DHIFFUSHI ISLAND GUIDE
Wondering why you should visit Dhiffushi Island?
Dhiffushi Island is situated in North Malé / Kaafu Atoll, 41km north of Velaana International Airport. Its close location to the airport and public ferry services make it an accessible and affordable Maldives island for budget travellers. It is the most eastern inhabited island in all of Maldives, meaning it is the first local island to see the sunrise each morning. With 1000 residents, Dhiffushi Maldives is a small island, measuring just 900m in length and 200m wide; it’s possible to see from ocean to ocean when standing in the centre of the island. Diffushi Island is surrounded by a series of lagoons, house reefs and sand bank islands. There is also just a short channel between the island and Meeru Island Resort.
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DHIFFUSHI MALDIVES MAP
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THINGS TO DO AT DHIFFUSHI ISLAND:
BIKINI BEACHES
There are three Bikini Beaches at Dhiffushi Island. The latest created in 2019, along the eastern beachfront, in addition to the North & South Bikini Beaches on the island. Travellers can expect to enjoy sun lounges, white beach umbrellas and overwater hammocks on the beaches here.
WATCH THE SUNRISE
The newly opened East Bikini Beach is the best spot on the island to catch the sunrise each morning. It’s also a perfect spot for some morning yoga.
SANDBANKS
Close by to Dhiffushi Island are a number of sandbank islands, located in the middle of the beautiful Indian Ocean. Indulge Maldives can include the sandbank island excursion into your Maldives itinerary, or it’s possible to arrange it though your guesthouse, starting from USD$30pp. Sandbank excursions are a once in a lifetime experience, where travellers can expect to enjoy the island for 2-3hr, or to even experience a romantic sunset dinner!
SNORKELLING + DIVING
As Dhiffushi Maldives is in close proximity to some of Maldives’ best snorkelling and diving sites, many guesthouses offer snorkelling and diving excursions for guests. The island has its own dive centre and it’s even possible to snorkel directly off the Bikini Beach. Diving starts from around USD$75pp dive depending.
FISHING
Dhiffushi Island is the perfect place for a fishing trip. As the island is surrounded by deep lagoons and shallow reefs, many guesthouses provide fishing excursions for their guests, starting from USD$30pp for 3hrs, including all fishing equipment.
WATERSPORTS
Dhiffushi Maldives has it’s own water sports centre, where it’s possible to try jet-skiing, banana boat riding, wake boarding and other various water sports – perfect for families, couples and groups of travellers.
SURFING
Dhiffushi Maldives is not technically a surfing destination, although it is sometimes possible to surf here if conditions are right. There are many other excellent surf breaks in North Malé Atoll. Thulusdhoo, the neighbouring island, is one of Maldives’ most popular surfing destinations. Other surf breaks in the area include Cokes, Chickens, Sultans, Honkeys, Jails, as well as exclusive resort surf breaks: Pasta Point and Lohis. We recommend staying at a specific surfing island like Thulusdhoo or Himmafushi if you wish to surf daily, otherwise you will be up for expensive speedboat transfers.
THE SWINGING CHAIR
Take a pic in the iconic Dhiffushi Maldives swing, which is located before the entrance of the Southern Bikini Beach.
OVERWATER HAMMOCKS AND BEACH HUTS
One of the main attractions are the overwater hammocks and wooden beach huts of the Southern Bikini Beach. These make for some great Maldives holiday snaps!
WATCH THE SUNSET
From the western side of the island, watch the sky change all shades of colours as you watch the magnificent sunset each day, directly from the sand of the Southern Bikini Beach.
DAY TRIP / ISLAND HOP TO THULUSDHOO ISLAND
Take a day trip to the neighbouring Thulusdhoo Island. It’s possible to island hop using the Dhiffushi local ferry network. The ferry departs Dhiffushi Island at 6:30am most days, except Monday and Fridays, and will arrive in Thulusdhoo at 7:30am. The ferry departs Thulusdhoo in the afternoons at 4:30pm on the same days, from the front jetty (near the Coca Cola Factory at Thulusdhoo) and arrives at Dhiffushi around 5:30pm. It’s possible to include island hopping from Thulusdhoo to Dhiffushi (or vice versa) in your Maldives itinerary, if you wish to stay on both islands.
