Whether you are travelling to the Maldives for a romantic honeymoon, a once-in-a-lifetime treat, or because you just can’t stay away, you will want the trip to be as easy and relaxing as possible. This is where our FlyMe Maldives review comes in. We believe you should check out FlyMe for your perfect Maldives transfers.
FlyMe Maldives Review – Your Perfect Maldives Transfer Airline
FlyMe Villa Air will help create seamless transfers from Malé International Airport to your resort destination. They arrange the flights, the transport to the port and then your boat transfer to whichever island you are bound for.
Airport Experience
Arriving at Malé, our flight was delayed and so we were in quite a flap. Luckily, the domestic terminal is just a two minute walk away from the international one!
There were only two people in front of us in the queue and so ten minutes after picking up our bag, we were heading through security. Check in was super quick, the desk clerk was perfectly pleasant, and we got seats next to each other, no questions asked. Brilliant.
Getting through security was fast and emerging into the small departure lounge, we could see why. It was a very small room. Most of these small domestic flights take off in the morning (to connect with the international flights) and so it was relatively busy. We got seats quickly, before they were snapped up by a large tour group, and waited for our flight to be called.
We were called fifteen minutes later, and stepped out into the glorious sunshine to climb the tiny set of stairs up and into the plane.
FlyMe for your perfect Maldives transfersReady for take offVilla Air 68 seater ATR 72-500 aircraft
The interior was nice and bright. Despite the sun shining through the windows, they had the lights on which made quite a difference. We have been on similar planes that have seemed quite dull in comparison.
The air conditioning wasn’t very strong. I loved the warmth but I know that some people, dressed in their winter clothes from their first flights were too warm. Pop your shorts or skirt on, and you’ll be grand!
Seats
The cabin was quite small, but had two seats either side. They were covered in navy blue leatherette with FlyMe Villa Air head protectors.
Headrest cover
There was a small extendable tray table and below it, a seat back pocket containing the safety information. We were SO curious to find out what the special instructions were for Chinese passengers!
The seats were comfortable, but then it was just a short flight. They had great leg room, but the arm rests could be too slim if you didn’t know your neighbour.
Leg room
Storage
The overhead lockers were reasonably-sized but not huge. Don’t expect to put all your bags up there.
Instead, put your smaller belongings under the seat in front. The design of the chair legs means that it is only the small things that will fit under there.
Entertainment
OK, so there is no seat back screen, or even a communal one, but that isn’t why these flights are so cool. They are short, and fly relatively low, just 3000 feet. The entertainment lies in the lovely views you will get out of the window. This is why you use FlyMe for your perfect Maldives transfers!
The island of Hulhumalé. Can you spot the whirring propeller blades?I mean, the bays in the Maldives are just to die for!
The other entertainment, and it is one of the things I can’t get across to you very well in a blog post, is the fantastic FlyMe Villa Air theme song. It made us smile every time we heard it. They also played gentle music during the flight. I really liked it, it made it all feel very relaxed.
Food
Being a twenty minute flight, we weren’t expecting any kind of food service. We were pleasantly surprised when they came round with little butterscotch sweets. It really is the little unexpected things that delight us.
The Bus
After we disembarked and picked up our bags, we made our way through the exit doors of Dharavandhoo Airport. There were two buses ready and waiting. One was for passengers, the other for luggage. Both were marked with the words “Villa Air”. Don’t panic, this is part of FlyMe so they are for you!
Now you know what we are like, we just kept hold of our hand luggage-sized backpacks and boarded the passenger bus for the five minute drive to the port.
The Boat
Shiny, white speedboats bobbed in the harbour, ready to whisk separate groups of people to their resorts. We stepped aboard a boat with a few others who were off to a different resort. They would drop us off on the way. It took just five minutes and then we were there!
It was so tempting to just jump straight in that gorgeous water!
On our return journey we had the boat to ourselves. It felt like such a luxury to have the boat all to ourselves. The crew were friendly and slightly bemused by our lack of luggage…but that’s just how we roll!
Final Thoughts
The flight back to Malé was smooth, very much the same as our flight out. The main difference was watching the sun burst across the morning sea. It was a real treat.
If you are looking to book transfers with FlyMe Villa Air, visit their website here.
FlyMe Villa Air has two main routes; Malé to Dharavandhoo (Baa Atoll or Malé to Maamigili (South Ari Atoll). They are looking at expanding their route options.
They have now acquired a sea plane which you can use for whale shark spotting tours. It is used to help the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme with research too!
