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What to do in Guraidhoo, Maldives | Transportation, diving and best beaches
Guraidhoo is a paradise both above and below the water and It is considered one of the best islands for diving. Furthermore, it is located very near the Malé International airport so getting to this island is quick and economical. Taking these two factors into account, we couldn't not visit it, so we decided to add this island to our one-week itinerary in the Maldives.
During our time in the Maldives, this island, just 700 meters long and 500 meters wide, was our favorite. That's why I'm bringing you this guide, which explains what to do in Guraidhoo, how to get there, where to dive, recommended restaurants, and more. All the information you need to organize a visit to this paradise.
HOW TO GET TO GURAIDHOO FROM MALE
The island's proximity to Malé and the ease of getting here quickly and cheaply are among its biggest advantages. Reaching the island from Malé is very simple. There are two options: an inexpensive public ferry and a slightly more expensive private speedboat. caro.
El The ferry from Male to Guraidhoo is 311 and departs daily at 14.30:3 p.m., except Fridays. A one-way ticket costs approximately $2 and can be purchased directly on the ferry. The trip takes XNUMX hours and During the journey it makes stops at the islands of Gulhi and Maafushi, so if you are in these islands, getting to Guraidhoo is also very simple. The ferry to return to Malé leaves Guraidhoo at 07:00h except Friday.
Also There is a speed boat service between Guraidhoo and Malé a couple of times a day, the price of the trip ranges from 30 to 40$ per person and it takes about 50 minutes to get there.
THINGS TO DO IN GURAIDHOO
Enjoy the bikini beach
The Guraidhoo beach bikini is very new since it is located in an area of the island that did not exist a couple of years ago and was built by placing sand and rocks in the western part of the island. For this reason the beach is a little away from the inhabited area. All along the sand there are free sun loungers and umbrellas for bathers as well as some swings hanging from the palm trees.
El water is an incredible turquoise color and does not cover since the coral reef is really far away. About 150 meters from the shore there is a sandbank that can be reached half walking, half swimming and when the tide is lower it is almost uncovered. Getting to it is a real wonder.
Remember take you a waterproof bag to Maldives to reach places like this without suffering for your things and for the boat excursions you take.
The only negative part of this beach is that not good for snorkeling Since the reef is too far away, you will have to walk about 400 meters through the water to reach it. We went and saw tropical fish but nothing very remarkable because it is a coral wall that falls to the bottom, so the snorkeling area is minimal.
Snorkeling tours in Guraidhoo
Even though Bikini Beach is not a good snorkeling spot Excursions to nearby islands and reefs with lots of life also leave from Guraidhoo.. The Bubbles Excursions tour agency located on the main street offers half-day snorkeling tours to lively reefs. They also had full day trips to swim with nurse sharks.
The Prices are somewhat higher than from Maafushi, mainly due to the fact that since there is less tourism, each boat carries fewer people and this increases the cost per person. But honestly, paying these €10 or at most €15 more per person on excursions is worth it in my opinion because it translates into smaller boats and better customer service.
For example, half a day of snorkeling with food costs about €35 at Bubbles and €25 at Maafushi agencies.
Tour the local beach
Bikini Beach is the most beautiful beach in Guraidhoo, but the desert area to the left is also worth a dip, whether from the sand or the breakwater.
On its shore we saw several reef sharks Babies every time we went. The bottom is sandy so in general there is not much life, but about 200 meters from the shore there is a small wreck where diving baptisms take place and it's a good spot for snorkeling. The exact location is tricky to pinpoint.carWe were given instructions at the diving school.
Remember that there you must bathe wearing clothes, I did it in a t-shirt and short tights.
This area of the island is also the best to see the sunset, we do not miss the appointment every afternoon, with a sunset swim included.
Diving in Guraidhoo
The jewel of the crown of this island and the activity that attracts the majority of tourists who visit it. Guraidhoo is known for being one of the best diving islands in the Maldives, which is very easy to get to and where the price of the dives is not unreasonable. How could a diving lover miss this place?
