Ideal Stay for Manta Rays

Stayed in a deluxe room with a balcony for four nights at approximately USD 140 per night. LOCATION: Visited the Maldives for manta rays， and Dharavandhoo was perfect， just a 15-minute boat ride to see the mantas. As for the hotel's location， the island is small， so it doesn't matter much. ARRIVAL: The hotel picks up guests from the airport with a golf buggy. If several guests arrive simultaneously， check-in might take a bit longer， but it's not an issue if you're not in a rush. ROOM: The room is a good size， clean， with a strong air conditioner—important due to the hot， humid climate. The bedding is fairly comfortable. The TV signal didn't work initially， but staff fixed it a few hours later. The Wi-Fi is stable and fast enough for streaming and uploading photos and videos to the cloud. FOOD: Breakfast is good， with eggs cooked to order and tasty hash browns. Had a few lunches and dinners—overall， the food was disappointing. The chicken satay was dry; the fish lacked sauce; broccoli and beef were too salty. The tuna sandwich and pizza were decent. Meals cost around USD 20 with 26% tax. Surprisingly， there were few seafood options. A la carte can be slow but can be ordered in advance. EXCURSIONS: Enjoyed four manta ray excursions at USD 60 per swim (no tax). After being called by reception， you head to the lobby and everything is arranged. Snorkel sets and life jackets are available at no extra charge. The first two trips had few mantas but were enjoyable due to the lack of crowds. On a day with many mantas (I counted 50 in 50 seconds in one video!)， it was chaotic due to crowding—not the hotel's fault， but it's good to be aware. Still worth it for the stunning sight. Guests have 45 minutes in the water， and the guide manages the time. Different boat sizes accommodate group sizes and are easy to board. There's a priority system for Hanifaru Bay access， so staying multiple days increases your chances of seeing the mantas. After one manta swim， we heard about a whale shark nearby and were offered a chance to swim with it for an extra fee， but the shark left before we arrived. Also did half-day snorkeling with a sandbank， which was fine. Excursions require a minimum of 4-6 people to run. MASSAGE: Had a massage， and the spa therapist was skilled， making it very relaxing. Pricing is unusual—USD 60 for 50 minutes but USD 120 for 80 minutes. Typically， longer massages cost less per hour. Prices include a 26% tax. They lacked after-sun treatment products， which was disappointing. STAFF: The staff is exceptional—friendly， caring， and attentive. The manager even offered me a ride to the shops. Two guides for the manta trips， one more aloof， the other friendly and attentive. On my last night， noisy tourists woke me at 1 a.m. with loud games. The night staff resolved the issue， allowing me to sleep. PAYMENT: A 3.5% fee applies for credit card payments， with cash accepted in USD or EUR， and notes must be issued post-2006. OVERALL: Enjoyed my stay. They allowed a late check-out due to a late flight， subject to availability. Concerned about mosquitoes and dengue before the trip， I brought spray and a bracelet， but luckily， there were no issues， even when not using spray one evening.