in charge of Furaveri Island Resort development are planning conservation work aimed at preserving the destination’s breath-taking natural beauty. The Furaveri Island Resort development work will commence on 10 May 2022 and is scheduled to last until the end of the month. What Work Will be Completed? Part of the majestic beauty of the Maldives is the private paradise island aesthetic. However, islands in the stunning archipelago only sit a matter of feet above sea level. So, battling the elements is an on-going task. The Furaveri Island Resort team have called in the developers to help construct a sea wall. The barrier will sit on the western shore, to help protect the island’s natural beauty. Why Is the Work Happening? As with any stunning Maldivian island escape, the exposed destination is powerfully picturesque. But the secluded island trope does leave the resort somewhat exposed to the elements. In fact, through 2021, while the global community were trying to come to terms with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Raa Atoll was also experiencing a more aggressive monsoon season than usual.  Intensified winds and rain, as well as aggressive wave and tidal currents battered Furaveri. Monsoon season normally runs from May – July and doesn’t cause too many issues to resorts or guests (above it being slightly windier than normal), however, 2021 was built different. Countrywide Effects Aggressive monsoon conditions were still being recorded on the island deep into October and November. Local outlets were even reporting storm conditions in the Maldivian captial as late as December. The rapacious conditions caused flooding across the islands. But they also resulted in the acceleration of natural erosion eating away at Furaveri’s west coast beach. Consequently, the resort was informed that, if unchecked, this erosion may start to affect the structural integrity of some areas of the resort. With that in mind, the development team have been forced into action. Will My Booking Be Affected? As the developments progress there could be some noise disruption during working hours.  If you’re due to be in resort from 10 May 2022 until the end of the month when the work is scheduled to take place we will be contacting you directly with more information. Or you can drop our Customer Service team an email on: customerservice@bluebaytravel.co.uk

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It may be better known as a destination for honeymooners, but these family-friendly resorts in the Maldives prove there’s plenty of family fun in the sun to be had on the atolls. Now with added resorts! Updated April 2022. Okay, scenario: The school holidays are coming up and you want to give the family a break they’ll never forget. The Answer to your problem? The Maldives! We’ve cherry-picked the best family-friendly resorts in the Maldives so you don’t have to compromise on your next group getaway. We’ve decided to broaden our search and found added properties from across the atolls that your whole gang will love.  Doing it for the kids In this blog, we’ll tell you about those resorts that have child-friendly villas and energising kids clubs to keep the little ones entertained. So here’s one school holiday where you won’t have to hear those maddening words “I’m booooored” again!  We’ve even got you covered when it comes to taking care of the bill and ensuring you still have enough in the wallet for a little treat from the duty-free. Check out our guide to doing the Maldives on a budget and discover how to enjoy your escape to the islands without coming home potless.  But, enough about semantics, how about we tell you what these resorts are and where to find them? 10 Family-friendly resorts in the Maldives Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, South Ari Atoll South Palm Resort, Addu Atoll Furaveri Island Resort & Spa, Raa Atoll Dhigali Maldives, Raa Atoll Cocoon Maldives, Lhaviyani Atoll Kuramathi Island Resort, North Ari Atoll Canareef Resort Maldives, Addu Atoll Eriyadu Island Resort, North Male Atoll Kihaa Maldives, Baa Atoll The Standard, Huruvahli Maldives Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Families have been well considered at Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa. The resort’s Deluxe Family Water Villas are unique to The Maldives and are perfect for families and their little travellers to explore island life. Safety is at the forefront of the design with special features like safety rails on the wooden decking area above the water so the whole family can relax comfortably. These amazing villas also come complete with a Playstation 4 so older children can get their gaming fix. The family-friendly theme continues with the Kid’s Club Camp Safari. Little explorers can roam freely in the vibrant surroundings of the club. The specially trained staff are on hand to entertain and watch over their fun. Learning, developing and of course playing are high on the agenda here so everyone is sure to have a great time. But teenagers aren’t forgotten here either, they can check out the E-Zone. A chilled-out environment with a pool table, games, and loads of other activities. This space offers a chance to relax, make new friends, and have an unforgettable holiday experience. The resort also offers a baby-sitting service for when Mum & Dad want some alone time. This