Thinadhoo Island

Tiny even by Maldivian standards and lush with greenery, the local island of Thinadhoo is often unfairly overlooked by tourists. In this guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know: what the island is like, how to get there, what the beach and house reef are like, where to stay, where to eat—and, yes, about the abundance of sharks. This is a full deep-dive into one of the Maldives’ smallest and most peaceful islands.

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Pros and Cons of Staying on Thinadhoo

Let’s start with the downside—there’s really just one: getting here is a bit of a hassle and slightly more expensive than traveling to other popular local islands. But honestly, this drawback pales in comparison to the island’s many advantages.

Another possible con is the limited infrastructure. Even though Thinadhoo is a local island, it sometimes feels more like a secluded private resort island. Not because of luxury—rather, because there’s barely any infrastructure at all.

To give you an idea: most inhabited local islands in the Maldives have a hospital, a pharmacy, a school, a police station, shops, a mosque, and sports fields. On Thinadhoo, there’s only a small convenience store, a mosque, and a souvenir shop.

Now for the pros—of which there are many:

• The island is incredibly small, peaceful, and secluded. About half of Thinadhoo is covered in jungle—something quite rare for a local island.
• There’s a stunning, long, and usually deserted bikini beach open to tourists.
• The house reef is excellent: you can spot manta rays, stingrays, sharks, and thousands of colorful fish. The reef is so close to shore that even beginners can easily reach it.
• The atmosphere is genuinely homey—everyone here knows each other.

Thinadhoo Island: Quick Facts

Here’s a snapshot of the island:

• Coordinates & Map: 3.487825909982329, 73.53801923456376. (Be careful—not to confuse it with the other two Thinadhoos in the Maldives!)
• Size: Just 600 meters long and 180 meters wide. With only four streets, it takes about two minutes to walk from the sunrise beach to the sunset side. Like something out of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
• Population: Estimates vary from 40 to 150 residents. The real number is likely somewhere in between.

Interesting to Know:

Thinadhoo has several guesthouses and one four-star hotel, Plumeria. This hotel is the heartbeat of tourism on the island—it essentially manages half of Thinadhoo. They operate a restaurant, gym, and diving center, and most of the island’s locals work there.

• Thinadhoo is part of Vaavu Atoll, located 80 km from Malé. That’s relatively close, considering some atolls are 500 km away.

Important Note:
There are three islands named Thinadhoo in the Maldives. The one you want is in Vaavu Atoll—it’s the only one with regular ferry service from Malé. To avoid confusion, you’ll often see an initial in front of the island name to indicate the atoll:

• V.Thinadhoo (Vaavu Atoll) – This is your destination.
• Ga.Thinadhoo (Gaafu Alif Atoll)
• Gdh.Thinadhoo (Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll)

Only V.Thinadhoo is served by ferries from Malé.

How to Get to Thinadhoo

Reaching the island is slightly more complex than other local destinations, but it’s doable—and you won’t have to sell a kidney to afford the trip.

There are three main options from Malé:

• 1. Seaplane. There’s no regular seaplane route here, so you’ll need to book a private transfer. One-way costs around $700–$1000, which covers up to four people. You can find booking info in articles about seaplane travel in the Maldives.
• 2. Speedboat. This is the most popular option:
  • Departs twice daily from Malé (around 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM).
  • Friday schedule: Only one trip at 9:30 AM.
  • Duration: ~1.5 hours
  • Cost: From $60 per person one-way.
  • You can book via the carrier’s website, in the OdiApp app, or through your guesthouse/hotel on Thinadhoo.

• 3. Public Ferry. For the brave and budget-conscious, there’s the ferry. Yes, I took it myself. Pros? It’s cheap and, surprisingly, rocks less than a speedboat thanks to its size and slower pace. If your flight into Malé aligns with the ferry schedule, it’s actually a great (and memorable) option.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Cost: ~$5 one-way
• Duration: ~5 hours
• Buy your ticket at the terminal before departure.
• Ferry Route: #306 V.RAKEEDHOO – V.FULIDHOO (again, “V” stands for Vaavu Atoll)
• Schedule:
  • From Malé: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday – Departs at 10:00 AM.
    Stops at Maafushi and Fulidhoo en route, arrives at Thinadhoo at 3:00 PM for a 5-minute stop before continuing.
  • From Thinadhoo to Malé: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday – Departs at 9:00 AM, arrives in Malé at around 2:05 PM.
  • Expect delays up to an hour due to weather.

To find the latest schedule:

• Visit the MTCC website
• Look for CTN Ferry – All Atolls
• Use Ctrl + F to search for Route 306

Where to Stay and Eat on Thinadhoo

This part is quite simple. Thinadhoo has around 10 guesthouses and one hotel – Plumeria Maldives. The average price per night is around $100, which is relatively high for a local island, considering there are other popular islands where you can find good accommodation for $50–70 per night.

• You can check all available lodging options on:
  • Trip.com
  • Tripadvisor compares prices among a dozen other services and platforms and offers you the best one.

I recommend Plumeria Hotel, which I’ve already mentioned earlier. Most of the island’s infrastructure revolves around this hotel. They have their own section of the beach, a pool, and the best (and practically only) proper restaurant on the island. You can even book an all-inclusive package with transfers – the only one of its kind on Thinadhoo.

