{"id":17312,"date":"2024-12-24T06:51:28","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T06:51:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/limittrip.com\/?p=17312"},"modified":"2024-12-24T06:51:28","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T06:51:28","slug":"dhigurah-island-travel-guide-for-maldives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bayantravels.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/24\/dhigurah-island-travel-guide-for-maldives\/","title":{"rendered":"Dhigurah Island Travel Guide For Maldives"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dhigurah island is probably the most beautiful island you\u2019ve never heard of in the Maldives. It\u2019s a local island without the fancy overwater resorts that are famous in Maldives, but instead it has a long and wonderful white sand beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re wanting to see the Maldives on a budget, this is one of the best places to do it. Dhigurah has all of the amazing tropical scenery you\u2019d expect from the Maldives, plus family-owned hotels that are as low as $70 USD per night!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We recently visited two local islands in the Maldives, Dhigurah and Fulidhoo, and couldn\u2019t be happier with our choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This travel guide will explain how to get to Dhigurah island, what to do there, where to stay, and everything else you need to know before you go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Get To Dhigurah Island<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no airport in Dhigurah, so you first have to fly to the capital of the Maldives at Male International Airport (MLE), which is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Dhigurah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Male, you can take a speedboat or ferry directly to Dhigurah, or you can take a seaplane or domestic flight to one of the nearby islands and then get a boat the rest of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dhigurah<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dhigurah island<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 By Public Speedboat<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The main way to get to Dhigurah is by public speedboat. There are morning and afternoon departures every day from Male city and the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The speedboat journey to Dhigurah takes 2 hours and costs about $50 USD per person one way. Kids above 3 years old pay full price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boat ride usually isn\u2019t too bumpy (depending on weather), and they have a toilet and plenty of room for storing luggage. The boats are new and the seats are comfortable. They also give you free bottled water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boats from Male to Dhigurah depart at 11 AM (Friday 10 AM) and 4:30 PM. The return boats from Dhigurah to Male depart at 6:30 AM and 1:30 PM (Friday 1:45 PM). There\u2019s a brief stop in Dhangethi island on the way to Dhigurah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, keep in mind there are multiple speedboat companies operating this route and the timetable seems to change occasionally, so I\u2019d double check the timetable with your hotel in Dhigurah before you go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can ask your hotel in Dhigurah to book the speedboat for you, and then pay for it with your room bill when you arrive. That\u2019s what we did, and paying by credit card spared us from having to carry lots of cash everywhere.
 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 By Private Speedboat<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A private speedboat charter will be a lot more expensive than the public speedboats, but it may be more convenient in cases where you want to save time and need a direct connection to Dhigurah from one of the other islands in the Maldives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should be able to arrange this with your hotel in Dhigurah island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dhigurah<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lazy palm tree<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 By Domestic Plane<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the easiest ways to get to Dhigurah is by taking a 20 minute domestic flight with\u00a0Villa Air \/ FlyMe\u00a0from Male to the airport in nearby Maamigili island (VAM), followed by a 5 minute taxi ride to the harbor and then a 20 minute speedboat ride to Dhigurah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This route usually has 3 or 4 flights per day. One way ticket prices start at $170 USD for adults and $85 for kids under 12 years old, while kids under 2 fly free. The speedboat transfer is normally included in the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In rare cases where the waves are too rough for a normal boat crossing, then this may be your only option of getting to Dhigurah.
 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 By Seaplane<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A seaplane ride is one of the most scenic and fun ways to get to Dhigurah, but also the most expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ticket prices start at $250 USD per person, and the journey involves a 30 minute flight to the Lux Resort in the South Ari Atoll, followed by a 10 minute speedboat ride to Dhigurah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There isn\u2019t a fixed schedule for the seaplane flights, so you\u2019ll have to arrange it with your hotel in advance, and hopefully you can share the flight with other passengers going in the same direction.
