Jump to:
- Introduction: Is Maafushi Worth It?
- How to Get from Velana Airport (Male) to Maafushi
- Things to Know When Visiting Maafushi
- Accommodation in Maafushi on a Budget
- Affordable Restaurants in Maafushi
- Best Things to Do in Maafushi on a Budget
- Final Thoughts: Is Maafushi Worth It?
Introduction: Is Maafushi Worth It?
Maafushi is one of the Maldives’ most popular local islands, and for good reason. It offers the postcard-perfect beaches and turquoise water the country is famous for. However, at a fraction of the cost of private resorts.
As one of the country’s most popular local islands, it offers a rare balance between authentic Maldivian life and the attractions travelers come to the Maldives for. From snorkeling and dolphin cruises to sandbank trips and island hopping. With budget-friendly accommodation, affordable food, and easy ferry access from Malé, Maafushi has become a go-to destination for experiencing the Maldives without the luxury resort price tag.
This is exactly why we chose Maafushi when we visited the Maldives. We could go on a budget, but still see what the Maldives really has to offer. The big question is after spending a few nights – is Maafushi worth it? Read on to see how to get to Maafushi, accommodation & food, things to do, and our overall experience.
How to Get from Velana Airport (Male) to Maafushi
We flew to the Maldives from Thailand, and arrived around 20:00. This meant we were very limited on the options available to get to Maafushi, however it was still easy and boats ran until 21:30 from Male Airport to Maafushi. If you arrive earlier in the day, you will have a few options to reach Maafushi, depending on your budget!
Public Ferry
Option one is to take the public ferry. The ferry runs everyday apart from Friday, however times are very limited. You will need to first take a public ferry from the airport to Male, and then Male to Maafushi. Currently the public ferry leaves Male around 3:00pm, you will need to do some research to find the correct times and departure point. The cost of the ferry from Male to Maafushi is around $3 dollar per person, and the journey will take 1.5 hours.
Shared Speedboat
We opted for a shared speedboat which was a great option to make the journey much more convenient, but still sticking to a budget. We booked directly with ICom Tours and paid $20 per person each way. The journey took around 45 mins in total as the boat went via Male. They run around 6 boats per day, so it’s easy to find a suitable time. There are also other companies which offer speed boat transfers. 12go Asia is a good place to find and even book them.
Private Speedboat
You also have the option of booking a private speed boat, this will be the most convenient, however it will cost you around $250. As this is a less common option for Maafushi, you will need to contact the tour companies to arrange this with them.
Hotel Transfer
It’s also important to check if your hotel/accomodation in Maafushi includes or can add the boat transfer for you. Even though this is more common for the resort islands in the Maldives, some of the hotels in Maafushi did have their own taxi boats.
Things to Know When Visiting Maafushi
There are a few things which will be helpful to know before booking to understand is Maafushi worth it for your next adventure, and to help you while you are enjoying your holiday.
Most places will accept card and USD, and are often preferred over Maldivian Rufiyaa. Most prices are given in USD and when we booked a tour, they actually wouldn’t accept payment in Maldivian Rufiyaa for it. A few places charged a small fee to pay by card, but most places didn’t.
Many restaurants charged an additional service charge and tax which could add between 10-20% onto your bill. Look out for this on the menu when ordering so you understand the prices.
You should also be aware that there is currently a lot of construction on Maafushi. This did create some noise, and changed the appearance overall of the island, though it was easy to still find quiet spots away from the construction. Maafushi looks like it will see more and more development, including large, tall hotels. It was a shame to see a lack of nature around the island because of this.
Maafushi is predominantly muslim, and as it’s a local island you need to consider this and ensure you are being respectful throughout your time on the island. The key things to consider are how you are dressed, especially for women who should cover up inline with the culture. There is one bikini beach on Maafushi, otherwise on the other beaches you will also need to dress appropriately. There are clear signs on the island for what is expected.
Maafushi is also a dry Island. Meaning you won’t be able to buy and consume alcohol during your time away. This was okay for us, especially for a few days. However, you should consider it if you are asking is Maafushi worth it. There is a party / bar boat just off the shore which does serve alcohol, you can find more on this in our things to do section.
