Meeru Island, Maldives – Our Overwater Villa Experience

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Last updated: 19th July 2022

Think of the Maldives and you think of tropical beach getaways, paradise islands with perfect white coral sandy beaches and luxury – well you’d be right. We went for a once in a lifetime trip, and it really was paradise found.  For this bucket list trip we decided to take an all-inclusive family holiday with Garth’s parents and have two weeks of sheer indulgence and relaxation. In this Meeru blog post we’ll share our experience of staying in a Maldives overwater villa at the Meeru Island Resort and Spa.

 

Transfer from Male Airport to Meeru Island Resort

After an exciting flight on Emirates comfortable and gigantic A380 via Dubai we arrived at Malé International Airport right next to the small island capital of Malé which is incredibly packed from coast to coast with buildings.

Coming out of the arrivals hall we were met with views of the ridiculous turquoise coloured sea against the jetties and a slight whiff of petrol from the seaplanes. After a wait in the humid heat for other passengers to arrive we set off in our speedboat!

Our island – Meeru (or Meerufenfushi Island to give it its full name) is located in the North Male Atoll 30 miles from the capital. It’s accessible by speed boat whereas other islands in the South Atol are accessible by sea plane. Our speedboat transfer took about 50 minutes, although it was bumpy the anticipation outweighed that, wondering which island would be ours as we passed different islands along the way. We had butterflies in our stomach and the feeling was just like Christmas Day morning!

Then we saw Meeru in the distance, just like a desert Island with the palms swaying getting closer and closer, we arrived to its beautiful crystal clear turquoise lagoon and perfect white sandy beach. We were met by a line up of staff offering us ice cold cocktails. We had definitely arrived!

 

 

About Meeru Island – Paradise Found

After our welcome drink and induction we were shown to our Jacuzzi Water Villa. Nothing can describe the sheer joy we felt as we walked across to jetty over the tropical fish filled lagoon to our private villa. We really couldn’t quite believe our eyes, yes we are actually staying in paradise! It was on our bucket list to stay in an overwater villa in the Maldives, so a huge tick! The Meeru Island Resort is actually once of the biggest islands in the Maldives, although it doesn’t feel big. We went in high season however we never felt like it was full as we only ever saw a handful of people on the beaches, just perfect.

 

 

Island Accommodation

Meeru Jacuzzi Water Villa

We’ve dreamt of staying in a Maldives overwater villa for years so we beyond excited to finally book a stay in Meeru’s top-end ‘Jacuzzi Water Villa’. They are expensive but they are luxurious and everything we’ve dreamt they would be. The jacuzzi water villas have steps down into the turquoise lagoon which makes you feel very special. One of our favourite experiences was just relaxing in the water villa’s jacuzzi for 2 at night and star gazing into the dark night skies. The water villa also have an open-air bathroom and the jacuzzi area is walled for privacy, so you are not overlooked by the other villas.

Inside features cool hardwood floors, tv, minibar, coffee machine, dressing table and a comfortable sofa. The open-air bathroom has all the toiletries topped up daily and it was good to see they didn’t use plastic bottles, instead using ceramic containers.

 

 

All Room Options

• Meeru Garden Room – The most basic room located in the tropical gardens.
• Meeru Beach Villa – Spacious wooden bungalows next to the beach
• Meeru Jacuzzi Beach Villa – Views of the beach, outdoor jacuzzi and 4 poster bed.
• Meeru Island Water Villa – Located right on the beach at the edge of the water, the location is amazing.
• Meeru Island Jacuzzi Water Villa – The ultimate room! an overwater villa in the Maldives, heaven.

 

 

Duniye Spa

Meeru’s spa is located in delightful overwater bungalows. The spa offers a wide range of treatments including Indian head massages, Thai and Balinese massages and romantic couples treatments. Phil went for a couple of sessions to pamper and rejuvenate his body.

 

 

Meeru’s 5 Star Service & Staff

The Meeru island staff are so gracious and nothing is too much trouble, their service is impeccable. Garth loved the attention to detail in the flower displays dotted around the island. Staff also turned down the beds each evening and if you’re lucky get creatively decorated with more frangipani or hibiscus flowers. Many of the staff are from Sri Lanka and India and enjoyed chatting to us at the bars about their life living on Meeru, they are well looked after. There is a real community for staff with lodgings, a small mosque and even a football pitch where they play games against the tourists.