 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 By Public Ferry<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Last, but not least, you can take the public ferry from Male to Dhigurah. This is the slowest option, but it\u2019s also the cheapest. The ferry ride to Dhigurah takes about 6 or 7 hours and costs $8 USD for a one way ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This route is operated by\u00a0MTCC\u00a0several days per week, with morning and evening departures. You can confirm the current timetable with MTCC or with your hotel in Dhigurah, and they should be able to help you buy tickets as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dhigurah<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beach is never crowded here<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dhigurah<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drone pic of Dhigurah island<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Get Around Dhigurah Island<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you arrive in Dhigurah, the next step is getting around the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, the whole island is small enough to be walkable. You can get everywhere on foot! From end to end, Dhigurah is only 4 kilometers long (3 miles), and the width of the island is only about 100 to 200 meters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one of the things we really liked about Dhigurah island, because it\u2019s so convenient and you don\u2019t have to pay for transport. However, the hotels do have bicycles you can rent for a half day or full day if you\u2019d like.
 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Things To Do In Dhigurah Island<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 North West Beach \/ Bikini Beach<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The main beach in Dhigurah is called North West Beach and it spans the entire west side of the island. This is the island\u2019s designated \u2018bikini beach\u2019 where tourists are welcome to wear swimsuits and go suntanning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a beautiful beach with palm trees, lots of little hermit crabs, and not too many people. The water is calm enough for kids to swim. If the sky is clear, you can also watch the sunset on the beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For snorkeling, there\u2019s a spot near the halfway point, called\u00a0Turtle Reef, where you can swim with small sharks and sea turtles only a short distance from the shore!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beach in Dhigurah is actually one of the longest beaches in the Maldives, and it\u2019s how the island got its name \u2014 Dhigurah means \u2018long island\u2019 in the local language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dhigurah<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Long Beach Sandbar<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the main attractions of Dhigurah is the sandbar on the southern end of the island, which is called Long Beach. This is a really nice spot with snow white sand and shallow turquoise water, perfect for swimming or going for a walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From any of the hotels in northern Dhigurah, you can reach the sandbank by walking for 1 hour on the beach or through the jungle. We preferred the jungle path because it\u2019s more shaded and you can see lizards and other animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best time to get to the sandbar is 9 or 10 in the morning when there are less people and the sun isn\u2019t too hot yet. If you don\u2019t feel like walking, it\u2019s also possible to go with a bicycle or rikshaw from your hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you keep following the sandbar to the end at low tide, you can actually walk all the way to the neighboring LUX Resort, although you\u2019re not supposed to be there if you aren\u2019t a guest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember to bring plenty of water because it can get very hot here at midday, and there\u2019s nowhere to buy drinks at the beach. There are some free sun chairs and umbrellas near the end of the beach where you can leave your stuff while you go swim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Things To Do In Dhigurah Island<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Whale Shark Safari:<\/strong>\u00a0One of the most popular activities in Dhigurah island is swimming with whale sharks. You\u2019re not guaranteed to see whale sharks, of course, but there\u2019s a pretty good chance all throughout the year. Lots of other tours come here for the same reason, so you want to try to be the first one to spot a shark before the crowds arrive. This excursion normally lasts 2 or 3 hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Dolphin Cruise:<\/strong>\u00a0It\u2019s common to see dolphins near Dhigurah. They\u2019re usually moving too fast to snorkel with, but it\u2019s still fun to watch a pod of dolphins from the boat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Manta & Reef Shark Cruise:<\/strong>\u00a0The reef sharks and manta rays are also common in the Maldives, and they have 2 or 3 hour boat excursions to go see them. There\u2019s a manta \u2018cleaning station\u2019 near Dhigurah where the manta rays like to visit and get cleaned by small fish, so you have a good chance of seeing them there.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Resort Excursions:<\/strong>\u00a0The hotels in Dhigurah can arrange a half day excursion to some of the nearby 5 star resorts like Amaya Kuda Rah, Centara Grand Island, Vakarufalhi, or Vilamendhoo. This can be a fun way to experience one of the Maldives\u2019 luxury resorts without paying full price. These packages typically include transport there and back, plus access to facilities like the resort pool and spa, and an allowance for food and drinks at the resort while you\u2019re there.