The 10 Local Islands with most Beautiful Beaches in the Maldives

1 Ukulhas, Alif Alif Atoll

Best Experience: budget experience holiday, couples and families with kids, beaches, honeymoon, house reef snorkeling, diving, big game fishing

Ukulhas is the winner on our 'most spectacular beaches' list, and the champion of environment protection in the Maldives. With unique features for the Maldives, Ukulhas is an local island of the North Ari atoll that welcome for budget tourism with a wide choice of guest houses and mini-hotels. Known for good ecology, cleanliness and high marine biodiversity, today, an inexpensive holiday on Ukulhas is one of the best ways to discover the sun, sand and sea of the Maldives without breaking the bank! Staying allows you to dive into the local fishing community and get experience of auyhentic Maldives.

Worthy 5-stars award, beautiful beach is on Ukulhas' west side with a sunset view. A long strip of sugar-white-soft sand with a fringe of low vegetation borders with crystal clear turquoise waters, ideal for swimming. The tourist beach is a true paradise where you can swim and sunbathe in bikinis, play in the sand or go snorkeling. Just opposite Gunbaru Inn (recommended) there is a narrow channel in the corals to get to the house reef. During the high season a wide range of water sports is offered here. The beach has enough sun beds and umbrellas and in the near future the beach area for tourists is going to expand, which will also include new cafes and restaurants. The most instagrammable beach in Ukulhas and popular sandy play ground is on the southern tip of Ukulhas. Read Full Review...

2 Thoddoo, North Ari Atoll

Best Experience: A fabulous beaches, authentic Maldivian experience holiday, for family, for couples, snorkeling, diving, fishing

The emerald in the setting of golden sand, Thoddoo is one of the local islands of North Ari atoll in the Maldives. To most locals, the island is famous as the “island of watermelons”. This is no surprise as a large percentage of the gorgeous island of Thoddoo is composed of farms used to cultivate the fruit through- out the year. However, the farming on the island are a secondary attraction to the tourists flocking in droves to enjoy the private beach area regarded by many as among the most beautiful beaches in the country. With over 30 guesthouses and economy hotels and surrounded by warm turquoise waters and pristine sea life, Thoddoo offers unlimited options for snorkel, diving, water sports and cheap excursions, including island hopping and a picnic on a sand bank.

Situated on the sunset side of the island, Thoddoo's tourist private beach is one of the most beautiful and iconic in the country. Sugar-white, fine sand is very soft and does not heat up in the sun, which allows you to walk along the shore barefoot, without risking children to burn feet. The beach area for swimming is surrounded by buoys, followed by a house reef that abounds in colorful marine life and is ideal for snorkeling. Read Full Review...

3 Dhigurah, South Ari Atoll

Best Experience: budget experience holiday, beaches, for family, for couples, swimming with mantas and whale sharks, snorkeling, diving

The famous area to swim with whale shark in Maldives, Dhigurah is a long island with stretch of white sandy beaches. Heaven for fans of underwater adventures, Dhigurah island is 20-minutes by domestic flight or 1.5 hour speed-boat ride from Malé airport. Budgetary in width, and stretching for a length of 3 kilometers, a beautiful populated island is considered to be one of the longest in the Maldives.

An extensive strips of soft sands, an array of dense vegetation and clear turquoise waters surround a settlement, and Dhigurah Island has all the necessary facilities for living, including a school, a hospital and a harbor. Local life is concentrated on a small area in the north of the island, and the rest of the land is occupied by fruit and vegetable plantations, as well as dense natural vegetation. Around Dhigurah are some world-class dive sites in the country, including Kuda Rah Thila, Manta Point and Reethi Thila. Dhigurah Island is also an ideal destination for snorkeling with whale sharks and manta rays. Read Full Review...

4 Feridhoo, Ari Atoll

Best Experience: budget trip, couples, beaches, house reef snorkeling, diving

Embraced with powdery soft sands and turquoise waters, Feridhoo is an idyllic inhabited island for unforgettable beach experience in the Maldives. With a handful of guest houses, the island offers a relaxed budget holiday for avid divers, snorkeling fans and beach lovers. Located in the North Ari (Alifu Alifu) Atoll, Feridhoo Island is known for its natural beauty, friendly people and their simple way of life.

Embraced with powdery soft sands and turquoise waters, Feridhoo is an idyllic inhabited island for unforgettable beach experience in the Maldives. With a handful of guest houses, the island offers a relaxed budget holiday for avid divers, snorkeling fans and beach lovers. Located in the North Ari (Alifu Alifu) Atoll, Feridhoo Island is known for its natural beauty, friendly people and their simple way of life.

There is a long and beautiful bikini beach on the island with fabulous view and lush jungles in the background, with a lot of sun bed and huts (shade is guaranteed). The 600 meters of unspoilt white beach is maintained by the local community and cleaned every day. You can watch both the sunset and sunrise on the beach. The small sandbar towards the island's west tip is a lovely place to spend a day snorkeling and sunbathing. Read Full Review...

5 Hanimaadhoo, Haa Dhaalu Atoll

Best Experience: Easy to reach by air, holiday in Maldives with a small budget, beaches, a great offer of excursions, yoga, big game fishing, diving

The long island is the home to Hanimaadhoo International Airport, in the unspoiled north of the Maldives Well connected to Male international airport by numerous daily 45 minutes flights Hanimaadhoo offers to budget travellers it's miles of white sand beaches, turquoise lagoon, luxuriant vegetation and privacy in an untouched nature, living the genuine and natural Maldives with all modern accommodation facilities. Suited for a water adventures and nature lovers, Hanimadhoo is genuine gateway where to be spoiled with an authentic Maldivian warm hospitality.

