Gulhi sits a short hop from Maafushi, and its beach is often the nicer of the two. Here is how to get across, whether to day-trip or stay, and how to combine both islands.
Maafushi and Gulhi are about 6 km apart in South Malé Atoll, reached in roughly 20 minutes by speedboat or around 30 to 45 minutes by the public ferry. A shared speedboat is the quick, flexible option; the public ferry is far cheaper but runs only on certain days, not Fridays, and on a fixed schedule. Many people day-trip from Maafushi to Gulhi for its beach, though staying a night gives you the quiet hours that day visitors miss.
Last updated: June 2026. Ferry days and times change, so confirm before you travel.
Yes, easily. Gulhi and Maafushi sit close together on the same stretch of South Malé Atoll, about 6 km apart, and people move between them every day. You have two main options: a quick speedboat, or the cheaper but slower public ferry. Both work; the right one depends on your budget, the day, and how long you are going for, a few hours or your whole stay across.
A speedboat is the fast, flexible way across, roughly 20 minutes. Shared speedboats run between the islands, arranged through your accommodation, and a private boat can be chartered if you want to go on your own schedule or have a group. Speedboats run on most days, including Fridays when the ferry does not, which makes them the reliable choice if your timing is tight or you are travelling at the weekend.
The Maafushi to Gulhi speedboat price depends on sharing or chartering. A shared seat is modest, while a private speedboat is quoted per boat and works out better value for a family or group than for a couple. Prices move with season, group size, and the operator, so we confirm the exact figure when you book rather than quote a number that may be out of date.
The public ferry is the budget option, only a couple of US dollars (around 22 MVR) per person. It is slower, roughly 30 to 45 minutes, and runs on a fixed schedule on certain days of the week rather than on demand. Typically there is a morning departure from Maafushi toward Gulhi and an afternoon return, but the exact days and times shift, and there is no service on Fridays.
The Maafushi to Gulhi ferry price is very low, around USD 2 (roughly 22 MVR) per person each way, which is what makes it the cheapest way across. Tickets are bought in cash locally rather than online. The trade-off for the low fare is the fixed schedule and limited days, so it only suits travellers whose timing is flexible.
There is no single fixed Maafushi to Gulhi ferry timetable that stays reliable all year, which is why pinning your plans to a timetable found online is risky. The public ferry runs as part of the local-island route through South Malé Atoll, usually with a morning departure from Maafushi toward Gulhi and an afternoon return, on certain days only and never on Fridays. Exact times and operating days change with the season, public holidays, the Ramadan period, and weather.
So the safe approach is to confirm the current timetable close to your travel date rather than trust a published one. Check directly with MTCC, ask your guesthouse, or let us check it against your plans. If you need a guaranteed time, for a day trip with a fixed return, or a connection onward, a speedboat removes the timetable risk entirely.
If you are day-tripping for Gulhi’s beach, go as early as you can. Gulhi is busiest in the middle of the day, partly from day-trippers arriving from Maafushi, so an early start means you reach the beach while it is still quiet and have the best light for photos at the swing. Aim to be heading back to Maafushi by mid to late afternoon, before the last ferry on the days it runs, or on a speedboat you have already confirmed.
The single rule that saves day trips: lock in your return boat before you leave Maafushi. Never assume there will be a convenient ferry or speedboat waiting when you want to come back, especially on a Friday, when no public ferry runs at all.
| Speedboat | Public ferry | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | ~20 minutes | ~30 to 45 minutes |
| Cost | Higher (shared or private) | ~USD 2 per person |
| Days | Most days, incl. Friday | Certain days, no Friday |
| Flexibility | On demand / arranged | Fixed schedule |
| Best for | Day trips, tight timing, groups | Tight budgets, flexible timing |
For a day trip, the speedboat is usually worth it: you control your hours and you are not at the mercy of a single ferry departure. The ferry shines if you are on a tight budget, your day is flexible, and the schedule happens to fit.
| Traveller | Best option |
|---|---|
| Budget traveller | Public ferry, if the schedule fits |
| Couple, short stay | Shared speedboat |
| Family with children | Shared or private speedboat (easier with bags) |
| Group of friends | Private speedboat (cost shared) |
| Travelling on a Friday | Speedboat, no ferry runs |
| Tight schedule | Speedboat, avoid ferry timing risk |
This is the real question, and the honest answer is that both work, for different travellers. Gulhi is small, so a few hours covers its beach and the famous swing. But the beach is at its best early and late, exactly the hours a day-tripper misses, so if Gulhi’s beach is the main draw, a night on the island beats a day trip.
A lot of Gulhi’s best reviews end with some version of “we wish we had stayed the night.” If you can spare it, one night on Gulhi is the move.
If you are not day-tripping but actually moving your stay across, a speedboat is easier than the ferry with bags. Arrange the transfer in advance and confirm there is space for your luggage, the pickup point on Maafushi, and how close the Gulhi arrival jetty is to your guesthouse (on such a small island, it is always a short walk). For large suitcases, a family, or a tight schedule, a pre-arranged shared or private speedboat saves the hassle of squeezing bags onto a busy public ferry.
