Shark & Stingray Seaside In Maldives

Fulidhoo is a small, budget-friendly native island we visited lately within the Maldives, together with Dhigurah island, which we beloved for its seashores and sandbar.

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

After all, Fulidhoo additionally has the white sand and clear blue water that’s typical of the Maldives, and there are family-owned inns for as little as $60 USD per night time, so it’s an excellent choice in the event you’re desirous to get your repair of the tropics with out spending some huge cash.

This journey information will clarify tips on how to get to Fulidhoo island, what to do there, the place to remain, and all the things else it’s worthwhile to know earlier than you go!

How To Get To Fulidhoo Island

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

From Male, you may take a speedboat or ferry on to Fulidhoo.

By Public Speedboat

The principle option 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 depends upon the climate.

On the intense facet, the boats are new and the seats are comfy. Additionally they have a rest room and loads of room for storing baggage, and so they provide you with free bottled water in the course of the trip.

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).

Nonetheless, remember there are a number of speedboat corporations working this route and the timetable appears to alter sometimes, so I’d double verify the timetable along with your resort earlier than you go.

You possibly can ask your resort in Fulidhoo to e-book the speedboat for you, after which pay for it along with your room invoice once you arrive. That’s what we did, and paying by bank card spared us from having to hold masses of cash in every single place.

By Personal Speedboat

A non-public speedboat constitution might 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 a minimum of 4 or 5, and wish a direct connection to Fulidhoo island.

It is best to be capable to prepare this along with your resort in Fulidhoo.

By Public Ferry

It’s also possible to take the general public ferry from Male to Fulidhoo. This selection is a bit slower than the speedboats, but it surely’s lots cheaper. The ferry trip 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 occasions may change sometimes, so that you’ll wish to affirm the present schedule along with your resort in Fulidhoo. You possibly can’t e-book tickets upfront although, so it’s a good suggestion to point out up a bit early to ensure you get a seat.

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

Aspect observe: Should you’re coming from Maafushi island, you may take the ferry on to Fulidhoo, that means you don’t must transit in Male.

How To Get Round The Island

Fulidhoo is a really small island, so you may stroll anyplace it’s worthwhile to go.

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

The island is just about 700 meters lengthy and 250 meters extensive, which suggests you may stroll from any resort to the seashore or pier in 5 minutes, or circle the entire island on foot in lower than half-hour. That is fairly useful.

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

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

After all there’s no assure they may come, however within the 2 days we spent on the island there have been virtually at all times stingrays on the seashore, and different individuals have reported the identical expertise.

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

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 truthful, the sharks round Fulidhoo are nurse sharks, that are fairly innocent to people.

What in regards to the stingrays? Sadly all of us bear in mind what occurred to Steve Irwin, however I feel that scenario 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 menace.

Stingrays are mild 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 not directly, they aren’t more likely to damage you. To not point out, the water right here is absolutely shallow.

It’s inconceivable to say it’s 100% protected after all, however a variety of vacationers come to Fulidhoo day by day to see the stingrays and take photos with them, and we’ve by no means heard of any unhealthy incidents.

Extra Issues To Do In Fulidhoo

• East Seaside / Bikini Seaside: The principle seashore in Fulidhoo is the jap seashore, which has good white sand and turquoise water. That is the island’s designated ‘bikini seashore’ 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 a variety of shade.
• Sundown View Level: If you wish to go for a stroll, the western finish of the island has an excellent 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 courtroom, and in the event you keep on the Huvan Inn like we did, this tree is actually proper outdoors the resort.
• Scuba Diving: The Fulidhoo space is standard for scuba diving, and you may rise up shut with reef sharks, manta rays, octopuses, and different animals. For dive outlets, take a look at Fulidhoo Dive and Divers Lodge.
• Resort Excursions: The inns in Fulidhoo can prepare a half day tour to one of many close by luxurious resorts, which is a enjoyable option to expertise one of many Maldives’ fancy inns with out paying full value. These packages usually embody transport there and again, plus entry to amenities 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 may have a picnic on a sandbar. Additionally they have excursions to see whale sharks and dolphins.

How Lengthy To Keep

Fulidhoo is a really small island, so I feel most individuals can be glad 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 just too brief 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 and so they appeared very rushed.

Many 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 photos. We have been glad we didn’t try this. I feel it’s higher to remain a minimum of 1 or 2 days on the island.

Different Ideas For Visiting Fulidhoo

• ATM: There’s no ATM on Fulidhoo island but, so that you’ll wish to deliver sufficient money in your keep, or else use the ATM on the airport in Male.
• Foreign money: US {Dollars} are accepted in every single place on the island, though you’ll often get barely higher charges with Maldivian Rufiyaa. Simply remember 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 change in Fulidhoo, so it’s greatest to do that in Male airport.
• Credit score Playing cards: You’ll wish to double verify, however many inns in Fulidhoo will 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 value it to keep away from having to deliver a variety of money. Nonetheless, remember the eating places and minimarkets in Fulidhoo often don’t settle for card, so you may’t go utterly 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 the event 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 principally locals dwelling right here. You’re not speculated to put on swimsuits or revealing garments besides on the designated ‘bikini seashore,’ 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 hassle, it’s greatest to observe this rule and canopy up once you’re not on the seashore.
• Mosque: There’s a mosque on the island, but it surely was quiet. We by no means heard any noise from it.
• Electrical energy: We stayed in a price range resort 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 respectable 4G reception with Ooredoo (by T-Cell) in every single place on Fulidhoo island.
• WiFi: There may be quick and dependable WiFi in Fulidhoo, even within the price range inns.
• Drones: Many of the fancy resorts in Maldives don’t permit drones in any respect, however since Fulidhoo is an area island, I used to be capable of deliver and use a drone with no points.
• Mosquitoes: We noticed some mosquitoes on the outside eating places, however not on the seashore or within the resort. We wore bug spray after we’d go eat, however other than that we didn’t want it.
• Malaria: All the 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: Typically, Maldives is a really protected nation, with one of many lowest homicide charges on this planet. We at all times felt protected right here, and I haven’t heard of any unhealthy 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 Seaside Restaurant.

Finest Time To Go to The Maldives

The dry season within the Maldives is from January to April. That is the very best 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 at the moment, however the island by no means felt very crowded after we visited in January.

The wettest months within the Maldives are from September to December. You possibly can nonetheless go to Fulidhoo at the moment, however you’re extra more likely to have some rain.