Fulidhoo Island Guide 2026: Nurse Sharks, Ferry Times & Budget Stays

We may earn a commission when you book through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. How we make money.

Why Fulidhoo

Fulidhoo is a small local island at the northern edge of Vaavu Atoll, south of Malé. You can walk around it in minutes, there are no resorts or big hotels, and life moves slowly. People come for the water: stingrays and sometimes nurse sharks swim close to the shore, and Vaavu's channels are some of the best-known dive sites in the country.

If Maafushi feels too busy and you care more about marine life than nightlife, Fulidhoo is one of the easiest quiet islands to reach.

Getting there

Shared speedboat (fastest)

Shared speedboats run from Malé and the airport, usually twice a day, with a reduced service on Fridays. The trip takes about 1 hour 10 minutes in normal seas. Recent guides put the fare at roughly US$40–50 each way. Your guesthouse will normally book the seat and tell you where to meet.

MTCC public ferry (cheapest)

The government ferry, Route 306, links Malé, Maafushi and Fulidhoo. The MTCC timetable effective 1 August 2026 shows (see our full ferry timetable):

• Malé to Fulidhoo: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. It leaves Malé at 10:00, stops at Maafushi around 11:30 and reaches Fulidhoo around 13:20.
• Fulidhoo to Malé: Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. It leaves Fulidhoo at 10:30, stops at Maafushi around 12:25 and reaches Malé around 14:05.
• No ferry on Fridays.

The fare is a few dollars, paid in rufiyaa. Because it stops at Maafushi, you can combine the two islands without going back to Malé. See our Maafushi guide and Malé to Maafushi transport guide.

Where to stay

Fulidhoo has a handful of small guesthouses rather than hotels. Many guesthouses also arrange your speedboat and excursions, so it's worth comparing what's included as well as the room price. Our Fulidhoo guesthouse guide sorts them by restaurant, sea view, family rooms and price.

Things to do

• Look for stingrays, and sometimes nurse sharks, in the shallows near the jetty
• Nurse shark snorkelling trips to nearby reefs, often combined with a sandbank stop
• Channel dives in Vaavu for certified divers, including well-known sites such as Miyaru Kandu and the Alimathaa night dive
• Sandbank picnics, dolphin trips and sunset fishing with local operators
• Relax on the island's bikini beach

Good to know

• Fulidhoo is a local island, so there's no alcohol and modest dress applies away from the bikini beach. Read the local island rules.
• Choice of cafés and shops is small. Bring any medicine or special items from Malé.
• Don't touch or feed the sharks and rays, and keep your distance in the water.