Maafushi Island
Among 1192 coral islands, only 187 are inhabitable in The Maldives. Maafushi Island is one of them. It is located in the Kaafu Atoll in the Indian Ocean, 26 km south of the country’s capital, Male. It is the most lively, vibrant, colorful, and budget-friendly. Yes, it is budget-friendly. Previously, vacations in the Maldives were expensive, with private islands, beach bungalows, and water villas. However, in the early 2010s, when tourists were allowed to visit local islands, vacations in the Maldives became cheaper. You can experience the same island vibes, white sand beach, crystal clear water, but on a budget. Unlike private island resorts, Maafushi offers a more authentic Maldivian experience with vibrant local culture and local people. I will provide everything you need to know in this Maafushi Island Travel guide.
Why to choose Maafushi Island
Choosing Maafushi Island for a Maldives vacation is an ideal option for those looking for a balance of adventure, affordability, and pure local culture. I went to Maafushi Island on a family trip, and here I will explain why I chose It over other local islands.
- Closer to the capital, Male: Maafushi Island is only 26 km away from the capital, Male, which is only a 30-minute ride on a speedboat, shortening travel time.
- Affordability: Traveling to Maafushi is much cheaper than other local islands as it is closer to Male. There are plenty of options for affordable hotels and restaurants on Maafushi island.
- Lots of island activities: A number of tour operators offer many activities on Maafushi Island, including parasailing, fun tube, banana boat, jet skiing, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, etc. There are also half-day and full-day packages with sandbank, nurse shark, whale shark, and dolphin cruises.
- Interaction with locals: Operators arrange different tours and lots of water sports so that you will interact with them. Local people here are amiable and welcoming, so you can easily blend in with them.
- Local Island with a bar: Maafushi is the only local Island with a bar, except for private islands, though it is not on land but on a boat.
Visa requirement for The Maldives
For all nationals, tourist visas are free, and on arrival, a 30 day visa is issued if you have-
- Passport with at least 1 month of validity. (Travelers with an extended validity in their passports are not allowed to enter).
- Confirmed return air ticket, hotel or resort booking confirmation, and
- Sufficient funds to support the stay.
- Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, if applicable
Before entering the Maldives, all travelers must complete and submit the ‘Traveller Declaration’ (IMUGA) form within 96 hours of arrival.
How to reach Maafushi
Arriving in Male: To reach Maafushi Island, you must fly into the Velana International Airport, which is in Male, the capital city of the Maldives. It is the only international airport in Male and the primary gateway to the Maldives. Direct international flights are available to Male from different important cities.
From Male to Maafushi: There are different options to travel from Male to Maafushi:
By Speedboat: Speedboats are the fastest way to travel from Male to Maafushi. Depending on the ocean conditions, it only takes 30 to 40 minutes and costs $25 per person.
By Public Ferry: Public ferries are far more affordable than speedboats. They cost only $2 per person and take 90-120 minutes to travel from Male to Maafushi. They depart from MTCC Malé Ferry Terminal. Public Ferries operate every day except Friday.
Where to stay
After local islands were allowed for tourists, plenty of hotels and guest houses opened all over Maafushi. From budget guest houses to luxury resorts, everything is available on Maafushi Island, and being within budget means it is much cheaper than a private island. In general, all hotels and resorts on Maafushi Island are fantastic and offer excellent services. Here is a budget, midrange, and luxury hotels and resorts list for you.
Budget Hotels and Guest Houses:
Some hotels, guest houses, and lodges in the southern part of Maafushi Island are the cheapest. Though these hotels are a bit far from the beaches, considering the rent, it is worth it. These hotels are:
a. Aquzz Hotel & Spa Maafushi: This hotel offers good-standard services and amenities, including air-conditioned rooms, free wifi, and a small pool. Bikini Beach is almost 1 km from the hotel. The rent per night is around $38 to $41.
b. Chao Guest House: The rooms are air-conditioned, have a terrace, free wifi, and a small playground for children. The rent is $45 to $50 per night. Bikini Beach is almost 1 km from the guest house.
c. Tavern Lodge Maafushi: Air-conditioned rooms and free wifi; some rooms have balconies. The Bikini beach is only 300 meters from the lodge. Rent per night is around $47 to $60.
