Thoddoo Island in the Maldives: everything about rest, prices, locations

Thoddoo is a green and hospitable island located 67 kilometers from the Maldivian capital. The island is oval and is about 2 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide.

Characteristics of Thoddoo Island:

Population - about 1500 people
Length - 2 km
Width - 1 km
Atoll - North Ari or Alif Alif
Other names of the island - Toddu, Thoddu, Thoddoo
Distance from Male - 67 km

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Thoddoo is known for its fertile soil and is the largest producer of watermelons in the country. In addition to watermelons, chili peppers and pumpkins, papaya and melons, mangoes and bananas, passion fruit, as well as a number of other fruits and vegetables are cultivated here. In addition, the cultivation of betel nut is popular on the island, the leaves of which have medicinal properties and can be used as spices.

Agriculture and fishing have long been the main activities of the local population. However, the actively developing tourism industry in recent years has confidently taken one of the leading places in the basis of the island's economy.

Today, the island has dozens of hotels and guesthouses, restaurants and cafes, speedboats, a school and a medical facility, shops where you can buy both groceries and common household items.

Since the island is large by Maldivian standards, the best way to get around is a bicycle, which can be rented from most guesthouses.

Jailam Rashad

How to get there

To get to Thoddoo Island from Male, tourists can use:

public ferry No. 303 (via Rasdhoo island);
public speedboat;
private speedboat or seaplane.

The MTCC ferry departs Male 'on Mondays and Thursdays at 9am and arrives at Thoddoo at 4:20 pm. The cost of such a trip will be about $ 5 per person one way.

Speedboat departs from Male daily (except Friday). The travel time will not exceed one and a half hours, and the price will depend on where you wish to purchase the service. For example, on the website of the Atoll transfer company, which has united all the transfer service providers in the Maldives, the price for such a trip is set at $ 55 per person one way. At the same time, Relax Residence offers its guests a similar trip for $ 35.

Some hotels, upon request of their guests, can arrange for them an individual transfer by speedboat or seaplane, but such a trip will cost significantly more than previous options. To clarify the conditions and prices, inform the manager of your hotel in advance about your intention.

Important! Due to weather conditions, as well as the risks associated with COVID-19, there may be frequent changes in the transport timetable, so be sure to check the relevance of the data immediately before traveling.

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Hotels and guesthouses on Thoddoo Island

Thoddoo Island is known for its many guesthouses, where travelers can relax in comfort without spending huge amounts of money. Accommodation rates range from $ 50 to $ 180 per night, with breakfast usually already included in this price. Here is a list of some hotels and guesthouses, indicating their main advantages and approximate prices:

Thoddoo Beach Holiday Inn - Guesthouse with a restaurant, shared lounge and garden. Facilities include a shared kitchen, room service and dry cleaning, and fast free Wi-Fi throughout. Beach within walking distance ($ 75).
Relax Residence Thoddoo Maldives is a wonderful hotel with 14 rooms. Among the services: a restaurant with the possibility of ordering special dietary dishes, bicycle rental, equipment for water sports, airport pick-up ($ 105 with a good breakfast).
Summer Inn Thoddoo is a comfortable guesthouse close to the beach. Offers delicious food and a variety of excursions ($ 150 with good breakfast).
Resten Inn is an inexpensive bed and breakfast guesthouse a kilometer from the beach. Helpful staff, free bike rental and snorkeling equipment. Nearby cafes and shops ($ 60 with breakfast).
Thoddoo White Sand Inn is a small guesthouse with a very welcoming atmosphere for those looking for a reasonably priced holiday. There is free bike rental and BBQ facilities ($ 75 with breakfast and dinner).
Coco Villa is a well-kept guesthouse with friendly service. There is a bike rental ($ 85 with breakfast).
Lagoon Villa Thoddoo is a good hotel with a restaurant, bike rental, free snorkeling equipment and many excursions. Near the beach, shops and restaurants ($ 180 with a good breakfast).
Dive Villa Thoddoo is a pleasant guesthouse surrounded by tropical greenery. There is a great restaurant serving delicious coffee. Guests can enjoy darts and billiards, snorkeling equipment (free) and bike rental (charge). Sometimes there are performances by Boduberu artists ($ 100 with breakfast).
Palm Garden is a clean and comfortable guesthouse close to the beach. Lots of greenery and flowers, barbecue facilities, shops and cafes nearby ($ 85).
Evila Inn is a friendly guesthouse with a very attentive attitude towards tourists. Inexpensive food and free bicycles. Nearby there is a shop where you can buy everything you need. Less than 500 meters to the beach ($ 110 with good breakfast).

Accommodation prices are shown without taxes and fees, which are charged additionally. By the way, on wiotto.com taxes and fees are already included in the presented value. Choose resorts and guesthouses without extra surcharges upon arrival!

Asad Photo Maldives

Nutrition

As Thoddoo is one of the largest agricultural producers in the Maldives chain, freshly picked vegetables and fruits are often used in local cafes and restaurants.

Here (as well as on many local islands) the kitchen of some hotels and guesthouses works as a separate restaurant, which is open to all comers. That is, guests of the island can visit such restaurants at hotels without even being their guests. Therefore, many tourists choose only breakfast or two meals a day at their place of residence and enjoy exploring the island cafes and restaurants.