 

 

Dining & Bars

Farivalhu Buffet Restaurant

The food was incredible at Meeru’s restaurants, on arrival we were allocated the same table and waiter in the buffet style Farivalhu Restaurant. The food and menus are varied on daily basis which is good considering it’s all-inclusive, we stayed for 2 weeks and never got bored. The Farivalhu Restaurant serves eat as much as you want buffet style meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On Friday nights the menu is Maldivian themed. For guests staying in the north of the island they use the Maalan Buffet Restaurant with exactly the same food.

 

 

Asian Wok Restaurant

We also went to their À La Carte Asian Wok Restaurant and had some very tasty Asian food. Garth ordered the prawns which were enormous, bigger than his face! It’s open from 7pm – 9.30pm and you’ll need to make a reservation.

 

Other À La Carte Restaurants

• Hot Rock Restaurant & Bar – À La Carte restaurant next to the Pavilion Pool. Steak, chicken or seafood is cooked at your table on volcanic ‘hot rocks’.
• Meeru Café – At the Dhoni Pool the cafe serves up grilled panini, ice creams, pastries, coffee and tea.

 

 

Bars

There are 6 bars on the island to choose from. The Uthuru Bar at the north end of the island is adults only and is the best place to watch the sunset. Our favourite was the cosy and intimate Pavilion Bar near our water villa. Our favourite activity every day was simply walking around the whole island and stopping off at a few different bars along the way ordering the cocktail of the day. It takes about 40 minutes to walk around Meeru’s sandy white coral beach.

The Kakuni Bar opposite the main reception is for guests who want a bit more nightlife. The bar has TV sports, table tennis, darts, chess and board games plus a disco.

 

 

Best Things To Do

If you’re worried about having nothing to do, don’t! there are plenty of activities to keep you occupied and entertained. There’s a pitch and putt golf course or you can play football against the staff once a week plus tennis, badminton courts and a gym. We opted for the water activities like kayaking and wind surfing. There’s also a dive school, but we were happy with just snorkelling in the water.

 

Meeru Island Snorkelling

Our favourite experience was easily snorkelling on the Meeru reef, just incredible. When we first put your heads under the water it was like looking in a giant aquarium, you can’t believe there is so much activity under the water. Even standing in the shallow waters of the lagoon you are accompanied by baby sharks and stingrays, going further out to the coral reef the colours of the fish become something else. The island provides some brilliant posters with guides to the varieties you can see, including a video screening one evening about the tropical waters and coral life for snorkelling and diving (which is well worth watching). Snorkelling kept us really entertained the whole time.  Sadly the results captured by our GroPro camera underwater came out blurry.

 

 

Scuba Diving

Meeru is an approved PADI site. We’re not experienced enough or really fancy scuba diving, however for those who want to improve their diving skills, Meeru’s turquoise waters offers so much marine life to see close up.

 

 

Water Sports

There’s a huge range of water sports to choose from and prices are wide ranging. Water sports include:

• Stand Up Paddle Boards
• Kayaking
• Jet Ski Rides
• Wakeboarding
• Water Skiing
• Knee boarding
• Windsurfing
• Catamaran Sailing

 

 

Land Sports

There’s quite a few land sports to choose from. We tried the golf driving range including having some lessons which was great fun. Meeru’s land sports include:

• Driving Range
• Putting Green
• Tennis & Badminton Courts
• Beach Volleyball
• Fitness Center
• Bicycle Hire
• 2 x Fresh Water Swimming Pools

 

 

Excursions

Dolphin Watching Boat Trip

There are lots of day trips and excursions on offer all for an additional fee. We went on a couple of excursions, including a free dolphin watching trip, which luckily they came out to play and entertain us.

 

 

Seaplane Sightseeing Trip

We also took a seaplane sightseeing trip which was breathtaking seeing the reefs and islands from the air. We’ve never been on a seaplane before, so it was exciting taking off and landing on the sea!  The trip was amazing apart from an obnoxious couple who split up and hogged the window seats. Although expensive, the spectacular memory of seeing the all the colour of so many atolls was well worth the price. We would highly recommend if you get the opportunity.