Accommodation in Maafushi on a Budget
There are several options for accommodation on Maafushi, from budget guest houses, to more modern hotels. We recommend looking on Agoda and Airbnb as these actually had more options than on Booking.com . Prices range from around £40 – £200 per night depending on the standard you are looking for. There is also a tourist tax to pay in the Maldives, which can depend on your choice of accommodation.
We stayed at Narnia, which was very well located on the west side of the island. It was a good budget option costing around £45 with breakfast for the two of us. We would struggle to recommend Narnia, as the rooms were somewhat tired and outdated, but for £45 a night in the Maldives it is still good value and we had no issues throughout our stay.
Affordable Restaurants in Maafushi
Similar to accommodation, there are a range of restaurants in Maafushi to suit different budgets and standards. We stuck with something in the middle, offering good quality food but still with an affordable price. A lot of restaurants served international food such as pizza, pasta, burgers and often indian food. We usually spent around $6-10 per person for a meal including a drink.
Some of our favourite spots we would recommend are:
- Melon Restaurant
- Food Park Blue
- Hiyala Mariyaad Cafe
- Fine Bake by Suzy
There were also several supermarkets, the biggest being Lily Spencer where you could buy snacks, fruit, and even some prepared sandwiches.
Best Things to Do in Maafushi on a Budget
Boat Trips
There are many boat trips from Maafusi, and this is a large part which ticks the box when asking is Maafushi worth it. They can also be very budget friendly starting at $30 per person for a ½ day trip. These are easy to book through hotels or the tour agents mainly on the west side of the island. We would recommend the snorkeling trip, where we went to several snorkeling spots and saw turtles, or the whale shark tour which offers a unique experience to see whale sharks. The tours we did included lunch, snorkels, towels and life jackets.
Water Sports
Water sports are also a popular attraction on Maafushi, with many available on the island. Jet skis, wakeboarding and parasailing were very popular and could easily be arranged.
Beaches
There are plenty of beaches around Maafushi, and they offer the beautiful white sand and crystal clear, turquoise water the Maldives is so famous for.
The beaches on the east side of the island are more local and natural, and we enjoyed sitting on them with a soft drink or juice and enjoying the peacefulness and stunning scenery. The beaches are also great to snorkel from including Renee’s Coral Garden.
On the west side you will have watersports and boat tours, and the bikini beach. Bikini beach will allow you to wear bikinis and swim shorts and is a great spot for relaxing and swimming. There are plenty of sunbeds and if you buy a drink and/or food you can use them for free. We bought a juice which was around $3 dollars each.
Explore the Island
You should also explore the full island. It only takes 20 minutes to walk the full length of the island. Maafushi has a football pitch, school, mosques, and a large prison on the south side which are all interesting to see while exploring the whole island and seeing more of the local life.
Shopping
Around the north of the island, there are plenty of small shops selling a range of souvenirs and clothes. You could easily spend a couple of hours browsing the little stores and picking out a souvenir to take home with you.
Party / Bar Boat
We briefly mentioned this earlier. There is a party / bar boat just off Maafushi that does serve alcohol. We were very tempted to visit to check it out, however we are not big drinkers and heard mixed reviews about it. The price we were offered was $10, and this included the return trip to the boat, entrance, and one drink. It’s definitely a good option to have!
Resort Day Pass
Another great option from Maafushi – which if we had more time we would have loved to have tried – is a resort day. We saw prices between $100-200 for this, and they usually include the transfer, buffet lunch, drinks, and access to the resort’s private beaches & pools. It’s a great way to experience the Maldives’ famous resorts for a day, at a fraction of the cost of actually staying at one.
Final Thoughts: Is Maafushi Worth It?
Is Maafushi worth it? The quick answer is yes, if you remember that it is a local island, and it is a budget friendly option. You should definitely set your expectations for this and you will have a great time.
The longer answer is that we had a very good time on Maafushi. We definitely experienced a lot of what the Maldives has to offer without breaking the bank. It was easy to explore the island and experience many attractions. Would we rush back to Maafushi, probably not! We would look for something slightly in between the local and affordable experience of Maafushi, and the luxury and comfort of a Maldives resort. If you are looking for that local, budget option, the n Maafushi will be a great option for you and we hope this guide has helped to answer any questions that you might have had.
