Posted on Apr 24, 2025
YouTube ID: @Longmeetsworld
If you’re planning a trip to the Maldives—especially if you’re seeking a local island experience with genuine warmth and unforgettable hospitality—look no further than Baa Sand Hotel on Kudarikilu Island.
After a memorable first visit to Fulidhoo and Thinadhoo in 2023, I returned this year with my family. Our choice of Kudarikilu started with a glowing review I read about Baa Sand. I contacted Ali, the hotel manager, via WhatsApp and he kindly gave us a live video tour of the rooms, pool, and rooftop terrace. Even in the dark, we could feel the welcoming atmosphere—and we knew we had found our place.
Since our flight arrived on a Friday night (a weekend day in the Maldives when public transport doesn’t operate), Ali arranged everything: a great-value transit hotel in Malé, airport pickup, and speedboat transfer the next day. Considering we booked just days before departure, his help was invaluable.
Upon arrival, we were welcomed at the jetty by the entire team—it felt like a homecoming. Hasan gave us a tour of the island, helping us settle in instantly. What made this trip even more meaningful was bringing my elderly mother, who has long dreamed of seeing the Maldives. She doesn’t speak English and has health conditions, but Ali and his team ensured she was incredibly well cared for.
One night, my mother struggled to sleep due to missing her regular medication. When this triggered a heart issue, Ali personally took her to the island hospital. The staff were ready upon arrival, and Ali stayed with her, arranged the consultation, picked up the medicine, and covered the cost until we settled it at checkout. Though they couldn’t speak the same language, the kindness they shared needed no translation.
The hotel itself is beautifully maintained—modern, spotless rooms with strong showers, large safes, comfortable beds, and daily beach towel service. They’re even preparing to open a spa soon.
Kudarikilu is tranquil and welcoming. Locals greet you with genuine smiles, and wildlife is everywhere—from hatchling sea turtles and reef sharks to fruit bats and colorful birds. The hotel’s parrots, Bii and Boo, and the receptionist’s adorable bird, Shyy, brought extra charm to our stay.
The restaurant just across the road was another highlight. The manager was always warm, our table was set with care, and the local chili paste is a must-try for spice lovers. Prices were very reasonable, and the food quality exceeded that of neighboring islands. Plans to expand the menu with a new chef are in the works too.
There are also several supermarkets nearby for essentials at local prices.
In short, our stay at Baa Sand was extraordinary. The people made all the difference—Ali, Hasan, the receptionist, and the restaurant manager treated us like family. Even after a short stay, we left with full hearts and warm memories. We’re already planning to return—it truly felt like saying goodbye to old friends.
Thank you, Baa Sand team. We’ll see you again soon.
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Price per night from€ 59
Posted on Jan 26, 2026
Guest User
I left the hotel today and am writing this from a fresh perspective.
I'll say the main thing right away: the hotel is in a great location; fresh salty air wafts through the open window in the mornings and evenings.
The hotel is right on the pier where all the boats are—it's beautiful. In the evening, sharks come swimming. You can feed them fish.
Inside: the rooms are large, new, and fully equipped. They clean every day, and there's plenty of drinking water. Beach towels are plentiful. In the midday heat, you can linger in the shade of the trees on the shore near your room. Sun loungers, umbrellas, and tables—everything is there. Snorkeling and SUPs are the best place for it. This hotel is right there.
The staff: kind, helpful, and empathetic.
The house reef is great: dolphins, turtles, manta rays, schools of fish. I saw it all myself.
Bikini Beach is a 5-minute walk along the shore. You can walk along the streets – 10 minutes.
The breakfasts were nutritious.
They helped organize all the boat excursions and fishing trips. They were very supportive and attentive.
Adam is the manager. Always ready to talk and help.
A special shout out to Yusuf 🤍 Without him, my understanding of the island and local life would have been limited. He did everything he could every day to ensure I enjoyed myself. It was an incredible experience.
I'll definitely be back. And to this hotel.
There are hotels on the island closer to Bikini Beach, but you won't hear the surf or see the sunrise there because of their location. And the hotels are located on the streets – it's stuffy.
If you're choosing where to stay, choose this hotel. I recommend it!
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Price per night from€ 38
Posted on Feb 15, 2026
Anonymous User
The sea and nature are magnificent! The ocean and beaches were exceptionally beautiful. The hotel is generally satisfying – rooms are clean, and the staff is helpful. It's wise to get the all-inclusive package; some basic water activities are included, so there were no extra costs.
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Price per night from€ 130
Posted on Jan 29, 2020
Guest User
This is probably one od the newest resorts in the Maldives opened only a few years ago so everything is new, clean and functional. I highly recommend getting a water villa for the full experience, the higher price is definitely worth it. All the villas are extremely spacious and comfortable. The bathrooms are tiled in marble and are the size of a small apartment. The rooms are very comfortable and modern with stunning views. On the first morning we woke up to dolphins greeting us (not joking!). The island is obviously beautiful, with a lake in the middle of it and fantastic tropical vegetation. There is a plant nursery on the island where all plants are grown and once they reach the right size they are planted around the island by the expert gardening staff. Baby sharks and other beatiful fish are always around and you can see them all the time. What mad the experience very special was the hotel staff. Apart from being professio al and well trained, they all went out of their way to be super friendly and polite. Special thanks to Nadheem (aka Totti) and the rest of the Food and Beverage staff who made the experience extraordinary! I must also commend the owners of the hotel for the way they treat their staff. In a country where every square centimetre of land is a priceless commodity, the owners had a football pitch built for their staff, within their restricted area. They organised an interdepartment tournament with all the perks. Special kits (uniforms), commentary, scoreboard, everything. Some of the guests (including us) were invited to watch and it was a lot of fun. I have been to resorts around the world (including my own country) and I think this should be an example to all of them. No wonder the staff are friendly and professional when they are treated well and respected! To sum everything up, this resort is perfect for a romantic couples vacation and I highly recommend it! Definitely going back there at some point! I recommend the water villas facing south for the most beautiful views. Get the all inclusive package, it is worth it. You won't need your wallet (or shoes) during your whole stay. One friendly suggestion to the staff: the music in all venues is very repetitive and after a few days it gets to your head. I would suggest investing in a few good playlists that reflect the island mood. It wouldn't cost much but it would give that extra sparkle to the experience.
