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Dhigurah island is perhaps the most stunning island in the Maldives that you may not have heard of. It’s a local island without the high-end overwater resorts that the Maldives is known for, but it boasts a long and beautiful white sand beach.

If you’re looking to explore the Maldives on a budget, this is one of the top places to consider. Dhigurah offers all the breathtaking tropical scenery you’d expect from the Maldives, along with family-owned hotels that can cost as low as $70 USD per night!

We recently visited two local islands in the Maldives, Dhigurah and Fulidhoo, and couldn’t be more pleased with our choice.

This travel guide will provide details on how to reach Dhigurah island, what activities to do there, where to stay, and all other essential information you need before your trip!

Where To Stay In Dhigurah

How To Get To Dhigurah Island

There is no airport in Dhigurah, so the first step is to fly to the Maldives’ capital at Male International Airport (MLE), which is approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Dhigurah.

From Male, you can take a speedboat or ferry directly to Dhigurah, or opt for a seaplane or domestic flight to one of the nearby islands and then continue by boat.

• By Public Speedboat

The primary mode of transportation to Dhigurah is by public speedboat. Daily morning and afternoon departures are available from Male city and the airport.

The speedboat trip to Dhigurah takes 2 hours and costs around $50 USD per person one way. Children above 3 years old pay full price.

The boat journey is usually smooth (depending on weather), equipped with a toilet, ample luggage storage, new boats with comfortable seating, and complimentary bottled water.

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) with a brief stop at Dhangethi island on the way to Dhigurah.

However, note that multiple speedboat companies operate this route and the schedule may change occasionally, so it’s advisable to double-check the timetable with your Dhigurah hotel before your trip.

You can have your Dhigurah hotel book the speedboat for you and settle the payment along with your room bill upon arrival. This was our approach, and paying by credit card spared us from carrying a lot of cash around.

• By Private Speedboat

A private speedboat charter will be more costly than public speedboats, but it may offer more convenience, especially if you want a direct connection to Dhigurah from another island in the Maldives.

You should be able to arrange this through your Dhigurah hotel.

• By Domestic Plane

One of the simplest ways to reach Dhigurah is by taking a 20-minute domestic flight with Villa Air / FlyMe from Male to the airport on nearby Maamigili island (VAM), followed by a 5-minute taxi ride to the harbor and then a 20-minute speedboat ride to Dhigurah.

This route typically offers 3 or 4 flights per day. One-way ticket prices start at $170 USD for adults and $85 for children under 12 years old, with free flights for children under 2. The speedboat transfer is usually included in the fare.

In rare cases where waves are too rough for a standard boat crossing, this may be the only option to reach Dhigurah.

• By Seaplane

A seaplane ride is one of the most scenic and exciting ways to reach Dhigurah, albeit the most expensive.

Ticket prices start at $250 USD per person, involving a 30-minute flight to the Lux Resort in the South Ari Atoll, followed by a 10-minute speedboat ride to Dhigurah.

There isn’t a fixed seaplane flight schedule, so it’s necessary to arrange this in advance with your Dhigurah hotel and ideally share the flight with other passengers heading in the same direction.

• By Public Ferry

Finally, you can take the public ferry from Male to Dhigurah. This option is the slowest but also the most economical. The ferry ride to Dhigurah lasts around 6 or 7 hours and costs $8 USD for a one-way ticket.

This route is operated by MTCC on several days per week, with morning and evening departures. You can confirm the current timetable with MTCC or your Dhigurah hotel, which should also assist in ticket purchase.

How To Get Around The Island

Upon arrival in Dhigurah, the next step is navigating the island.

Thankfully, the entire island is compact enough to explore on foot. You can reach every corner by walking! With a length of only 4 kilometers (3 miles) from end to end and a width of about 100 to 200 meters, Dhigurah is extraordinarily walkable.

This feature is one of the highlights of Dhigurah island, making it convenient and eliminating the need for paid transport. Nonetheless, hotels offer bicycles for rent for a half or full day if you prefer.

Best Things To Do In Dhigurah Island

• North West Beach / Bikini Beach

The primary beach in Dhigurah, North West Beach, extends along the entire west side of the island and serves as the island’s designated ‘bikini beach’ where tourists can wear swimsuits and sunbathe.

It boasts a picturesque beach with palm trees, abundant hermit crabs, and minimal crowds. The calm waters are perfect for swimming, and if the sky is clear, you can catch a spectacular sunset.

For snorkeling enthusiasts, there’s a spot near the midpoint known as Turtle Reef, where you can swim with small sharks and sea turtles just a short distance from shore!

Interestingly, Dhigurah’s beach is one of the longest in the Maldives, contributing to the island’s name – Dhigurah means ‘long island’ in the local language.