We thought that FlyMe Villa Air was a really easy and enjoyable company to deal with. It would have been really tricky to organise separate flight and boat tickets, with a very hot, sweaty, unpleasant walk from the airport to the port thrown in. Although it is not the height of luxury, it is friendly and easy service. We believe it would be a great choice to pick FlyMe for your perfect Maldives transfers.
We were guests of FlyMe Villa Air but this is an unbiased review, and all my opinions are my own.
The Maldives ranks as one of the most dreamy destinations on earth. We were lucky enough to try a bed in the Maldives, and tick it off of our bucket list. Read on for our full Kihaa Maldives Review.
The Maldives
<3
Honeymoons, luxury resorts, beaches and sunshine; The Maldives evokes the most perfect images of an island paradise. Mental images of a magical Jackson Pollock, of tropical islands splashed across the turquoise canvas of the Indian Ocean. We were incredibly excited, and probably a tiny bit dubious, to see if it really lived up to the hype. Let me start this whole thing by assuring you that it really is the most stunning place.
“But what about the hotel” I hear you cry, here’s our Kihaa Maldives Review.
The Kihaa Maldives Review
Location
When we first booked our flight, we had no clue where to stay or what to see. The Maldives is the most disparate country on earth so there a huge area to pick from. After a little research we found Kihaa Maldives, located on Kihaadhuffaru Island in the Baa Atoll. We flew from London to Zurich and after a few hours wandering around the city got a flight with Edelweiss Air to Malé
The Baa Atoll lies to the West of Malé, the capital of the Maldives and location of the main airport. To reach the island, we took a very short domestic flight with Flyme Villa Air to an island called Dharavadhoo. From there we took a five minute speedboat to Kihaa Maldives. You can also come by seaplane if you are feeling fancy.
If you come to the Baa Atoll at the right time of year, you are staying as close as possible to Hanifaru Bay. This is the spot which attracts hundreds of manta rays every year. They come to feed on the up-swell of plankton, and it can also attract friendly whale sharks. If only we had been there two months later!
Arrival
The boat pulled up to a pier and we stepped up in an excited rush onto Kihaa’s jetty. Ahead of us stretched a swathe of white sandy beach backed by lush greenery.
Note: At this point we had to reset our watches. Kihaa is on “Kihaa Time”, one hour ahead of the rest of the country. (This is to preserve the daylight, a bit like British Summer Time)
Weclome to Kiahaa Maldives Review
We were shown into the reception and main lobby which was sand-floored and timber-lined. It was the perfect beach-side cabana. We were treated to a fresh, young coconut each as we checked in, and had the features and facilities of the resort explained to us. Due to the time change we had to run off and grab our first spot of lunch, before checking in to our room.
Did you know; Kihaa means young coconut. Lets continue with our Kihaa Maldives review
Colonial styling
A Look Around the Property
Rooms
Our Room
We were staying in one of Kihaa’s reserve beach villas. Approaching it from the one of the tracks that leads around the island, it was hard to tell what was inside. What a pleasant surprise, it was huge! The king size bed was incredibly tempting after our overnight flight. But we resisted and pulled down the mosquito nets ready for the evening.
Looking around the room, each new little touch made me squeal a teeny tiny bit. I loved that there was a can of Raid in the cupboard just in case you need to defeat an insect foe. The tea selection was really very good for in room facilities. If you like cold drinks, there’s Coke, Sprite and beer in the fridge, and drinking water to put in there too. Even better than that, was the bottle of bubbly on the table. That got quite a big squeal!
We had several places to lounge other than the bed. On the side was a reading nook covered in cushions, a table with two chairs and a garden furniture suite outside. A few steps through the foliage and we had our very own sunbeds on a fabulous beach.
It really was a villaHow cute is this flower welcome!?A welcome treatThe sideboard with TV and hot drink stationThe bunketteInside one of the wardrobesThe front porchOur hole in the hedgeThe little hose just outside our door to get rid of the beach on our feet
The Bathroom
Oh the bathroom! It was definitely the fanciest bathroom we have ever had. It was partly outside which was super cool. We had not one, or two, but three showers! There was one outside, one under the cover of the roof and one in our roll top bath. In the shower we got shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. I always love when someone gives us conditioner; Mr Fluskey doesn’t care so much.
Using the toilet almost outside took a little getting used to, but showering with the sun shining through the water was incredible. Mr Fluskey even took a shower in the rain. That’s one for a bucket list.