Mid Range Hotels:
There are several hotels in this range. They are also available near Bikini Beach. My choices from this range are:
a. Kaani Beach Hotel: This 3-star hotel is located in the Island’s northern part. It offers spacious sea-view rooms with private balconies, free wifi, a minibar, and other amenities. Bikini Beach is less than 100 meters from the hotel. The rent per night is around $95 to $110.
b. Crystal Sands: Crystal Sands provides modern yet cozy and spacious rooms with free wifi, a minibar, and other amenities. Some selected rooms have private balconies with sea views. The Bikini beach is less than 230 meters from the hotel. The rent per night is around $99 to $120.
c. Sunrise Beach: It’s a sea-facing 3-star hotel with modern rooms, free wifi, lockers, and other amenities. Some selected rooms have private balconies with sea views. The Bikini beach is less than 200 meters from the hotel, and the non-bikini beach is almost 150 meters away. The rent per night is around $60 to $80.
Luxury Hotels and Resorts:
A few luxury hotels and resorts in Maafushi island provide comfort and facilities like beachfront hotels, sea view rooms with balconies, in-house quality restaurants, live music, and an infinity pool that are not much less than on a private island. My choices in this range are:
a. Kaani Palm Beach: Kaani Palm Beach is a 4-star hotel facing the beachfront. It is the perfect place to stay on Maafushi Island, just in front of Bikini Beach. It has all the amenities that a 4-star hotel offers, including an infinity pool that offers a wonderful view over the ocean while relaxing in the pool. The rent per night is around $110 to $130.
b. Arena Beach Hotel: Arena Beach Hotel is a 4-star beachfront hotel near Kaani Palm Beach. The Bikini Beach is just in front of the hotel. This hotel also has an infinity pool with a stunning view. The rent per night is around $95 to $135.
c. Kaani Grand Seaview: Kaani Grand Seaview is a 4-star hotel situated on Bikini Beach in Maafushi Island. Its prime location and versatile facilities, such as a sea view balcony, spa, and fitness center, make it an excellent choice. The rent per night is around $135 to $190.
Beaches on Maafushi Island
Like all other islands in the Maldives, Maafushi is blessed with picturesque beaches, mainly in its northern part.
The most famous is the bikini beach; it’s good to know that as the Maldives is an Islamic country, you are not allowed to wear bikinis anywhere but the bikini beach. This beach is opposite Arena Beach Hotel and Kaani Palm Beach Hotel. It’s a small beach surrounded by larger hotels, so it’s ordinarily busy as many tourists gather here to enjoy the white sand, blue ocean, and snorkeling.
The non-bikini beach is on the other side of the Island. Usually, local people use this beach. There are some snorkeling opportunities on this beach. This beach is great for wind and kite surfing.
Things to do on Maafushi
As the tourism infrastructure is well developed on Maafushi island, there are many fun activities. Some of them are-
a. Swimming and snorkeling in the bikini beach: Bikini Beach is the most popular beach, just opposite Arena Beach and Kaani Palm Beach Hotel. You can enjoy swimming and snorkeling in the crystal clear water or grab a sunbed and enjoy the view.
b. Enjoy Watersports: If you walk from Bikini Beach towards the harbor, you will find several shops offering water sports, including riding a fun boat, banana boat, jet ski, parasailing, kite surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, and more. These are some of the most popular things to do in Maafushi.
