Shark & Stingray Seashore In Maldives

Fulidhoo is a small, budget-friendly native island we visited not too long ago within the Maldives, together with Dhigurah island, which we liked for its seashores and sandbar.

Apart from scuba diving, the prime attraction in Fulidhoo is the shark and stingray seaside, the place you’ll be able to see nurse sharks, sea turtles, and stingrays within the shallow water and even get your image taken with them.

In fact, Fulidhoo additionally has the white sand and clear blue water that’s typical of the Maldives, and there are family-owned resorts for as little as $60 USD per evening, so it’s choice in case you’re eager to get your repair of the tropics with out spending some huge cash.

This journey information will clarify how you can get to Fulidhoo island, what to do there, the place to remain, and every thing else you might want to know earlier than you go!
 

The place To Keep In Fulidhoo

How To Get To Fulidhoo Island

There’s no airport in Fulidhoo, so that you first must fly into the capital of the Maldives at Male Worldwide Airport (MLE), which is about 55 kilometers (35 miles) from Fulidhoo.

From Male, you’ll be able to take a speedboat or ferry on to Fulidhoo.
 

Swimming with a stingray in Fulidhoo!

• By Public Speedboat

The principle strategy to get to Fulidhoo is by public speedboat, and that’s how we went. There are day by day departures within the morning and afternoon from Male airport and the town.

The speedboat journey to Fulidhoo takes rather less than 1.5 hours and prices about $40 USD per individual a method. It was very bumpy in our expertise, however I’m certain it relies on the climate.

On the brilliant aspect, the boats are new and the seats are comfy. In addition they have a bathroom and loads of room for storing baggage, they usually offer you free bottled water in the course of the experience.

The boats from Male to Fulidhoo depart at 10 AM and 4 PM (Fridays 9:30 AM solely). And the boats return from Fulidhoo to Male at 7:30 AM and 1:30 PM (Fridays 7 AM solely).

Nevertheless, take into account there are a number of speedboat corporations working this route and the timetable appears to vary sometimes, so I’d double verify the timetable together with your lodge earlier than you go.

You’ll be able to ask your lodge in Fulidhoo to guide the speedboat for you, after which pay for it together with your room invoice if you arrive. That’s what we did, and paying by bank card spared us from having to hold lots of money in all places.

Tour boat wanting on the stingrays in Fulidhoo

• By Personal Speedboat

A non-public speedboat constitution will probably be much more costly than the general public speedboats, however it might be extra handy in circumstances the place you’re touring in a bunch of no less than 4 or 5, and wish a direct connection to Fulidhoo island.

It is best to have the ability to prepare this together with your lodge in Fulidhoo.

A number of stingrays on the seaside!

• By Public Ferry

You may as well take the general public ferry from Male to Fulidhoo. This selection is a bit slower than the speedboats, however it’s rather a lot cheaper. The ferry experience to Fulidhoo takes about 4 hours and prices $5 USD for a a method ticket.

This route has departures from Male to Fulidhoo on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 10 AM. It returns from Fulidhoo to Male on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays at 10:30 AM.

The ferry instances would possibly change sometimes, so that you’ll wish to verify the present schedule together with your lodge in Fulidhoo. You’ll be able to’t guide tickets prematurely although, so it’s a good suggestion to indicate up a bit early to be sure to get a seat.

The ferry leaves from the Hulhumale ferry terminal in Male metropolis (map right here). It’s necessary to notice that is not the ferry terminal in Hulhumale, it’s the ferry terminal of the identical identify in Male metropolis. You’ll be able to attain it with a ten minute taxi experience from the airport.

Aspect be aware: Should you’re coming from Maafushi island, you’ll be able to take the ferry on to Fulidhoo, that method you don’t must transit in Male.

Drone view of Fulidhoo from above. It’s a really small island.

How To Get Round The Island

Fulidhoo is a really small island, so you’ll be able to stroll anyplace you might want to go.

They really don’t even have vehicles on the island, there are just a few small electrical buggies for carrying baggage forwards and backwards from the pier to the resorts.

