Maafushi itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Maafushi

1. 01

   Day 1: Beach, village and sunset

   Arrive by morning speedboat, drop bags at your guesthouse and walk the harbour and main lanes while it is still cool. Spend the late morning on the bikini beach, then rest through the midday heat over lunch. In the afternoon, join a short snorkelling or sandbank trip, or take a sunset fishing outing. Finish with dinner at a café on the main lane and an easy walk home.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Sandbank trip	2 to 4 hours as part of a combined boat trip	Moderate	Morning or late afternoon; December to April for calmer seas

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Sandbank trip: You step on and off a small boat, sometimes from a jetty into shallow water, with little or no shade on the sand itself. Older travellers should take a hand at boarding, wear sandals they can get wet and decide beforehand whether they want to swim or just stand and look.

Plan 02

2 days in Maafushi

1. 01

   Day 1: Island and beach

   Arrive, rest and walk the village lanes and harbour. Take the afternoon at the bikini beach, and book your excursions with the guesthouse over dinner.

2. 02

   Day 2: Boats

   Do a morning sandbank and snorkelling trip, rest after lunch, and join a late-afternoon dolphin cruise. Pack for the evening speedboat or ferry to Malé if you leave the next day.

Plan 03

3 days in Maafushi

1. 01

   Day 1: Arrive and settle

   Take an early transfer from Malé, check in and spend the day on foot and at the beach. Keep the evening quiet.

2. 02

   Day 2: Sandbank and snorkelling

   Go early for a sandbank trip combined with a reef stop. Rest midday. In the evening, try a sunset fishing trip or a dolphin cruise.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Sandbank trip	2 to 4 hours as part of a combined boat trip	Moderate	Morning or late afternoon; December to April for calmer seas
   Sunset fishing trip	2 to 3 hours around sunset	Easy	Late afternoon to dusk

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Sandbank trip: You step on and off a small boat, sometimes from a jetty into shallow water, with little or no shade on the sand itself. Older travellers should take a hand at boarding, wear sandals they can get wet and decide beforehand whether they want to swim or just stand and look.

3. 03

   Day 3: Neighbouring island or spare day

   Visit Guraidhoo or Gulhi for a half day, or keep this as a spare day in case weather cancelled an earlier trip. Leave for Malé the next morning with plenty of time before any flight.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Guraidhoo	Half day to full day	Easy	Morning start; December to April
   Gulhi	Half day	Easy	Morning start; December to April

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Maafushi trip for parents and children

• Book a guesthouse with a lift or ground-floor room, air conditioning and a working generator or backup, and ask about steps to the entrance.
• Plan boat trips for the morning or late afternoon and rest through midday. Take a hand when boarding, and ask for a life jacket.
• Carry prescription medicines in their original packs with a doctor's note, and travel insurance with medical evacuation cover. Each island has only a primary health centre; Malé has the hospitals.
• Confirm your return transfer and the last boat, especially on Fridays when public ferries and many shops are limited.
• Keep a day spare for weather, and avoid booking a tight connection on the same day as your international flight.
• Dress modestly outside the tourist beach: cover shoulders and upper legs, and carry a light shirt for the walk to the sea.

Maafushi with elderly parents: the full guide →