What to Do on Maldives’s Fulidhoo Island Besides Beaches

by Jackie
Published: Updated:
The local beaches and ocean waters of Fulidhoo, Maldives

Maldives’s Fulidhoo Island is a stunning place to visit on your vacation. 

The tiny, local island in the Vaavu Atoll has few crowds, affordable accommodations, and the most powdery white sand and clear aqua waters that stretch for miles. 

While relaxing on the beach is a top reason to visit, what are the other things to do on Fulidhoo? 

We explored this charming island in 3 days and did as many outdoor activities as possible, such as snorkeling and seeing sting rays. 

So, here is our list of what to do on your next trip to Fulidhoo besides lounging on the beach. 

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1. See sting rays from the beach.

Near Fulidhoo Pier is a spot to see sting rays glide in the water. They swim in the area in the morning, especially between 9:00am – 9:30am and throughout the day. 

Many tour boats from Maafushi Island visit Fulidhoo in the morning. We visited Fulidhoo as the second stop in the Shipwreck and Nurse Shark Tour

Jackie Szeto and Justin Huynh, Life Of Doing, kneel in the water and see four sting rays swim by at Fulidhoo Island

The sting rays on Fulidhoo Island are gorgeous!

The tour operators bring large plastic jugs with pieces of fish to chum the waters. The fish attracts the sting rays, so a dozen sting rays appear in the water. 

While the ethical aspect of it is questionable, the high concentration of sting rays gives the wow factor for photos.

TIP: Do not touch sting ray tails. 

Since we returned and stayed on the island, we stopped in the late afternoon and saw 2 sting rays gliding around. 

They gravitated to us since they’re used to people, but quickly swam away as we didn’t have any food.

Two sting rays approach Jackie Szeto, Life Of Doing, in the waters of Fulidhoo Island, Maldives

I saw these sting rays in the mid-afternoon


2. See other marine life.

During our snorkeling and daily beach walks, we saw colorful fish by the corals, nurse sharks, a black tip shark, hermit crabs, sand crabs, and rock crabs. 

At night, the nurse sharks hang out by the pier. Fishermen clean their fish and throw the scraps into the water for the nurse sharks to eat. 

Nurse sharks swimming around the Fulidhoo pier at night

Nurse sharks hang out by the pier at night


3. Walk around the island.

We visited Male and Maafushi on the first half of the trip, and Fulidhoo is the smallest island we visited. 

According to our Luau Beach Inn host, it’s 750 meters by 250 meters. 

You can walk across the island in less than 5 minutes. The main road in the middle of the island has a mosque, grocery store, souvenir shop, and cafes. 

But if you plan to walk on the perimeter, it’ll take 10 to 15 minutes. It’s mostly beaches so you can stop and admire hermit crabs and watch the ocean waves.  


4. Check out the street art.

We’re huge fans of street art as it expresses the city’s culture and history, raises awareness, and transforms areas into new touristy spots.  

One of the side streets has a wall mural of sting rays and sharks with their tails entangled in plastic bags and plastic bottles. 

A street art of sting rays and sharks tangled in plastic bags and plastic bottles on a wall in Fulidhoo Island

Fulidhoo street art

The elegantly drawn artwork is an important public service announcement about throwing plastics and garbage in the ocean and how those actions affect marine life. 


5. Wake up to catch the sunrise. 

Double check on Google for the sunrise time and wake up early! 

During our visit, it was at 5:59am. We arrived 10 minutes before sunrise.  

Justin Huynh, Life Of Doing, stands on the edge of a rock and watching the sunrise at Fulidhoo, Maldives

We saw the sunrise every day on Fulidhoo!

The sunrise is on the east side. So head toward the soccer field and Bikini Beach area. 

It’s worth the visit as there are fewer people on the beach. Seeing the bright orange sun peeking from the clouds is a great start to the day. 


6. Catch the sunset.

Sunset is located on the west of the island. So head to the northwest side of the beach and watch the vibrant orange sunset with deep purple skies. 

Jackie Szeto, Life Of Doing, takes a photo of the orange and dark blue sunset on Fulidhoo's beach

We saw the beautiful sunset every day.

Many people visit this beach area for the sunset. It will be the only time you’ll see the most crowds on the island. (Yes, the island is that quiet!) 

Don’t worry. The beach has plenty of unobstructed views of the sunset. 

We recommend checking Google for the sunset time. During our visit, it was at 6:10pm. We arrived at the beach around 6:00pm.


7. Take photos of Angel Wings.

If you’re near the Fulidhoo pier, there is a set of angel wings to take a photo

Jackie Szeto, Life Of Doing, poses with wooden Angel Wings on Fulidhoo, Maldives

I’m an angel!

Channel your inner angel with the blue skies and water in the background. The wings are located on a platform, so you’ll need to climb a few stairs. 

Near the Angel Wings is a swing with a “Kinan Retreat” signage. It’s recommended to visit this spot when the tide is lower. Otherwise, the swing is in the water. 


8. Snorkel off the Bikini Beach.

If you can swim, we recommend snorkeling from the Bikini Beach area. Wearing a snorkel or goggles will be helpful. 

You don’t need to travel far from the shore, even going 1 minute away is enough. We saw live coral reefs and colorful fish swimming. 

A white coral on a rock and fish swimming in the Fulidhoo waters

We found this living coral during our snorkeling


9. Swim or kayak to the #Fulidhoo sign on the southeast side of the island.

Did you know that there is a #Fulidhoo sign in the middle of the water near the pier?

The best way to get there is by swimming or kayaking to the spot. Swimming is very doable as the waters are calm. 

Jackie Szeto, Life Of Doing, kayaks around the Fulidhoo sign in the turquoise waters of Fulidhoo Island

Check out the #Fulidhoo sign when you’re on Fulidhoo Island

Or, ask your accommodation if they have any kayaks to borrow. You can rent kayaks for a small fee from Luau Beach Inn, the hotel we stayed at. 

Beware of the birds resting on top of the #Fulidhoo sign. They may give you a present with their droppings! 


10. Relax on a hammock.

We saw a few hammocks in the trees on the northern beach area. We aren’t sure if you need to pay for them but you can inquire to make sure.


11. Take a snorkeling excursion.

We saw two accommodations, Kinan Retreat and Luau Beach Inn, advertise excursions. You can go fishing, snorkeling at a lagoon, visit a shipwreck, watch dolphins, or go on a sunset cruise. 

Prices are slightly higher than on Maafushi Island due to the smaller group size. But you’ll get a more private tour experience and more attention from the tour guide.


12. Practice diving skills or get PADI certified.

Divers Lodge Fulidhoo, located inside Luau Beach Inn, is one place to learn how to dive and practice your skills. They have diving courses and specialty courses for PADI certification. 

If you plan to stay on Fulidhoo for a week or longer, they have dive packages for 5, 10, and 15 dives

Equipment rentals are available, so you can pack lighter for your trip.  

We don’t have a diving certification, but we know where to go once we decide to get certified! 


Final Thoughts

Fulidhoo Island is truly a paradise with fewer crowds, clean sands, and vibrant turquoise waters. 

Whether you want to walk on the beach or spend the day snorkeling or diving, there are plenty of things to do to keep you occupied on your Fulidhoo itinerary. 

Check out our other Maldives posts for inspiration: 

If you have questions about Fulidhoo, please ask in the comment section below. 

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White sandy beaches with palm trees and the blue ocean waters on Fulidhoo Island, Maldives

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