A toilet and a bidet…because we are fancyShowers 1 & 2Shower 3His & Hers sinksAll your handy sink treats
Note: The Maldives sits in the Arabian Sea, although many people describe it as in the Indian Ocean. Now, on with our Kihaa Maldives Review.
Other Rooms
We also got the chance to look around the utterly divine, and totally sought after water villas. There are ten water villas at Kihaa, and two water suites. When most people think of the Maldives, this is what they are picturing, so we just couldn’t leave without nosing around.
These villas are in the best place to enjoy sunset as the pier is pointing West. Every single one has its own little pool and stairs leading directly into the turquoise waters of the Arabian Sea. You can relax on your deck and watch the fish below you. The water villas all have HUGE showers and roll top baths. The suites give you a whole extra room and bathroom. You could fit a whole family in there, or just enjoy having all that space to yourselves.
Water VillasEnjoy the sunset from your own poolStairs into the seaHow lush would this be in the heat of the day?!Water Villa bedroomWater Suite living roomAnother lovely welcomeWater Suite bathWater Suite showerView from the deckThe very end of the pier, a common area to watch the sun go downWater Villas
Activities Around the Resort
Pools
There are two public pools at Kihaa. I say public because there are four kinds of room with their own private pools!
The family pool is a quirky series of circles set back from the beach and surrounded by plenty of seating. The bar is near enough to keep your thirst quenched.
The other option is the infinity pool. This is set right on the beach and looks out over the sea. We spent a lot more time here. I adored the cool seating options around it (sun beds, day beds, cabanas) and thought the tiles were gorgeous!
Blue from sea to sky…to pool!?The pool bar
Beaches
So if you are coming all the way to the Maldives, then you must like a nice beach. Luckily, Kihaa is set on the stunning island of Kihaadhuffaru which has almost a kilometre of beautiful white sand. We loved exploring along the coast. There were deserted stretches that we had all to ourselves, loads of funky seating options and the water that lapped the shore was just perfectly clear. Below is quite a big collection of beach photos throughout the day.
A sunset pavillionSunriseYour own little spot in paradiseSunkissedOh now we all know I LOVE a swing!Ready for bonfires on the beachSunriseDawn saying farewell to the moonAs the sun starts to setFarewell golden shadesThe film screen is right on the beachSomewhere to blogNot a soulOur own sunbedsDreamyThis spot made me so happyAnother day bedSomewhere to chill outThe little tea bunker
Gym
We made the mistake of ignoring the gym until the last day. Usually the gym or sports centre at hotels are small and sad. How different this was! We were blown away by the size of the room, the variety of machines, and how clean and cool it was. They have free weights, tennis courts and even two squash courts!
Welcome to the gymInside the gymTennis court at the gym
The Dive Centre
We popped in to discuss our option and the staff were very friendly. We ended up booking a short snorkelling trip to Turtle Reef. It was just an hour and a half but they gave us water on the boat on the way out. Then, on the way home we got coffee and cookies.
Underwater, our guide found four turtles, a baby shark and loads of fish. It was a lovely way to spend an hour. The equipment was great quality with not a single mask leak. That’s pretty rare for us.
Had we been at the resort longer, we would definitely have made use of the water sports. Included is paddle boarding and small catamarans. There was also a very tempting jet ski. I am always so worried that I’ll crash though (and am far too excited to let Mr Fluskey steer it). I think we will wait until there is a whole lot of open ocean to try it.
The K Spa
The large water villa near the main restaurant is the resort’s spa. We popped in to have a look around and peruse the menu. The whole place smelled delicious, the perfect mingling of lemongrass and tea tree that always whets my spa appetite. Sitting and looking at the different massage options, we could feel the sea breeze. We chose not to have any treatments but the staff were all very nice.
Who wouldn’t want a foot treatment with this view!?K Spa
Our meal plan was the “all meals” plan. That meant three meals a day at the main buffet, with soft drinks during the service. They also offer an all-inclusive plan which covers lots more.
Malaafaiy – The Buffet
This is the buffet restaurant, which was surprisingly good. We didn’t see any recycled food, which is always a very good sign. The variety of hot dishes was interesting and everything was tasty. We enjoyed the pasta station, which had good al dente pasta shapes cooked in a choice yummy sauces. We have been victim to soggy pasta stations in the past so this was a nice surprise.
The entranceBuffet time!Bread stationDessert station“Dessert dim sum”
Breakfast was pretty good. There was cereal, a buffet and an omelette station. I was quite impressed with quality of the croissants and other pastries. They were crispy and light, not usually the case at hotel buffets outside of France.
