A Maldives Island Hopping Itinerary (with Maps and Timetables)
Scribbled by Claire ◊ 19 May 2025
I was so confused when I started planning my local Maldives itinerary, so I thought I’d write a guide to help everyone like me! Here, we’ve detailed three different Maldives island-hopping routes, each ideal for one to two weeks, including transport timetables and loads of maps, to help you plan your trip more efficiently than we did!
Honestly, designing an itinerary across the local islands of the Maldives is a bit of a nightmare.
There are hundreds of inhabited islands across 26 atolls; some are closer to the capital than others, some have nightmarish ferry schedules, all with varying levels of tourist infrastructure. So, how do you choose which ones are perfect for you?
With so many island combinations, everything depends on the time you have available for your trip, what type of facilities you need, the activities you’re interested in and how long you’re willing to travel for.
So, below, we’ve devised three different Maldives atoll itineraries, with island descriptions, who they are best for, all the transport information and important things to know. If you are feeling ambitious, you can easily take on multiple atolls in one trip – we visited four!
Below we detail exactly how.
IN THIS GUIDE //
Local Maldives Island Hopping Itinerary
PLANNING A MALDIVES ISLAND HOPPING ITINERARY
THE MALDIVES ATOLLS
ITINERARY 1: SOUTH MALÉ/VAAVU ATOLLS
ITINERARY 2: NORTHERN ARI ATOLL
ITINERARY 3: NORTH MALÉ ATOLL
MALDIVES ITINERARY MAP
OUR MALDIVES ITINERARY
ARRIVING IN THE MALDIVES
BEST TIME TO VISIT THE MALDIVES
FINAL ISLAND HOPPING THOUGHTS
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Planning a Maldives Island Hopping Itinerary
It’s a tricky one, designing a Maldives itinerary.
There are a handful of more obvious island combinations that originate in Malé, so here, we’ve detailed three of those island hopping itineraries across different atolls.
It is possible to spend 1-2 weeks per itinerary, or choose selected islands from each and have a bit of an adventure. It all depends on how chill you want your trip to be. We wanted an adventure so transited between four atolls and along all the routes we write about.
Each itinerary has the relevant ferry schedule listed, suggested islands on the route, transit times and what each circuit is best for. If a speedboat makes more sense for any part of a route, we mention that, too. It is also possible to change up the island orders with minimal difficulty on these itineraries if your arrival and departure dates fit less well with the ferry schedules.
Do not plan to travel on a Friday between any islands by ferry. This is a holy day and there are minimal (read: zero) public ferry choices operating (although some speedboats still run).
How to Navigate the Maldives Atolls
The Maldives is a nation made of atolls, which are rings of islands and sandbanks.
These can be clearly viewed and recognised by using Google Maps satellite view (take a look at the Google Map further down on this post). Public ferry and speedboat routes logically follow the strings of islands, making it simpler to plan a trip along one or two of these directions.
All the ferries and speedboats for the Maldives itinerary options below originate in Malé, meaning that if you choose to transit between atolls, you’ll likely need to return to the capital city to change boat. Check out our detailed guide on the Maldives public ferries for more information.
Quick Planning Checklist – THINGS TO KNOW
1. Public ferries almost always depart initially from Male.
2. Ferries are significantly cheaper than speedboats.
3. Ferries do not run on Fridays (but speedboats do).
4. Reading the ferry schedules is a lot easier than it looks!
5. Island hopping along the same atoll is the simplest itinerary option.
6. Ferry routes do not always run daily.
7. Ferries are more pleasant than speedboat trips, in general.
8. There’s no such thing as an affordable seaplane in the Maldives!
Maldives Itinerary 1: South Malé/Vaavu Atolls
〈 Maafushi → Gulhi → Guraidhoo → Fulidhoo 〉
THIS ITINERARY IS BEST FOR:
proximity to Malé, tourist infrastructure, frequency of ferries, variety, ease
WHY THIS ROUTE:
This is one of the most obvious choices for a Maldives itinerary and provides a little slice of everything that the island nation has to offer. As Maafushi is the most popular and one of the larger local islands in the Maldives, it provides excellent tourist infrastructure. Fulidhoo on the other end of the scale is a sleepy island paradise, perfect for sitting in a hammock with a book.
Gulhi and Guraidhoo, sitting either side of Maafushi, are both excellent instances of small communities in the Maldives with beautiful beaches.
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RELATED POST | MAAFUSHI PHOTO GUIDE
Route 1: Transport Map and Timetables
For this itinerary, you could visit these four islands in any order really, but we think it makes sense to start in Maafushi. It’s the easiest to reach via public transport and the most established local island. From here, it is possible to overnight-trip to Gulhi and/or Guraidhoo, depending on the amount of time available. The ferries for the route that connects all three islands is the number 309 and runs daily (apart from Friday).