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Price per night from€ 185
Posted on Apr 7, 2026
Guest User
Communication with booking department was bad, it was hard to get information about transfers, they didn't answer half of my messages. The boat to the island was delayed for more than 1 hour but I wasn't informed about it. Timing of the speedboat is not the best as it's public transport mainly used by locals, the boat departs from the island about 7.30 am. The staff at the reception are friendly and trying to help but sometimes there are some misunderstandings. Check in was fast and smooth but no information was given at all. Everything is in another building - Swarn. I didn't feel very safe walking around after sunset as this building is in the middle of nowhere.. The island is beautiful but full of construction. The bathroom is tiny and there is absolutely no place to put wet towels and swimsuits. The hotel building is next to a very noisy construction, there were some works in the building itself. I was given a room with the sea view which is nice but also opposite the elevator which produces loud sounds every time someone presses any button on any floor. When it was windy some food waste was in the water and on the beach (
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Price per night from€ 15
Posted on Dec 27, 2023
Guest User
Had a great holiday at the beautiful Westin. The 45-minute flight distance from Male Airport is just right, and the hotel's pick-up and drop-off services are very attentive. Our order included breakfast and dinner, and one of the dinners could be reserved at the Japanese restaurant. The buffet has a rich variety and you can taste food from different countries. Due to the strong wind and waves during this period, unfortunately we were unable to participate in sea activities such as paddle boarding, but the coaches held a fierce volleyball match in the swimming pool. You can see some corals 🪸 and tropical fish 🐠 while snorkeling. The room facilities are impeccable. The most impressive thing is the enthusiasm of the staff. Whether it is the welcome and farewell queue at the pier, the chat in the restaurant, or the greetings when we meet on the road, it makes you feel as if you are in a familiar community and feel more relaxed and comfortable. If there is a chance in the future, I will come again!
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Price per night from€ 350
Posted on Dec 3, 2025
Guest User
We’ve travelled to many places around the world and stayed in countless hotels and resorts — some even more expensive than this — but Vakkaru is truly the BEST experience we’ve ever had.
Baa Atoll is already one of the world’s most pristine ecological reserves, and the resort’s blue holes and sandbanks are simply addictive. We could visit them several times a day and still never get enough. At any moment, you’ll find different kinds of fish swimming freely around you.
Beyond the beauty and the facilities, what truly makes Vakkaru unforgettable is the people.
Our butler Myat, the sommelier, and our roomboy Mohamond all went above and beyond, offering the warmest, most thoughtful care throughout our stay. Their kindness made all the difference.
It’s really hard for us to leave.
We will definitely be back — and without a doubt, we’ll choose Vakkaru again.
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Price per night from€ 550
Posted on Jan 31, 2024
Carlitos Travels
This place is really good, clean, nice design. The Sri Lankan chef makes fantastic food. We had a bit of a misunderstanding with dinner as we had already paid through trip but it was cleared quickly.
We used them to organize a whole day of snorkeling sadly we only saw a turle, due not being the season for mantas nor whale sharks. They took us to an empty island with white sand and crystal blue sea, it was lovely. I think the lunch could have been better but it was a great day. We also went night fishing, we only caught one fish but another couple caught four! Again it was nice being out in the seat night, we then went back to the hotel and the chef grilled the fish we caught!
We were very happy with our stay!
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Price per night from€ 63
Posted on Oct 5, 2025
Pavel Myakishev
On Maldives we come for the third time, the Royal Island Resort was the first time and remained very satisfied! The transfer to the island was a hydroplane and a boat (thank you for the hotel that didn't have to wait until lunch of the inner flight). Back by boat and plane by internal flight. The transfer backward was free, for which also a separate thank you. We arrived at the hotel at 8 a.m., we were settled immediately. We took the Villa sunset, and our house was super successful - far from the pier (in those closer to the pier - it is not very convenient to swim and there is no reef) and close to the beautiful reef.
”The food is very tasty and a great variety, every day for lunch and dinner there were necessarily seafood dishes, fruits, crazy desserts, ice cream, all in abundance.
”The staff is friendly, our waiter at the restaurant brought drinks by the moment we had already got the meals - come to the table, and the water is already poured into glasses and a teapot on the table. Host Mark also liked it very much, everything told, showed. The chief manager at Ali restaurant constantly approached asking how we were eating, whether everything likes.
- Cleaning every day , replacing towels every day, including beaches.
We have a lot of where we have visited and what have seen, and in our opinion it is a very worthy resort, with excellent price/quality ratio - recommended !!!
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Price per night from€ 96
Posted on Mar 5, 2024
Jasur Mavlyanov
Kiha Beach was undoubtedly one of the most incredible places I've ever had the pleasure of staying at. I cherished every single moment there. The staff was phenomenal, always on hand to assist with anything we needed, and the views from the balcony were breathtaking. However, the highlight was undoubtedly the food: a daily feast of delectable dishes, prepared and served by an exceptional team of chefs and waitstaff. I'm thrilled we decided on Kiha Beach for our stay. I'm eagerly looking forward to returning soon, especially for the Manta Rays season!
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Price per night from€ 134