7 Things to Do in Gaafaru Maldives
7 Things to Do in Gaafaru Maldives
7 Things to Do in Gaafaru Maldives : The beautiful Gaafaru Island is a small island, part of the Maldives Archipelago located in the North of Male Capital, the island is situated exactly 61 kilometers North from the international Airport.
Gaafaru Island is the only island of the natural atoll carrying the same name of Gaafaru, the island is part of the Kaafu Atoll located in the Eastern part of the atoll.
Gaafaru Island is a tiny island surrounded by a big reef and lagoon which is approximately 30 meters deep which makes it a perfect destination for a local island experience in the Maldives.
On your Maldives Holiday in Gaafaru Island, here are the 7 things to do.
- Observe the local life
Since Gaafaru Island is a public island, it is a perfect place to learn more about the life of the local people giving a chance to find out how the local people live.
Staying at one of the local hotels and guest houses on the Gaafaru Island, the local experience will give you a more unique Maldives experience. The locals on the island are used to tourists and they are very warm to them which gives you an opportunity to really get to know the Maldivian habits.
The favorite time to go for a walk in the island is during sunset when the kids are back from school and the would play at the big colorful playground not far from the port. The adults also join in and swing below the trees found around the island.
Also, you can mingle with the locals at the Island Deck which is a famous coffee shop located just a few meters from the Gaafaru port, the deck is frequented by many locals to get coffee and is a perfect place to watch the sunset in the port.
- Relax on the bikini beach
The Maldives is a Muslim County which means you have to be covered and revealing clothes are not allowed on the islands including Gaafaru Island, this also applies for the beach so you will have to swim in the Ocean with your clothes on.
To attract tourists interested in sunbathing and swimming in swimwear only, some local islands have designated Bikini Beach. Imran, the owner of Mirian Sky Hotel also marked as a sand bank on Gaafaru as the Gaafaru Bikini Beach where you can freely wear bikini only.
This beautiful beach has some shells and corals along the beach after high tide, the beach has a couple of free sunbeds on the beach to sunbath on. Also, you can rent a canoe at Marian Sky Hotel or go on a banana boat.
- Snorkeling with turtles
Snorkeling with turtles is a wonderful experience to have in Gaafaru Island which is one of the best place for this activity, on this activity you go on a boat trip for approximately half an hour from Gaafaru and anchored not far from to coral reefs with many fish and turtle families.
You will encounter several turtles and with a good camera, you will take beautiful pictures of them.
Note: Do not touch the turtles and always keep a distance, sea turtles are wild animals and not domesticated pets that need affection. Touching them is not natural.
- Snorkeling around Gaafaru Shipwrecks
Gaafaru Island is located on an important shipping route where you can find many old shipwrecks around the island. In the past, the reef around Gaafaru was not well visible in the storm which is what makes it now a great shipwreck diving location.
It is not necessary to go diving though as some shipwrecks are also visible when snorkeling, the SS Seagull is one of the great shipwrecks to go snorkeling. SS Seagull is now found near the outer wall of the reef in the North of the Gaafaru Atoll, this German steamboat sank in 1879 on the way from London to Calcutta. It is possible to see parts of the wreck on the top of the reef which ranges between 6 to 10 meters in depth. The ship is split in half and is mostly covered with coral, home to many fish. If you would like to go diving there, try to find a small cave, boilers and stern located at the depth of 30 meters.
Snorkeling and diving around the SS Seagull is enjoyed the best when the current is weak, you will be able to see several fish species such as big stingray camouflaging under the sand just a few meters from the divers. Also, you can see soldierfish, groupers, jacks, blackspotted moray, barracudas, crustaceans and eagle rays among others.
The best months for snorkeling and diving in Gaafaru are January to May.
- Boat trip to picnic island Kagi
Boat trio to picnic island Kagi is one of the most common activities offered at many Maldivian hotels and resorts. Depending on the location of the Maldivian Island you are staying at, it is always a different location.
Many islands are referred to as picnic islands because tourists take a boat and go to a different island to have picnic there hence the name, the picnic island where the tourists of Gaafaru Island are taken is called Kagi which is a lot bigger in size than expected.
The picnic island has many sunbeds, palm trees, breathtaking white sand beach and good snorkeling not so far away. You can decide to just relax on the beach.
- Boat trip to sandbank Maadhooni Finolhu
A trip to the Maldives is incomplete without a visit to the sandbank, the Maadhooni Finolhu Sandbank is a perfect place to visit and it just a boat trip away from Gaafaru Island
On this tiny sand bank, you will see loads of sea birds and crabs.
- Doplhin Cruise
Maldives Archipelago is an incredible place to for sea animals such as turtles, fish, sharks, dolphins.
A sunset cruise on Gaafaru Island lasting for one hour offers visitors a chance to spot many dolphins jumping around in the waters, the setting sun in the horizon adds on to the magic of experience
Book your holiday to Maldives as well as Gaafaru Island today.
