Maafushi Island (Maldives): description, hotels, beaches, reviews

For many Russians the Maldives has become a favorite holiday destination. The magnificent climate, the opportunity to enjoy the hot sun and swimming in the turquoise waters of the ocean throughout the year, excellent service - all this attracts tourists from all over the world to the islands. In addition, the voucher for the Maldives - now is not a problem. Almost all tour operators offer to make such an exciting trip at a convenient time for you.

In recent years, tourists are increasingly choosing to rest on Maafushi - a small island of the atoll of South Male. It is popular because of the low prices for hotel accommodation.

Description of the island

Maldives is an island Asian state. Its territory consists of many coral islands. Of the 1,192 islands, only 202 are inhabited. This is approximately the sixth part of the land territory of the republic. For guests of the country and tourists only half of them are available.

The southern and northern atolls of Male consist of almost hundreds of islands of different sizes. On the North there is the capital of the country - the beautiful city of Male. But today we are interested in the southern region, where the island of Maafushi is located. Maldives is rapidly developing tourism infrastructure. Until very recently very few people visited this island, and today it is becoming more popular among tourists.

Maafushi has a very modest size, although against the background of other islands the Maldivian is considered to be an average width of 270 meters and a length of 1275 meters. It has an oval shape. In order to get around the whole island, it will take no more than an hour. There are no sights, architectural or historical monuments. Nevertheless, every year there are more and more tourists here.

Beaches of the island

On Maafushi there is a fairly spacious Kaani beach, which is exclusively for tourists. Here, women are allowed to rest in swimsuits. Since this is a Muslim country, such luxury is not always permissible.

The coastline and the bottom of the beach are covered with small coral crumbs, but it is so shallow that it resembles flour. However, walking along the beach should be cautious, as you can step on larger pieces of coral, which are rare, but found on the beach. From the side of the coast Kaani is fenced off from the curious eyes of the locals by a wooden palisade of palm leaves. The beach can not be called ideal, but it is quite suitable for rest.

Near Kaani is another popular beach of Maafushi - WhiteShell (White Shell). It is more suitable for rest with children: the bottom is shallow and sandy. Here you can rent sun beds and umbrellas. Anyone who has already visited the island of Maafushi (Maldives) reviews about the beaches are left rather inconsistent. Some are completely satisfied with their arrangement, others believe that they are not yet well-equipped for a comfortable stay. Slightly spoil the impression of concrete slabs in shallow water.

What to do on the island?

Since we said that there are no sights on this island, then the question of leisure interests many tourists planning a holiday in Maafushi. Maldives are famous for beach rest, and this small islet is no exception. Here, every guest can choose one of the water sports: snorkeling, diving, canoe rental. However, the prices for this service are not encouraging - $ 24 for half an hour.

In rainy weather, you can stroll around the souvenir shops of Maafushi. Maldives are famous for crafts of folk craftsmen. On this island you can buy original products made of wood, for example, dishes.

Excursions and entertainments

From the island trips are organized to other resort islands of the Maldives, where you can visit restaurants, discos, dine on the ocean. You can go on an excursion and see the mantis (huge stingrays) or the tiger shark. The price of such an event depends on the number of tourists in the group and can vary from 20 to 50 dollars per person.

Maldives, Maafushi Island: hotels

Despite its very modest size, the island of Maafushi (Maldives) has about twenty hotels. Here you can live both in a very inexpensive guesthouse and in a 4 * hotel. The choice depends on your financial capabilities and preferences. Usually a trip to the Maldives includes accommodation in a particular hotel. We want to introduce you to the most popular of them.

Stingray Beach 3 *

The hotel is located in the central part of the island, thirty minutes by boat from Male airport. Guests can stay in modernly decorated rooms in quiet pastel colors with warm lighting. All of them are equipped with TVs, air conditioners, safes. Each has a seating area and a bathroom.

The hotel has the opportunity to do water sports. In rent you can take all necessary equipment. You can pay for services in cash or by Union Pay card. In the restaurant you will be offered dishes of European and local national cuisine. In addition, you can order delivery of drinks and food to your room.

Holiday Lodge Maldives 3 *

A popular hotel is on the sandy shore of Maafushi Island. The hotel offers comfortable rooms with air conditioning and modern furniture. The hotel restaurant serves delicious Continental and Maldivian cuisine. In addition, guests can enjoy a buffet breakfast.

There is a tour desk on site that offers day trips. Guests with children are offered babysitting services.

Kaani Village 4 *

Perhaps the most popular and visited hotel is the island of Maafushi (Maldives). It is located in the center of the island. You can walk to the beach in two or three minutes. The comfortable and originally designed rooms have air conditioning, a minibar, and a bathroom. It is equipped with all necessary toiletries.