Fulidhoo is in a separate atoll, far to the south, but is a favourite amongst visitors to the Maldives. The ferry (number 306) takes just under two hours from Maafushi, heading south from Malé and Maafushi on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. From Fulidhoo, the ferry north back to Malé operates on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. If your schedule doesn’t fit this, speedboats run daily but are very expensive, at around $50 a pop.
Below is a map of the route options and copies of the MTCC public ferry schedules. For more information on how to read them, check out our dedicated Maldives ferry guide.
Island Hopping Route 1: The Islands
This combination of islands provide a lot of diversity.
Maafushi | is great for decent hotels, water sports and community. We enjoyed Maafushi, despite it being pretty touristy (we didn’t like the quietest islands!). It has one bikini beach on the northern coast and lots of shops and restaurants. Check out our Maafushi photo guide if you want to see if it’s your cup of tea.
Gulhi and Guraidhoo | we didn’t visit these two islands but would definitely do so if we came along this route again. They’re small communities with a bikini beach on each island and a few restaurants and guesthouses.
Fulidhoo | this is the perfect little island utopia (in most people’s eyes). There are around 500 people living there, two beautiful bikini beaches, and that’s pretty much it! It wasn’t our favourite island, but we apparently hate the quiet. And reading books. And doing nothing.
EXPLORE MORE OF THE MALDIVES
Go island-hopping:
Ukulhas | are these the prettiest beaches in the Maldives?
Thoddoo | why you should explore this magnificent agricultural island
Maafushi | a guide to the Maldives’ most popular spot
Thulusdhoo | experience the surfer paradise of the Maldives
more tips for your trip:
How strict is the dress code in the Maldives?
Read a summary of the best Maldives local islands
Learn how to navigate the Maldives public ferries
Quirky things to know for Maldives budget travellers
How much does a two week trip to the Maldives cost?
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Maldives Itinerary 2: Northern Ari Atoll
〈 Rasdhoo → Ukulhas → Thoddoo 〉
THIS ITINERARY IS BEST FOR:
perfect beaches, sand banks, agriculture, community
WHY THIS ROUTE:
This itinerary combination is a little further from Malé and, accordingly, feels a little more isolated. Located around 60 kilometres to the west of the capital, these islands have a somewhat less conveniently timed ferry route which necessitates a little more planning. We visited Ukulhas and Thoddoo (our ferry also stopped at Rasdhoo but we did not have time to stay overnight!).
These islands had the most beautiful beaches in our opinion, with powder white sand and some great tourist infrastructure (including the best food we’ve eaten in the Maldives). Ukulhas is a tiny, one kilometre stretch of sand, whereas Thoddoo is a large, populated agricultural island (and our favourite). This itinerary provides a good variety across the three islands and is probably our top choice from the ones listed here.
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UKULHAS PHOTO GUIDE | THODDOO PHOTO GUIDE
Route 2: Transport Timetables
If you want to utilise public ferries for the entirety of this route, it’ll take some effective time management. The below instructions look a bit complicated, but they’re not. Only two ferries are applicable to this itinerary (303 and 301), but they take a less than linear route!
To reach northern Ari Atoll | the islands of Rasdhoo, Ukulhas and Thoddoo are serviced by the MTCC 303 which leaves Malé at 09:00 every Monday and Thursday. To get to Rasdhoo, the first stop, it takes 3 hours and 10 minutes. This means that for this itinerary it would be best to arrive in Malé on a Sunday or Wednesday (we recommend staying in Hulhumalé).
Transiting between islands | to transit from Rasdhoo to Ukulhas, the MTCC 301 ferry departs at 13.00 daily except Friday and takes around an hour. In the opposite direction, from Ukulhas to Thoddoo, the ferry departs at 10:00 daily apart from Fridays. An alternative route from Rasdhoo to Ukulhas is the MTCC 303 service which runs on Monday and Thursday at 07:45, taking 50 minutes.
Between Ukulhas and Thoddoo, the MTCC 303 ferry runs on Mondays and Thursdays at 14.00 and takes 2 hours and 20 minutes (via Rasdhoo).
On Saturdays and Tuesdays, the MTCC 303 route runs at 15:10 between Rasdhoo and Thoddoo only. This gives an option of a different route through the atoll depending on your dates.
Returning to Malé | on Sundays and Wednesdays, the MTCC 303 ferry at 06:30 runs from Thoddoo back to Malé via Rasdhoo and Ukulhas, arriving back at the capital at 14:10.
Why we chose this direction
Obviously, you can transit the three islands in any order. However, it makes sense to begin this itinerary in Rasdhoo as it is the first island on the ferry route. Consider the alternative; beginning in Thoddoo first means an extra four hours on the ferry and having to transit the port of Rasdhoo twice!