The beaches and the lagoon are superb. Bikini beach is a fine white sands, surrounded from palmtrees and mangroves, only a 5 minute walk away from the village. The sparckling lagoon is blue and a great for a swim. There is a house reef on lagoon's side but 'drop off' too far (400-500m) from the shore and if you are not a very good swimmer it will be better to rent a boat. Read Full Review...

6 Fulidhoo, Vaavu atoll

Best Experience: Close to Male, beaches, couples, families, diving, fishing, water adventures

A very special place, Fulidhoo is one of the inhabited islands of the Vaavu Atoll in the Maldives. In recent years, Fulidhoo has seen an inflow of tourists in search of its Maldivian, budget paradise, with an inexpensive accommodation, beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise waters and a rich marine life, all those components behind which people fly half the world to get real Maldives experience and say with confidence : "Liked everything!". The island is also famous for the "Langiri" events - a traditional dance with drums and tambourines, which is a cultural landmark of the island.

Perfect for relaxing on the cheap, the main bikini beach is really gorgeous and impressive at a glance. Fulidhoo has two tourist beaches that are on the western (sunset beach) and eastern tips of the island and are beautiful places, with fine sand and clear warm water. There are shady places and a few comfortable sun beds on the beach. On these beaches you can chill out, sunbathe and swim. Read Full Review...

7 Kelaa, Haa Alifu Atoll

Best Experience: Couples, family vacation, beaches, activities

Famous for the most beautiful beaches, Kelaa Island is a inhabited island in the Haa Alifu atoll in the Maldives. Opening for budget tourism in 2015, Kelaa is the authentic experience of the Maldives with a handful of guest houses on the island, white beaches, a beautiful lagoon and an impressive sea life. Whether it's a solo trip, a honeymoon or a family vacation, everyone will find here their own piece of paradise. The locals are very hospitable and sympathetic people, and they do everything for the unforgettable experience of their guests on Kelaa, and many who have visited here plan to return to the island again.

Oriented strictly from north to south, the juicy-green island boasts one of the longest beaches in the country - 2.5 kilometers of white-powder, deep and fine sands. The total length of Kelaa beaches is 7.5 kilometers. There are no breakwaters or walls in the lagoon - the architecture of the beach is led by nature itself. In short, you will easily find your place under the sun. Read Full Review...

8 Omadhoo, North Ari atoll

Best Experience: authentic Maldives, beach, house reef snorkeling, couples, famiies, swimming with whale sharks, diving

With love, the well-groomed and hospitable Maldives Island, Omadhoo is a picturesque fishing village in the heart of Ari Atoll. In contrast to the 5-star resorts on Omadhoo you will find idyllic Maldives with a quiet island life and local traditions. A beautiful house reef boasts healthy and colorful corals with an amazing marine life, including sharks and turtles, and is ideal for snorkeling and diving. The island has a diving center PADI. Lodging options are limited to a few guest houses, but generally positive reviews, excellent food, and in general you will be pleasantly surprised by such a classy budget vacation!

Omadhoo's white sand beaches is one of those picture perfect stretches of soft sands that have made the Maldives famous across the world. The island's western tip is crowned with a terrific sand spit taht is especially impressive at low tide. It is realy gorgeous! Facing directly west, this beach offers a perfect sunset. There is a stretch of sand which is submersed by just a foot of water, so you can walk out into the sea which is an amazing experience. West beach is the only place on Omadhoo where bikinis are permitted, and you'll rarely see any locals on the beach itself.Read Full Review...

9 Bodufolhudhoo, North Ari Atoll

Best Experience: for Couples, guiet and private, beach, value, house reef snorkeling

A great option for a a fun-filled cheap trip to the Maldives, Bodufolhudhoo is a small island only 1.5 hours by speed boat from Male. The beautiful place to unwind is well known for its spectacular marine life with a beautiful house reef ideal for snorkeling and is surrounded by a some famous resorts including Nika Island Resort, Velidoo and Gangehi. The locals take good care of beaches and the environment, so Bodufolhudhoo is one of the most environmentally friendly islands in North Ari Atoll.

Now about the beach. Wide white sands, the beach facing to the south you will enjoy: clean, beautiful, and almost "across the road." Called "Sunset Beach", on the shore expect about 20 sun loungers, which are not always occupied and you can set them either in the shade of the luscious green vegetation or in the sun, and nothing on the horizon can obscure turquoise water's stunning views. This beach has another and very significant benefit: it is very convenient and safe to swim, both for children and adults. A beautiful small lagoon, a good entrance to crystal clear water. The beach is cleaned daily. Read Full Review...

10 Fulhadhoo, Baa atoll

Best Experience: couples, families, beaches, activities, scuba diving, water activities

Fulhadhoo is one of the local islands of Baa atoll in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Maldives. Together with two other local islands: Goidhoo and Fehendhoo, as well as several uninhabited islets, Fulhadhoo form the Goidhoo atoll. Famous for its crystal clear waters and beautiful sandy beaches, good snorkeling, comfortable budget accommodation and warm hospitality of local residents, Fulhadhoo is an excellent option for an inexpensive holiday, in 2 hours by speedboat from Malé International Airport (VIA).

Features of Fulhadhoo holiday experience are deserted, sugar-white, wide sandy beaches. Holding the 22nd place in the list of the 50 best beaches in the world, it is difficult to say in words how marvelous the beaches of Fulhadhoo are. With unrealistically beautiful water, more beautiful than at the five-star resorts in which you may have been before. Of course, pictures can not convey beauty. You can stay there for a week and to be owner on the beaches, not sharing with anyone else. The island has one private bikini beach for relaxation and another beach is a great for snorkeling. Read Full Review...