In the Maldives, it is common for departure times to be early in the morning, so you will need to spend one to two nights near the airport. You can choose between Male, Hulhumale or even Villingili. And since we wanted to avoid the overcrowded Male and Villingili doesn’t have a bikini beach, the process of elimination led us to Hulhumale. This island is artificially built and connected by a road to the airport island.
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Day 8 – Sailing to Hulhumale
Day 9 – Tourist bikini beach
Day 8 – Sailing to Hulhumale
Tickets for the boat to Hulhumale are purchased at the Hulhumale Ferry Terminal for 7.50 MVR per person. The boats operate non-stop from 5:30 am until 2:30 am, so we only had to wait a few minutes.
The journey takes approximately 20 minutes. Our accommodation, a new 3-star hotel right on the beach promenade, Simry Beachside Maldives was once again arranged directly via email. The hotel is relatively close to the port, so we can manage to walk there.
The hotel is managed by a very friendly staff, led by the warm-hearted Afsah. We were given a room on the first floor with a balcony and a view of the beach. We were also pleased to find hotel slippers and a toothbrush with toothpaste in the room. It is unbearably hot outside, so we mainly use the balcony for evening relaxation. Along the entire coast stretches the public beach Public Hulhumale Beach, which unfortunately is non-bikini. Afsah tells us they don’t want to upset tourists, they won’t harass us for it, but the law is the law. Sometimes we saw women with bare shoulders, but as long as we don’t have to, we don’t provoke.
The bikini beach called Tourist Beach is at the very beginning of Hulhumale, and we will leave it for tomorrow. This evening we are going for a walk along the coast to explore the area. The sunset is coming soon, and they are setting up food stalls on the beaches.
First, we didn’t understand where so many people would come from, but then we found out that everything is by reservation. Ramadan breakfasts Iftar start after sunset with a call to prayer on the radio. Tomorrow we will be wiser. It’s convenient that there are large groceries near the hotel. You can even buy chilled non-alcoholic beer there.
Day 9 – Tourist bikini beach
Breakfast at the hotel is served from 7:00 to 10:00 in buffet style. We are heading to the Tourist Bikini Beach. The hotel offered to drive us there with their car. It’s about 1.5 km and a 15-minute walk from the hotel reception. Upon entering the beach, there is a gatekeeper who informs us about the regular opening hours from 6 am to 6 pm, but during Ramadan from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm. At first sight, the beach is nice and well-maintained. However, as we walk towards the end, we also discover some dark sides. Right next to the beach, there is a garbage dump which they are supposedly planning to move.
I recommend wearing water shoes for swimming, as there are many sharp stones right at the shore. Swimming during low tide is more difficult due to shallow water, but manageable. It was nice that despite the crowded area, we had the beach all to ourselves.
Snorkeling was a bit disappointing, as you need to wait for the afternoon high tide. On the way back, we walk with a stop at a grocery store. The construction here is in full swing, so you’ll see many hotels still under construction. Next to a beautiful hotel, you might see a half-built building filled with debris. Moreover, the government restricts the size of apartments, so be prepared for smaller rooms.
For lunch today, we are solving it by shopping for groceries, and in the afternoon, we want to relax in the room. Afsah found out that around 4 p.m., there should be high tide, so I’m going to try snorkeling near our hotel. It’s better than in the morning, more little fish, but the water was still murky. Be careful with sharp corals and passing boats around. Definitely do not risk going into the water without shoes.
Among the fish, I saw the typical black fish, yellow Seargeant Major, lagoon triggerfish, or black and white pilot fish. In the marine vegetation, I also saw a snake. In the evening, we reserved a Ramadan dinner for 199 MVR. After the sunset, we are waiting for the official call on the radio and starting to unpack the individual bowls. The food is truly abundant; we counted 15 courses plus drinks and dates.We can’t even imagine going a whole day without eating, drinking, and then getting a little buzzed like this. After dinner, it would be appropriate to have a beer to wind down. But where, when all you can find in the stores is non-alcoholic Bavaria or Holstein. The answer is the Hulhule Island Hotel. If we don’t count resorts, this is the only place where you can have a beer or something stronger. Our hotel will take you to the airport for free when it’s time to pick up guests.
From the airport to the Hulhule hotel itself, a free white shuttle bus departs from the main airport terminal. Then all you have to do is find the right bar, Champs 🙂 Prices are in dollars only, no taxes, and the locals don’t overcharge you. A draft beer of 0.4l was approximately 6 Euros. The conclusion of our adventure in the Maldives is slowly but surely approaching.We agreed on breakfast for an earlier time at 6:00 and a subsequent hotel car transfer, which is also free of charge. Flydubai was supposed to depart at 8:35, but we are leaving half an hour earlier. During the flight to Dubai, we have a one-hour layover in Sri Lanka.