service is payable at the resort. South Palm Resort Family-friendly highlights at South Palm Resort include the 100sqm Family Villas. These spectacular villas are made up of two adjacent rooms with a connected veranda. They’re also located in a prime position with the Kid’s Park located just next door so there’s plenty of opportunity for playtime. With a host of other outdoor activities children will have plenty to keep themselves occupied here. For sports lovers there’s a football pitch and volleyball court plus the opportunity to play table tennis not to mention the amazing swimming pool perfect for splashing around in. Furaveri Island Resort & Spa Furaveri Island Resort & Spa is another island retreat that certainly packs in a lot of family-friendly features. Here the Koama Kid’s Club offers a fun-filled experience for children with supervised activities designed to keep little hands busy. Think crafts, games and lots of outdoor adventures. Your little ones will have the chance to learn all about the island and The Maldives in general as they play and get active at the amazing playground. When it comes to accommodation there’s a couple of options for families. The Two Bedroom Reef Residence with Pool is the epitome of family opulence in The Maldives, offering direct access to the lagoon and a glass-floored living space. This is perfect for spotting the colourful marine life and certain to keep the kids entertained for hours. There’s also a Two Bedroom Beach Residence with Pool that gives you chance to enjoy the beach life as a family. Children will love playing in the sand and you’ll be close by to keep a watchful eye. Check out Jonny’s first-hand experience of Furaveri for more in-depth info Dhigali Maldives This beautiful resort appeals to families as well as couples, thanks to an abundance of facilities including the Play Kid’s Club. Little ones will have the time of their lives here as they get involved with all the activities on offer and play with other children. The splash water centre and games room top off a fun-filled list of daily activities. They’ll also love to build sandcastles on the sandy beach in the tropical paradise of Dhigali Maldives. Cocoon Maldives Offering a taste of family-friendly Maldivian luxury there’s a lot for families at Cocoon Maldives. The Family Beach Villas have been perfectly designed with families in mind and offer superior comfort for everyone. One of the best features for families is that this resort offers an all-inclusive package. With an ample buffet available everyday even the fussiest of eaters are sure to find something they’ll enjoy. The children will also have fun in the stunning swimming pool and love building sandcastles on the sandy beach at this stunning resort. Fun Fact  Cocoon Maldives also features in our Top 5 Most Luxurious Resorts in The Maldives countdown.  Kuramathi Island Resort There’s so much for families at Kuramathi Island Resort. From the fantastic kid’s club to the amazing facilities everyone can enjoy some quality family time here. The Two Bedroom Beach Houses include separate living […]

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Our insider Clare recently headed to Furaveri Island Resort & Spa in the Maldives. So we took the chance to ask some FAQs.  There’s no doubt, Furaveri is one of the most luxurious resorts in the Maldives. But, within that, there’s lots of questions we want answered about the place.  So, when our insider Clare recently returned from the fantasy island we jumped at the chance to have a catch up and ask some common queries. Hi Clare, how was the Furaveri trip? Ohh, it was incredible thank you. We loved every minute of it!  Brill, so jumping straight in, how did you get to Furaveri? We arrived at Furaveri by seaplane. But before that we had a decent experience on our 10-hour direct BA flight. Arriving in Male airport was fine and we breezed through check-in. Our Furaveri rep met us and put us up in the seaplane lounge while we waited to board. Like in most airport lounges, the complimentary food and drink went down well! But more about the seaplane… The transfer was incredible! Best experience I’ve ever had. Flying over you can clearly see the various islands and crystal clear blue waters. It makes you feel quite emotional. Although, I’m not sure whether that was the sheer beauty of what I was seeing, the fact that I hadn’t been on holiday for so long or the complimentary drinks – maybe a combination of all three. Eventually the plane lands and takes you right up to the resort which is a relatively unique feature to Furaveri. Other resorts on the archipelago don’t have direct access like this, so you have to land and get a speedboat to the welcome jetty. But that’s not the case here. Walking down the welcome jetty is breathtakingly beautiful. Looking out at the island and crystal-clear waters with fish flitting around below the surface is phenomenal. What was your arrival like? We completed check-in really quickly. But our room wasn’t ready at the time. So we were taken over to the resort bar by golf cart to have a couple of drinks while waited. However, we were literally only there 30 minutes before they came to tell us it was all ready for us.   