Also, as the MTCC 301 ferry runs every day (except Friday) this adds in more flexibility in Rasdhoo – it is possible to travel to Ukulhas on any day but Friday.
Another point to consider is the need for speedboats. If your schedule is tight and there are no ferries running, you’ll need a speedboat. A Maldives public speedboat from Thoddoo to Malé is 35 USD per person; the Ukulhas to Malé equivalent is 50 USD.
Island Hopping Route 2: The Islands
This is our favourite of the island combinations on this post. They’re varied, beautiful and genuinely interesting.
Rasdhoo | we didn’t stay overnight on Rasdhoo (we only had time for two islands on this atoll). However, it is on its own little mini atoll with a stunning sandbank right next door and some beautiful beaches, including a bikini beach on the southern shore with shallow waters. It has a nice busy feel to it.
Ukulhas | known as one of the cleanest islands on the Maldives, Ukulhas benefits from a number of colourful beach bars along the southern shore of the island, a bikini beach and a good range of restaurants around the island. We thought this island had one of the best beaches we experienced in the Maldives.
Thoddoo | don’t be put off when I tell you this is an agricultural island; it has some of the best beaches we saw anywhere in the Maldives. Thoddoo has a wonderful sense of community, lots of fascinating farmland and plenty of shops and restaurants. It’s also big enough to cycle around!
Maldives Itinerary 3: North Malé Atoll
〈 Himmafushi → Huraa → Thulusdhoo → Dhiffushi 〉
THIS ITINERARY IS BEST FOR:
frequent ferries, surfing and surf vibes, proximity to Malé, day trips
WHY THIS ROUTE:
The North Malé Atoll is, by far, the simplest choice when it comes to ferries. The journey between the four islands is along one linear, frequent route which takes a lot of stress out of planning. Unless travelling on a Friday is essential, it would be rare to need a speedboat.
These islands themselves are known to be surfing hotspots, especially Himmafushi and Thulusdhoo. The latter having some of the best breaks in the Maldives (so we are told, anyway!). We are not surfers, but Thulusdhoo had real, chilled out surfer vibes going on and we loved it. Check out our Thulusdhoo photo guide to see if you fancy it!
We have yet to visit the other islands, but they are on our list for a return trip (Thulusdhoo was absolutely wonderful; we spent the greatest number of days here). The ferries along this atoll are particularly affordable and straightforward, making this route an amazing choice if you are a little tighter on time.
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RELATED POST | THULUSDHOO PHOTO GUIDE
Route 3: Transport Timetables
The North Malé Atoll is the nearest to Malé. Dhiffushi, the furthest outlier on this itinerary is only 40 kilometres from Malé, making the longest ferry journey only 2 hours and 10 minutes. This is the best choice to avoid time on ferries (especially if you get seasick).
The MTCC 308 ferry operates along this set of islands every day (except Friday). It travels towards Malé in the mornings, arriving in at 08:40 and away from Malé in the afternoon at 14.30. This makes hopping from island to island in the North Malé Atoll very easy. Morning enthusiasts can even catch the early ferry towards Malé and spend most of a day exploring another island before coming back in the afternoon. This is particularly useful on a shorter timeframe or using one island as a home base.
Itinerary options
Option 1 | the outward route. This means visiting Himmafushi, Huraa, Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi in this order. This allows for plenty of time to explore in the morning of your travel day before the afternoon ferry (and no early mornings!).
Option 2 | the backward route. Travel to Dhiffushi first and work back towards Malé via Thulusdhoo, Huraa and Himmafushi. This option means always getting a morning ferry which frees up the rest of each day to explore (plus the morning ferries are cooler).
Option 3 | the island-hopping route. For a time-strapped itinerary, this would cut down the total nights by day-tripping some of the islands on the North Malé Atoll. Catching the early ferry inbound towards Malé and hopping off at any of the islands means you can get the outbound one back in the afternoon. There are lots of possibilities; any route backwards in the morning will give you half a day to explore an island (or even Malé) before catching the outbound ferry.
For all the options above, the ferry arrives at Malé before 09:00, giving plenty of time to get to Velana International Airport for an afternoon or evening flight, or to take a ferry to another atoll.
Island Hopping Route 3: The Islands
Himmafushi | this small community was one of the first locally inhabited islands to open to tourists in the Maldives. It is known for its surfing spot at Jailbreaks, as well as scuba diving options. It also has a tuna processing plant and dhoni manufacturing.
Huraa | is a tiny island known for mangrove swamps to the north, epic white sand beaches (including a bikini beach) and for being the home of the last royal dynasty of the Maldives. Also, it has a mosque from the 1750s which was restored in 1994.
