Maldives 6 Day Itinerary on Local Islands: Malé, Fulidhoo and Dhigurah

Quick stop, 15 minutes, free, seen from outside. From the airport to central Malé is 10 to 15 minutes by taxi over the Sinamalé Bridge, or take the airport ferry to the Republic Square jetty; Medhu Ziyaaraiy is five minutes on foot from there.

The white shrine holds the tomb attributed to Abu al-Barakat, the traveller who, according to tradition, brought Islam to the Maldives in 1153. It is a good starting point for a country where every inhabited island revolves around its mosque.

About 45 minutes, from outside. Entering requires prior permission from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, so most visitors see the complex from the wall and gate, with shoulders and knees covered.

It is the oldest and most ornate mosque in the Maldives, built from coral blocks cut and interlocked without mortar, with carvings and inscriptions on the walls. It has been on UNESCO's tentative list since 2008. Look at the cemetery of coral headstones around it and the round white minaret across the street.

About an hour, free, five minutes on foot along the northern waterfront. Come in the late afternoon, when the dhoni boats return and unload skipjack and yellowfin tuna straight onto the tiled floor.

The fishmongers clean and cut the tuna on the spot, and outside the quay stingrays often circle waiting for scraps. Next door is the local market, with coconuts, bananas, chillies and the smoked tuna that flavours almost everything in the country.

Quick stop, 30 minutes, free. Visitors can enter between 9 am and 5 pm outside prayer times, in long trousers or a long skirt; women cover their hair, and scarves are available at the entrance. Go early, before the ferry.

The white building opened in 1984 and is named after Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu, the hero who drove out the Portuguese in the 16th century.

Arrive in the early afternoon and stay by the jetty until the end of the day, which is when the animals show up. MTCC public ferry route 306 leaves Malé at 10 am on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and reaches Fulidhoo at 1:20 pm, for about US$ 4 paid in rufiyaa on board; on other days the shared speedboat takes 1h10 and costs US$ 40 to 80, booked through your guesthouse.

Fulidhoo has about 400 residents and you can walk across it in ten minutes. In the late afternoon large stingrays and nurse sharks glide into the shallows beside the jetty. Watch from the sand, ankle deep, without touching or feeding them: nurse sharks are calm, but they are still wild animals.

Half a day, from about US$ 45 per person, booked through your guesthouse the day before. The classic Fulidhoo trip combines snorkelling with nurse sharks, a sandbank and, with luck, dolphins on the way.

The most famous spot in the atoll is the Alimatha jetty, about 13 km from Fulidhoo, where dozens of nurse sharks and stingrays gather in 1 to 8 metres of water. The night dive there is one of the best known in the Maldives, and there is a night snorkel version for non-divers: ask your guesthouse and check the sea conditions on the day.

The whole afternoon, free, five minutes on foot from the jetty at the western end of the island. It is the only beach on Fulidhoo where swimwear is allowed; everywhere else, in the village and at the harbour, clothes cover shoulders and knees.

The water is shallow and calm, the sand is white and there is almost no shade, so bring sunscreen and a hat. The beach faces the sunset, which is the evening programme, since local islands have no bars and no alcohol.

The whole afternoon. There is no direct link: take the morning speedboat from Fulidhoo to Malé, leaving between 7 and 8 am, and in Malé the 11 am speedboat to Dhigurah, which takes about 2 hours and costs US$ 60 to 70 one way. Friday schedules differ, so confirm with your guesthouse.

Dhigurah is almost 4 km long and only 300 metres wide, with the village in the north and forest along the rest. The bikini beach is on the west coast, south of the village, and you can ride the length of the island on a bicycle rented in the village for about US$ 8 a day.

Quick stop, one hour, free, straight in from the bikini beach. Bring your own mask and snorkel or rent them in the village.

The reef in the western lagoon has emperor angelfish, surgeonfish and, often, turtles and rays. Only go in when the sea is calm, stay near the reef edge and never stand on the coral.

Half a day, US$ 60 to 90 per person, with morning and afternoon departures. This is the reason to stay on Dhigurah: the area, protected since 2009, runs along the southern outer reef of the atoll, and boats reach it within minutes of the island.

It is the only whale shark aggregation site in the world where they are present all year, almost all juveniles, with sightings peaking from August to November. The code of conduct is strict: 3 metres from the body and 4 from the tail, no touching, no flash and never swim in front of the animal. Encounters are not guaranteed, but the odds are high.

About an hour and a half, free, some 3 km south of the village, by bicycle along the path through the forest. Go at low tide, when the strip of sand reaches furthest into the lagoon.

From the sandbank you can see the overwater villas of the neighbouring resort, the contrast that explains this itinerary: the same lagoon, at a guesthouse price. Ride back before dark.

Quick stop, 45 minutes, free. The 6:30 am speedboat leaves Dhigurah and reaches Malé around 8:30; the beach is on the east side of the city, a few minutes by taxi from the jetty.

It is a man-made cove of sand behind a breakwater, where many Malé families swim fully clothed. The inhabited island rule applies: outside a signposted bikini beach, shoulders and knees stay covered.

About two hours, free, 20 minutes by taxi from Malé over the Sinamalé Bridge and 10 minutes from the airport. Hulhumalé is a reclaimed island, and its east coast beach has palm trees, a promenade, cafés and a fenced swimming area.

Have lunch at one of the waterfront cafés and head to the airport, 10 minutes away by taxi, with time to spare for the evening flight.