The sand is fine and soft, and the snorkeling is great. Overall, the service wasn't that good. I've been to three islands in the Maldives, and this one is pretty good, but the service is average, especially at the front desk. First, before I went, I asked Ctrip to inquire about several room types, the dive center, and seaplane questions, but they all gave vague answers and no precise replies. Also, to check in, you have to download the hotel app using a Google browser. It didn't work well on three Chinese-brand phones, but it worked fine on an iPhone. It took me an hour.
The Chinese female receptionist at the front desk wasn't very warm to Chinese guests; on the contrary, the foreign receptionists were very good. The male manager at the water sports center refused my request to dive the day before, using the excuse of taking a seaplane. He said it was an island rule, but I told him that PADI clearly states that the 24-hour no-diving rule only applies to flights on pressurized aircraft. Seaplanes fly at a low altitude and are not pressurized in the cabin, so there's no such rule. Also, in the main buffet restaurant, the staff assign guests' seats. On the first day, they placed me at the table closest to the main entrance, where I couldn't see any sea view. On the second day, they tried to put me there again. I told them I wanted a window seat with a view, or I would complain immediately. Then they didn't dare to insist. The service on this island is quite peculiar.
You can see small sharks swimming near the shore just by walking on the beach. There are many Chinese tourists. The snorkeling section from the dive center to the family water villas is superb. There are many corals and the drop-off is close. Small sharks swim all around you. There's a public ladder on the bridge over the club's water channel, which is a bonus for guests not staying in water villas. The waves there are big, but it's far from the drop-off, with many corals and fish. However, if you're not a strong swimmer, I don't recommend going there due to the big waves.
Lynn from Guangzhou, who works at the Centara Grand Water Sports Center, was very enthusiastic and helpful. She helped me with my questions and arranged my diving time, and even reminded me in advance. Her service was top-notch! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 And the new handsome Kazakh guy at the front desk was also warm and attentive. He specially came to see me off when I left the island and even gave me some Kazakh chocolate. My English isn't great, so communication was a bit difficult, but he was very patient and used a translation app to help me. The Italian restaurant is delicious, and the Thai restaurant is also quite good, though the main restaurant is a bit inferior compared to other islands. Make reservations in advance, make reservations in advance, make reservations in advance, or you won't get into the Italian restaurant. I only managed to book it once because I booked as soon as I arrived on the island. What can I say? I went to Centara Grand Island during the rainy season and had five full days of sunshine, with rain only at night, so I truly love this island. After leaving the island, I heard there were several consecutive days of heavy rain.
Let me also talk about Ctrip's service. I've used Ctrip for international travel for 10 years. Their prices are becoming less competitive, but their service is getting better and better. Their 24-hour customer service is online, and you can always find a human agent to help communicate with hotels both domestically and internationally, which is very useful for tourists whose English isn't very good.
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