Club Med Faru

Hi Folks,

I'm planning a dive trip to either Faru or Kani for November 2004 - have any of you been to both?

I'm a single diver, but having been to Turks & Caicos (a "singles" village) and Columbus (a "couples" village with kids allowed), I actually prefer the calm of Columbus.

For Faru, is the social life a "meat market", like it can be in Turks or Cancun? Or are people really into diving and party lightly after dinner?

Thanks!
Trish

Let's go diving!

IMHO the water is clearer around Kani. Plus Kani has hot water.

I haven't been to Faru, but have been to Kani and just love it!
From what I've heard Faru is very close to the new airport which is a bit of a bummer.. As far as the diving I have also heard the visibility is not as good as the dive sites around Kani. I am going back to Kani in Feb and can't wait.

moneypenny

People are telling wrong things about Faru !
- The divesites of Kani or Faru are nearly the same ! When Kani is diving inside the atoll, they are going south nearby Faru : Banana, Coral Garden, Furana Thila, Hannes Reef, Maagiri Thila, ... Nearby Kani you can only dive oceanside.
- There is no new airport ! They are building an artificial island in the lagoon of Faru to allow the extension of the capital of Male.

Hi

Just about Faru's social scene. I think it really depends on the GMs there at the same time as you. When I was there, it was rather quiet, and the bar was rather empty by midnight. I didn't notice that many singles either - a lot of the GMs then were couples.

However, the GOs also mentioned that a couple of weeks before, there were a lot more singles, and the nightlife was a bit more active.

Oh, and if you decide to go to Faru, you might like to ask for a room in G block. It's close to the main areas and near the scuba shack.

Maukitten

PS. Don't worry about the airport. At Faru, you're far more likely to hear a seaplane (the Maldivian air taxi) than a jet. I only heard a jet flying overhead once in the whole week that I was there.

Thanks Maukitten to help me defend Faru !

Hi!!!! I'm going to Faru in november, from 21 to 29. It's the first time for me and I'm going alone. I hope to have a very great time!!!! someone knows about the circus team??

Dear cri@cri,

I am afraid that there is no circus team in Faru.

Thanks Maukitten, I'd only heard about the airport being not that far away from faru, but if you only heard one plane go over.. then that's all good.
which would you say has the better accommodation faru or kani?
Moneypenny

Hi Moneypenny

Haven't been to Kani myself, but my friends have. From their pics, the rooms in Kani looked much nicer (but I think you have to request for specific rooms). Some of the other rooms can be quite bad, according to my friend who worked as a GO there.

As to Faru rooms, well, they are pretty basic. And the hot water is plentiful in the morning till afternoon, but towards evening, the water gets to be a bit on the cold side. And the shower flow is a bit pathetic. But since we don't really spend that much time indoors, I think all in all it's OK.

Hey Miki, you've been to both Faru and Kani - what do you think?

Yrs truly
Maukitten

Hi all,
I've been many times to both clubs Faru and Kani (only to Kani when Faru was closed) !
It is true the rooms are very basic in Faru but nevertheless I prefer them. In Kani in the standard rooms you don't have any place to empty your luggage and sure not if you have to share the room with a stranger ! In Kani there is also a door who separates the room from the bathroom and the toilet. So if your roommate stays a long time in the bathroom you cannot access the toilet ...
I've never been in the waterbungalows (to expensive, I prefer to stay another week) !
I'm leaving today for Kani and I'm going after that to Faru for the reopening !
I'm looooving Faru ....

Thanks everyone for all the info.
I can't wait to hear all reports back from Kani and Faru.. How long are you going for?
I'm booked to go to Kani in Feb, but just wanted to scope out the accom between the 2 CM's. Hope you take loads of photo's to share with us all.
Have a fab time!
Moneypenny

Hi all

I got one of the nicer standard rooms when I went to Kani. The bathroom was gorgeous and huge by Club Med standards - the toilet is separated from the shower by the washbasin area. There are ample shelves on both sides of the washbasin as well as a bench in the shower area. As Joe says there is a door that separates the room from the bathroom but there is also an additional door for the toilet and the shower area has a shower curtain (I could use the toilet when my roommate was showering as we usually left the main bathroom door open and just drew the shower curtain when showering). It's all tastefully done in off-whites and dark wood as well. I have to say that that it's the nicest bathroom I've ever been to at a Club Med.

The bathroom in Faru is very basic in comparison - it hasn't changed since I first went there 7 years ago! However it is sufficient.

As mentioned by maukitten, there are 4 types of standard rooms in Kani although they all cost the same. It seems that some of them have quite horrid bathrooms. So it all depends on which type of standard room you get.

All in all I think Kani is a prettier village than Faru as there's greenery around. However, like Joe I still prefer Faru although Kani is the prettier village.

Faru has a better village atmosphere as the bar is right in the center of the village together with the pool, boutique, dining area and reception. You get to see and meet everyone in the village as the facilities are all centrally located.

The layout in Kani is not so conducive in meeting and seeing people in the village.

My preference for Faru instead of Kani may also have something to do with the GO teams that were there during the times I went.

I was in Faru in Winter 2003/2004 and the GO team there was excellent - they were fun, friendly and genuinely seemed to enjoy what they do.

