Gili Lankanfushi

We stayed for 14 nights in September 2025. This was our fifth visit to Gili Lankanfushi. - Why we love Gili Lankanfushi - Quiet luxury Gili embodies a sense of quiet luxury rather than obvious opulence. Barefoot We love having a lazy brunch on the beach with our bare feet in the fine white sand. Not needing shoes gives us a wonderful sense of freedom and relaxation—it truly helps us unwind from our city life. Only 45 villas Unlike many other resorts, Gili has only 45 villas. There is always peace, privacy, and plenty of space. Classic Maldivian style Gili is not a flashy, modern chain resort. While modern resorts can be found anywhere in the world, Gili offers a timeless Maldivian charm, with its beautiful lagoon and authentic atmosphere. Warm and genuine people The people at Gili truly care. They always go the extra mile to make us feel happy and well looked after. For example, during one of our previous visits, I fell off a bicycle and had a minor scratch. The resort manager at the time (now GM Rodrigo) knew about it and asked me if I was okay. We were genuinely surprised—and touched—that he was aware. Every staff member, even those from the gardening team, greets you with a warm smile. It’s also very special to see familiar faces when we return. Food The food is always excellent. Thank you very much to Chef Hari and his team! - Weather in September 2025 - The weather was perfect—not too hot, with a gentle breeze. During our 15-day stay, it rained only once for about an hour. Otherwise, it was sunny every day, with temperatures around 28–30 degrees. It felt warm but not overly humid. - Activities - We enjoyed all these activities. Maldivian fish curry cooking class It was wonderful to not only take memories home, but also learn a local recipe from the chef. Wine and chocolate tasting We met a lovely couple and had a great time enjoying both the tasting and the conversation. Ray snorkelling Seeing rays up close within a meter of us was incredible. We also saw moray eels and many colourful fish. Sunset sailing on a Dhoni Very romantic and truly unforgettable. Snorkelling with a marine biologist Matthew was very knowledgeable and showed us fascinating marine life. Dolphin cruise This was our fifth time as well, and we saw plenty of dolphins again. Cocktails at Castaway Watching the sunset on a floating castaway platform was simply magical. Jungle Cinema Always a lovely experience. Night snorkelling We arranged this privately, as it’s not part of the regular program. It was amazing to see creatures we don’t usually see during the day, such as crab and sleeping parrotfish. Spa Very relaxing, and it was amazing to watch fish swimming while enjoying the treatment. Additionally, we were lucky to attend the opening of the Gili Olympics. It was such a fun event filled with laughter and joy. - Special thanks - Our Friday Miffy (Mifzal) Thank you for taking such wonderful care of us again. Your gentle smile and thoughtful attention always made our stay truly relaxing and special. Ibrahim (Sanjay) Thank you again for looking after us so well. Your warm hospitality made each meal special, and we appreciated your kindness. Hardif Thank you for always taking such great care of us and for the wonderful conversations. You made our experience even more enjoyable. Monica We were always so happy to be greeted by your genuine smile every morning. Thank you for taking such great care of us. Chef Hari We always appreciate your cuisine. The food at Gili is consistently outstanding. Thank you as well for the special Indian dinner on banana leaves. It was truly memorable. Chef Musna We loved your fish curry at breakfast, and thank you for the wonderful cooking class—I loved it. Ganey Thank you for the beautiful photos. You captured us so beautifully—we absolutely love them. Sohee Thank you for your helpful tips and for taking the time to talk with us. We really enjoyed our conversations. Ali, Santu, Rio Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. We truly enjoyed our conversations. Aslam Thank you for making our anniversary dinner on the beach so special. Naaji Thank you for taking such good care of our villa and for the lovely decorations. Ami Thank you for looking after us at the Overwater Bar and for taking such lovely photos for Cocktails at Castaway. Franco Thank you for taking us night snorkelling safely. It was such an unforgettable experience. The Spa We’re sorry we can’t recall the names of our spa therapists (one female and one male), but they were truly excellent. The doctor I’m sorry I can’t recall her name, but she was very helpful and kind. Also, thank you to Wabbe, Longgi, Bo, Alicia, and everyone working behind the scenes. You are the reason we keep coming back to Gili, and we truly appreciate everything you do. Florian Thank you for your warm hospitality and for taking the time to speak with us. It was a pleasure getting to know you, and we appreciated your kindness and attention throughout our stay. Rodrigo It’s always such a pleasure to see you again. Over the years, you have consistently made us feel so well looked after, and we truly appreciate your care and kindness. See you again in a few months!

This was an amazing end to an excellent Maldives trip. Gili wasn't initially on our radar but was a pro suggestion by our travel agent when booking this trip. It is a very quick boat transfer from MLE airport, which makes it a stellar stop at the start or end of a long trip OR as the main feature of a quick 4 day trip. The food was so so tasty at breakfast as well as the two themed nights that happened while we were there. There was an indian night our first night which we loved with all sorts of cool and delicious live stations. We also had dinner at the sushi restaurant which was really really good. Unfortunately we didn't have time to use the spa since it was only a 2n stay but the gym was very well appointed and spacious. The rooms at Gili are gigantic and that wooden robinson crusoe vibe. It was a little still windwise when we were there and half of the house (bathroom/deck/living room) is open air without a/c, but a quick jump off the front deck into the ocean kept us refreshed and very comfortable. Other guests that were diving were having a great time. We went for a snorkel on the house reef and had a fun time (rays and turtles in the grasslands out to the health house reef). I surf and the tropic surf offerings (board selection, coaching, ability to get to waves) was so good. Because it is close to MLE it definitely is more crowded in the water which is definitely a factor, but we had scored other places on the trip and it is just a pleasure to be out in a tropical location, period.

I could not imagine any better hotel in the world. We promissed ourselves (again) that we would come back (again). Extremely grateful for these amazing and unforgettable days!

Cruso residence that we stayed in was a unique experience but the views of the island behind was disappointing. All the staff at the resort was amazing. Overall a great resort with understated luxury. Sunset point by the bar is surreal.

My wife and I were on our 12th return visit to this idyllic resort. Everything about Gili is just perfect, from the hospitality and service provided by all of the team members; F&B, Dive Centre, Housekeeping, Bar, and any of the other staff you may come across during your stay, to the out of this world dining experiences provided by the amazing chefs under the direction of the resorts superb Exec Chef Hari. Special thanks go to our Mr Friday's Zubba & Bobo, Wabbe who looks after our every need at meal times, Sohee, Franco and Mifraa in the Dive Centre, Restaurant Supervisors Shiyan, Alisha & Monica, Sommeliers Rohan, Ghayan, & Rahman and of course Exec Chef Hari. All are always on hand to make your stay perfect as well as share a huge smile and a lighthearted chat. The Maldives are beautiful right across the archipelago, and Gili is a perfect example of that, but what makes it extra special is the staff. It is understated elegance and luxury at its very best.