Keyodhoo island guide: Vaavu's channel dives, nurse sharks and where to stay
In this article
Keyodhoo is a tiny diving island in Vaavu Atoll: a village of about 640 people some 79 kilometres south of Malé, around two hours from Velana International Airport by shared speedboat, with nurse sharks in the shallows by the harbour and some of the best-known channel dives in the Maldives a short boat ride away. It has a small bikini beach and a reef that can be snorkelled from the shore.
It sits on the eastern rim of Vaavu next to Felidhoo, the atoll capital, and is quieter than Fulidhoo to the north. For divers and snorkellers who want Vaavu's channels without crowds, it is a good base.
Keyodhoo at a glance
Population and island life
The 2022 census counted 641 people on Keyodhoo, about the same as the 635 of 2014. The island is very small, a few hundred metres across, and has grown by land reclamation from about 7 hectares in 2007 to about 12 by 2018. A fishing and transport harbour was built in the early 2000s, and the village has a school, a mosque, a health centre for minor problems, small shops and a couple of restaurants and cafés.
Vaavu is the least populated atoll in the Maldives, and Keyodhoo, Felidhoo, Thinadhoo, Fulidhoo and Rakeedhoo are its only inhabited islands. Cash is the safe plan here: an ATM has been announced but should not be relied on, so bring US dollars or rufiyaa from the airport.
The Ministry of Tourism register lists fifteen guest houses with 88 rooms between them, plus two home stays. Alba Lodge, Hevana and White Maakanaa Lodge, with ten rooms each, are the largest.
How to get to Keyodhoo from Malé airport
Shared speedboat
Shared speedboats leave the airport usually around 10:00 and 16:00, and the crossing takes about one and three-quarter hours to a little over two, depending on the sea and the stops. Guest houses book the seat and meet you at the airport. Landing at Velana after about 16:00 usually means a first night in Hulhumalé.
The public ferry
The government ferry to Vaavu runs a few times a week, not on Fridays, and takes several hours. It suits only travellers with time to spare.
The short version. Land by mid-afternoon for the speedboat, about two hours. Give it five nights or more if you are diving, since the best channels depend on the current and the day.
Island rules worth knowing
Alcohol. None is sold or served on Keyodhoo, and it may not be brought onto the island.
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.
Sharks and rays. The nurse sharks and stingrays around the harbour are wild animals. Watch, but do not feed or touch them.
Fridays. Shops close around midday prayers, and the ferry does not run.
Things to do on Keyodhoo
Diving
Vaavu's channels, or kandus, are the reason most visitors come. Fotteyo Kandu, on the eastern rim, is known for its coral, caves and overhangs, with eagle rays and tuna, and is often counted among the best dives in the country. Miyaru Kandu, the "shark channel", has grey reef sharks, whitetips and schooling barracuda in strong currents. The night dive at the Alimatha jetty, where dozens of nurse sharks and stingrays gather, is one of the most famous night dives in the Maldives. A dive centre on the island runs guided dives and courses.
The house reef and the channel
The house reef can be reached from the shore, with gentle currents most days, and reef fish, turtles and rays are regularly seen. The channel beside the island has stronger currents and larger fish, and suits experienced snorkellers on a drift with a guide. Nurse sharks often rest in the shallows by the beach and the harbour.
The bikini beach
The bikini beach is a small stretch of soft sand with some palm shade, set aside for visitors. It is a place to swim and sit rather than a long beach walk.
Excursions from Keyodhoo
Sandbanks. Picnic and snorkel trips to the uninhabited sandbanks of Vaavu are the classic day out.
Fulidhoo and the other islands. Fulidhoo, at the northern end of the atoll, is known for the stingrays by its jetty, and Felidhoo, the atoll capital, is next door.
Fishing. Sunset, night and big-game fishing trips can be arranged through the guest houses.
How long to stay. Four nights for snorkelling, a sandbank and the Alimatha night dive. Divers usually stay a week to work through the channels.
When to go
For the clearest water, often more than 30 metres of visibility, the dry northeast monsoon, roughly December to March, is the best time, and the season when the channels on the eastern rim are at their best for sharks. The southwest monsoon, roughly May to October, brings more plankton, wind and rain, lower visibility and rougher crossings, but quieter islands and lower rates.
Guest houses on Keyodhoo
Keyodhoo has fifteen registered guest houses and two registered home stays. None is on this site yet, but any of them can be priced on request.
Every registered guest house on Keyodhoo
The Ministry of Tourism register lists these guest houses and home stays on Keyodhoo, 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.
- Alba Lodge10 rooms
- Blu Lodge5 rooms
- Boaveli Maldives Guest House4 rooms
- Hevana10 rooms
- Hevana Retreat7 rooms
- Island Holiday Lodge3 rooms
- Jupiter Sunrise Lodge4 rooms
- Koamas View4 rooms
- Leaf Fish Guesthouse Maldives5 rooms
- Lotus Stay2 rooms · home stay
- Mantha View5 rooms
- Rose Stay5 rooms · home stay
- The Chill Inn8 rooms
- Three Star Lodge5 rooms
- Vaagali Inn4 rooms
- Venus Villa4 rooms
- White Maakanaa Lodge10 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 Keyodhoo and the other local islands, with live prices for your dates, is on the guest houses and city hotels page.
Who Keyodhoo isn't for
Anyone who wants a long beach. Keyodhoo's bikini beach is small; Dhigurah or Fulhadhoo are the beach islands.
Anyone short of time. The crossing is about two hours each way. Guraidhoo, beside a famous South Malé diving channel, is much closer to the airport.
Anyone who wants restaurants, nightlife, a drink 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 Keyodhoo from Malé airport?
By shared speedboat, about one and three-quarter hours to a little over two, usually leaving the airport around 10:00 and 16:00; your guest house books the seat. Landing after about 16:00 usually means a night in Hulhumalé first. A government ferry also runs a few times a week, not on Fridays.
What is the diving like near Keyodhoo?
Some of the best channel diving in the Maldives. Fotteyo Kandu has coral, caves, eagle rays and tuna; Miyaru Kandu has grey reef sharks and barracuda in strong currents; and the Alimatha night dive brings dozens of nurse sharks and stingrays. Most suit divers with some experience.
Does Keyodhoo have a bikini beach?
Yes, a small designated bikini beach with soft sand and some palm shade. Swimwear is allowed only there and on boats; in the village, cover shoulders and knees. The house reef can be snorkelled from the shore, and nurse sharks often rest in the shallows by the harbour.
When is the best time to visit Keyodhoo?
The dry northeast monsoon, roughly December to March, has the clearest water, often more than 30 metres of visibility, and the best conditions on Vaavu's eastern channels. From about May to October visibility drops, crossings are rougher and rates are lower.
How many guest houses are there on Keyodhoo?
The Ministry of Tourism register lists fifteen guest houses on Keyodhoo, with 88 rooms between them, plus two home stays. Alba Lodge, Hevana and White Maakanaa Lodge are the largest, with ten rooms each. The full list is on this page.
Keyodhoo is a small island with big diving: Fotteyo and Miyaru Kandu by boat, nurse sharks by the harbour and the Alimatha night dive next door. Land by mid-afternoon, give it five nights if you dive, and every guest house on Keyodhoo can be priced for your dates through the guest houses and city hotels page.
