Finding out the features of a budget holiday in the Maldives! Information about the island of Maafushi: how to get there, what are the prices for food and hotels, are the beaches good, what is the weather and what tourists say? Beaches on the map of Maafushi in Russian.
Maafushi is a small island in South Male Atoll inhabited by local people. After the first guesthouse was built on the island, it became available to tourists. Maafushi has earned its popularity due to its low prices: accommodation in local hotels is several times cheaper than in neighboring islands - resorts. Now there are several dozen hotels, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops on the island.
Reviews about the rest on Maafushi
Holidays on Maafushi do not correspond to the generally accepted style of "bounty": a small island with no special attractions, if you do not count the building of the state prison. Those who do not want to pay several hundred dollars per night in a hotel come here. To see the "real" Maldives with luxurious deserted beaches, you need to visit one of the neighboring islands - resorts.
Entertainment on the island of Maafushi, according to tourists, is standard: snorkeling, diving, parasailing, kayaking, fishing and boat trips. For romantics - dinner on the beach or on a desert island. There are three diving schools on Maafushi. The coastal waters are not as rich in marine fauna, but turtles, dolphins, sharks and manta rays can be seen depending on the season.
Maafushi beaches are inferior in beauty to neighboring islands. There are only two beaches available for tourists, where women can be in swimsuits - the so-called bikini beach - these are Kaani and White Shell. In other places, the ladies will have to cover their nakedness with a pareo, which the law enforcement officers will certainly ask them to do.
The local population is calm and unobtrusive, the only thing that can disturb tourists is the sounds of the muezzin, calling the believers to the next prayer. There is no alcohol on the free sale, as elsewhere in the Maldives. Although enterprising businessmen found a way out here too, having equipped a floating bar on one of the ships. The sufferers are brought on board by boats, where they can buy whatever their heart desires, of course, with a considerable overpayment.
Maafushi Island is intended primarily for independent travelers, tours here (at least online) cannot be bought. To other islands of the Maldives, you can find tours at the best prices on the services of Travelata and Level.Travel - they compare the offers of 120 tour operators and therefore are able to find the best option. You can buy a ticket online, which is very convenient.
How to get to the island?
First you need to fly to Male airport, from there you can get to Maafushi in two ways: ferry (every day except Friday) or on boat.
The first option, judging by the reviews, is the most economical: from the Villingili Ferry Terminal, a private ferry departs from Male at 15 o'clock to Maafushi. The ticket costs only $ 2. The state ferry operates on a different schedule and travels through Guli Island.
To get to Vilingili terminal, you need to get from the airport to Male by ferry or boat ($ 2), then on foot or by taxi (another $ 1.5-2) to get to the pier. The ferry returns from Maafushi island every day at 7:30 am, sometimes additional flights are launched.
The second way - by boat - is simple, but more expensive. If the hotel provides a transfer, then the tourists will be met at the airport by hotel staff and taken to the boat. This service costs from $ 150 to $ 200 per trip, the entire amount is distributed among passengers. Also, private boats run from Male several times a day, the fare is from $ 40 per person.
Video about Maafushi and how to choose an island in the Maldives
Maafushi prices
The average cost of a room for two in a good 3 * hotel is from $ 50 to $ 100 per night, depending on the season. For comparison, a similar option on the neighboring island of Biyadu will cost 4-6 times more. If you wish, you can find a modest lodging for $ 15 - $ 20 per day.
Drinking water costs $ 1.5, ice cream $ 3, you can dine together for $ 20. In the Maldives, except for bananas and coconuts, nothing grows, all fruits are imported and expensive, and Maafushi is no exception.
From the Maldivian Maafushi, judging by the reviews, you can go to the neighboring islands. The walk will cost from $ 20 to $ 100, depending on the size of the company (the more tourists, the cheaper) and the remoteness of the island. Night fishing with a demonstration of rays or dolphins costs 35 $ per person. Although some tourists claim that dolphins can be seen right from the coast of Maafushi.
Reviews of Maafushi hotels
Among the expensive hotels in Maafushi, the 4-star Kaani Beach Hotel received good reviews. Convenient location in a palm grove next to the beach, luxurious rooms, rooftop terrace, restaurant and bar. Entertainment - scuba diving, fishing and snorkeling. A deluxe room for two with breakfast will cost from $ 80 to $ 180 depending on the season.
Not bad reviews from the three-star Sun Tan Beach Hotel. Spacious ethnic-style rooms with 24-hour service and a continental restaurant. Active guests can go windsurfing or diving. The cost of living in a deluxe room is from $ 80 per day.
Comfortable accommodation offers its guests 2 * hotel WhiteShell Beach Inn. The cost of living here is from $ 90 for two. The guests appreciated the cleanliness of the rooms, delicious breakfasts, an excellent private beach and service. Entertainment - windsurfing, snorkeling, scuba diving and cycling.
Affordable prices at Picnic Inn. Hotel 3 *, but accommodation for two will cost $ 60 per day. If the previous options were preferred by couples, then this hotel is popular with family vacationers. All rooms are designed in a simple "home" style and are equipped with air conditioning, there is a restaurant. Guests have access to water activities, a boat club is located nearby.
We advise you to search for hotels on the search engine Roomguru.ru, it will select the most profitable options among many booking systems. We recommend booking private accommodation (rooms, apartments, bungalows and villas) on the popular Airbnb service - it is more profitable if you are traveling with a company or family. As a rule, the price of one night in double rooms in hotels on Maafushi island starts from 50 $.
Video - The beauty of rest in the Maldives
Reviews about beaches on Maafushi
Beach Kaani (Kaani Beach) is clean with white sand and turquoise water, there is a small depression with fish and corals where you can dive with fins and a mask. However, the budget of the place makes itself felt by the lack of sun loungers and umbrellas on the beach.
Next to Kaani beach is the second popular beach White Shell (WhiteShell Beach). There are sun loungers here, and the bottom is shallow and suitable for families with children. Both beaches are small, and given the growing popularity of Maafushi, there is no need to dream of solitude and romance here.
Maafushi Monthly Weather
On the island of Maafushi in the Maldives, judging by the reviews, you can relax all year round, it is always warm here: + 30 ° C during the day, + 27 ° C at night, + 28 ... + 30 ° C water. In April, the air and water get warmer: during the day + 32 ° C, water + 30 ° C. It is a calm, windless month suitable for diving.
From May to October there are monsoons, strong winds bring precipitation, and the rainy season begins. The rainiest month is August. Due to frequent showers, high humidity is established, in June - July it is cloudy most of the time. In September, precipitation becomes less, sunny days - more, occasionally it rains. October is a good month for diving.
By November, the winds have subsided, and there are more sunny days than cloudy ones. December is warm and calm, the weather is mostly sunny, but precipitation falls as in May - 150 mm per month. Optimal weather conditions in January - March: warm, windless and dry, but prices in hotels during this period are the highest.
A little advice
Maafushi is an excellent option for a budget holiday in the Maldives, the cost of living here is much lower than in neighboring resorts. And although the local beaches are inferior in their beauty to competitors, this is a great opportunity to relax in the Maldives at a reasonable price. Family vacationers will surely like Maafushi, but newlyweds and lovers should think about another resort, because it is unlikely that they will be able to retire here.
If you are interested in a beautiful holiday in the Maldives, we advise you to read our article on the cost of a trip to the islands - there you will find recommendations for choosing a good hotel.