What room did you stay in? Because we extended our break from 7 to 10 days, we ended up experiencing a split stay. We were in a Water Villa for the first 7 nights. But were moved to a Beach Villa for the final 3 nights as the Water Villa wasn’t available. I know lots of people often struggle to choose between a beach or water villa. But the change allowed us to experience both room types in one, which was great. Although, my favourite was definitely the Water Villa. What was it like staying in a Water Villa? I’d never been to the Maldives before, so arriving at our Furaveri Water Villa had such a Wow! Factor to it. The bed looking out over the ocean was absolutely stunning. In fact, we even said, working in travel we get to see some special pictures of places like this, but they just don’t do it justice. To give you a quick snapshot of the room, away from the bed looking out on the ocean, we had a large decked veranda. On there was a big daybed, sun loungers, a table and chairs, as well as some steps leading down to the ocean. Did you take advantage of having direct access to the ocean? No, I didn’t. My partner did but I had seen lots of baby blacktip reef sharks swimming around in the shallows, so I was too scared of being eaten. My basic thought process was, the baby sharks won’t hurt me, but if there’s baby sharks then mummy and daddy must be around here somewhere. Honestly, I think it was probably halfway through the holiday before I was brave enough to go in the water up to my shoulders. I was too scared of Jaws getting me! The resort offers baby shark feeding sessions. Because Furaveri is family-friendly, there were lots of kids enjoying feeding time too, which was really nice to see. Apart from feeding the sharks, are there any other activities? There are plenty of activities available, if you’re not the lounging type. We went out on a sunset cruise one day which is actually included in the deal we had. The boat takes you out and, dependant on weather, you can see dolphins. But the main event are the views across the islands at dusk. The sunsets were something else! The bulk of the activities were centred around the water. So, jet skiing was $110 for 30 minutes. Or you could also head out with a motorised swim aid (you know those things that you hold on to and they propel you along under the water). We didn’t do either activity, but they looked fun. On the other hand, if you don’t fancy getting in the water, there are activities available on dry land. Anyone searching for family-friendlty resort in the Maldives will love that there’s a kid’s club. In fact, there’s even a kid’s corner in one of the restaurants as well as a babysitting service if you want to get out and have a grown-up night. Furaveri is a tiny island, so you literally walk around the island or hire bikes and ride around it too. How were the bars and restaurants on-site? There’s three restaurants at Furaveri. One is the main buffet and the other two are a la carte restaurants which serve Mexican and Asian cuisine respectively. While you can pay and visit the a la carte restaurants whenever you like, if you book premium all-inclusive you actually get one visit included for every five days you stay. Because we extended our trip to 10 days we were able to sample both for free. Amigos is the Mexican which great. You can be eating fajitas while staring out […]

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Imagine the true serenity of dangling your feet from the edge of your own private deck into the balmy waters of the Maldives in a villa poised on stilts above the heavenly waters below. Picture yourself diving into the water as you snorkel among a myriad of colourful fish and captivating coral reefs bursting with life. Unique and memorable the Maldives offer some of the best experiences without ever stepping more than a few feet away from the tranquil waters. Read on for our round up of the best resorts for over-water bungalows and waterside immersions.

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Our man Jonny takes us along for the ride on his family’s bucket list trip to Furaveri Island Resort & Spa in The Maldives The Maldives is one of those dream destinations for most people and Furaveri Island Resort & Spa is a postcard-perfect spot to stay.  One of our Tropical Warehouse customers, Jonny, recently got back from his Maldivian escape at the resort. So he told us all about what life in paradise is really like.  Accompanied by his wife and 4-year-old child, Jonny set out for Furaveri Island Resort & Spa in the shimmering Raa Atoll. Here’s his first-hand review. Over to Jonny Well, first of all, I have to say the experience of being in the Maldives will never be beaten. Being on an island with 300+ guests never felt cramped or busy.   The Furaveri Island Resort was peaceful and tranquil. It’s not a cheap resort to go to, but as a bucket list holiday for my 40th birthday it certainly ticks a lot of boxes.  Before I get into it too much, though, I feel I should clarify that the process of landing in Male Airport and actually getting to the hotel was very easy. The seaplane transfer is a must, the views of the islands as you fly over are amazing.  Home from home We paid to have a Water Villa and all I could say was WOW.  