Among the most famous establishments, it is worth highlighting the Black Anchor restaurant, located on the territory of the Dive Villa Thoddoo guesthouse. The menu is based on Mediterranean cuisine and seafood.

Estimated prices:

salads - $ 6-10;
soups - $ 5-10;
pasta - $ 9-13;
main courses - from 5 (vegetable curry with rice) to 60 (lobster with potatoes and salad) dollars;
snacks 4-10 dollars;
desserts - $ 5-10;
drinks - from 1 (black tea) to 7 (Anchor's signature drink).

A service charge (10%) may be charged separately, as well as a 3.5% charge when paying by credit card.

Connoisseurs of European cuisine and seafood should pay attention to Lagoon Restaurant, where a pleasant atmosphere and a wide variety of dishes await them, including: pasta, pizza, sandwiches, grilled shrimp, tuna steaks, as well as vegetarian dishes.

Food Land Restaurant & Bakery also offers tasty food at reasonable prices or good coffee and freshly baked pastries. In addition to desserts, here you will find:

salads (about $ 5);
soups ($ 4-5);
pizza ($ 9-10);
burgers and sandwiches ($ 4-7);
spaghetti, rice dishes ($ 5-10);
tuna steak ($ 7-8) and more.

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Things to do on Thoddoo

While on vacation on Thoddoo Island, you can:

go fishing day or night on the house reef;
enjoy the magnificent scenery while walking on the sandbanks;
go to a desert island to relax and have a small picnic there;
get to know more about Maldivian traditions and life while walking around the local islands;
experience the beauty of the underwater world at one of the dive spots located near the island;
meet manta rays, sea turtles and many other representatives of the underwater fauna while snorkeling on the reef;
watch dolphins frolicking in the water during an exciting ride on a small speed boat;
spend a romantic evening with a candlelit dinner on a clean white beach;
admire the beauty of Maldivian sunsets on an ocean cruise;
get to know the musical culture of the Maldives by dancing to the energetic rhythms of the boduberu;
explore fruit plantations and learn the secrets of local farmers on an agricultural tour of the island.

Shaafi Ali

Bikini Beach

The island has 2 beaches dedicated to tourists. One of them is located in the southwestern part of the island, and the second is in the northeastern part of the island. Both beaches are clean and well maintained.

West Beach (4.435942483054288, 72.9537957928371) is equipped with free sun loungers, which are in high demand, so there may not be enough space for everyone. However, you can always comfortably stay here with your towel on the clean white sand. Due to the location of the beach, it offers wonderful views of the colorful Maldivian sunsets. There is a reef near the beach, where, in addition to tropical fish, moray eels and turtles can be found.
The northeastern beach (4.443686850956323, 72.96126306237983) has fewer tourists. Here, like the west beach, there is plenty of natural shade and a house reef for snorkeling.

Water sports

Since the ocean is one of the main attractions of the Maldives, water activities are of great importance both in the resorts and on the local islands. Thoddoo Island is no exception. Here you can go water skiing and banana boat rides, try your hand at wakeboarding and sailing.

Diving

Thoddoo Island does not have a large number of dive centers and dive locations, so if diving is the main purpose of your trip to the Maldives, we recommend that you consider other islands for your vacation.

However, trips are organized here both to nearby spots (located near the islands of Thoddoo, Rasdhoo and Ukulhas), which can be reached in 15-60 minutes by boat, and to more distant places such as Baa Atoll.

Some of the most popular dive spots near the islands of Thoddoo, Rasdhoo and Ukulhas:

Manta point;
Miyaru Faru (or Shark Reef);
Hammerhead Point;
Madivaru Corner;
Kuramathi Wreck.

In addition, the island dive center Pro dive Hydrotech offers a wide range of courses for both beginner divers (including children aged 8 and over) and professionals.

Estimated prices:

first introductory dive for beginners - $ 80;
one-time dive near Thoddoo - $ 70;
SSI Scuba Diver course - $ 350;
SSI Open Water Diver course - $ 600.

Sebastian Pena Lambarri

Excursions

A beach holiday on Thoddoo goes well with exciting excursions and entertainment, including:

daytime snorkeling - $ 20-30 per person;
snorkeling with manta rays - $ 50 per person;
barbecue - $ 15 per person;
an agricultural tour of the island - $ 25 per person;
romantic candlelight dinner - $ 80 per couple;
show boduberu - $ 200 per show;
sunset cruise - $ 25 per person;
fishing - $ 25 per person;
night fishing - $ 90 per trip;
day fishing with barbecue - $ 120 per trip;
fishing for large fish - $ 150-170 per trip;
full-day sandbank trip - $ 250 per trip;
dolphin watching - $ 100 per trip.

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Island trips

Tourists wishing to expand the geography of travel can go from Thoddoo Island to Rasdhoo and Ukulhas islands, the distance to which is 20 and 27 kilometers, respectively.

Such trips can be organized by guesthouses or independently. You can get to these islands by public ferry. Please check with your guesthouse for the current schedule.

A vacation on Thoddoo can also be combined with a visit to resort islands, for example, Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon. It is also necessary to consult with your guesthouse about the possibility of such excursions.

Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon