Standard Beachfront Room
Close to the beach · Queen bed · Veranda · Sleeps up to three
Bandos Maldives · North Malé Atoll
Bandos Maldives
- 10 min by speedboat
- Any arrival time
- 4.5 on TripAdvisor · 5,532 reviews
- Travellers' Choice 2026
- All taxes in the price
The villas
On the beach
Deluxe Beachfront Room
Separate living area · Bathtub · Interconnecting rooms · Two adults and two children
Superior Villa
West side, facing the sunset · Bathtub and outdoor rain shower · Sofa bed
Beach Villa
A few steps from the sand · Bathtub and outdoor rain shower · Sofa bed
Premium Beach Villa
Two storeys · King bed · Open-air whirlpool bath · Two adults and two children
Beach Pool Villa
Private pool and sundeck · King bed · Whirlpool bath · Two adults, or one adult and one child
Over the water
Sunset Water Villa with Pool
Over the water · Private pool · Steps into the lagoon · King bed
Split stay · two villas
2 nights Standard Beachfront Room + 2 nights Sunset Water Villa with Pool
Two villas, one stay · Two nights in each
2 nights Deluxe Beachfront Room + 2 nights Sunset Water Villa with Pool
Two villas, one stay · Two nights in each
2 nights Superior Villa + 2 nights Sunset Water Villa with Pool
Two villas, one stay · Two nights in each
2 nights Beach Villa + 2 nights Sunset Water Villa with Pool
Two villas, one stay · Two nights in each
2 nights Premium Beach Villa + 2 nights Sunset Water Villa with Pool
Two villas, one stay · Two nights in each
House reef
Our rating
4/5
Strong
One of the few islands you can genuinely swim right around, with several places to get in rather than one. The reef in front of the Huvan restaurant is the stretch everyone names, with clear shallow water and big colourful fish. Reef sharks are common, turtles regular, and repeat visitors keep coming back for it. There is a current to plan around and swimming against it is hard work, so pick your direction. Breakwaters run parallel to the shore near the reef break. Snorkel gear is hire rather than free here, so bring your own if you have it.
How we score house reefs, and every island ranked →Getting there
Route
Speedboat
- Journey
- 10 min, airport to island
- Last arrival that works
- Any hour
Transfers run around the clock, so any arrival time connects and you never need a night in Malé on the way in.
Shared speedboat, running day and night, so any arrival time connects. Boats are scheduled rather than private, so allow a wait at Velana.
Transfer details last checked 5 October 2026. We re-check yours against your actual ticket before we quote. See what your flight can reach →
What guests say
4.5out of 5 on TripAdvisor · 5,532 reviews
Great resort
I have just returned from a week at Bandos with my wife. We chose the island primarily because it was a short transfer from Male airport and had a dive shop on...
Best family holiday
This is our second visit to Bandos having previously visited in 2024. From the moment we arrived the staff guided us through the airport welcomed us with a cold drink upon arrival...
One of the best resorts I’ve stayed at in the Maldives
Our stay at Bandos Maldives was one of the best holidays we’ve had in a while. The island is absolutely beautiful, but what truly made our holiday unforgettable was the amazing staff...
Travellers' Choice 2026. Rating checked 5 October 2026. Read all the reviews on TripAdvisor →
About the resort
Bandos Maldives is ten minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, in North Malé Atoll, and the boat runs at any hour. Whatever time your flight lands, you reach the island that night.
It is a large, lively island of over two hundred rooms, with a dive centre, a kids' club, a pool and a clubhouse with a gym and sauna. Families and couples share it, and the pace is easy rather than hushed.
The house reef is why guests come back. You can swim right around the island, with several places to get in, and reef sharks and turtles are regular sightings.
What you pay
Every price on this page is for two adults sharing, four nights, with return speedboat transfers and every Maldivian tax included. Pick half board or all inclusive. All inclusive adds the same amount per person per night, whichever room you choose.
The split stays give you two nights on the beach, then two in a Sunset Water Villa with Pool, for up to a third less than four nights over the water. The Beach Pool Villa and the Sunset Water Villa sit well above the rest of the island.
