Kaafu Atoll Maafushi Island in Maldives is 26 kilometers from the Capital Male’ City. It takes a one and a half hour ferry ride to travel to the island with over 20 guest houses and a blooming local economy based on local tourism.
After a long and difficult semester at the university, my boyfriend and I decided to spend a short break exploring the island of Maafushi. We got onto a heavily crowded ferry, buzzing with houseflies on a warm Thursday afternoon.
Within one and half hours, we reached the island, to be welcomed warmly by a staff of the ‘Island Cottage’, the guest house we were staying in. A short walk took us to the guest house which was located just next to the main prison of Maldives, which is also established in Maafushi Island.
With a mixture of local and western style, ‘Island Cottage’ is the perfect name to call the guest house. A thatch roof covered the two storey house along with a wonderfully homey backyard and front yard.
Our room was much better that we had anticipated (even though I expected it to be a little bit more spacey). A huge balcony facing the households of Maafushi Island was perfect to mount our telescope for the mystical hobby of star and moon gazing.
‘Island Cottage’ was very homely with a living area offering plenty of privacy. The food there was great too. Yet, the same cannot be said about the prices in the island. Everything seemed to be very expensive but the pressure free environment is just reward for the costs.
One of the most unique things about Maafushi Island is the “Bikini Beach”. It is an area on the beach which gives complete privacy for guests to wear bikinis and go about having fun on an island which strictly follows the Islamic Sharia. No other inhabited island in the Maldives offers such a privilege for visitors.
All in all, our three day stay in the island was filled with joyous memories. The homeliness of the guest houses, the beach, seas and the quite, natural environment just a few hours from the capital city is not something to be overlooked. My boyfriend and I arrived back in Male’ City with many plans to make numerous visits to the island of Maafushi in the near future.
Magey Dhuniye 