Dhigufaru Island Resort

We visited Dhigufaru from the 6th to 18th of September 2026 and found the island to be a bit of a conundrum. We stayed in a semi water villa, and were fortunate enough to be in one of the two villas that have been recently refurbished, and the villa was excellent. I assume that the other 8 villas will be refurbished at some point as they are starting to look a little tied. Unfortunately when they refurbished the villa the resultant debris was simply deposited on the beach beside the villa, which seems incredible for an island in the UNESCO protected area. The island has the most beautiful white sand beaches and a house reef teaming with aquatic life, we observed over 12 sharks on one snorkel. The real disappointment was the total lack of any smoking restrictions, there are not any no smoking areas, and we had to injure a lady blowing strawberry vape over us during dinner. The bar area is also an open smoking area, which when the outside doors are closed due to wind or rain becomes an area which is incredibly uncomfortable for non smokers. We had to leave the evening entertainment on several occasions due to the Smokey atmosphere and return to our room. On the basis that the bulk of the people on the island do not smoke this seems a very short sighted policy. When you ad that people also smoked in and around the pool area there was very little escape. My recommendation if you are a non smoker is that this island is not for you, and find somewhere we a more modern approach to smoking. The food, whilst always plentiful and well cooked, lacked variety and this is more apparent when you approach the delivery date for the new supplies, which arrive every 4 weeks. The staff are super friendly and always help as required, and the island has wonderful grounds and is well laid out. Hopefully at some point in the future the resort will realise that the vast majority of people do not smoke and confine smoking to certain areas.