• Here’s the page for the hotel itself, which you can book directly: Plumeria Maldives
• And here’s where you can find tour packages to this hotel: prices start at $2,500 for seven days for two people, all-inclusive.

As for food, options are limited. Every hotel and guesthouse includes free breakfast, and I strongly recommend taking advantage of that. Many places also offer dinner for an extra fee, typically around $25 per person – and you won’t leave hungry.

Besides Plumeria’s restaurant, there are small local eateries. A local also mentioned that a new one is expected to open soon. So, don’t worry – you’ll find where to eat, and the prices are reasonable.

All About the Beach on Thinadhoo: Snorkeling, Sharks, and More

If you’ve already looked into the Maldives, you probably know that on local islands, bikinis are only allowed on designated “bikini beaches.” And not all islands even have one. On Thinadhoo, the official bikini beach is located in the jungle part of the island. But in reality, the whole coastline is fair game. There are so few locals, and the beach is so beautiful and inviting, that tourists swim wherever they want.

That said, the official bikini beach coordinates are: 3.4858884099103067, 73.5350623305729

• The beach features fine white sand, lots of natural shade, and a charming jungle trail to reach it – there’s even a photo of the path earlier in this article.
• Plenty of free loungers and tables are available. This beach is on the far western end of the island – notice how lush and green it is, you can’t even see the village, although it’s just a 5-minute walk away.

One of Thinadhoo’s biggest advantages is its house reef.

• Second, the drop-off between reef and open ocean is very close to shore, so even beginners can easily swim out to snorkel. Everything about snorkeling on the islands.
• First, it’s alive and teeming with fish.
• The best snorkeling is right along that drop-off. There, you’re most likely to see sharks, rays, and turtles. The reef is so close that no tour is necessary – you can just swim there yourself.

With a couple of hours of snorkeling each day, you’ll likely spot all the Maldives’ classic marine life: sharks, turtles, rays, moray eels, and thousands of colorful fish. If not – there’s always the option to book a tour for a guaranteed experience.

Excursions and Activities on Thinadhoo

Like on most local islands, there aren’t any major landmarks here – the entire island can be explored in 40 minutes or less. You’ll know every corner by your first evening.

As the locals say, the ocean is the main attraction, and all activities revolve around it. Whatever you’re interested in – diving, snorkeling, kayaking – head to one of the three dive centers on the island (one of them is part of Plumeria Hotel).

Here’s what you can do on Thinadhoo:

• Full-day excursions: swim with manta rays, whale sharks, and rays. Includes meals (non-alcoholic) – $100–130 per person. These trips often venture to other atolls where sightings are more likely.
• Kayaking – $50 for 4 hours
• Stand-up Paddleboarding (SUP) – $20 per hour. You can even circle the entire island over the reef.
• Snorkeling trips to nearby islands and a sunken ship – from $50
• Fishing & Night Fishing, with the option to grill your catch – from $45. Learn all about fishing in the Maldives.
• Scuba Diving – from $50 per dive. Courses available with PADI certification.
• Island-hopping picnics to uninhabited islands and a vanishing sandbank (aka Picnic Island or Sand Band) – from $45
• Full-day excursions: swim with manta rays, whale sharks, and rays. Includes meals (non-alcoholic) – $100–130 per person. These trips often venture to other atolls where sightings are more likely.

Tips for Travelers

A few practical tips:

• The island is tiny, so if you don’t enjoy snorkeling and spending hours in the water, you might get bored quickly. There aren’t many other forms of entertainment.

• Need a SIM card? Get one at the airport or in Malé. There are no mobile shops on Thinadhoo, though all hotels provide Wi-Fi.
  • → Full guide: Mobile & Internet on the Maldives.

• Alcohol is completely banned on local islands – even at all-inclusive hotels. You won’t find any on Thinadhoo.

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Final Thoughts on Thinadhoo

Thinadhoo is an amazing destination for a relaxing beach holiday.
It has everything a traveler dreams of: a pristine beach, turquoise ocean, and a vibrant reef just a few meters offshore. It’s easily one of my top local islands in the Maldives.

Sadly, most tourists never make it here. They stop at Maafushi, which the ferry passes on the way. Yes, it’s closer to Malé, and that’s its only advantage. Don’t make the same mistake!

→ Local island of Maafushi Review (Spoiler: Thinadhoo is 50x better. Maafushi is crowded, touristy, with a small beach and no decent reef.)

Also check out my review of Dhigurah, another incredible island that’s quite similar to Thinadhoo – maybe even better. The bikini beach there stretches over a kilometer, and it’s one of the best places to see whale sharks. I’d give Thinadhoo 9/10, and Dhigurah a solid 10/10.

In Conclusion

Thinadhoo (V.Thinadhoo) is an underrated gem in the Indian Ocean. If you don’t care about shopping and prefer places without crowds, this is the island for you. It’s peaceful, raw, and beautiful – a far cry from the overly hyped Thoddoo or Maafushi.

Don’t overlook it – Thinadhoo might just be the Maldivian paradise you’ve been searching for.

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Resources to help you plan your dream trip to the Maldives

• Flight tickets and the best deals
• Vacation packages (from budget to luxury): CheapOair
• Hotels and guesthouses on any island:
  • TripAdvisor compares prices among a dozen other services and platforms and offers to choose the best one.
  • Trip.com – the most popular service for booking accommodation.
• 12go is the largest Asian ferry and speedboat reservation 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 airport.