We did several dives with Divers Blanket. It is in front of the port and coincidentally a very nice Spanish girl named June worked there who accompanied us on our dives. We have nothing bad to say about Manta Divers, they are all professionals and both the boat and the equipment are in good condition.
El Diving prices are around $50-$55 including equipment rental. Discounted packages are available for dives starting at five or more. Since the dive sites are very close together, you can book just one dive per day. We chose this option so we could dive every day but still not break the bank.
Best Diving Spots in Guraidhoo
The most famous diving spots are Guraidhoo Corner which is a channel with quite a current between two reefs and Kandooma Thila which is a pinnacle also with current. At both points it is common to find turtles, white and black tip sharks, gray sharks, eagle rays, schools of barracudas, napoleon fish, moray eels and many other animals that make you not even know where to look.
In the same dive we saw 10 blacktip sharks and about 20 eagly ray, along with thousands of other fish and always surrounded by red-toothed triggerfish that seem to fly underwater, it was magical.
Keep in mind that both Guraidhoo, like the rest of the Maldives, the most interesting diving spots require Advance Open Water level. Obviously, you will also enjoy other types of dives because the seabed of the Maldives is incredible, but the largest animals usually move along the underwater highways that are created between two reefs and to dive in those areas you need an Advance qualification due to the depth and currents. In the Maldives there is a lot of current and if you have never done drift diving it may be strange, but don't worry, the Dive Masters are very professional. Although if you are Open I recommend taking the opportunity to do the Advance there.
Walk through the port at dusk
One of the best things to do when the sun has set is to walk along the harbor. Some sharks and rays come to feed on leftover fish that fishermen throw into the sea. Also next to the port are many of the island's restaurants so you can take advantage of the walk to have something to eat. If you haven't seen anything in the port Another good area to see manta rays and small sharks is on the beach between Guraidhoo and the neighboring island Kandooma, Just in front of the floating villas, there were also many hermits on the sand.
Enjoy the atmosphere on the local islands of Maldives
Quite a few people live on this island, around 1700 people so There is quite a local atmosphere in the streets. We visited the Maldives during Ramadan so the streets were deserted during the day but came alive at dusk.
Even though the streets were deserted, we loved walking around the island, the streets are super well-kept, full of flowers and "Maldivian chairs" to sit in the shade and watch life go by.
Try kottu, a typical Maldivian dish
Maldivian food is greatly influenced by that of Sri Lanka as much of the local population has roots there. Kottu, originally from Sri Lanka, is one of the most common and famous dishes of Maldivian cuisine and it is easy to find in almost all restaurants. The star ingredient of this dish is tuna, but you can also find options such as chicken or vegetables.
We tried it on all the islands with different ingredients and we liked them a lot in all their variants, also Being a local dish it is very economical and it is a great option to make your trip to the Maldives a little cheaper.
Everything you see in the photo cost us less than €7, Kottu on the right and fish curry on the left.
WHERE WE TO STAY IN GURAIDHOO
The island of Guraidhoo stands out for having many small and well-priced guest houses. Almost all They cost between €50 and €80 per nightincluding breakfast. As the accommodations are small, the owners are very involved in making guests comfortable; they even come to pick you up from the bus.car at the port when you arrive and they offer you any kind of help you may need.
TOP RESTAURANTS IN GURAIDHOO
Next to the port is Hiraeth Island Home Restaurant It has a very nice little terrace for al fresco dining and at midday you can eat inside the place where the air also flows, something that is very appreciated with the heat and humidity typical of the Maldives. This restaurant se carIt is characterized by offering Maldivian dishes such as fish curry or kottu very delicious at a good price (around $3-$4 a plate).
El Love Coffee It is another cheap and good restaurant that is very popular among locals. Have an interior garden that was in glory. Among the dishes we tried and liked the most, the noodles with fish and the submarines stand out, which are the country's typical sandwiches. We also tried natural juices and good teas since they have a lot of Indian cultural influence.
These are some of the best things to do in Guraidhoo, I hope that if you visit this place and the surrounding islands you enjoy it as much or more than we did.
