Exploring the island of Dhigurah!

After an early start with a 4:30am wake-up, we said goodbye to Sri Lanka and made our way to the airport for the next part of our journey. Our little friend the dog, even wandered over to say good morning and farewell (and I even let it into the kids room to get Eloise out of bed). From Colombo we took a short 1.5-hour flight and landed at Velana International Airport in Male, the main gateway to the Maldives.

After landing we had about two hours before our speedboat, so we  withdrew some local cash from an ATM and tried to exchange our remaining Sri Lankan rupees. Unfortunately none of the official exchange counters would accept them, so we ended up swapping a small amount with one of the many people offering exchanges in the arrivals hall. It wasn’t a large sum, so we were happy just to convert it into Maldivian rufiyaa, the local currency used on the islands and whilst the rate was terrible, it was better than just carrying around the $80 or so equivalent that I had in Sri Lankan rupees.

Eventually it was time to board our speedboat transfer and after all passengers were onboard, we pulled away and sped across the open water. The ride itself was a bit dramatic at times as we travelled through patches of rain and rough seas, but about 90 minutes later we arrived at our destination, the island of Dhigurah.

As soon as we arrived we were greeted by staff from our hotel, TME Retreats Dhigurah, who loaded our luggage onto small electric golf buggies and drove us through the sandy streets to the hotel. After a refreshing cold towel and welcome drink we checked in and headed out for some lunch before walking down to the beach.

One thing that quickly became apparent is that Dhigurah is a local island, meaning there are certain rules visitors need to follow. The Maldives is a Muslim country and alcohol isn’t permitted on local islands, only on private resort islands. Beaches are also divided into regular public areas and designated “bikini beaches” where tourists can swim in regular swimwear. Once we reached the bikini beach area though, we finally stepped into the water and had our first proper swim in the Maldives. The water was warm, crystal clear and every bit as beautiful as we had imagined.

Later in the afternoon we returned to the room and washed a few items of clothing by hand. We had used laundry services throughout Sri Lanka, but here the hotel charged about $1 per item, which would quickly add up for four people. After our quick washing session we headed out to explore the island, wandering along sandy streets lined with palm trees and small guesthouses.

Along the way we passed small shops selling souvenirs and local snacks before eventually finding ourselves back at the beach just in time for sunset. The colours over the Indian Ocean were incredible and it was the perfect way to end our first day in the Maldives.

That evening we enjoyed dinner at the hotel where I tried a traditional Maldivian dish called Garudhiya. The dish is made with tuna cooked in a clear broth with salt, lime and chilli, usually served with rice, onion, chilli and lime on the side. It was simple but incredibly tasty and quickly became my favourite meal during our stay. We finished dinner with some locally made coconut ice cream before heading back to the room for an early night.

The next morning started with another early pickup, this time I was heading off for some diving with Dhigurah Island Divers. After heading out by boat for about 25 minutes we reached our first dive site, Noo Giri. This site is a coral pinnacle rising from deeper water and we began the dive at around 25 metres before gradually working our way upward around the reef.

Almost immediately we were surrounded by tropical fish including parrotfish, angelfish, clownfish, along with starfish scattered across the reef and so many more. Towards the end of the dive we were also lucky enough to come across a large sea turtle which calmly continued feeding while we floated nearby watching.

After a short break on the boat we headed to our second dive site, Kuda Rah Thila, often nicknamed “Turtle Point”. Like the first dive, the reef was full of colourful marine life and once again we were lucky enough to see another turtle during the dive. Both dives had excellent visibility and it was an incredible experience to finally tick off diving in the Maldives from my bucket list.

Back on land we met up again for a light lunch before renting bicycles for the afternoon. Dhigurah is perfect for cycling and we rode all the way down to the southern tip of the island where a long sandbank stretches far into the ocean. At first the weather looked a bit questionable as dark clouds rolled in and a short burst of rain passed through, but soon afterwards the sky cleared and we were left with amazing views across shallow turquoise water stretching in every direction.

The following morning we had another early start, this time a snorkelling trip for Xander, Eloise and I, in search of manta rays. Once again we headed out with Dhigurah Island Divers, although the boat ride that morning was a little rougher with some fairly large waves making the trip out a bit uncomfortable.

Luckily, the moment we entered the water made it completely worthwhile. Almost immediately we spotted our first manta ray gliding gracefully through the water. It had been years since I’d seen one in the wild and it was the first time for the kids. Watching these giant rays swim effortlessly through the ocean is always an incredible experience.

Within minutes however, several other boats arrived and the area became quite crowded with both snorkellers and divers. It quickly became difficult to keep track of everyone in the water, so we all returned to the boat. Then whilst Xander and Eloise stayed on the boat, I was dropped a little further away from the crowds where I found a few more manta rays and enjoyed a quieter swim before we continued on to another shallow reef area where we spotted a turtle along with plenty of colourful reef fish.

After returning to the island we spent the afternoon taking things a little easier. Suz headed to the beach to relax while the rest of us enjoyed a slower afternoon.

Later that evening we found one of the small beach cafés where we ordered mojitos and watched the sunset over the Indian Ocean. Of course, the mojitos were alcohol-free as again, alcohol isn’t permitted on local islands in the Maldives. Resorts operate differently and serve alcohol normally, but islands like Dhigurah follow local cultural rules.

Either way, it turned out to be the perfect final evening on the island.

After sunset we headed back for dinner where I once again ordered Garudhiya, still my favourite dish of the trip, before returning to the room for a relaxing final night in the Maldives as tomorrow we would be heading home, bringing an incredible journey through Sri Lanka and the Maldives to an end.

On our final morning on Dhigurah, Suz and I made the most of our last few hours by heading down to the beach for one final swim. The water was that same incredible clear turquoise that makes the Maldives so famous, calm and warm as we floated around soaking in the moment. Meanwhile, Xander and Eloise decided to relax back in the room and enjoy a slower start to the morning.

After returning to the hotel we packed up our bags, checked out of TME Retreats Dhigurah, and made our way back to the harbour. From there we boarded the speedboat for the journey back to Velana International Airport.

It had been a long trip and we were definitely tired by this stage, but also incredibly happy. Visiting the Maldives had been one of our dream destinations for years, and finally experiencing its beautiful islands, reefs and marine life made it a perfect ending to an unforgettable holiday.