Meruu Island Resort****

Everything about Meeru is large, except the PRICE. If you are looking for a quiet, intimate holiday then this place isn't for you, but if low cost and good diving are your priorities, then this might well be suitable for your holiday.

Almost on its own out on the eastern tip of the Atoll, a large number of great dive sites are not only close by but also not often visited by other resorts. The channels and "outside" sites north of the resort are lonely places where the big pelagic and other rarely sighted fish are happy to swim. Sharks, tuna and barracuda are regularly seen, as well as manta rays during the south-West monsoon and even whale sharks.

The outside reef adjacent to the resort has the most unusual coral formation called "The stairs". It is crowded with fish from the white tip reef sharks and turtles on the bottom steps up to the oriental sweet lips and puffer fish on the top. This is a quiet spot too, but the sites further south must be shared with the many resorts in that region.

Having said that, a good forty and more dives leave from Meeru twice a day, so the dives are not so very private. Still, the dive center is an efficient and always friendly place and the main focus for many guests' holiday.

The whole island is exceptionally rich in native trees and coconut palms. about a quarter of it is untouched and worth exploring. Those that do might find a secret beach. Not that the place is without beaches. The whole of the west side (facing inside the Atoll) is a fine, wide strip of sand and, compared to other resorts on this side of North Male' Atoll, the east side is very good too.

The lagoon is enormous, shallow and without much coral, so it is great for windsurfing, other water sports activities and for children to hang-around. But could not be considered great for snorkeling, as the lagoon is huge. However, snorkeling trips to the reef edge and further field are regular organized events.

The 225 rooms is the fifth largest of any island. The standard rooms are in rows, the superior rooms (MEERU Land Villa's are beach front and the water bungalows are really beautiful. There are no frills, certainly, and there is a/c hot and cold water and a good bed. The bathroom is also very neat and nice.

The restaurant is inevitably huge, but in the evenings, with lamps on the table, it has a lovely atmosphere. In a week, Lunch and four dinners are buffet, the other three dinners are set. The food is good, and there is plenty of it and the waiters, like all the staff, are friendly.