Recreational facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a wonderful spa and a cozy restaurant. In this hotel you can rent a motorcycle for free. On request, various water sports can be organized upon request: snorkeling, scuba diving and snorkeling. The hotel has a sauna and a massage room. The reception is open 24 hours a day.

The hotel restaurant offers an amazing view of the sea. Here you will be served specialties prepared by the best chefs. If desired, food can be delivered to the room. By prior arrangement, breakfast is served in the room.

Guest Houses

In total on Maafushi about forty guest houses and hotels. This suggests that there are many tourists here. Such high competition forces owners to significantly reduce prices. Today rent a house for two for 10 nights for 400-450 dollars - it's quite real.

When choosing a guest house, pay attention to its proximity to the beach. On the island there are also such houses, which are located twenty meters from the beach. But in them the cost of living is almost double - from $ 800 per room for two (10 nights).

Restaurants and cafes

Almost every hotel has its own restaurant. You can visit cafes, which are visited by local residents. On the main street of the island there are several such institutions, with unusual food for Europeans. There is a small shop here, in which some sweet, colorful cocktails are made from concentrates (they like the locals very much).

But in the local bakery, located here, we recommend you to go. It sells incredibly delicious cheesecakes and other equally mouth-watering pastries. From the Maldivian cuisine one should not expect anything supernatural. Impress, perhaps, only freshly squeezed juices from different exotic fruits.

Many dishes imitate Thai cuisine, but are much inferior to her taste. Seafood, which is abundant here, is prepared well. Maldivian cuisine is very sharp. Even lovers of such food are not always delighted with it. In this case, save European dishes. Many Russian tourists like the restaurant at the hotel "Arena": there is always a large assortment of dishes offered, a European buffet.

Prices for Maafushi: accommodation, services

The average cost of living in a double room in a 3 * hotel varies from 50 to 100 dollars per day. It depends on the season. To understand whether it's expensive or cheap, compare: a similar option on Biyad (the neighboring island) will cost you from $ 300 to $ 600. You can choose a very modest guest house for $ 20-30 per day.

Drinking water costs $ 1.5, lunch for two - $ 20, ice cream - $ 3. In Maldives, except for coconuts and bananas, nothing grows, all the fruits on the island are imported and quite expensive. Maafushi is not an exception in this sense.

Night fishing, during which you can see stingrays or dolphins, will cost $ 35 per person, although many tourists claim that dolphins can be admired from the shore of Maafushi.

How to get there?

First of all, you need to fly to Male airport. There are two ways to get to the island. Every day (except Friday), the state ferry Maafushi-Male (route No. 306) or the boat following the island runs from the pier. The journey takes about an hour and a half. Judging by the reviews, this option is the most affordable.

From the wharf of Vilingil (Male), a private ferry to the island of Maafushi leaves at 3 pm every day. The ticket costs 2 $. To get to the pier, you should get from the airport to the city, then by foot or by taxi you need to get to the pier. From the island the ferry comes back daily at 7.30, sometimes, in the presence of a large number of tourists, additional flights are allowed.

The second way is to get to the island by boat. It is more expensive. If the hotel provides a shuttle service, guests at the airport will be met and escorted to the dock. Such a trip costs from 150 to 200 dollars. But this amount is distributed to all passengers of the boat.

Traveler Reviews

The island of Maafushi (the reviews of tourists allow this to be confirmed) do not really correspond to the well-known advertising style of "bounty", which is typical for more popular islands. Mostly people come here who do not want to pay several hundred dollars for one night in a hotel. If you want to see the "real" Maldives with magnificent uninhabited beaches, you should choose one of the neighboring islands.

By beauty, the neighboring beaches of Maafushi (Maldives) are much inferior. The responses of holidaymakers make it possible to judge that they are not yet very well-equipped. The locals are calm and nenazoylivye people, the only thing that sometimes bothers tourists - the sounds of muezzin, which call the faithful to pray.

There are no alcoholic beverages on the market. But local entrepreneurs found a way out - on one of the ships they organized a floating bar. Those wishing to visit this institution are brought aboard by boats. Here they can choose any drink, but with a huge overpayment.

According to holidaymakers, this island will appeal to those who prefer to travel independently. It is rather problematic to buy tours to this island. Now about the hotels. The largest number of positive reviews receives Kaani Village, which is successfully located in a palm grove almost on the beach. Tourists like luxurious rooms, a restaurant and a bar on site. The suite for two people here costs from 80 to 150 dollars depending on the season.

Those who came to rest with children were pleased with affordable prices at the Picnic Inn ($ 60 per day). All rooms are decorated in a simple simple and cozy, equipped with air conditioning, for younger guests a cot is available upon request.