Omadhoo Island Maldives
The picturesque Omadhoo island is located in the center of Southern Ari, about 65 kilometers from Male International Airport.
Around 800 people live on Omadhoo but this shouldn’t bother you as it is not really busy here. In fact, you will not really meet many locals, as they prefer to stick to themselves.
The village takes up two thirds of the island. Life in Omadhoo is simple and has changed very little over the past few hundred years. Locals leave their atoll only reluctantly, and that’s why islands such as Omadhoo have fully preserved the lifestyle and the ancient traditions handed down from generation to generation.
There are no ATMs on the island, so prepare some cash. In hotels and dive centers bank cards are widely accepted.
There are several grocery shops, but the choice of products is very poor so don’t expect much. We were able to get some sun lotion, sweets, ice cream, apples and water.
A school, a playground, and a mosque are located on Omadhoo as well.
The eastern and western parts of the island are covered with tropical vegetation such as breadfruit and coconut trees. The island’s western part could be described as a real island jungle due to a rich abundance of huge banyan trees and tropical palms. Omadhoo is home to birds and flying foxes and also curious herons.
The local reef surrounding the island gives visitors unforgettable impressions of the surprising underwater life, endless opportunities for diving, swimming underwater, looking at dolphins, mantas and sharks.
The pristine, pearly-white beach on the southwestern side of the Omadhoo ends on an unprecedentedly beautiful sandbank.
How to reach Omadhoo
The easiest way to reach the island is by a one and half hour speed boat ride. There is a scheduled speedboat leaving Male on a regular schedule, but to be on the safe side, always check with your guesthouse. They will be happy to help you and share with you all information required.
The price is $25 per person one way.
You can also take the local ferry, but that is very slow and will take over 4 hours. It leaves only certain days and costs 4 USD one way.
Maldives Speed Boat Transfers – https://www.atolltransfer.com/scheduled-speed-boat
Maldives Local Ferry schedule – https://www.atolltransfer.com/ferry-routes-c1jxp
Where to stay in Omadhoo
There are several guest houses on Omadhoo in a price range from 50 USD to 150 USD per night for two persons, including breakfast. All of the guesthouses also offer half or full board options and the possibility to buy single meals in their restaurants.
The guest houses are located in the village and based on their location, it can take you from 5 to 10 minutes to walk to the bikini beach.
Things to do in Omadhoo
Beach and snorkeling – The bikini beach area is officially rather small, but guests can go outside and locals won’t say anything. The beach is clean and nice with a long sandbank. The water is very shallow, especially during the low tide. There are two water entrances to a house reef, so you can get there without damaging the corals.
The reef is very long, with 1 kilometer and has 2 entrances. It is very healthy and alive, so every day you can see something new – schools of fish, Nemo and beautiful coral gardens. It is even possible to see turtles, rays and sharks. The current can be very strong, so we recommend using fins.
Excursions on Omadhoo
Each guesthouse offers a variety of excursions. Those can be quite pricey, so sometimes it is better to try to find other travelers sharing the adventure and price with you.
There are many water activities such as guided snorkeling tours to see manta rays, whale sharks or dolphins.
You can also explore uninhabited islands and sandbanks and even spend a night there.
If you want to enjoy some luxury, you can also opt for a day visit to one of the resorts nearby. You will definitely not get bored.
Where to eat on Omadhoo
The majority of guests are used to eating inside their guesthouses. There are however also three local restaurants that serve local curries and fresh fish.
For tourists, only 3 local restaurants are available on the island.
We definitely had a blast during our time on Omadhoo and can recommend it to anyone looking for a great experience on a local island.
