Surfing Maldives | North Male Atolls in March or November

Slightly overhead day on a fading swell at Sultans

Maldives is my favorite surf destination so far. Full stop. A fellow surfer calls it "Indonesia Lite" for its Indonesian-style consistency but with mellower takeoffs and friendlier reef than the Mentawais. The peaks and ridges of the waves are crisp and each wave peels neatly from one side to another. With the exception of Beacons, the lip is thin; barreling waves won't pound you as hard as those in Indonesia. Maldives presented just the right level of challenge for me as an intermediate shortboarder. It was neither too easy nor too hard.

With great power comes great wipeout. Credit @ravauu

Surf Spots

There are 1,192 islands in Maldives. Surf spots are broken down into 3 main areas: Northern Atolls, Central Atolls, Southern Atolls. Each atoll is a ring of islands. The islands on the southwest side of the atoll each have their own break. Surfatoll.com has the best organized map of the spots. This post covers the shoulder season (March/April and October/November) at breaks in North Male, particularly the Kaafu atoll that contains the country's main international airport, Velana.

In March, the waves grew from waist high to overhead by the end of the month. This is the shoulder season, when swells start marching in from the southwest and the wind is dying down. The shoulder seasons of March/April and October/November are also the least crowded time of the year to surf (but still gets crowded with about 20 surfers at popular spots like Chickens when the swell isn't overhead).

In November, the swells grow smaller and less consistent. The ocean swings like a bipolar patient off his meds. I spent a whole week with a near flat spell of 0.3-0.6m swell, which translated into waist to shoulder high faces. Good time to take out the longboard. Then a new swell filled the following week with overhead and barreling waves. It was pumping out the back. The winds were light in the mornings, with short, hour-long downpours interrupting the sunny blue skies twice a week.

In general, I wouldn't recommend Maldives to beginners due to the reef bottom, sea urchins, and the pace and steepness of the break - even in the shoulder season. You'll either get injured, drown, break your board, or get bored waiting on the shoulder for a rare, beginner-friendly wave that has no one on it (hint: it's never gonna come). Maldives is a different story for people who can already catch green waves. It's a ton of fun in the shoulder season!

The tide is the most important thing watch out for as it determines the strength of the current you will be paddling against and the water depth. I found the hour just before or after high tide had the lightest current. Low and mid tides were grueling marathons of constant paddling to stay in place. Moreover, the reefs get really shallow and limit how far you can surf before dinging your board.

The author at Chickens

Cokes

Cokes is the right-hander right off the coast of Thulusdhoo. You have to cross a foot bridge to the small islet where there is a wooden deck (good for watching surfers or doing yoga). 2 meters in front of the deck is a short narrow channel between the rocks. This is where you can walk out and make the short paddle to the break. The rocks are rough (though not razor sharp) and host a lot of sea urchins.

Kick out before you hit the rocks and do the starfish. Though the kickout area is shallow enough to stand in, there are tons of sea urchins. Better to stay on your board and paddle than walk. The current will push you away from the peak. If you snooze, you will be swept all the way down to the bikini beach / marina area.

Bridge to Cokes

This is not a good place for beginners due to all the sea urchins and rocks underwater. I only saw one beginner out there and he broke his foamie in half on the reef - even at high tide. Twice, I saw surfers with sea urchin spikes sticking out of their ass or their feet. Cokes is also where the Asian Surfing Championship happens. You'll see the judges tower in the lagoon behind the reef.

Cokes at low tide can be unsurfable . You can see the channel just to the left of the tree.

Chickens

Chickens is the left-hander on the island across the channel from Thulusdhoo. You will need a boat transfer to get there as the channel is too wide and the currents too strong to paddle across. More on boat transfer later.

This is the most beginner-friendly break in the North Male atoll, but even then it's not ideal. There's no sand bottom to stand on and push beginners. You're stuck between the reef and a rocky retaining wall. Nonetheless, you will find this break gets very crowded with about 20-40 surfers. The wave is not as hollow or fast as Cokes but it is just as affected by tides and currents. There are a few days when it was really pumping with super fun and looong walls.

Chickens was cooking

Sultans

Sultans (right-hander) and Honky's (left-hander) are two sides of the same, uninhabited, government-owned island, Thanburudhoo. The contour of Thanburudhoo matches the shape of the ocean floor. The peaks are in front of where the tallest trees are. And the channels are right where the island slumps down. This island is a 25-minute boat ride from Thulusdhoo and 10 minutes from Himmafushi. These are the most popular breaks in the area because 1) they offer two breaks for the price one boat ride and 2) Sultans is the most user-friendly wave.