The restaurantThe omelette station with a really friendly chefThe buffetCroissantsMr Fluskey makes for the food!My random collection of breakfast foods….ahhhh buffets
Sangu – A La Carte
We didn’t try the a la carte but considering the quality of the buffet, I bet it is delicious. There is something special about dining on the beach, with the sand between your toes and the sound of the waves as a backdrop.
Dining al fresco on the beach
Drinks
Undhoali – The Main Bar
The infinity pool bar was by far our favourite. Not only was it by the gorgeous pool, but it has SWINGS!!! Such a happy Rosie. We had two cocktails here, both mixed beautifully. They were not the terrible watered-down kind that is often the curse of the all-inclusive hotel. It is worth noting that the all-inclusive package doesn’t cover every drink, about 20% of the menu is still chargeable. When we ordered a drink in late afternoon, it came with a couple of little snacks too, a welcome addition. Let’s continue with our Kihaa Maldives review.
Raaveriya – By The Other Pool
The next bar is tucked behind the family pool. It is fully stocked with alcohol from all over the world. The Cava, the cheapest bubbles on the menu, was surprisingly tasty. They also have mocktails and little snacks.
Something Special
Evening Fun
If you don’t just fancy hanging out on your veranda, sitting in your pool or getting an early night, there are daily evening activities. The first night we were there was movie night. Working our way through our bottle of bubbly, we knew we would fall asleep if we tried to watch a film. So we just relaxed on the other beach, which we had all to ourselves.
The film screen was right on the beach
On our second evening, we got to take part in a cocktail party. This is a chance to mingle with the staff and enjoy some brightly coloured drinks. We had such wonderful conversations with the people we had seen around the resort.
The red mint, it was delicious!Bubbly anyone?I look super sunburnt but it was just the sunset glow!Bottoms up by the beach
Later that evening, we also joined in with the karaoke by the pool. Unfortunately we don’t have any video evidence of this. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to see it. It was a very jovial atmosphere and staff joined in as well as guests. It was so great to hear some proper Maldivian songs, as well as our butchering of musical theatre classics.
Final Thoughts on our Kihaa Maldives Review
Dharavandhoo Airport (DRV) has very regular flights to Malé International (MLE), your gateway to The Maldives from all over the world.
They sometimes have great deals like “kids stay for free”. Check out their website and book directly with them at www.kihaamaldives.com/
We hope you enjoyed our Kihaa Maldives Review. Kihaa was taken over by new management a year or two ago. The original management were Italian, the new owners are Maldivian and are making real strives to recapture the Maldivian essence of the resort. We thought that it was obvious that everyone really cares about your experience. If you want to find a place in the Maldives that will welcome you with open hearts then come and discover Kihaa Maldives.
We were hosted for this Kihaa Maldives Review but we had a genuinely wonderful time and as always, all opinions are my own.
The story so far…we found a crazy deal from London to Malé, Maldives; just £192 one way!! We have taken one flight from London to Zürich on SWISS (read about it here), and now we are going to embark upon leg two. From Zürich, we would be taking our flight with Edelweiss Air, the leisure airline owned by SWISS International Airlines. This is our review of Edelweiss Air Airbus A340-300 economy ZRH – MLE Zürich to Malé.
This post may contain sponsored content or affiliate links that help support the blog. All opinions are our own.
Having checked in from London, we didn’t need to visit the check in counter, which is good because Zürich International’s check-in is slightly confusing.
We made it through security quickly but then discovered that there wasn’t a lot of seating in the airport’s main concourse. The flight was delayed by a late inbound, and so we needed to find a seat.
We sat and watched the screens (plus Flightradar24) as the flight was delayed by tiny increments.
Finally a gate number popped up and it was a 15 minute journey down to the gate. We approached the desk when we got there. The SWISS app had shown that there were a fair few empty seats. The staff were really sweet and accommodating. Mr Fluskey wangled his way into an empty row of four so he could get a decent night’s sleep.
That is one happy hubby
Interior
The cabin was bright and clean, but the blue seats and orange pillows were a little clashtastic! I thought the logo on the wall was a simple but cute touch.
When we boarded, the lights were all plain white, but they faded in the orange side lights which was much nicer after take off. (Sorry that it made lots of my pictures quite orange-tinted).
The windows were quite small so if like me, you like the view, make sure you get the window seat. As soon as one person is looking out, the view will be utterly obstructed. Let’s continue with our review of Edelweiss Air.