The island is just about 700 meters lengthy and 250 meters huge, which implies you’ll be able to stroll from any lodge to the seaside or pier in 5 minutes, or circle the entire island on foot in lower than half-hour. That is fairly helpful.

Greek-ish avenue vibes in Fulidhoo city

Shark & Stingray Seashore

The principle attraction at Fulidhoo is the shark and stingray seaside. That is the lengthy seaside that covers the southwestern aspect of the island, and it’s marked on Google Maps as ‘stingray commentary level.’

The stingrays come to this seaside day by day and evening in search of the fishermen’s scraps to eat, and often a nurse shark or sea turtle will present up as properly!

In fact there’s no assure they are going to come, however within the 2 days we spent on the island there have been virtually at all times stingrays on the seaside, and different individuals have reported the identical expertise.

We noticed greater than a dozen rays at a time! It was a enjoyable expertise. You’ll be able to watch them from the shore, or get your image taken with them within the shallow water. Please don’t contact them, however it’s okay in the event that they contact you.

Shark & stingray seaside

Is It Protected?

This was what we have been questioning earlier than coming right here. Is it protected to be close to sharks and stingrays like this? Good query. To be honest, the sharks round Fulidhoo are nurse sharks, that are fairly innocent to people.

What concerning the stingrays? Sadly all of us bear in mind what occurred to Steve Irwin, however I believe that state of affairs was a little bit of a freak accident. Steve was following the ray within the water to movie it, and it apparently noticed him as a risk.

Stingrays are light animals for probably the most half, and so long as you’re cautious to not step on them, chase them, or make them really feel threatened or harassed in a roundabout way, they aren’t prone to damage you. To not point out, the water right here is admittedly shallow.

It’s unimaginable to say it’s 100% protected after all, however plenty of vacationers come to Fulidhoo day by day to see the stingrays and take footage with them, and we’ve by no means heard of any dangerous incidents.

Drone pic with the stingrays

Extra Issues To Do In Fulidhoo

• East Seashore / Bikini Seashore: The principle seaside in Fulidhoo is the japanese seaside, which has good white sand and turquoise water. That is the island’s designated ‘bikini seaside’ the place vacationers are welcome to put on swimsuits and go suntanning. The waves are calm sufficient for teenagers to swim, though there’s not plenty of shade.
• Sundown View Level: If you wish to go for a stroll, the western finish of the island has view of the sundown.
• Banyan Tree: Within the middle of the island there’s an outdated and spectacular banyan tree with large roots. It shades a volleyball court docket, and in case you keep on the Huvan Inn like we did, this tree is actually proper outdoors the lodge.
• Scuba Diving: The Fulidhoo space is fashionable for scuba diving, and you’ll rise up shut with reef sharks, manta rays, octopuses, and different animals. For dive outlets, try Fulidhoo Dive and Divers Lodge.
• Resort Excursions: The resorts in Fulidhoo can prepare a half day tour to one of many close by luxurious resorts, which is a enjoyable strategy to expertise one of many Maldives’ fancy resorts with out paying full value. These packages usually embrace transport there and again, plus entry to services just like the resort pool and spa, and an allowance for meals and drinks on the resort whilst you’re there.
• Different Actions: There are snorkeling excursions in Fulidhoo the place they take you to a shipwreck, or you’ll be able to have a picnic on a sandbar. In addition they have excursions to see whale sharks and dolphins.

Seashore views at Fulidhoo

Stingray seaside

How Lengthy To Keep

Fulidhoo is a really small island, so I believe most individuals could be happy with 2 or 3 days, though it wouldn’t damage to remain longer. We stayed 2 days and that was sufficient for us. Lower than a day is simply too quick in my view.

Lots of people come right here on excursions from different islands to see the sharks and sting rays, however we watched these tour teams from a distance they usually appeared very rushed.

A lot of the tour teams have been leaving after simply half-hour on the island, which isn’t even sufficient time to stroll round or get good footage. We have been glad we didn’t try this. I believe it’s higher to remain no less than 1 or 2 days on the island.

