Inhabited local island

On the local island, you will experience the real Maldives. You can get to know the culture and life of the local people. The Maldives is a Muslim country, so it is important to respect their culture and way of life. When leaving your accommodation, it is advisable to wear a T-shirt, shorts, dresses, and skirts, but nothing completely transparent, mesh, crop tops, tops/dresses with thin straps, large necklines, skirts/dresses/shorts that are too short, swimsuits, towels, etc. You can wear these on bikini beaches designated for tourists.

There are also landfills on the local islands, and the surroundings are not always perfectly maintained and clean. Roads and some bikini beaches are cleaned on the islands. It is important to realize that the appearance of the island is not only the result of the local residents but also the attitude of tourists.

You cannot buy alcoholic beverages on the local island. It is prohibited to import alcoholic beverages into the country.

You can rent a bicycle or electric scooter.

Bikini beaches

Bikini beaches are intended for tourists. You can walk around in your swimsuit here.

On the bikini beaches on Thoddoo Island, you will find showers, toilets, parasols, sun loungers, wooden seating areas, hammocks, swings, and water sports.

There are two bikini beaches on Thoddoo Island: Sunrise Bikini Beach and Sunset Bikini Beach. Each is on one side of the island. As the names suggest, you can enjoy the sunrise at Sunrise Bikini Beach and the sunset at Sunset Bikini Beach.

Sunset Bikini Beach is bordered by wooden posts on one side and ends at the water sports area on the other. Please respect this area and dress appropriately before entering the local beach. At the entrance to Sunset Bikini Beach, there are two stalls where you can buy fresh fruit, coconut sticks, coconuts for drinking/eating, ice cream… Sun loungers on this beach cost $2 per day.

Please do not sunbathe topless on bikini beaches, and this beach is not a nudist beach.

Water sports

You can rent a kayak, paddleboard, ride a scooter, or float on large inflatables. During these activities, you can have your photo taken and be filmed by a drone.

Local beaches

Local beaches are frequented by locals who go there to swim, have picnics, fish… If you want to walk or swim at a local beach, please respect their culture and wear clothes (not swimwear, just a T-shirt, towel, etc.), even if you are going swimming or snorkeling.

Ramadan

Ramadan falls on a different date each year according to the Muslim lunar calendar (different month, different days). During Ramadan, locals fast from sunrise to sunset. Restaurants usually open in the afternoon, some even earlier. Shops are open from the morning, but some are closed. It is good to follow certain rules – outside of accommodation and bikini beaches, avoid drinking and eating in public (on the streets). This is a sign of respect for the locals who are fasting.

Snorkeling

When snorkeling, please do not touch or break corals, and do not stand on them – you will destroy their microflora and may injure yourself. Do not touch or chase turtles, octopuses, starfish, sea snakes, rays, or fish. There are also poisonous fish species in the sea. Be mindful of others to avoid injury.

By doing so, you will help keep the underwater world accessible to everyone and keep it intact.

Excursions

There are several agencies on Thoddoo Island that offer excursions. Each agency offers slightly different excursions in terms of itinerary, duration, and price. You can choose the one that appeals to you the most. Some accommodations also offer trips directly through them. Trips on offer: snorkeling with manta rays/sharks/turtles/whale sharks, snorkeling on a coral reef, sandbank (sand island/sediment washed by the sea/ocean on both sides), dolphin watching, sunset from a boat, fishing, resort visit, diving, visit to an uninhabited island…

Food

Local food consists mainly of fish, vegetables, beef, rice, coconut, chili… Some dishes are quite spicy. If you like chili, this is the place for you.

On Thoddoo Island, you will find various restaurants: local, Asian, Turkish… They offer various seafood dishes, pizza, burgers…

Fauna

On the island, you can see parrots, lizards, geckos, mosquitoes, goats, chickens, snakes, spiders, and large fruit bats.

Money and card payments

It is best to exchange euros for dollars in Slovakia – ask for 2010 or later and undamaged bills. You can exchange them for Maldivian rufiyaa at the airport in Male or on the island. You can pay in dollars on the island. Shops usually give you Maldivian rufiyaa, some also give dollars. You pay for accommodation in cash in dollars.

It is best to have cash. When paying by card, you pay a 4% fee on each payment.

