Ferries in Maldives

This article is a must-read for budget travelers heading to the Maldives. You’ll learn everything about ferries in Maldives: where to find schedules, how to read them, and the key nuances and pitfalls to watch out for. It’s packed with tips and details that may not be obvious until you experience them firsthand.

It will be difficult for you to plan your dream trip to Maldives without these websites

General Information About Ferries in Maldives

This guide focuses on the affordable government-run ferries that connect local islands in the Maldives. If you’re looking for speedboat or private transfer, check out this separate article.

Good to know:

Ferry transportation in the Maldives is managed exclusively by the government-owned MTCC. There are no other providers.

Ferries are subsidized by the government, so the routes are limited, schedules often change, and the ferries themselves are old—but affordable.

The main advantage of ferries in Maldives:

The main advantage of taking a ferry is simple: cost. For budget travelers, this outweighs all the downsides. A speedboat from Malé to the nearby tourist-favorite island of Maafushi costs $25-40 per person one way.
A ferry to the same destination costs just $1.50! The further the destination, the greater the savings. For a group of 4, the cost difference is significant.

One more thing to note: Ferries only operate between local islands. They do not go to resort islands.

Malé Ports Overview: A Handy Map

Malé, the capital of the Maldives, has four main ferry ports. Save these locations in your navigation app—they’ll be a big help later.

1. Hulhulé Ferry Port (4.1880843226247935, 73.52616955971328) – Located at the main airport. Public ferries leave for Malé every 10–15 minutes, costing $1. The ride takes 10 minutes. Ferries here either go to Malé itself or to Hulhumalé (the newer island north of the airport, shown as ports 2 and 4 on the map).
2. Hulhumalé Ferry Port (4.217057977974023, 73.53726677498172) – Found 1 km from the airport, on Hulhumalé Island. Ferries leave every 10–15 minutes for Malé or the airport, costing $1. Many tourists stay here overnight if they arrive late or have an early flight, as accommodation here is cheaper than in Malé.
3. Vilingili Ferry Port (4.171830513094426, 73.5016340296844) – This is the Maldives’ new ferry hub. Some routes start here, while others operate from Henveiru Ferry Port. Note: airport ferries to Malé do not stop here but at Henveiru Ferry Port, which is about 1.5 km away. You can take a taxi (2–3$, 3–5 minutes) or walk (25–30 minutes).
4. Henveiru Ferry Port (4.177785816426379, 73.5170262430346) – The old Malé port, now handling ferries from the airport and around 20 routes to nearby atolls. Be careful not to confuse this with the Hulhumalé Port (on a different island) as even maps sometimes mislabel them.

Only the airport port is a basic pier. The other three have ferry terminals with waiting areas, ticket counters, and free restrooms.

Scheduling and Movement: What You Need to Know

Here’s where things get tricky. The affordability of ferries in Maldives comes with certain trade-offs:

• Ferries operate only during daylight hours. For popular tourist destinations, nothing departs after 4 PM.
• Ferries from Malé only service the central, nearby atolls. Of the Maldives’ 26 atolls, ferry routes cover only about 5, mostly the closest ones. Learn all about the atolls in the Maldives and which islands to choose for your vacation.
• Ferries travel at about 15 km/h. For instance, it takes 7–8 hours to reach the popular island of Thoddoo (including a 3-hour stop at Rasdhoo). Speedboats are 4–5 times faster.
• Ferries operate between islands within an atoll, but schedules vary and need to be confirmed locally.
• Important note: Moving from one atoll to another, such as Maafushi (Kaafu Atoll) to Ukulhas (North Ari Atoll), usually requires returning to Malé first, with rare exceptions.

And most importantly:

Most routes from Malé have only 2–3 departures per week. If you miss your ferry, you’ll need to wait at least a day or take a speedboat—if available.

Fridays are a public holiday, and ferries between islands do not run. Only airport ferries operate. If you arrive in Malé on a Thursday evening, you’ll likely be stuck until Saturday unless you opt for a speedboat. Exception: Speedboats in the evenings run to the nearest islands, such as Maafushi, Guraidhoo, and Dhiffushi.

While ferries move slower than speedboats, they have a hidden advantage: less motion sickness. Ferries are larger and heavier, which reduces rocking in rough seas. Speedboats, on the other hand, are smaller and lighter, so they bounce more violently in waves.