When I went to Kani in Summer 2004, the GOs seem quite unmotivated in comparison - they were doing their jobs but somehow lacked the team spirit and joie de vivre that one has come to expect from Club Med.

The diving at both Faru and Kani are managed by Euro-Divers and they are both excellent. They're very friendly, reassuring and at the same time professional and strict about safety.

I can't wait to go to Faru again - now all I have to decide is when ... or should I go to El Gouna first? Hoilday decisions are difficult aren't they ?!!

Joe - please give us all an update on Faru when you get back.

miki

i`ve been to faru...and it was exellent!!!fantastic rooms,great layout...beautifull place...the one thing that makes it a better deal than kani...is the one free dive a day...and that`s just what i did !!!dive,dive,dive...

pinky

....and what about the GO team ?????

Hi All, I think it's pretty fair to say both kani and Faru are just as good as the other.. They both have good and not so good qualities with the accommodation. I think I'll have to do a week on each!!
moneypenny

...Hi folks!!!! should I have more informations about Faru. I jsut read some terribles informations in the other forums. 'm just little bit scared. About a new isle, about the water .....
I'm going to Faru in the end of november but I think that I can change destination if the informations are really true.
will you excuse me for my bad english????
thank s a lot for info
Hi!!!!!!

Hi cri@cri

Faru in November is fantastic. Don't worry about water, new island, seaweed etc! It's a beautiful place and so far most people who have been there from this forum love it. We discussed airports, seaweed, Male extension and etc in our earlier forums :
http://www.clubmedplanet.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=507

and a trip review from Nov last year :
http://www.clubmedplanet.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=122&whichpage=2

Remember to ask for a room in G block. That would be near the main area and the scuba/snorkelling pier, and you don't have a view of the new island construction project. If you would like to see some photos, just PM me your e-mail and I'll send you a link to Faru photos.

Yrs truly
Maukitten

Faru, Faru, Faru! I just got back last Sun(31st Oct) from Faru. I was in Kani before Faru opened. I did diving in both areas. Faru has a much friendlier atmosphere, though Kani has more people, so maybe you get a more festive atmosphere. But so many people around can be difficult especially during meals and snorkelling cos the queue is really long.

If you want to go diving, I would suggest Faru. When I was there, I had one free dive a day in my package, so I really saved a lot. And they had night dives twice a week. Also the dives sites that I was brought to in Faru, I saw more things compared to the ones I went to while in Kani.

Also as somebody earlier posted, the GOs in Faru are much much better than the ones in Kani. The spa in Kani is more comfortable than the one in Faru. I stayed in the water bungalow in Kani and that cannot be beaten.

I don't think Faru is that much a meat market, but the band in Faru is much much better than the one in Kani and you would enjoy yourself at the bar more. The GOs will be at the bar around 7pm to drink and socialise with the GMs. And they even have bar snacks to tempt you. So we were all just hanging around, talking, drinking, eating and listening to the awesome band (which was from Bali CM I think! Filipino band, lead vocal is Rita). Then everybody go for dinner together. Very nice. Also the layout of the buildings and the general condition of it were much nicer than the ones in Kani.

Also because Faru is adult only village, the games, GM show were more cheeky. For privacy and the feeling that you have the whole island to yourself, go Faru. But perhaps I had that feeling cos it was only 40% full. In Kani, 100% full, so beach chairs were fully taken, pool was full of children, restaurant was full, snorkelling full (some had to be turned away cos max 50 pax). The saving grace of Kani is the water bungalow and the scenery. Faru you can see the city lights.

But because of the experience go to Faru, unless you're planning to pay for the water bungalow in Kani. :)

.thanks a lot for your informations!!!!I'm feel much more well for your reply!!!!!! so -19 days to Faruuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!! Yeah!!!!
I'm going alone but I think to ahve no problem to meet friendly people, don't you???? can you tell me about the electricity (22o volts)????? and what does it cost the carnets for the drinks???? are there some european GO???? and about the mosquitos???? will you excuse me for my questions so ridiculous but I had my head empty of doubts for what I will take with me......
thank you very much
ciao belli!!!!!!

Dear cri@cri,

Electricity is 220V. Other questions, sorry, no idea.

cri@cri, the electrical plug is the 2-pin type with rounded edges. That's what I had in my room. Yup the GMs and GOs are friendly, just go ahead and sit at a table already filled with people, it's the norm and no GO will let you eat alone anyway.

The carnets or bar tickets come in 3 or 4 sizes. The small one is USD8, the medium is USD 20 and i'm sorry I can't remember the other 2 prices cos I didn't buy beyond the 20 dollar booklet. Happy hour is between 5-6pm and not applicable to cocktails.

There are European GOs from France and Italy as far as I know. No mosquitoes while I was there.

...fantastic!!!!!...thank U for your ifnos!!!!! very kind!!!!!¨
okay. so I'm waiting for the 21th november , the date of my departure!!!!
ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Hi Cri@cri
I did take a HUGE pump spray of mozzie repellent. I think they would spray around the Island each evening as they do on Kani, but I would still take your own stuff with you.. Better safe than bitten by mozzies.

..thank U, money penny!!!!!!