Thulusdhoo | is most famous for its two surf breaks called Cokes and Chickens. It also hosts a wide diversity of marine life in its house reef including corals, colourful fish, dolphins, turtles and manta rays to name a few. We absolutely loved the beach and the beachfront restaurants on this island. It had a low-key resort vibe.
Dhiffushi | this island’s claim to fame is that it’s the most eastern local island in the whole of the Maldives, so it has the earliest sunrise! It also hosts a famous snorkelling spot called Turtle Point and is well-known for water sports.
Maldives Island Hopping Map
Below is a savable Google Map with all the islands included on these itineraries marked in distinct colours:
◊ Itinerary one is yellow
◊ Itinerary two is purple
◊ Itinerary three is red
All routes commence in Malé, marked in green.
To save the map to your Google Maps, select the star icon by the title. Click on the screen icon in the top left to show or hide the breakdown of sections for the Maldives itineraries. Click on a tick box to hide/show a section.
Our Island Hopping Itinerary – where we went
On our trip, we visited islands on all the above itinerary routes. We stayed in Hulhumalé, before transiting between Fulidhoo, Maafushi, Thulusdhoo, Ukulhas and Thoddoo, in that order.
Our route involved quite a lot of ferries (and a couple of speedboats when we messed up our schedules/dates). It’s a great combination of islands if you fancy a higher paced trip (we’d recommend three weeks). You can easily combine the information on the itineraries above to design it. To check out how much we paid, have a look at our Maldives trip cost post.
When we next return to the Maldives, our choice of islands will depend on how much energy we have (and how ambitious we’re feeling!). For a relaxed trip, we really enjoyed Thulusdhoo, so would love to check out a few more islands along the North Malé Atoll, especially Huraa.
For an ambitious route, our aim is to visit more distant islands that came recommended to us, but this will involve multiple ferry connections. When we take this trip, we’ll write about how it goes! We’ve mentioned a list of these recommended islands at the end of our Maldives local islands post.
Arriving in the Maldives
Almost everyone travelling to the Maldives islands arrives via air and lands at Velana International Airport in Malé.
We use Skyscanner to book our flights, all over the world. It’s the cheapest and most flexible flight comparison website on the market. Skyscanner has the most routes which combine multiple airlines, including budget ones, to find the cheapest possible way to reach your destination.
Do you have to stay in Malé for the first night?
After arrival at the international airport in the Maldives, you do not have to stay in Malé (or Hulhumalé) unless your flight lands later in the day or on a Friday (this is not an issue if you’re willing to catch a speedboat).
There is a direct ferry service from the airport to the MTCC ferry terminal that services most of the atolls which takes about 10 minutes (it’s obvious – follow signs).
Note | customs and immigration at the airport was reasonably fast for us, however we couldn’t say if that is standard or not!
Travel tip | if in any doubt, contact the guesthouse that you’d like to stay in for your first night and ask them directly with your flight details!
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT THE MALDIVES
Overall, the best time to visit the Maldives is the dry season between January and March. However, the best time to visit the Maldives actually depends on what you plan to do.
The average day time temperature in the Maldives is above 25 Celsius (77 F), all year round, so it’s always hot! The wet season is between May to November and the driest months are between January and March. Accommodation and flight prices in the Maldives in general are lower during the rainy season.
For surfing, better conditions in the Maldives can be found between March and October. Divers will find conditions suitable all year round but may see an abundance of manta rays, reef sharks and hammerhead sharks in the wet season.
MALDIVES DURING RAMADAN
In 2026, Ramadan is between 17th February to 18th March, depending on the moon. This will affect shop, café and restaurant opening times on local islands and in the capital, Malé. Public speedboats and ferry services run a reduced service.
We would recommend avoiding this time of year (we’ve spent Ramadan in four strict Muslim countries so far and have no issue with it but feel that the Maldives would be particularly difficult if you are not observing).
Personally, we wouldn’t recommend going to a resort during Ramadan either as the staff serving you food and drinks will likely be Muslim and I don’t feel great about that.
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RELATED POST | THE MALDIVES DRESS CODE
Final Thoughts – Island Hopping in the Maldives
A trip to the local islands of the Maldives is a complicated trip to plan independently via public transport.
Here, we’ve put together three options that are relatively simple and give a great taste of this fascinating and unique little country. It’s also not that difficult when you get to grips with the schedules and where the various boats leave from! If in doubt, check out our Maldives ferry guide as it goes into more specifics than this post.
Hopping around on the ferries, trying the distinctive food and checking out the different communities on each of the six islands we visited was an absolute highlight of our year so far. We hope you have an amazing time!
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Thank you, Claire + Nick
Thank you. Followed your suggestions. We had great time at Thulusdhoo 🙂