The two islands complement each other well, which is why pairing them is such a popular budget Maldives plan. Maafushi gives you the choice, more restaurants, more excursions, party boats, a livelier scene. Gulhi gives you the calm and the better beach. Doing both in one trip means you do not have to choose.
A simple split that works for many travellers:
| Nights | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Nights 1–2 | Maafushi | Excursions, restaurants, the busier scene |
| Night 3 | Gulhi | A quieter beach finish |
| Optional 4 | Gulhi or near airport | Extra beach time, or position for an early flight |
Gulhi is not limited to a Maafushi pairing. On the same stretch of atoll you can add Guraidhoo, another quiet local island further along the route, or finish with a resort day visit for a pool, a bar, and a different beach. Some travellers also spend their final night near the airport in Hulhumalé for an early flight. For any multi-island route, confirm the ferry days before locking in guesthouses, since the boats are what make or break the plan.
Before you book, confirm whether the boat is shared or private, the exact departure time and jetty, what is included, the luggage allowance, and the return time. The mistakes that catch people out: assuming the ferry runs daily, planning ferry travel on a Friday, not confirming the return boat before leaving Maafushi, relying on an old timetable found online, and leaving too little buffer before a connecting flight. Carry cash for small costs, and for a day trip, lock in both the outbound and return boat before you set off.
On the beach and the quiet, many travellers prefer Gulhi, its bikini beach is often rated cleaner, calmer, and prettier than Maafushi’s, which is small for its crowds. On choice and convenience, Maafushi wins, with far more restaurants, daily excursions, and a busier social scene. So it is less “which is better” and more “which suits the day you want.”
For the full side-by-side on vibe, beaches, guesthouses, and who each island suits, see our Gulhi island guide. For Gulhi’s beach specifically, the Gulhi bikini beach guide covers it in detail.
The return works the same way: a speedboat on demand, or the public ferry on its fixed schedule with an afternoon departure on the days it runs. If you are day-tripping, this is the part to plan carefully, confirm your return boat before you set off, because missing the last ferry on a day it runs, or a Friday with no ferry at all, can leave you stuck arranging a pricier private speedboat. The simplest way to avoid that is to book a return speedboat that waits for your schedule, which we can arrange.
We are a Ministry of Tourism licensed Maldives agency. Tell us your dates and we will sort the island-to-island transfer, both guesthouses, your airport boats, and any excursions in one simple quote, so the logistics are handled and you just enjoy the beaches.
Plan my island combo See the Gulhi island guide, things to do in Gulhi, or arrive from the airport via our Male to Gulhi transfer guide.The two islands are about 6 km apart across South Malé Atoll. By speedboat the crossing takes roughly 20 minutes; by public ferry it is around 30 to 45 minutes.
By speedboat (shared or private, around 20 minutes), arranged through your accommodation, or by the cheaper public ferry (around 30 to 45 minutes) on the days it runs. The ferry does not operate on Fridays, so use a speedboat then.
The public ferry is very cheap, around USD 2 (about 22 MVR) per person. A shared speedboat costs more but is faster and runs more often; a private speedboat is priced per boat. Fares vary, so confirm before travel.
No. The public ferry does not run on Fridays, and it only operates on certain days of the week, with exact days and times subject to change. On a Friday, or if the schedule does not fit, take a speedboat instead. Always confirm the current timetable before travel.
Yes. Gulhi is a short hop from Maafushi, and many people day-trip for its beach, which is often nicer than Maafushi’s. A few hours covers the beach and the swing. Check your return boat carefully, and remember there is no ferry on Fridays.
A day trip is fine for a quick look, but Gulhi’s beach is at its best early and late, the hours day visitors miss. If the beach is your main reason, staying a night is better, and guesthouse rates are low. Many visitors say they wish they had stayed.
For the beach and quiet, many prefer Gulhi. For restaurants, excursions, and a livelier scene, Maafushi wins. They are minutes apart, so the popular answer is to do both: Maafushi for activity, Gulhi for a calm beach finish. See the Gulhi island guide for the full comparison.
Yes, the public ferry connects the two islands, but it runs on a fixed schedule on certain days only and not on Fridays. It is cheap and slow. Confirm the current timetable before you rely on it, especially for a day trip.
Yes. A speedboat is easier than the public ferry if you are moving your stay with bags. Arrange it in advance and confirm there is space for your luggage and where the boat picks up and drops off.
Yes. Instead of going back to Maafushi, you can travel from Gulhi to Malé or the airport by scheduled or private speedboat, or the public ferry, depending on timing. See our Male to Gulhi transfer guide for that leg.
The public ferry, at around USD 2 per person, but only if its schedule fits your day and it is not a Friday. Otherwise a shared speedboat is the next cheapest and far more flexible.
Yes, and it is a popular budget plan. A common split is two nights on Maafushi for excursions and restaurants, then a night or two on Gulhi for a quieter beach finish, before returning to the airport. We can arrange both guesthouses and all the boats in one quote.