 

 

Other Meeru Excursions

• Snorkelling Boat Trip – Various snorkelling boat trips on offer to Meeru’s house reef.
• Love Boat Daysail Cruise – Sunbathe, snorkel and fish on a luxury yacht. Lunch and drinks included in the price.
• Sunset Punch Cruise – One of the cheaper excursions, enjoy watching a beautiful sunset with a glass of punch.
• Robinson Crusoe Sandbank Excursion – Be marooned on a sandbank with food and snorkelling gear.
• Fishing Boat Trips – Various options to hire a boat for a day or half day. Equipment included for big game and casting fishing options.
• Turtle Explorer on a Yacht – Snorkelling excursion from a yacht.
• Sunset Trip On A Yacht – Spot dolphins at sunset whilst enjoying tea or cocktails onboard a yacht.

 

 

Our Conclusion on The Meeru Island Resort & Spa

10/10 If we can ever afford to go ever again, we’d have no hesitation. Meeru is the perfect place to slowly unwind, relax and regenerate on the soft white sandy beaches. We fell in love with the Maldives and hope to return before it disappears under the water as its currently only 1.5m above sea level. It’s predicted that in 50 years it will be gone, which is really sad.

 

 

Meeru Island Resort Practical Information & Useful Advice

Phil & Garth’s Top 5 Meeru Island Travel Tips

• Tip #1: Invest in a decent underwater camera at home and take it with you.
• Tip #2: Don’t fly direct from the UK to Male. Break up your journey with a free stopover eg Dubai, for the same or similar same price.
• Tip #3: If you can afford it, combine Sri Lanka with the Maldives, a lot of people we met did this.
• Tip #4: Boat transfers in rough water can be unpleasant, so if you suffer sea sickness you may want to consider a seaplane transfer.
• Tip #5: The Maldives is an Islamic country – bikinis and alcohol are allowed on tourist islands like Meeru, but absolutely no topless bathing for ladies.

 

Meeru Island Map of Attractions & Accommodation

 

Meeru Island Webcam

Check out the Meeru island weather from their live webcam right now. The view is from the beach.

 

Meeru & Maldives FAQ

• What is the Maldives airport code? MLE – Velana International Airport.
• What time zone is Meeru? GMT +5 hours. Maldives Time.
• What currency is used in the Maldives? Maldivian Rufiyaa (symbol: ރ)
• What language is spoken in the Maldives? Dhivehi, staff at the Meeru resort speak good English.
• What is the population of the Maldives? 540,544.
• What number should I call in an emergency? – Call 119 for police, 102 for ambulance and 118 for fire brigade.
• What plug type is used in Meeru and the Maldives?: Plug Type D and G. Voltage is 230V / 50Hz.
• When is the best time to visit Meeru? November to April which is high season.
• When is the worst time to visit Meeru? May to October which is the monsoon season.
• What are the Maldives famous for? Thousands of tiny coral islands with luxury resorts.
• What’s the history of the Maldives? The Maldives is an independent island nation, founded in 1965.
• What are the 5 must see sights? Coral reefs, tropical fish, white sandy beaches, water villas and dolphins.
• What is a local Maldivian dish? Garudhiya – a fragrant fish soup made with rice, lime, chili and onions.
• What is the best way to get around? Meeru is small enough to walk around.
• What’s a fun fact about the Maldives? It is the lowest country in the world. Only 1.5 meters above sea level.
• What movies have been filmed in the Maldives? Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016).
• Where is the best photo spot on Meeru? Opposite the honeymoon villa one the beach.
• Where is a hidden gem on Meeru? The small Meeru museum has an exhibit of a whale skeleton.
• What’s the best souvenir to buy on Meeru? A unique ‘do not disturb’ coconut from the souvenir shop.
• What is the Meeru island resort contact number? +960 664 3157.
• What is Meeru’s official website? Click here to be taken to their website.

 

How We Did It:

• We booked with TUI, they came out cheapest for the time we wanted to go, the staff were pretty helpful in store too.
• Flights were with Emirates, and we paid for a 2 night stopover in Dubai.
• Transfers from Male Airport were provided by the resort.
• The sightseeing plane trip was booked through the hotel on arrival, approx £100 each.
• We paid for the Meeru Island Resort All Inclusive package and visited in March.

 

Pin our Meeru Island Travel Guide & Overwater Villa Experience for later