Feridhoo island guide: North Ari's quiet beach, house reef and where to stay
In this article
Feridhoo is a quiet reef island in North Ari Atoll: a village of about 540 people roughly 88 kilometres west of Malé, around an hour and three-quarters from Velana International Airport by shared speedboat, with a long bikini beach on its eastern side and a house reef a few metres from the sand. Manta points, caves and thilas are a short boat ride away.
It sits on the eastern rim of Ari Atoll next to its sister island Maalhos, and sees far fewer visitors than Ukulhas or Rasdhoo. For couples and snorkellers who want a good beach and reef without a busy village, it is worth a close look.
Feridhoo at a glance
Population and island life
The 2022 census counted 544 people on Feridhoo, up from 413 in 2014. It is a small island, a little over a kilometre long, with a school, a mosque, a small health centre, local shops, bicycles for hire and two or three small cafés besides the guest-house restaurants. A Bank of Maldives ATM opened in 2024, though small shops still prefer cash.
An island tradition tells of two African men, freed centuries ago by Maldivian kings who had brought them back from the Hajj, who settled on Feridhoo; many families on Feridhoo and neighbouring Maalhos trace their descent to them, and one is known for boduberu, the Maldivian drumming.
The Ministry of Tourism register lists fifteen guest houses with 93 rooms between them, plus one home stay. Feridhoo Beach Villa, with 12 rooms, is the largest; most of the others have four to eight.
How to get to Feridhoo from Malé airport
Shared speedboat
A direct shared speedboat leaves the airport around 15:00 every day except Friday and takes about an hour and 40 minutes; others run via Ukulhas, leaving around 10:30 and 16:00 and taking about two hours. Guest houses book the seat and meet you at the airport. Landing after about 15:00 can mean waiting for the later boat via Ukulhas, and after that a night in Hulhumalé.
The public ferry
The government ferry runs from Malé three times a week, not on Fridays, and takes most of a day. It suits only travellers with time to spare.
The short version. Land by early afternoon for the direct speedboat, or mid-afternoon for the boat via Ukulhas. Give it four nights or more.
Island rules worth knowing
Alcohol. None is sold or served on Feridhoo, and it may not be brought onto the island. A resort day trip is the usual way to have a drink.
Dress and the beach. Swimwear is allowed only on the bikini beach and on excursion boats. In the village, cover shoulders and knees, men as well as women.
Fridays. Shops close around midday prayers, and the direct speedboat and the ferry do not run.
Things to do on Feridhoo
The bikini beach
The bikini beach is on the eastern side of the island, a long stretch of soft white sand with shade, sunbeds and umbrellas. It is the main reason many guests choose Feridhoo over its busier neighbours.
The house reef
The reef starts just a few metres from the beach. Reef fish, rays, turtles and young reef sharks are regularly seen, along with Napoleon wrasse and parrotfish. The northern side suits drift snorkelling and has frequent reef shark sightings; currents can be stronger in the south-west, especially when the monsoon changes. The calmest conditions are from about December to March.
Diving
A PADI dive centre on the island dives the North Ari sites nearby: Feridhoo Caves, about 15 minutes by boat, with swim-throughs and overhangs; Maalhos Thila, one of the prettiest reefs in the area; and the wreck at Fesdhoo. Grey reef sharks and eagle rays are common, and manta points are a short boat ride away. Discover Scuba dives on the house reef suit first-timers.
Excursions from Feridhoo
Sandbanks. Picnic and snorkel trips to the uninhabited sandbanks of North Ari can be arranged through the guest houses.
Mantas. Manta trips run to the cleaning stations of North Ari, a short boat ride away.
Ukulhas, Rasdhoo and Mathiveri. Ukulhas, on the speedboat route, has a long bikini beach and more cafés, and Rasdhoo, further north, is known for dawn hammerhead dives. Mathiveri, in the north-west of the atoll, has a stingray beach and a sandbank picnic island.
Himandhoo. A quiet diving village on the western rim of Ari, with Himandhoo Thila in the channel next door. The Himandhoo island guide covers it.