The room was spotless when we arrived and cleaned every day without fail. Your bedroom & bathroom look out into the ocean with huge windows to maximise that wow-factor. There are blinds you can pull down to give you some privacy, but we never needed to do that as our villa was near the top of the jetty. In the bathroom there’s a stunning roll top bath with a separate walk-in shower area. This was perfect for us as we have a 4-year-old who sometimes needed a shower down after a day at the beach. Your balcony area is a great space. At the same width as the villa and featuring two sun loungers & one double bed it’s perfect for chilling throughout the day or evening. A word to the wise about the room, get a demonstration on how to work the AC. We only figured out how to use it towards the end of the holiday and it does get quite humid and warm in the evening. Water-load of fun As you move around the balcony area you’ll see a set of steps leading down to the lagoon so you can go swimming in the coral reef (highly recommended). But I would advise investing in some water shoes as those steps get slightly slippery at the bottom. Every morning we would see a different variety of fish swimming around from Parrot fish to small sharks. In the Villa-cinity Just at the end of the jetty which houses the Water Villas is the Sunset Bar.  This is a fantastic place for watching amazing sunsets and, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see dolphins swim past. Just a head’s up, the service isn’t the quickest at this bar. But the views and  chilled-out music more than make up for it. The Water Villas are quite far away from the main pool, bar & buffet restaurant. So, if you have a little one like us, I’d suggest calling reception to get a golf cart down to the main area. In the morning it isn’t too bad walking down there, however in the evening with a 4-year-old a golf cart is a god send. Food & drink We paid for the premium all-inclusive package, so we were able to use the separate menu for premium guests in the main bar. This is a list of food and drinks you can have as part of your package. There was a good variety of drinks on this menu that included beers, spirits, cocktails, mocktails and soft drinks (be aware milkshakes are not included, so cost extra). Although, if you don’t fancy upgrading, the normal all-inclusive menu is pretty comprehensive. The bar snack menu was fairly limited, but good enough for nibbling around the pool or as a lighter lunch option. Whereas the buffet restaurant food was very good for a hotel buffet.  I’ll give you a brief breakdown of what you can expect for each meal of the day.  Breakfast Two egg stations prepare them however you like. You can find American style pancakes & waffles, but mainly there are three sections within the buffet restaurant at breakfast. One is filled with hot savoury food like bacon, sausage, fish, porridge, Dhal and other daily specials, while the other two have salads, fruit, pastries & yogurts. Lunch  Most days at lunch fresh local fish is being cooked. If you like fish, this is a must. However, they also have a fresh pasta station with sauces cooked there and then. You can add things into your sauces such as peppers, chilli, prawns, bacon, onion and so much more. The selection of food ranged from curries, Dhal, sushi, meat dishes, rice dishes. Dinner Very similar to lunch with the variety of food offered. Meat, fish and vegetable dishes were always available. Plus there’s a small section for kids’ food with things like chicken nuggets, chips, meat balls etc. We’re quite a foodie family and we thought all the food was very nice. Although, some may prefer to have a shade more variety from day-to-day.  The beach… oh the beach The beach and ocean surpassed every expectation I had. You see all these pictures of the Maldives with the white sands and blue sea and you think it can’t really be like that. Trust me it is. The ocean temperature was lovely and snorkelling in the reefs was mind-blowing. Honestly, the variety of different coloured fish you see is like swimming in an aquarium. It’s worth the money just for this experience. A calm, relaxed environment surrounds the pool area. Sun shines on the […]

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Pick your journey through this year’s Bake Off competition and we’ll tell you which Maldives Black Friday resort you should try. This year might have been a pretty unpredictable beast. But two things are certain in this world. 1) everybody loves a sunny holiday and 2) we’ll lose our collective minds every time Bake Off and Black Friday come around.  Bake Off + Black Friday Lucky, then, that every day is Black Friday on Tropical Warehouse, thanks to our amazing Subscriber Exclusive offers.  But this year, to add to the Bake Off hysteria, we thought we’d create this quiz. We want to see what you’d do if you were put in Peter, Laura, and Dave’s position(s) Our Bake Off journey quiz will track your path through this year’s competition and give you an amazing Maldives Black Friday destination to definitely visit based on what you choose to create for each week of the competition.  So, dust off your pinny, kiss your lucky rolling pin, and whip up your best egg wash. Let’s get into the quiz and see where you’re going!  Congrats on making it to the final by the way!  NB. After you’ve finished your bakes you’ll be whisked through to your perfect resort’s exclusive offer page on Tropical Warehouse. Do not be alarmed, your journey has lead you here! Quiz Time [wp_quiz id=”29190″]

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