Discover Omadhoo: Top Maldives' Hidden Gem

Just before my farewell in Sri Lanka I made one of the best decisions of my life: Visit the island of Omadhoo in the Maldives. At that time I didn't know anything about this hidden paradise, but I had the opportunity to stay on this incredible island for a week, and here I am going to tell you everything. From how to get to the island to accommodation and activities.

Omadhoo is located in the Alif Dhaal Atoll, in Maldives very close to Male, the capital of the country and where the access airport to it is located. Is perfect if you are looking to escape the resorts and experience a more authentic version of life in the Maldives. Is a very complete island and not very touristy compared to the others.

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The only way to get there to Omadhoo is via a ferry how long between an hour and a half and two hours from Malé. The ferry has a cost of 35 euros as of 2024. In this case you will not find Omadhoo among the public ferry routes, To get to the island you will have to contact your accommodation hotel and they will tell you which port you have to go to in Malé for your pick-up. Once you receive all the instructions, you will simply have to show up at the port and wait for the ferry to arrive. The boat staff will ask you where you are going and what the name of your accommodation is called.

Along the way you will most likely pass through two other islands to drop off other passengers, but it is very enjoyable and you will be amazed by the number of islets and islands that you will see along the way. Get ready because this has just begun and it is going to be an unforgettable adventure.

The island is relatively small and untouristy, so accommodation and hotel options on Omadhoo are limited but very affordable compared to other islands. Here I tell you which hotel I chose and provide you a list with the best options:

Kuri Beach View Inn: This was the hotel we stayed in and from my point of view the best. The included breakfast is delicious, plus the hotel lends you quality equipment to snorkel on your own. It is a quiet and pleasant hotel, near Bikini Beach, and if that is not enough to convince you, the owner is…. Shaggy! You will learn about him later in this article. It has a restaurant, common area, Wi-Fi and transportation to and from Malé.

Hitha Maldives: Located on the beachfront in Omadhoo, it has a garden and bar. The accommodation offers a 24-hour front desk, airport transfer, room service and free WiFi throughout the property.

Green Leaf Omadhoo, Turtle Maldives and Hudhuvelimaldives: These are the rest of the best hotels, they are all very similar to each other and offer activities, transportation and everything you may need. The only thing that varies is the price of each one, even if it is simply a few dollars.

There are many things to do in Omadhoo, we spent a whole week on the island and, honestly, I think I could have stayed and live for a while. Here I am going to tell you what you cannot miss on this incredible island.

Let's start with Bikini beach, the only beach where women are allowed to swim in bikinis, hence its name. Normally, Bikini Beach is the name given to the beaches of the Maldives where women are allowed to enjoy the beach wearing a bikini or swimsuit, this is due to the local culture and Muslim religion. That being said, it goes without saying that Bikini Beach it is the most beautiful beach from Omadhoo where you will be able to contemplate the best sunsets on the entire island.

Right at Bikini Beach you can also find a swing in the name of the island looking at the sunset, just like some hammocks and a small bar where to order drinks and snacks.

I have seen many sunsets, but without a doubt the sunsets in Omadhoo are close to the top number one. Every day we stayed in the island we used to take a swim while contemplating this wonder of nature that I will never forget.

If the main reason you come to the Maldives is diving, Omadhoo will not disappoint you. In Omadhoo there are two diving schools, the best and the one I recommend is Sea Soul Omadhoo dive center. In Sea Soul you will meet Shaggy, my friend and also the nicest guy on the entire island.

Shaggy took us diving in the waters of the Maldives on two separate occasions, the first was a immersion at about 20 meters to a reef full of coral, fish and life. I can confirm that I have not seen anything like it in my life, you can stop by their instagram, you will find his contact and you can see some of the videos he has so you can get the idea. Keep in mind that if you want to dive you must have a Scuba Diving or diving license.

The second time we went in search of whale sharks and manta rays, and luckily we saw both, since there is about a fifty percent chance of not seeing anything. This was one of the most spectacular and beautiful moments of my life without a doubt, I will always be grateful to Shaggy and Maldives for this unique and unrepeatable experience.

The diving dive has a cost of about 60 dollarswhile look for the whale shark comes out for some 120 dollars.

But don't worry, if diving isn't your thing, around the island you will find an incredible reef full of coral. By renting some goggles you can snorkel without any problem.

desert island a desert island located an hour away by speedboat or boat from Omadhoo. It is an island inhabited only by two people, ideal for spending a romantic day with your partner and diving in the crystal clear waters. The trip to the desert island It will cost you about 100 dollars, but it's totally worth it. To get transportation you will have to contact the locals on the island, specifically I recommend that you talk to Shaggy, the owner of Sea Soul Omadhoo, the diving school.

In this last image you can see me taking a photo with the drone, unconsciously hallucinating how magical that moment I was living was.

In Omadhoo you will not find much variety of restaurants and gastronomy. There are three restaurants on the entire island, and the dishes are very similar to each other, most are based on curry or fried rice with fish or vegetables. Of course, it is very good, especially the fried rice with fish. The only downside is that when you've been eating the same thing for 3 days in a row, everything becomes a ball. In any case, you can also find the odd store with basic food and hygiene products in case you need them.

Live in Omadhoo for a week It has been without a doubt one of the craziest and most amazing experiences of my life.. I will always be grateful for the moments I have spent on the island. From swimming with whale sharks in a totally ethical way to contemplating the best sunsets I have ever seen in my life.

I never imagined that an island in the middle of nowhere could be so exciting or mean so much to me. I have nothing bad to say about this destination, It left me speechless and to this day I am still trying to assimilate everything I experienced back then. Also, meeting Shaggy from Sea Soul Omadhoo and other locals on the island made me experience everything from a more local and authentic perspective.

Without a doubt, if you are thinking of traveling to the Maldives and living an unforgettable experience, I recommend that you stay at Omadhoo.