Maafushi, Maldives
Where To Stay
Maafushi is a very small, walkable island, so you don't need to worry much about the location of your acommodation. We stayed at Alaika Maafushi, and loved it. The prices were very reasonable, and the staff helped us arrange our speed boat transfer from the airport, picked us up from the port, and took good care of us.
What to Do
Relax at the Bikini Beach
The Maldives is a Muslim majority country, and has certain areas designated as "Bikini Beaches", where you can where whatever you want. On Maafushi Island, the bikini beach is behind Arena hotel. You can swim there, enjoy the beach, and even see fish swimming in the coral a bit farther out! You don't need to stay at the hotel to enjoy the beach front, but you can't use their umbrellas or chairs.
Take a Day Trip Snorkeling
Maafushi is a great location to do excursions, such as half day or full day trips snorkeling, swimming with nurse sharks, or really anything you want! We did a half day trip snorkeling, with lunch included, with iCom and it was a great experience. We even saw dolphins on our boat ride back from Gulhi island, where we had lunch and relaxed on the white sand beach! On the main strip there are many different tour companies to book with and most have similar if not equal prices. We went with iCom and had a great time!
Water Sports
One fun activity to try is water sports, like stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, or jet skiing! The prices are very reasonable, and the views of the water and island are stunning. One hour of stand up paddle boarding was only $10. You can head to the water sports beach and check out whats being offered.
What to Eat
We found that most food on the island revolves around seafood, traditional Indian dishes like dhal, paneer, and curries, or touristy food like pizza and pasta. If you're big on seafood, you'll love the affordable fish dishes available everywhere, and should try traditional Maldivian foods made from preserved fish! If you don't like or eat fish, like Colleen, you should be able to find veggie friendly dishes at most places.
Tips for Maafushi
Bring Beach Essentials with you
Products like sunscreen, sunglasses, goggles, and towels are super overpriced on the island. Bring these with you to avoid paying 2-3x what you'd spend on them at home. If you don't have room in your bag (because who uses checked bags nowadays!), you can ask your hotel for towels to bring to the beach. We definitely recommend bringing goggles because you can see fish swimming in the coral at the bikini beach!
Use the Public Ferries when you can
We arrived in Male at 8:30 PM, so we had no choice but to take a speed boat to get to Maafushi. This costs about $25 per person, and takes about an hour. However on our way back to Male for our return flight, we used the public ferry which was only $2. This is a huge difference, and we really recommend the public ferry! It's a bit longer (2.5 instead of 1 hour), but is a beautiful ride. You can contact your hotel for the public ferry schedules, just make sure to plan ahead because the public ferries only run once or twice a day, and don't run on Fridays.
Keep in Mind this is a Local Island, and be Respectful to Locals
Unlike other islands in the Maldives that only have resorts, Maafushi is an island people actually live on. Keep this in mind and be respectful. You won't be able to drink alcohol on the island, so plan for that. Bringing a coverup will also help avoid any drama or issues that walking around in a swimsuit could bring. Respect the local people's culture and remember that people still live on this island.
The home for unique & authentic travel