I liked the bright blue of the seat covers but the bobbly material and blocky padding felt cheap.
Edelweiss Air’s seat recline seemed slightly below average for an economy seat on a long haul flight. You get a strange headrest. It is very adjustable vertically, which is great, but bending the side flaps forward creates a v-shape. Do you have a v-shaped head? We don’t!
Head rest adjusts loadsHead rest does not fold wellBut look, I match the seats!
The tray table was very compact, and easy to operate. The only issue was that you have to push it quite hard to close it again, and it was quite a loud pop, unless you lifted the flap. This would really bother the person in front of you, so a little care should be taken.
The seat back pocket space is very good. You have a plastic magazine pocket above the tray table. Remember that small things will fall out of the bottom when the tray is opened so keep this for those magazines.
Below the tray table is the actual pocket. There is a large section, and on the front two smaller sections for your phone, cables and other little bits you need. Just remember to check all the pockets before you disembark!
Entertainment
The screens in the seat back are a great size for an economy cabin. It is also a nice matte finish so it isn’t too ruined by reflections. At the bottom of the screen is the headphone jack. We love having the plug here as it is much harder to accidentally knock out. There is also a USB point so you can charge your devices (slowly).
The selection of films was pretty good, with films from the last six months. I watched Jumanji and Pitch Perfect 3 (because I’m just that cool). They also had a reasonable selection of TV, including a few Netflix favourites.
Amenities
The sleeping gear was a game of two halves. The pillows were very plump and I liked the thick covers. The blankets, however, were quite thin and not even big enough to cover half of my five foot frame. If we were taller, they would have been really silly. I don’t think that the blankets being square helped.
No amenity kit was provided for this overnight flight in basic economy, but economy max gets one.
The bathrooms were clean enough but were very basic. The water came out luke-warm; nice to wash your hands in but a bit weird for brushing your teeth. It was just another reminder that you are in the economy cabin at the back.
Food
Dinner
Dinner was served roughly an hour and a half into the flight. There were three options for the main. Sausage and potatoes, a white wine and mushroom risotto, and fish option.
Both Mr Fluskey and I opted for the white sausage and potato. The white sausage tasted a little better than a cheap hot dog but I got a few bits of gristle which was quite off putting. The potatoes turned out to be three potato rostis which were a mushy. It is very hard to keep deep fried things crispy when they are contained. The whole thing was sitting in a tomato sauce which was somewhere between a passata and ketchup. It seemed naturally sweet from the tomatoes but it definitely suffered from being very boring.
I mean, how do you make a wiener look appealing!?
With dinner there was delicious brown bread, so good that I had two pieces. I used the ham and cheese to make a tasty little open sandwich. I wasn’t a fan of the rice and veggie salad thing so I left that.
The strawberry mousse cake was very sweet but full of strawberry flavour, much better than most of the mousse cakes on planes I’ve had before.
In economy, unless you pay for economy max, customers have to pay for alcohol. Mr Fluskey and I both decided to stick to water and apple juice. It was probably the first time in years that we hadn’t had a proper drink on a long haul flight, but our bodies presumably thanked us.
Just before bed, they handed out little bottles of water, which I always think is great, especially in economy.
Breakfast
As it was an overnight flight of nine hours, we got two meal services. Breakfast was very continantal which I enjoyed. I always feel a bit gross after a hot plane breakfast.
The dried beef was delicious, the ham fine, and I always love a bit of cheese. I made a apricot jam, and brie slice which was scrummy (another two bits of gorgeous brown bread). The square pot had some sort of cold muesli/porridge concoction that was my idea of texture hell, so I left that too.
The coffee it was served with was actually really good. Strong enough to give me a little perk up, but not bitter.
Check out what we got up to when we arrived in the Maldives
Final Thoughts
We hope our review of Edelweiss Air was helpful. We found flying with Edelweiss Air fine, but didn’t really have anything overly special about it. There were no defining points to encourage us to book it again over another airline.
The food left a bit to be desired, but as I’m sure you’ve gathered, the bread was fantastic! Beyond the food, back in normal economy, we felt slightly like our custom had been forgotten. The blankets weren’t good enough for an overnight flight, and the complete lack of amenity kit would be very annoying if we didn’t always pack our own version.
Flying via Zürich would be worth it if, like on this trip, it saved so much money. If, however, there was a comparable flight on another airline, I may choose the other one.
I am giving Edelweiss Air 6.5/10
Rosie xx
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