Dhawa Ihuru 5 stars

We have just returned from two weeks at this island resort. We have visited 9 different islands in the Maldives over many years so have some experience on how the islands can differ. We predominantly chose this island because of the size, the house reef and the short transfer from Male (25 mins speedboat). A short speedboat transfer is so easy compared with a seaplane transfer which can involve hours of hanging around, however we probably wouldn’t opt for this again as there is so much development in and around Male that not only are the views changing but more importantly the creation of new islands through dredging is causing poor visibility in the water. On some days it was really bad and we appreciate this is also down to the weather (wind and rain) but the impact of the dredging is devastating for the reefs on the islands in the vicinity. Having said that, the house reef at Dhawa Ihuru is incredible. The range and colour of the corals is amazing and there were a lot of different fish, some of which were the largest we’ve seen. This included the reef sharks and the biggest turtle we’ve ever seen whilst snorkelling in the Maldives. There are clear entry/exit points and you need to use these particularly at low tide. The current can be strong in places so it’s wise to go in the direction you’re carried and the reef is wide in places and you can end up quite far away from the island, so keep an eye on the white flags marking the entry/exit points. The dive team can provide snorkelling equipment free of charge. We visited the Banyan Tree resort on the free ferry which runs every couple of hours throughout the day. It’s picture perfect like a brochure for the Maldives but as most guests have said before, we would not wish to stay there. I did visit the doctor there, who was very helpful and this was arranged through the Dhawa reception. Dhawa Ihuru is a very small island. The internal sandy pathway is beautifully kept and is about 550 steps, to give you some context on the size of the island. Unfortunately, the sea defences around the island make walking around the outside of the island very difficult. We tried it a few times but it involves a lot of clambering or venturing into the sea. This was a disappointment to us. We understand that the islands need to prevent erosion but the walls are very close together so the only pretty view of the island is the area around the jetty, bar and restaurant - which is what features in the pictures on the website. I have added some photos of the defence walls in an area which is really not very well kept. Defences are necessary but not only should they be as aesthetically pleasing as possible, they also need to be regularly maintained. We’d have been really unhappy if our room was one of those that looked out on the view of ripped sand bags. We learned from a fellow guest that there are small bins all around the island. After stormy days, we walked around picking up litter that came in with the tide, mainly small bits of plastic, but also large plastic bottles and a lot of flip flops! All guests should be told about the bins and encouraged to pick up anything that shouldn’t be there to help keep the Maldives looking beautiful. The staff on the island are friendly and attentive, from reception to the team that permanently sweep the sand to keep it looking perfect for guests. There really is an army of staff constantly at work to keep it all pristine. We were disappointed that there were only three parasols on the decking area outside the bar and these often weren’t up. There were even fewer on the decking for the restaurant. We’ve never been to an island that discourages outside dining. Maybe with Dhawa it’s down to the wind at that point on the island but it seemed such a shame not to be outdoors. Normally guests clamour for the outside seating. The lack of shade was also a problem at our room. Our jacuzzi beach villa had a lot of outside space with a small table and chairs immediately outside the doors, then a wicker day bed and then near the beach, two loungers, all of which came with cushions that are conveniently stored down the side of the villa. The one parasol was on the patio area immediately outside the room where it served no purpose. Usually on other islands parasols are down by the loungers. We asked if ours could be moved and we did appreciate that it had an incredibly heavy concrete base but the reason given for it not being moved was apparently the windy weather. Our point on the island was never affected by the wind and even if it had been, the parasol could have been taken down, when necessary. This is why we found ourselves seeking shade at the bar instead but quite often the seating was ‘reserved’ or taken and again, we were forced to sit inside. This island also seems to be ‘fogged’ less often than other islands and we found we were bitten quite often, despite applying insect repellent. The All Inclusive is quite generous with branded spirits and beers forming part of the deal and the mini bar in our room had quite a range, as well as some chocolate and nuts which were replenished. Between mealtimes nothing is available for snacking other than crisps and popcorn in the Nest. The real disappointment for us was the food - both the range and the quality. Maldivian curries are normally the highlight of our stays, but not here. Also, as guests staying for two weeks, the buffet was incredibly repetitive and by week two, we could guess the dishes on the themed nights. One evening on week two, we did not like what was offered on the buffet and opted for the burger and beer deal being advertised. This was $58 for two, and amounted to a very ordinary burger and fries and a bottle of Corona. This seems rather pricy when you consider this is on top of us already having paid for dinner as part of the All Inclusive. We also considered the cost of spa treatments and sea excursions expensive and this is the first island where we’ve not taken these up. Dhawa is very family friendly and guests stay here with incredibly young children. This isn’t too big a problem for us although some guests during our stay behaved very irresponsibly and let their young children group together and run amok. This should have been tackled by management and nipped in the bud on day one as it impacted other guests in the bar, restaurant and the Nest.

Aiham was a great looked after us for our stay when the weather was sunny this island is amazing great diving I saw many sharks and a turtle up close. Food was good quality for a buffet staff friendly Manly the waiters and house keeping always smiling.

We recently returned to Dhawa Ihuru eleven years after our first visit as we had enjoyed our previous visit so much, and we appreciated the lovely welcome back. The main attraction for us is the excellent reef which encircles the island and is easily accessible from the beach. This year it was teeming with fish feasting on the plankton and we also saw lots of reef sharks and turtles. There are also some beautiful sea anemones with their resident clown fish. It took us about an hour to swim around the entire island compared with a five minute walk! We were lucky with the weather and only experienced one day of rain in our 12 night stay. Food was excellent - not too fancy - with plenty of choice every day and we were treated like royalty by our charming waiter Adam. The drinks included with the AI were very good with decent white and rosé. Our villa was very comfortable and excellently serviced by Shareef, who attended to all our needs. The villa had quick and direct access onto the reef, which we really appreciated, and a private beach area with a day bed, chairs and swing. We could have done with a bit more shade as the sun loungers were very heavy to move around. We enjoyed the Maldivian evening and the dancing of Moussa, who was always very friendly and helpful. Transfer to and from the airport was seamless and we were on the island within 2 hours of our plane landing at the new terminal. We have visited several other Maldivian islands and would say that Ihuru is definitely our favourite and we hope to return again sometime in the future.

The staff is one of the best staffs, I’ve ever met. Their so friendly and helpful. We played football with them and talked so much. The food was brilliant and the atmosphere is just stunning. If it’s raining, the staff makes the day sunny. Najah, did our rooms over the day. He never disturbed us and we never saw him doing our room. You go outside to eat, come back and everything is done. The guys and girls on the reception will give everything to make any of your wishes come true. And the rest of the staff in the background is making the rest of the experience feeling completed

From the beautiful and clean beach, pristine clear waters, to the impeccable hospitality and ambience that is Dhawa Ihuru, we had the most perfect family vacation to celebrate our 15th Anniversary. Zain and Mus from food and beverage as well as Raj from housekeeping were notably so warm and friendly, though everyone else were so lovely too.