If the ocean is calm, both options are smooth. However, in wavy conditions, many travelers find ferries more tolerable. Don’t forget motion sickness tablets! Ferries have toilets and even provide sick bags if needed.

Where to Check Maldives Ferry Schedules, Prices, and Payment Methods

One of the main challenges with ferries in Maldives is that schedules are often changed, and departure ports for specific routes can be altered. This means you should always double-check the latest information in advance, especially if you’re planning to leave the next day.

Important:

Ferries can be canceled, although they often run even when seaplanes and speedboats are grounded. Updates on cancellations are usually posted on the official MTSS Facebook page, but they’re often shared on the same day around 6–7 AM local time (except on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays)

• Official MTCC website: https://mtcc.mv/
• The official Maldives ferry schedules are updated here (look for “CTN Ferry – All Atolls”). Note that direct links to schedules are frequently updated, so you might need to navigate to find the most current version.

Using the MTCC schedule effectively requires some familiarity with its quirks:

• The file is large, so use Ctrl+F to find your route.
• Maldivian island names are complex and hard to spell. Copy-pasting ensures accuracy.
• Read schedules right-to-left: This is a unique feature of Maldivian language. Familiarize yourself with this style to avoid confusion. All about the language in the Maldives and what a tourist needs to know.
• The schedule doesn’t specify which Malé port the ferry leaves from. While most ferries now depart from Henveiru Ferry Port, this can vary, and changes are frequent. For example, Vilingili Port used to handle 70–80% of ferries but now sees much less traffic.

Travel tips

Unfortunately, the Maldives hasn’t embraced high-tech solutions for ferry systems yet. Tickets cannot be purchased online or checked for prices in advance.

Key Points:

• Where to buy tickets:
  • At the ferry terminal counter.
  • Directly from conductors onboard.
• Payment:
  • Cash only. Both US dollars and Maldivian rufiyaa are accepted.
  • If paying in dollars, expect a poor exchange rate, with change given in rufiyaa.
• Costs: Ferries in Maldives are incredibly cheap.
  • $3 for trips to Rasdhoo and Thoddoo.
  • $4 for further destinations like Dhigurah.

For travelers wanting to explore multiple islands during their stay, careful planning is essential:

• Check ferry schedules in advance: Make note of which days ferries operate in your desired direction.
• Book accommodations accordingly: Ensure your travel dates align with ferry availability.

All about accommodation and the rooms in the Maldives, where to book, taxes, and what to expect in the article at this link.

Popular Local Islands with Easy Ferry Access:

• Central Atolls:
  • Rasdhoo, Ukulhas, Thoddoo
  • Maafushi, Guraidhoo, Gulhi,
  • Thulusdhoo, Dhiffushi
  • Fulidhoo, Thinadhoo, Felidhoo
• Outer Atolls (with connections):
  • Bodufolhudhoo, Mathiveri, Feridhoo (via Rasdhoo or Ukulhas)
  • Dhigurah (requires a day-long trip with a transfer at Mahibadhoo).

Tip:

Morning arrivals and evening departures are ideal for ferry travel. Afternoon arrivals usually mean ferries have already departed, leaving you with two options: Take an expensive speedboat. Or stay overnight in Malé.

Check out this link for an overview of Male: what to see and where to go.

Maldivian ferries are for the adventurous and budget-conscious. While there are downsides—frequent schedule changes, limited service days, and slow speeds—if your plans align with the schedule, it’s an unbeatable way to save money.

For those willing to embrace the challenge, ferries offer a unique chance to experience local life while dramatically cutting costs compared to speedboats.

If you enjoyed the article and the content in this guide, you can buy me a coffee ^_^

Resources to help you plan your dream trip to the Maldives

• Flight tickets and the best deals
• Tour packages (from budget to luxury): Expedia
• Hotels and guesthouses on any island:
  • Hotellook compares prices among a dozen other services and platforms and offers to choose the best one.
  • Booking – the most popular service for booking accommodation.
  • Agoda – the main competitor of Booking.
• 12go is the largest Asian transfer service. It gathers all Maldivian carriers, even the small ones that operate between local islands.
• Tours and excursions: Viator – a limited selection of excursions, but convenient and reliable.
• Comprehensive insurance: EKTA
• eSIM at the same price as in telecom office in Male.