Resort days. Day passes to North Ari resorts can be arranged through the guest houses.
How long to stay. Four nights covers the crossing, the beach and reef, a sandbank and a manta trip. Divers usually stay a week.
When to go
For calm seas, clear water and the best snorkelling on the house reef, the dry northeast monsoon, roughly December to April, is the time. The southwest monsoon, roughly May to November, brings more wind, rain and choppier crossings, but quieter islands and lower rates.
Guest houses on Feridhoo
Feridhoo has fifteen registered guest houses and one registered home stay. None is on this site yet, but any of them can be priced on request.
Every registered guest house on Feridhoo
The Ministry of Tourism register lists these guest houses and home stays on Feridhoo, with the number of rooms each is licensed for. Names link to the hotel's page on this site as they join, and the rest can still be priced on request.
- Asaa View7 rooms
- Ayira Maldives5 rooms
- Ayvana Retreat2 rooms · home stay
- Blue Starfish Maldives10 rooms
- Escapism Maldives6 rooms
- Feridhoo Beach Villa12 rooms
- Feridhoo Inn7 rooms
- Haveyli Grande3 rooms
- Isola Alifu6 rooms
- Mamello Beach Club Maldives6 rooms
- Seven Sea's Sea View4 rooms
- Sevinex Inn5 rooms
- Shifa Lodge8 rooms
- The Castaway Retreat4 rooms
- The Dreamscape Villa5 rooms
- Villa Rosa5 rooms
Source: Ministry of Tourism, Maldives, register of tourist guest houses and home stays, October 2026. Room counts are the licensed totals and change as properties expand.
Every guest house on this site, on Feridhoo and the other local islands, with live prices for your dates, is on the guest houses and city hotels page.
Who Feridhoo isn't for
Anyone who wants plenty of cafés and things going on. Feridhoo is small and quiet; Thoddoo and Ukulhas are livelier North Ari islands.
Anyone short of time. The crossing is close to two hours each way. Gulhi, near the airport, suits a short trip.
Anyone who wants nightlife, a drink with dinner or an over-water villa. The trade-off is set out in local island or resort island.
Comparing islands? The Maldives local islands guide sets every island guide on this site side by side, by transfer time from the airport and what each island does best.
Common questions
How do I get to Feridhoo from Malé airport?
By shared speedboat. A direct boat leaves the airport around 15:00 every day except Friday and takes about an hour and 40 minutes; others run via Ukulhas, around 10:30 and 16:00, in about two hours. Your guest house books the seat. A government ferry runs three times a week.
Does Feridhoo have a bikini beach?
Yes. The bikini beach is on the eastern side of the island, a long stretch of soft white sand with shade, sunbeds and umbrellas. Swimwear is allowed only there and on boats; in the village, cover shoulders and knees. The house reef starts a few metres from the sand.
Is the snorkelling good on Feridhoo?
Yes. The house reef can be reached straight from the beach, with reef fish, rays, turtles and young reef sharks, and drift snorkelling on the northern side. Currents can be stronger to the south-west. Boat trips reach manta points, caves and thilas nearby.
Where is Feridhoo?
Feridhoo is in Alifu Alifu, the North Ari Atoll, on the eastern rim of Ari Atoll about 88 kilometres west of Malé. Its sister island Maalhos is close by, and Ukulhas and Rasdhoo are further north in the same atoll.
How many guest houses are there on Feridhoo?
The Ministry of Tourism register lists fifteen guest houses on Feridhoo, with 93 rooms between them, plus one home stay. Feridhoo Beach Villa is the largest with 12 rooms. The full list is on this page, and any of them can be priced on request.
Feridhoo is North Ari's quiet beach-and-reef island: a long bikini beach, a reef a few steps from the sand and caves, thilas and mantas by boat, with a village that is still mostly its own. Land by early afternoon, give it four nights or more, and every guest house on Feridhoo can be priced for your dates through the guest houses and city hotels page.