**Beautiful island with huge potential, but maintenance, food and consistency let it down – 6.5/10** We spent two weeks at **Dhigufaru Island Resort** on an all-inclusive package booked through **Voyage Privé**, paying approximately **£7,196 for two people**, including flights, transfers and an Overwater Villa with Private Pool. Having previously stayed at **Sun Siyam Iru Veli** on a very similar package, we had a good benchmark for what we expected from a Maldives resort at this price point. Unfortunately, while Dhigufaru has some genuinely beautiful qualities and some excellent members of staff, our overall experience was considerably more mixed. ### The weather Firstly, something completely outside the resort’s control: we were extremely unfortunate to experience around **5–6 days of almost continuous rain**. This obviously limited what we could do around the island. The sheer volume of rainfall also made our private pool extremely cold. At times getting into it genuinely made you wince, which meant one of the major reasons for choosing a private-pool villa became difficult to enjoy. Again, this isn't something we blame the hotel for, but it inevitably affected the overall experience. ### Room 502 – Sunrise Overwater Villa with Pool We were initially allocated **Room 502 – the first Overwater Villa with Pool on the right-hand side of the sunrise boardwalk**. Unfortunately, there were numerous problems. The villa door could not be properly locked from inside. Our electronic room key didn't work, so we were provided with a traditional metal key which regularly became stuck in the lock. The ladder leading from our decking into the sea was missing fixings on one side and moved when being used. There were tiles missing around the private pool, the shower was missing its sliding door and various areas of the villa appeared tired or poorly maintained. Cleanliness was another disappointment. We found hair from previous occupants on the bathroom floor, staining/marks on the bedding, heavily stained curtains, dirty mirrors and marked bedside lamps. We also experienced cockroaches inside the villa as well as around the pool area. There was no hand soap when we arrived and towel provision was inconsistent. On one occasion we were given different-sized bath towels, and on another evening there was only **one shower towel between two people**. These aren't enormous problems individually, but when you start adding them together, you begin questioning whether the villa had received a proper inspection before being handed over to the next guests. ### Maintenance across the resort This was probably one of our biggest observations. **Dhigufaru is beautiful from a distance, but closer inspection reveals a resort that needs significant maintenance.** It sometimes felt like a **“one guest out, next guest in”** operation rather than villas receiving thorough inspections between guests. There were numerous examples of ageing fittings and areas requiring attention. One particularly concerning example involved a handrail on one of the overwater villas which **snapped during a storm and appeared rotten around the base**. When you see something like that, alongside our own loose sea-access ladder and other defects, it raises questions about how frequently key safety-related areas are inspected. With investment and preventative maintenance, the resort could be considerably better. ### Moving to Villa 509 Eventually, following discussions with reception, we were moved from Villa 502 to **Villa 509**, approximately halfway along the boardwalk on the sunset side. This leads us to someone who deserves individual recognition. ### Mary at Reception – exceptional **Mary at reception was outstanding.** She listened to everything we raised, understood why we were disappointed, escalated our concerns to management and arranged for us to move villas. She communicated with us throughout and genuinely made us feel that someone was taking ownership of the situation. Without Mary's effort and approach, our stay would have been **dramatically different**. It's important to make that clear because our criticism of the resort should not detract from employees who genuinely care about the guest experience. Mary was professional, understanding and extremely helpful and deserves recognition from management. ### Food – probably the biggest weakness Unfortunately, the buffet was one of the weakest parts of the holiday. The selection was **limited at best**, and we weren't the only guests discussing it. We heard several guests commenting on the lack of choice and quality. Far too often it felt like the safest option was simply **pasta**. Even then, we would rate the pasta around **5/10 at best**. There wasn't consistently an option to have something straightforward like chicken or beef cooked fresh on the grill. Chicken dishes were regularly chopped into pieces with bones throughout them, making them frustrating to eat. There were lots of carbohydrate-heavy options, and after several days we found ourselves eating far more pasta, bread and similar foods than we normally would. You start feeling bloated and tired rather than looking forward to the next meal. There were also occasions when items weren't available, including things as basic as ice cream or cheese to accompany pasta. We also observed fish and meat being cooked together on the same grill. On another occasion, a member of staff working around the grill was visibly sweating heavily while preparing food. While we can't comment on the resort's internal hygiene procedures, it wasn't pleasant to observe while waiting for food. Food quality and variety are areas where Dhigufaru could make a **massive improvement**. ### Kusum – exceptional buffet service One person who deserves specific recognition is **Kusum in the buffet restaurant**. She was easily one of the hardest-working and most attentive members of staff we encountered. Fresh drinks would arrive quickly, used plates disappeared without delay, cutlery was replaced and tables were constantly kept properly dressed and organised. She paid attention without guests constantly having to ask. Without Kusum, the restaurant experience would have felt considerably worse. Like Mary, she is someone the hotel should recognise and retain. ### Dolphin cruise – absolutely incredible One of the genuine highlights of the entire holiday was the **Dolphin Cruise**. It was incredible. We were unbelievably fortunate and saw **well over 200 dolphins**. Watching such a huge number of dolphins around the boat was something we'll remember for a very long time and was easily one of the best experiences of the holiday. ### Turtle snorkelling excursion – very different experience Unfortunately, our paid turtle snorkelling excursion was the complete opposite. We paid approximately **$270** for the trip. The sea was extremely rough but the excursion proceeded. Once we were out there, the boat was being hit by what appeared to us to be approximately **4–6ft waves**. My partner became physically sick because of the conditions. The excursion provider maintained that conditions were safe, but from our perspective on the boat, **it did not feel safe or enjoyable**. We appreciate that sea conditions can change quickly and we're not maritime experts, but there is a difference between something technically being considered safe and guests actually feeling comfortable participating. Given the conditions and how unwell my partner became, we were disappointed by the response from the third-party operator and felt there should have been more consideration given to whether the excursion should proceed. ### Noise – much louder than expected Noise was another unexpected issue. Entertainment/music was played approximately every other evening and was sometimes **extremely loud**. In Villa 502, being the first villa on the sunrise boardwalk, at times it genuinely felt like being next to a nightclub. What surprised us was that the problem didn't disappear when we moved. Even in **Villa 509**, approximately halfway along the boardwalk and hundreds of metres further away, we could still hear and feel the bass/music reverberating through the villa. Music would sometimes continue until approximately **23:30**. When you've travelled to the Maldives specifically for peace, relaxation and the sound of the ocean, struggling to fall asleep because of amplified music isn't something we expected. The resort needs to find a better balance between providing evening entertainment and remembering that many guests are paying substantial amounts specifically for tranquillity. ### The island and beach The **sea is absolutely incredible**. The water around Dhigufaru can be stunning and is exactly what people imagine when thinking about the Maldives. The beach itself is also beautiful. However, guests should be aware that it doesn't completely resemble some of the promotional photographs currently seen online. The long section of beach/sandbank shown extending dramatically into the sea in some photographs has largely washed away and, during our stay, was really only visible around **low tide**. Obviously islands and sandbanks naturally change over time, but people booking based heavily on those photographs should be aware that the physical shape of the beach has changed. ### Other guests We also encountered a number of **Russian-speaking guests whose behaviour towards staff and other guests we personally found quite rude**. Obviously this doesn't represent everyone of any nationality, but it happened often enough during our particular stay that it became noticeable. ### Occupancy versus service During our stay, occupancy appeared to fluctuate at approximately **45–70%**. What concerned us was that even without the resort apparently being at full capacity, some areas already felt stretched. That made us wonder what the guest experience would be like during periods of very high occupancy. Service consistency, restaurant capacity, food choice and general attention to detail would all need improvement before we'd feel confident about the resort operating comfortably at maximum capacity. ### Value for money We paid approximately **£7,196 through Voyage Privé for two weeks**, including flights, transfers, all-inclusive and an Overwater Villa with Private Pool. At that price, we don't feel completely ripped off. There are enough positives – the Maldives location, beautiful sea, private villa concept, dolphin experience and certain outstanding staff – that we still enjoyed elements of the holiday. However, **had we paid significantly more, we would have been extremely disappointed**. The biggest problem is that Dhigufaru has almost everything it needs to be an excellent resort, but lacks consistency. ### Comparison with Sun Siyam Iru Veli We were lucky enough to stay at **Sun Siyam Iru Veli the previous year** on a broadly comparable package. For us personally, Iru Veli was a **clear 9.5/10 experience**. Dhigufaru, based purely on our own stay, would be around **6.5/10**. That doesn't mean Dhigufaru is a bad resort. In fact, that's probably what makes it frustrating. With money spent on maintenance, much stronger villa inspections, improved food quality and variety, greater consistency between departments and some refinement to the evening entertainment, we genuinely believe Dhigufaru could become an **8/10 resort relatively easily**. The location already does much of the hard work. The sea is beautiful. The island has character. The villas have enormous potential. There are also some genuinely excellent staff. But at this price level in the Maldives, **the details matter**. Guests shouldn't be discovering broken fittings, questionable cleanliness, loose ladders, missing bathroom fittings and inconsistent housekeeping after checking into a premium overwater villa. And when you're paying thousands of pounds for all-inclusive, you shouldn't repeatedly find yourself settling for pasta because there is little else you actually want to eat. ### Overall There were moments we absolutely loved. Seeing **200+ dolphins** was unforgettable. Swimming in the Maldivian sea was incredible. The island can be genuinely beautiful. And **Mary at reception and Kusum in the restaurant were exceptional** and deserve particular recognition. But the resort needs investment and stronger management of the fundamentals. Our overall experience: **Dhigufaru: approximately 6.5/10** With better food, preventative maintenance, proper villa inspections and greater service consistency, there is absolutely no reason why this couldn't become an **8/10 resort**. At present, however, there is too large a gap between the beautiful Maldives experience Dhigufaru is capable of delivering and the consistency of the product guests actually receive. **Special thanks to Mary and Kusum – both of you genuinely made a difference to our holiday.**