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DHIFFUSHI HOTELS:
Wondering where to stay at Dhiffushi Maldives?
The Indulge Maldives Dhiffushi Island Guide has a handpicked list of the best hotels for you – we’ve slept in the beds, we’ve eaten the food and we’ve even done the excursions. Wondering what is the cost of a guesthouse or hotel at Dhiffushi Maldives? The good news is that it is relatively cheap for budget travellers in comparison to other Maldives local islands. There are approximately a dozen guesthouses on the island, with more under construction. The cost of a stay in a guesthouse begins from US$40 per night. Here is our recommended selection of the best hotels:
BUDGET – MID RANGE: AMEERA MALDIVES
VILLA: VELI VILAA – the first villa in Maldives!
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RESTAURANTS:
As Dhiffushi is a small local island, there are not many cafés and restaurants for travellers. Most tourists generally take a full board meal plan and eat at their guesthouse accommodation. Araamu Holiday and Spa also offer an excellent buffet dinner to outside guests for US$15pp & booking in advance is required. For an awesome local café experience, try café Faruma.
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HOW TO GET TO DHIFFUSHI:
Wondering how to get to Dhiffushi Island? Travellers have 3 options:
1. PRIVATE SPEEDBOAT (MOST EXPENSIVE + FASTEST + PRIVATE)
A private speedboat transfer from Malé Airport costs US$300 for a one-way journey, at a time suitable for you.
2. DHIFFUSHI SPEEDBOAT
The Mee Altec Express Speedboat is the most popular option for travelling to Dhiffushi and is a 45-minute one-way journey, costing US$35pp one-way. The speedboat departs from either:
- Malé: Jetty number 7 – outside Bank of Maldives / Bank of Ceylon. Daily 11:30am, 4:30pm & 10:30pm. Friday’s 8:30am & 10:30pm.
- Airport: Departs from the far end of the airport jetty, beside the small thatched roof smoking hut (near Burger King / pedestrian crossing) 10 minutes after the above Malé times.
To return to Malé / Airport, Mee Altec Express departs from:
- Dhiffushi Island Harbour: Daily at 7:30am, 1:30pm and 5:45pm. On Friday’s at 7am and 5:45pm
Indulge Maldives can book tickets if you book your accommodation through us at a cheaper than online price.
3. LOCAL FERRY (CHEAPEST + SLOWEST)
For travellers on a low budget, the local ferry runs from Malé to Dhiffushi Island most days (except Fridays and Mondays). The ferry first stops at 3 other islands within the area, with Dhiffushi being the fourth and final stop. The journey is a slow 3hrs and 15 minutes, one-way and costs around US$2.
The ferry leaves from the Villingili Ferry Terminal in Malé. To get to the Villingilli Ferry Terminal, take a taxi from Velana International Airport over to Malé for around 75MVR ($4). On arrival buy your ticket for the Kaafu Atoll Province Ferry (ferry to Dhiffushi) from the ferry counter.
FROM MALÉ:
Sat, Sun, Tues, Wed, Thurs: Departs Malé 14.30pm
TO MALÉ:
Sat, Sun, Tues, Wed, Thurs: Departs 6.30am
RESORT STAY
Meeru Island Resort is located just across the lagoon. For travellers wanting to combine both a guesthouse stay and a resort vacation, a stay at Meeru Island Resort is perfect. It’s important to note that it is not possible to do a day trip to Meeru Island Resort – guests must stay a minimum of 2 nights.
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TIPS
- No ATM on the island – withdraw cash in the local currency at Malé Airport upon your arrival in Maldives, or exchange chas at the money exchange counter. Thulusdhoo Island has an ATM.
- Make sure you have a booking reservation at Dhiffushi Island before you arrive in Maldives. The Tourist Visa on Arrival is subject to having a reservation for the entire length of stay & a returning flight.
- A day trip from Malé is not possible using the public ferry system. You would need to take the Mee Altec Express speedboat, however it would be just as affordable to stay on the island.
- Dress a little modestly when moving through the village and always swim at the designated bikini beaches.
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