Sandies Bathala

We visited this island for the second time because of its incredible house reef, rich with turtles, sharks, stingrays and moray eels. The island is truly special for ocean lovers. The restaurant was outstanding. The chefs creatively transformed simple ingredients and even reused dishes in innovative ways for the next meal. We are grateful to the waiters and some housekeeping staff for their kindness and care. A special thank you to the Maldivian snorkeling guide with curly hair who showed us fish, octopuses, explained the currents, helped us swim and even filmed videos for us. He is truly in love with the ocean and protects the reef with passion. We also thank the managers for the champagne and fruits for our first wedding anniversary. We had our wedding ceremony on this island in 2025. The tailor on the island organized beautiful white decorations for our ceremony, and the chef prepared the best meringue cake we have ever tasted. Special thanks to Mirsaid from reception for his care during our stay and for helping organize our wedding ceremony and memories. The transfer organization was excellent and very smooth with Trans Maldivian Airways. Wi-Fi issues were eventually solved with routers provided by the hotel. We will carry love for this island and its people throughout our lives.

Unfortunately, housekeeping quality declined this year. The bed was often not made, towels were not replaced, and sometimes it felt like the room attendant only came to collect tips. The Italian snorkeling staff left a negative impression. During snorkeling trips we were left alone in the ocean several times. At one point I panicked and almost drowned. Some staff members seemed emotionally detached and did not appear concerned whether all guests safely returned from the water. We sincerely hope they develop more empathy and responsibility for guests’ safety. It is also a pity that beach cocktail dinners are no longer organized in 2026, as they were a very memorable and atmospheric part of the experience.

The house reef and the food

Limited excursions

Die Anreise von Male war sehr kurz. In nur 15 Minuten erreicht man per Wasserflugzeug die Insel. Wir hatten eine Strandvilla. Die Lage unseres ersten Zimmers war nicht so schön, da von dort aus das Meer nicht zugänglich war. Nach kurzer Rücksprache mit dem Personal, konnten wir am Folgetag in ein anderes Zimmer umziehen. Anschließend war alles hervorragend. Die Zimmer sind sehr schön gelegen, der Strand ist ein Traum und das Personal ist wirklich sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit. Die Speisenangebote waren ausreichend und sehr lecker. Das Hausriff war spektakulär und bot eine umfangreiche Tierwelt zur Selbsterkundung. Es gab täglich eine geführte Schnorchel Tour um das Hausriff, auch die Tauchschule war sehr kompetent und sehr gut ausgestattet. Zusätzlich ist der Schneider auf der Insel erwähnenswert. Innerhalb weniger Tage fertigt er maßgeschneiderte Kleidung an. Das Hotel organisierte regelmäßig das Abendessen am Strand, mit Mottoparty.

Die Cocktails in der Bar schmecken nicht. Durch das outdoor Bad benötigt es etwas mehr Reinigung, da die Tierwelt ihre Spuren hinterlässt.

The house reef is phenomenal! Every day we managed to see sharks, turtles, rays, and a plethora of fish. The reef is super easy to access. The excursions offered were fabulous! Alice from the team created such an unforgettable experience for us: we saw manta rays, dolphins, and the most gorgeous coral garden all in one day. Front office staff are very helpful, especially Mersaid, who went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable. Finally, the spa was outstanding, we’ve received 3 treatments each and were incredibly content with the massages.

It would have been amazing if there was a better sea view from the bar and restaurant, as they are both tucked into the island. Also, it was slightly disappointing to learn that the all inclusive package didn’t actually include all the possible cocktails, with some being labelled “premium”