Fantastic , excellent , wonderful !

Dhigufaru met all of our expectations and was a fantastic venue for a wedding anniversary. Beautiful Island, fantastic staff from Ajay’s assistance before we left home, Anoof at the airport, Liz as our named point of contact during our stay, all the way through to Omkar our room keeper, and the superb bar and restaurant staff. Everyone happy to assist and with a genuine smile. A special mention for Banda and Vena at the Thundi Bar, as they were very understanding and assisted me brilliantly with my hearing issue. I agree with some previous reviewers regarding aspects of the decor and furniture being slightly dated, but the reality is that at no point were these unhygienic or detrimental to our stay. The food, for us, was very good with a nice variety each day, but that’s a matter of personal taste of course. Certainly we have come home with a few more “pounds of contentment” from the fare provided! We recommend the Spa, especially the full scrub and massage, as soon as possible after arrival. It gives your holiday a great relaxing head start. Room 115 was perfectly positioned for every facility and we feel it was actually better than any water villa with pool. Ultimately if it is the excellent house reef, the beautiful (almost deserted) beach and fantastic staff that are important to you, then we thoroughly recommend Dhigufaru as a TRUE Maldives experience. It’s not a plastic Botox driven fake island that the “Influencer Brigade” would prefer. It’s how I remember the Maldives was in 1999. All about the sea life and the service. If you’re someone who can find anything at all to moan about, please don’t travel here, as your moaning will spoil the ambience of this fantastic little island!

I am no stranger to the Maldives, i have stayed in various resorts since 1983. I left Dhigufaru with mixed emotions, sad to leave the beautiful island but keen to fly out to enjoy better food at home in Singapore. I overheard a couple of Italians commented how disgusting, "schifo" the buffets were. Wine selection is limited. One of each house white, red and rose only. The all inclusive package is misleading because Dhigufaru's all inclusive is limited, unlike in other resorts i have stayed in, which includes everything in the mini fridge in the villa. Service was ok, some of the staff were excellent, some were very slack. Definitely need more training. However, I must mention that Maanu, our host, did look after us very well. He is one staff the management should treasure. The resort has not been maintained. The chairs in the dining area were uncomfortable. Cushions were all stained, even the ones in the villas. I had a cockroach in my bed one night. My shower leaked water outside the shower booth and the water was not draining out. The steps going to the sea at the villa were slimy and dangerous. The handrail was wobbly. If you are not interested in eating decent food especially on holidays, this resort is ok. The island's natural beauty is out of this world. Beautiful powdery white sandy beaches and the amazing colours of the sea. If only the management can improve their offerings to come close to the beauty provided by Mother nature, Dhigufaru will be an absolute paradise. I felt very cheated by the glowing reviews on several online platforms praising the F & B and facilties of this place. What were their standards for comparison?