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Fishing Excursions:<\/strong>\u00a0The southeast corner of the Ari Atoll is supposed to be a good place for big game fishing. If you\u2019re lucky, you can catch sail fish, king fish, yellow fin tuna, and other kinds of fish to eat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Scuba Diving:<\/strong>\u00a0Dhigurah is known as one of the best islands in the Maldives for scuba diving. There are a bunch of good dive sites in this area where you can see lots of nice fish and coral.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Watersports:<\/strong>\u00a0There are lots of watersports available on Dhigurah island, including kayaking, kiteboarding, parasailing, windsurfing, tube rides, and jet skiing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    How Long To Stay In Dhigurah Island<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    This is a small island, so you can wander most of it and see the best highlights in 2 or 3 days, although it wouldn\u2019t hurt to stay longer. We stayed 3 days in Dhigurah, and would\u2019ve been happy to stay a week or two!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019re like us, being at the beach and swimming in the ocean never really gets old, and you could spend a couple of extra days seeing the whale sharks and doing other excursions near the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Other Tips For Visiting Dhigurah Maldives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • ATM:<\/strong>\u00a0There\u2019s one ATM in Dhigurah on the north end of the island near the ferry terminal, and it worked well in our experience, although I\u2019d try to use the ATM at the airport first rather than relying on this one. We used the Dhigurah ATM to withdraw a big wad of cash during our stay and had no issues with a U.S. issued debit card. The machine dispenses Maldivian Rufiyaa.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Currency:<\/strong>\u00a0US Dollars are accepted everywhere on the island, although you\u2019ll get slightly better rates with Maldivian Rufiyaa. Just keep in mind Rufiyaa can\u2019t be used outside of the Maldives, so you don\u2019t want to have any left over at the end of your trip. There isn\u2019t a money exchange in Dhigurah, so it\u2019s best to do this in Male airport.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Religion:<\/strong>\u00a0Maldives is a Muslim country, and the local islands like Dhigurah have a conservative dress code since there are mostly locals living here. You\u2019re not supposed to wear swimsuits or revealing clothes except at the designated \u2018bikini beach,\u2019 although we saw plenty of people breaking this rule, so it doesn\u2019t seem to be strictly enforced. Still, if you want to stay out of trouble, it\u2019s best to follow this rule and cover up when you\u2019re not on the beach. We never heard any noisy mosques on the island, so you don\u2019t have to worry about that. Alcohol isn\u2019t available on Dhigurah island, but you can get it if you visit one of the nearby resorts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Electricity:<\/strong>\u00a0We stayed in a budget hotel and still had 24\/7 electricity, so you don\u2019t have to worry about outages here.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Cell Service:<\/strong>\u00a0Our phones had decent 4G reception with Ooredoo in the town area and also at the Long Beach sandbar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • WiFi:<\/strong>\u00a0There is fast and reliable WiFi in Dhigurah, even in the budget hotels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Drones:<\/strong>\u00a0Most of the fancy resorts in Maldives don\u2019t allow drones at all, but since Dhigurah is a local island, I was able to bring and use a drone with no issues. I confirmed this with my hotel in advance. The sandbar at the end of Long Beach is a great place for taking drone pictures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Wildlife:<\/strong>\u00a0You can see giant fruit bats (flying foxes) in the trees on Dhigurah, and also several kinds of birds, lizards, and crabs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Mosquitoes:<\/strong>\u00a0We mainly got attacked by mosquitoes when we were too close to the jungle. If you\u2019re lounging in the shade near the beach, try to stay in a breezy area to keep the mosquitoes away. Some of the shady spots nearest the beach have enough wind to be safe from mosquitoes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Malaria:<\/strong>\u00a0The entire country of Maldives has been malaria free since 1984, so you don\u2019t have to worry about that, although there may be some dengue fever. We used bug spray when we were eating at outdoor restaurants here.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      \"Crystal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Crystal clear water<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Dhigurah Hotels<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Best Time To Visit Dhigurah Maldives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Like the rest of the Maldives, there\u2019s a dry season in Dhigurah from January to April. This is the best time to visit the island because the weather is less rainy and more sunny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      There are more tourists in Maldives at this time, but the island never felt crowded at all in our experience, and we visited in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The wettest months in the Maldives are from September to December. You can still visit Dhigurah at this time, but you\u2019re more likely to have some rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"Dhigurah<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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