FOOD AND DRINK
Most drinks in the bars and restaurants are included in the all-inclusive
package, including (all by the glass only) mineral water, house wine, beer,
cider, gin, vodka, rum, fruit juices (pineapple, orange, mango), and fizzy
drinks (Coke, Sprite, different flavours of Fanta). If you want bottles
of wine, bottles of water, cocktails, or anything else not included then
you just sign for it and it goes on your bill at the end of the week. (In
practise the waiters in the restaurants often bring you a bottle of water
even if you've only askd for a glass, as it makes it easier for them not
to be running back and forth with more every two minutes!)
The bars are great: From the Sunrise Bar at the eastern end of the island,
via the Babuna bar (centre of evening entertainment), Akiri bar (quieter),
to the Sunset Bar at the western end where you can sit and watch the sun
disappear over the horizon at 7:00pm on the dot!
There are two all-inclusive restaurants which serve identical food,
and you are assigned a specific table in one of the restaurants when you
arrive. You sit at the same table, with the same waiter, for the duration
of your stay, so you get a chance to know your waiter amd the people around
you quite well.
The all-inclusive restaurants serve the following meals:
-
buffet breakfast from 8am - 10am
- different types of bread / toast, sausages, bacon, baked beans, cheese,
cold meat, omelettes and pancakes cooked to order, tea, coffee, cold drinks...
-
buffet lunch from 12:30pm - 3pm
- typically soup, bread rolls, rice, two or three different vegetable
dishes, two or three meat / fish dishes, and one or two "specials" each
day (often a pasta dish and some fresh grilled meat or fish) which is cooked
in front of you at a station next to the buffet. There's also a salad buffet
and a dessert buffet.
-
evening meal from 8:00pm - 9:30pm
- a buffet similar to the lunch buffet. A different theme each day
eg "Western", "Oriental", "Italian" etc.
There are also three speciality restaurants:
-
Franco's - pizza, pasta, etc
-
Far East - Thai, chinese, indonesian etc
-
The Grill - steaks, burgers etc
In these restaurants the food is not included in the all-inclusive package,
but the normal all-inclusive drinks are. Again, you simply sign the bill
and pay for it all at the end. The prices in these restaurants were typically
about US$50 for a three-course meal for two, and the restaurants are open
for lunch and dinner.
There's a "Sports Cafe" next to the dive centre which sells a small variety
of sandwiches,
salads and toasties for between US$3.50 - US$9.00, from 10am to 10pm. Also,
a "Maldivian Tea House" which serves tea, coffee, toasties, and local snacks
in the afternoons.
The main shop also sells crisps, nuts, biscuits and chocolate, although
the prices aren't great (US$2.00 for a Mars Bar, for example).
You can also have breakfast or other meals delivered to your villa for
an extra charge. Breakfast is around US$4.00 per person for a basic breakfast
and then other items are added individually. There is also an option to
dine on the sandbank!
Note: The water in the room is not drinking water (it is desalinated
sea water, and although the staff can drink it as they are more acclimatised,
it is not recommended for guests).
Note: all prices were correct at the time we were there. They may have
changed since then!