c. Half and full-day Tours: Almost every tour operator in Maafushi offers half-day and full-day tours, and will cost you from $30 to $100. These tours include:
· Snorkeling with beautiful fishes and coral
· Snorkeling in turtle riff
· Snorkeling with Nurse Sharks & Giant Trevally
· Snorkeling with Manta Ray
· Shipwreck Snorkeling
· Dolphin cruise or snorkeling with dolphins
· Giant Stingray Feeding
· Swimming whale sharks
· Natural Walkway in the Middle of the Ocean
· Sandbank trip
· Lunch in a sandbank or in an island
d. Scuba Diving: Scuba diving is one of the best things to do on Maafushi Island. The marine life is incredible here, and enjoying it while underwater is something else. There are several diving clubs in Maafushi. You can get your diving license with PADI or SSI; both are reputed and have qualified instructors to help you on the way.
e. Day trip to Resort Island: Though local islands are a perfect combination of local culture and real Maldivian vibes of sandy beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters, somewhere there lies a curiosity about life in private islands. So, without spending a night, you can take a day tour to any nearby private island, which is one of the best things to do in Maafushi.
During our stay in Maafushi, we took a $130 full-day trip to the Sun Siam Olhuveli resort. This trip included a two-way transfer to the resort, a buffet lunch, an evening snack, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day. It was a fantastic experience.
f. Visiting the Floating Bar: The Maldives is an Islamic country, so alcohol is only allowed in private resort islands, not in local islands, as it is in Maafushi. But there is a bar in Maafushi, but not on land; it’s on the water. A yacht is docked near the harbor and turned into a floating bar. This bar is open from 4 pm to 12 am, and a boat takes you to the bar for free.
g. Walking around the Island: Maafushi is a small island, 1270 meters long and 265 meters wide. It takes less than an hour to walk around the Island. It feels delightful just to walk along the road in the middle of the Island, watching locals rushing on scooters, students on their way home, boys playing football in the field, locals hanging out in the corner, and children playing in the play zone by the non-bikini beach, some health conscious person is exercising in the public gym. You can also buy some souvenirs from the souvenir shop while walking the road from Kaani Palm Beach to non-bikini beach road.
You can also visit my other blog on Things to Do in The Maldives.
Where to eat
In general, the Food on Maafushi Island is average. Some restaurants have good seafood, but the hospitality in every restaurant is outstanding. Here are some of the restaurants that, in my opinion, are worth trying.
a. Caviar Cafe & Restaurant: This is a nice, open restaurant facing the ocean. The food is delicious, especially seafood. The ambiance and hospitality are excellent. Try ice cream after your meal, and you will love it.
b. Maladiwa Melon Restaurant: This is one of the best restaurants in Maafushi. It has a nice, cozy ambiance, tasty food, and excellent hospitality.
c. StingRay Beach Inn: StingRay Beach Inn is one of the best restaurants on Maafushi Island. It has a pleasant open environment, delicious food, excellent hospitality, and reasonable prices.
d. Fine Bake by Suzy is the only bakery on Maafushi Island. You must taste the banana cake, which is fantastic!! Some other mouth-watering items include vanilla rolls, brownies, muffins with chocolate and bananas, carrot cake, and brownies. Another must-try item is pineapple cake; you will lick your fingers.
When is the best time to visit Maafushi
There are better times to travel to Maafushi Island; it is all year round. But the peak season is the dry season, from November to April. The sky is clear, and the ocean remains calm this season, suitable for snorkeling and other water sports.
The off-peak season is the wet season, which runs from May to October. Rain showers are usually short (1-2 hours), and the rest of the day is quite dry or cloudy. Hotel rent and airfare are quite cheap this season.
Currency
The currency in the Maldives is the Maldivian Rufiyaa, or MVR. However, most shops, including restaurants, Hotels, tour operators, and other souvenir shops, accept both MVR and USD. There is an ATM on Maafushi Island where you can withdraw USD. Though most shops accept USD, my advice is to keep some MVR in your pocket, but make sure to spend it all before departure.
Conclusion
Maafushi Island offers a unique blend of affordability, adventure, and local culture, which makes it an excellent choice over a luxurious private island resort stay. With its short distance from Male, different types of water sports, welcoming local community, and a range of accommodations for all budgets, Maafushi provides the best Maldivian charm and beauty in an accessible way.
Don’t forget to check out my travel guide of Dhigurah Island.
