South Malé Atoll: local islands, sandbanks and easy resorts

Why go

Until 2009, foreign visitors could only stay on resort islands. When guesthouses were allowed on inhabited islands, **Maafushi** became the first big success. Today South Malé Atoll is the place to see the Maldives on a smaller budget, mix with islanders and still spend your days on boats, sandbanks and reefs. Because it is close to the airport, transfers are short and you can combine a few local island nights with a resort stay.

Maafushi

Maafushi is a working island with a school, a mosque, a harbour and dozens of guesthouses and small hotels. Its **bikini beach** is a fenced off stretch of sand where swimwear is allowed, with loungers and calm water. The rest of the island follows local rules, so cover up when you walk through the village.

The real draw is the sea. Every guesthouse sells boat trips: snorkelling with turtles and nurse sharks, dolphin spotting at sunset, a picnic on a **sandbank**, visits to nearby resorts for a day pass, and night fishing in the traditional way, with a hand line. Divers can reach the channel sites of the atoll and the caves of **Vaadhoo**. Because there is no alcohol on the island, a moored **floating bar** offshore has sometimes served guesthouse visitors; check whether it is operating.

Guraidhoo and Gulhi

**Guraidhoo** is quieter than Maafushi, with a surf break known as Guraidhoo Corner and lovely snorkelling in the channel. **Gulhi** is smaller again, with a calm beach and a slow, village pace. Both have a handful of guesthouses and are good if Maafushi feels too busy.

Resorts in the atoll

South Malé Atoll also has resorts that are a speedboat ride from the airport, which saves the cost and weather risk of a seaplane. **Anantara Dhigu** and its sister islands share a big lagoon, **COMO Cocoa Island** is small and calm with villas shaped like dhoni boats, **Olhuveli** is good for watersports and families, and **Fihalhohi** is an older, simpler island full of palms. Many resorts sell day passes to guesthouse visitors, so you can spend a day by a pool and a bar.

Nearby islands worth a day

To the north, **Thulusdhoo** in North Malé Atoll is the home of the Cokes surf break and has its own bikini beach, and **Dhiffushi** has a long, quiet local beach. To the south, **Fulidhoo** in Vaavu Atoll is a tiny friendly island where stingrays and nurse sharks swim in the harbour shallows.

Food

Guesthouse meals are usually a mix of Maldivian and international dishes: grilled reef fish, tuna curry, fried rice and noodles, fresh fruit and juices. Ask your host for **mas huni** at breakfast, **garudhiya** fish broth and a plate of **hedhikaa** short eats in the afternoon. Small cafés line the bikini beach and the harbour.

Getting there

Public ferries run from Malé to Maafushi and neighbouring islands on most days, slow but very cheap, while shared speedboats are much faster and run several times a day. Ferries do not usually run on Fridays, and schedules change, so confirm with your guesthouse before you land. Resorts arrange their own speedboat transfers.

Tips

Respect local dress codes away from the bikini beach. Choose licensed boat operators with life jackets, and never touch coral or chase turtles. The southwest monsoon from May to November brings more rain and rougher crossings, so allow a spare day before your flight home.