Nurse shark within the shallows

Different Ideas For Visiting Fulidhoo

• ATM: There’s no ATM on Fulidhoo island but, so that you’ll wish to carry sufficient money to your keep, or else use the ATM on the airport in Male.
• Forex: US {Dollars} are accepted in all places on the island, though you’ll often get barely higher charges with Maldivian Rufiyaa. Simply take into account Rufiyaa can’t be used outdoors of the Maldives, so that you don’t wish to have any left over on the finish of your journey. There isn’t a cash trade in Fulidhoo, so it’s finest to do that in Male airport.
• Credit score Playing cards: You’ll wish to double verify, however many resorts in Fulidhoo let you pay your complete invoice by bank card, together with the speedboat transfers. Ours allow us to try this. There could also be a payment for this (like 3 to five p.c), however in my view it’s price it to keep away from having to carry plenty of money. Nevertheless, take into account the eating places and minimarkets in Fulidhoo often don’t settle for card, so you’ll be able to’t go fully cashless right here.
• Alcohol: Maldives is a Muslim nation, so that they don’t permit alcohol on the native islands like Fulidhoo, though you will get it in case you do a day journey to one of many close by resort islands.
• Costume Code: They’ve a conservative costume code in Fulidhoo since there are largely locals dwelling right here. You’re not purported to put on swimsuits or revealing garments besides on the designated ‘bikini seaside,’ though we noticed loads of individuals breaking this rule, so it doesn’t appear to be strictly enforced. Nonetheless, if you wish to keep out of bother, it’s finest to comply with this rule and canopy up if you’re not on the seaside.
• Mosque: There’s a mosque on the island, however it was quiet. We by no means heard any noise from it.

Memento fridge magnets on the market

• Electrical energy: We stayed in a finances lodge on Fulidhoo and nonetheless had 24/7 electrical energy, so that you don’t have to fret about outages right here.
• Cell Service: Our telephones had first rate 4G reception with Ooredoo (by way of T-Cell) in all places on Fulidhoo island.
• WiFi: There’s quick and dependable WiFi in Fulidhoo, even within the finances resorts.
• Drones: A lot of the fancy resorts in Maldives don’t permit drones in any respect, however since Fulidhoo is a neighborhood island, I used to be capable of carry and use a drone with no points.
• Mosquitoes: We noticed some mosquitoes on the outside eating places, however not on the seaside or within the lodge. We wore bug spray once we’d go eat, however apart from that we didn’t want it.
• Malaria: Your complete nation of Maldives has been malaria free since 1984, so that you don’t have to fret about that, though there could also be some dengue fever.
• Security: Normally, Maldives is a really protected nation, with one of many lowest homicide charges on the planet. We at all times felt protected right here, and I haven’t heard of any dangerous incidents on the island.
• Hospital: There’s a small well being middle in Fulidhoo, however for a critical emergency you’d must go to the hospital in Malé.
• The place To Eat: There are a number of good eating places in Fulidhoo with native and western meals for comparatively low costs. Take a look at Cafe De Orzo, Faru Cafe, and Bougainvillea Seashore Restaurant.

Fulidhoo Motels

Finest Time To Go to The Maldives

The dry season within the Maldives is from January to April. That is the most effective time to go to Fulidhoo as a result of the climate is much less wet and extra sunny.

There are extra vacationers within the Maldives presently, however the island by no means felt very crowded once we visited in January.

The wettest months within the Maldives are from September to December. You’ll be able to nonetheless go to Fulidhoo presently, however you’re extra prone to have some rain.

We had keep on Fulidhoo island

Extra Maldives Journey Guides

Thanks for wanting! I hope you loved this journey information for Fulidhoo island within the Maldives. We had enjoyable seeing the pleasant sharks and sting rays on the seaside.

Don’t overlook to take a look at my information for Dhigurah island, the opposite native island we visited on our journey to the Maldives. We favored Dhigurah much more than Fulidhoo!