Honest review
Handmade classic Maldives — the most honest way to describe Alimatha. The resort stands in Vaavu, the country's least populated atoll, where white beaches and dense greenery survive almost untouched.
Everything here is literally made by hand, on site: the wooden furniture, restaurant tabletops and even the salt cellars are produced on the island itself, and the resort bottles its own water in handsome glass bottles. In 27 years not a single tree has been felled — the buildings are set carefully around the greenery. The owners are Italian, and the atmosphere matches: homely, warm-hearted, like an agriturismo transplanted to the Maldives.
The resort has been renovated — rooms are fresh and comfortable. An honest caveat: privacy is limited, but the greenery and separate beach zones are cleverly laid out, and the grounds are spotless — cleaned every morning.
By the water villas there is a bar, a jacuzzi and a large pool, beautifully lit in the evening. Vaavu, meanwhile, is a diver's paradise: untouched reefs, world-class sites, marine reserves; anglers have a shot at the rare blue marlin and tuna.
People come back for years — one guest flew in with her parents 14 years running. For a first trip to the Maldives, Alimatha is bang on target: a picture-book island, with a kids' club to keep children busy too.