How to book a transfer to/from the island

I arrange transportation with the accommodation, or you can arrange it with the accommodation according to your arrival and departure times. You will receive all transfer information from me or from the accommodation.

How to get to the island

The trip to/from the island takes about 1 hour in good weather. The price for a one-way trip is $35 per person, children under 3 travel free.

A speedboat runs twice a day from the airport to Thoddoo Island:

  • at 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

There are two speedboats a day from Thoddoo Island:

  • at 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

There is also local transport to the island – a ferry – which is a cheaper but slower form of travel. The journey takes several hours because the boat stops at several islands.

After arriving at Male Airport, collect your luggage and go to the old part of the airport (if you arrived at the new part of the airport), go to booth D17 (there is a section with booths in the middle of the airport) where you will register – give your name, the name of your accommodation, and the name of the island. The man at the stand will tell you the departure time of the boat and when to come to the stand, and he will take you to the boat. When you arrive on the island, there will be drivers waiting for you. Tell them the name of your accommodation, and they will show you the car that will take you and your luggage to your accommodation.

How to get to the nearby islands of Rashdoo, Ukulhas, and Mathiveri

From Thoddoo Island, you can get to the nearby islands by local transport, which runs on certain days. You can find the schedule under Transport between islands at the bottom of the page.

You can also take a speedboat to Ukulhas and Rasdhoo on certain days. For more information, contact Naasru Speed Service or Relax Ferry Service.

Transport between islands

Transport between Thoddoo and Mathiveri

  • Private speedboat ride

Local transport via Rasdhoo:

  • Thoddoo – Rasdhoo – Mathiveri: Sunday and Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. from Thoddoo to Rasdhoo and at 1:00 p.m. to Mathiveri. Arrival at 3:00 p.m.
  • Mathiveri – Rasdhoo – Thoddoo: Monday and Thursday at 8:35 a.m. (arriving in Rasdhoo at 10:35 a.m.), at 3:10 p.m. from Rasdhoo to Thoddoo
  • ferry – the boat must be checked the day before, it does not run in bad weather

Local transport between Mathiveri and Ukulhas:

  • private speedboat ride

Ferry route 301 (local route):

  • Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday
  • from Mathiveri at 8:35 a.m. and arrival at 9:35 a.m.
  • from Ukulhas Island at 2:00 p.m. and arrival at Mathiveri at 3:00 p.m.
  • ferry – the boat must be checked the day before, it does not run in bad weather

Healthcare

There is a health center on Thoddoo Island, and they also have an ambulance. The doctors speak English. There is a nurse who speaks Russian. If anything happens to you, go there.

What to bring with you

A hat/cap, it is highly recommended to take environmentally and coral-friendly sunscreen, preferably factor 50 (you can also buy sunscreen on the island, but I recommend doing so only in emergencies and be sure to reapply it frequently, otherwise you will get sunburned), aloe vera gel, panthenol, a long-sleeved T-shirt – the sun is very strong there – you are at the equator – you will get sunburned even when it is cloudy, raincoat (if you forget, you can buy one there) plastic bag – like a trash bag – when it rains, you can pack your things in it to keep them dry – that’s what I do.

If you have a problem with the boat, take Kinedryl. You can buy seasickness medication on Thoddoo Island, but it is not always available. Bring any medication you use at home when you are sick. If you forget them, you can buy some medicines there.

Mosquito repellent – buy it on the island, as it doesn’t work from Slovakia.

Cigarettes – you are allowed to take one carton. Electronic cigarettes are prohibited – but from what I’ve read and seen, tourists are allowed to bring them through without any problems.

What to leave at home

Alcohol, drugs, and pork products

Resort

It is an island with a hotel, villas on the water, bungalows… You can walk around the resort in your swimsuit everywhere except restaurants. There is buffet dining. It is best to go for all inclusive, because buying water there is quite expensive. The resort offers alcoholic beverages. Only tourists and staff are allowed on the island where the resort is located. You can enjoy water sports, excursions, massages, and spas. Some resorts have souvenir shops, while others do not. There are fewer tourists here than on some of the more popular local islands. The resort is clean – they clean the beaches and the entire island.

You will pay at least half as much again as on the local island for water sports, excursions, and romantic dinners on the beach/weddings/celebrations.