What's included, and what isn't
In the price: your room or villa for four nights, breakfast and dinner at the Gallery buffet, return speedboat transfers from Velana, green tax and every Maldivian tax.
All inclusive adds: lunch, house spirits, house wine, draught beer, selected cocktails and soft drinks at the bars during set hours, a minibar refilled daily, two hours a day of windsurfing, canoeing or paddleboarding, and daylight tennis.
Not in the price: your international flights, travel insurance, Indian TCS, diving, excursions, the spa, the à la carte restaurants, premium drinks and the wine list, room service, and anything not named above.
Who this isn't for
Couples after a small, quiet island. Bandos Maldives is big and popular with families, the buffet can feel crowded at dinner, and seaplanes pass overhead because the airport is so close.
Anyone who expects all inclusive to cover everything. Meals are at the buffet at set times, and the drinks list stops short of premium brands.
A family of three set on a pool villa. The Beach Pool Villa takes two adults, or one adult and one child.
Before you book
Four nights is the stay priced on this page. Other lengths, extra guests and the festive period, when the Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve gala dinners are compulsory, are priced on request.
Children under twelve can stay in the Sunset Water Villa with Pool and the Beach Pool Villa, but parents are asked to sign a safety waiver. The kids' club takes ages 3 to 12 at no charge.
Not every Beachfront Room opens straight onto the sand, so tell us if that matters. Snorkel gear is hired here, so bring your own if you have it. Check-in is from 2pm and check-out at noon. Tell us at booking if you are on honeymoon or celebrating an anniversary, so the welcome extras are in place.
For current rates, villa availability and transfers, message our Maldives specialists on WhatsApp or send us an enquiry. We reply within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Bandos Maldives, and how do you get there?
Bandos Maldives is in North Malé Atoll, ten minutes from Velana International Airport by shared speedboat. The boat runs day and night, so any flight reaches the island the same day, and the return boat is in every price on this page. Boats are scheduled rather than private, so allow a short wait at the airport. Send us your flight times when you book.
What meal plans are priced on this page?
Half board or all inclusive. Half board is breakfast and dinner at the Gallery buffet. All inclusive adds lunch, house spirits, house wine, draught beer, selected cocktails and soft drinks at the bars during set hours, a minibar refilled daily, and two hours a day of windsurfing, canoeing or paddleboarding. Full board can be priced on request.
What does the all-inclusive plan leave out?
Premium drinks and the wine list, fresh juices, room service, and drinks outside the set bar hours are charged. So are diving, excursions, the spa, laundry and the Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve gala dinners. Meals at the à la carte restaurants are discounted for all-inclusive guests rather than included.
Is Bandos Maldives good for families?
Yes. The kids' club takes ages 3 to 12 at no charge. The Deluxe Beachfront Room and the Premium Beach Villa take two adults and two children, and most other rooms two adults and one child. The Beach Pool Villa takes two adults, or one adult and one child. Parents of children under twelve sign a safety waiver in the pool and water villas.
Can you snorkel from the beach at Bandos Maldives?
Yes, and it is the island's strongest point. The reef runs right around the island, with several places to get in, and reef sharks and turtles are regular sightings. A current runs along the edge, so plan your direction, and there is no lifeguard on the reef. Snorkel gear is hired, so bring your own if you have it.
What happens at Christmas and New Year?
Bandos Maldives holds two compulsory gala dinners, charged per adult: US$200 on Christmas Eve and US$250 on New Year's Eve, with a lower charge for children. Stays over the festive period need five nights. That period is not priced on this page, but we can book it and will show you the full figure first.
Are there extras for honeymoons and anniversaries?
Honeymooners get a fruit platter and a bottle of wine on arrival and a flower bed decoration on the first night. Silver and golden wedding anniversaries get the same, and other anniversaries a cake. Birthdays during the stay get a cake too. Tell us at booking so the resort has it in place.
The resort
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More photos on Instagram: @bandosmaldives (opens in a new tab)
Tell us your dates and who is travelling
We will price two or three villas with the speedboat and every tax included, and we can quote any dates outside the ones above. We reply within 24 hours.