Maldives / Malé Atolls & Vaavu / FulidhooFulidhoo
Nurse Sharks at the Jetty and a Village of Sand Streets
A tiny island in Vaavu Atoll, an hour south of Malé by speedboat, known for the nurse sharks and stingrays that gather at the harbour, sand streets, a few guesthouses and some of the best dive sites in the country (Fotteyo and the Vaavu channels). Speedboats run once a day, Saturday to Thursday; the public ferry takes about three and a half hours, three days a week each way. No airport, no alcohol.
Highlights
- Nurse sharks and stingrays at the jetty
- Diving the Vaavu channels
- Alimatha night dive with sharks
- Sandbank picnic
- Quiet village of sand streets
Things to do
- Watch the nurse sharks at the harbourEvening · 1h
- Two-dive trip in the Vaavu channelsMorning · 5h
- Snorkel and sandbank boat tripMorning · 4h
- Bikini beach afternoonAfternoon · 3h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: December – April
Worth knowing
South-West Monsoon: Rough Seas, Boats Cancelled
From May to October the south-west monsoon brings squalls, heavy showers and rough seas, worst from June to August. Public ferries and shared speedboats are delayed or cancelled on bad days, crossings to the outer atolls get very bumpy, and sandbank and snorkel trips are called off. There are still plenty of sunny days and prices are lower. Keep a spare night in Hulhumalé before your flight home.
Worth knowing
Last Boats Leave Mid-Afternoon
Shared speedboats to the outer islands leave the airport only once or twice a day, the last around 16:00; public ferries run a few days a week and not on Fridays. Land later and you sleep in Hulhumalé. Coming back, the boats arrive at the airport in the morning, so a flight home after about 12:00 is safest.
Heads up
Ramadan on the Local Islands
Ramadan runs from about 8 February to 9 March 2027. On local islands and in Malé cafes close by day (your guesthouse still serves you), shops open short hours, and ferry and speedboat times change. Don't eat, drink or smoke in public in daylight. Resorts carry on as normal.
Heads up
No Public Ferries on Fridays
The MTCC public ferries don't run on Fridays on most routes, and Friday midday is prayer time when shops close. Shared speedboats mostly still run, on a Friday timetable.
- Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (Kuda Eid) — The month of fasting. On local islands and in Malé most cafes close from dawn to sunset (guesthouses still feed their guests), shops keep shorter hours, and ferry and speedboat times change. Don't eat, drink or smoke in public in daylight. Eid at the end is a three-day holiday of family feasts; boats and flights from Malé fill up. Resorts are unaffected.
- Eid al-Adha (Bodu Eid) — The "big Eid", about seventy days after Ramadan ends (mid-May in 2027): a long public holiday when Maldivians travel home to their islands, so public ferries and shared speedboats fill and some guesthouse excursions pause. Book boats early.
Part of a longer route
Fulidhoo is a stop on a curated circuit through the Maldives.