Sultans is my favorite break in all of North Male. A crispy peak that's easy to paddle into, with a juicy drop into a long, smooth wall. It gets crowded but if you're patient and wait for everyone to leave when their boat captain calls them in for the end of their 2-hour session, you can get catch some really sublime rides. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos or videos there; I have the worst luck when it comes to getting my best rides of a trip captured on camera.

There are actually 3 peaks, the farthest around the north end of the island is mellow. The middle peak is the longest. Most people sit here. The peak closest to the rocky point between Honky's and Sultan's has the most frequent waves but also the shortest (not much wall to play with) and the most likely to deposit you on the reef. There is a channel between this peak and the middle peak.

Though barrels are more consistent in peak season, you can still get time in the shade with the occasional late season swell during shoulder season. Even when barreling, Sultans somehow remains forgiving. The hold-downs aren't long and wipeouts gentle. Good place to work on barrel technique if there weren't so many people to dodge. Become a pro and you can have Sultans all to yourself when Four Season Maldives hosts its annual surf contest there. Invite-only. Mere mortals need not apply.

Sultans / Honkey's in March

Honky's

Honky's, the left-handed stepsister to Sultans, is the more difficult break on Thanburudhoo due to strong currents at outgoing tides that sweep you into the channel and a nasty third section that throws you right onto a shallow reef. In March, Honky's was as crowded as Sultans, but in November, there were a scant 1-3 surfers at Honky's while the rest of the world and their grandmother (looking at you Lorraine, the amazing septuagenarian still ripping in her teeny bikini and blond hair) seemed to be surfing Sultans.

Jailbreaks

On the island of Himmafushi is this steep and zippy right-hander with a tricky paddle out that zig zags between the rocks. It's next to a defunct prison that is now a rehab facility for drug addicts. You can occasionally see patients grooming the trees next to the break under the watchful eye of armed guards. On my walk home from the break, I heard some drug-addled wailing like someone was on a bad acid trip. The locals built some board racks and various lounging areas for surf checks and spectating.

From the town, it's a 12-15 minute walk down a hot, sandy road with no shade. If you're lazy, you can rent a bike or scooter. There are a few sea urchins in the reef, which is shallower and drops more abruptly than Cokes. 3 peaks that sometimes connect into one glorious, barreling beauty of a wave that ends in the channel if you don't get smashed on the reef midway in 6 inches of water.

Best at mid to high tide. During falling tides, you will be paddling constantly against a strong current that sweeps you into the channel between the islands. Check the water depth before you duck dive to avoid a nasty surprise. Not a good break for beginners.

Ninjas

Ninjas is the most beginner-friendly break in the area. It's situated right in front of the big umbrella on a lonesome corner of Club Med Kani resort facing Lohis. The waves here tend to be smaller than the other breaks. It's mellow and long, with 3 peaks along the curve of the reef. The farthest inside is the longest, with a wall that can extend halfway across the channel between the Lohis resort and Club Med Kani. Fun for both longboarders and shortboarders. Mid tide is best. It gets too mellow at high tide. Watch out for the reef - it gets shallow on the inside.

The author at Ninjas

Lohis

Lohis is the private break only accessible to resort guests at Hudhuran Fushi Resort, so there's very little crowding during shoulder season. That's not to say there's no crowds at all. I still see about 10 surfers in the early morning session when the wind is at its lowest. The resort caps the number of surfers at 45, which I think is too high when you have a bunch of rich, entitled surfers who hog up the waves and ignore you when you greet them (okay okay, there were only a couple of old white dudes like that out there but that was enough to sour the lineup).

The wave is a fast-peeling, medium-length left-hander over reef. Easy paddle out that only takes one or two duck dives to get outside. On smaller days, there are two peaks, one short and one longer (about 300ft), separated by a section. On bigger days, the peaks connect into one continuous straightaway. The week I went in mid-March, the waves were waist high to head high.

I really enjoyed Lohis

Unless the swell is really small, the fast takeoff and hollowness makes this wave better suited for shortboards and performance longboarders. The currents are strong even when the waves are nearly flat. You really have to wait for the wind to die down to get a more reasonable level of current (unless you're raring to work on your cardio fitness and stamina).

I cannot recommend this break to beginners. There were no days where I could imagine a beginner enjoying themselves out there. You cannot ride straight to shore - it would be a very short ride before the waves pound you and your board against the rocks. You must at least know how to turn and go down the line, as well as duck dive and/or sprint paddle.

The head surf guide Smiley, a very talented surfer on a longboard and shortboard, will give you the lowdown on when and where to paddle out but he's not gonna hold your hand. Despite his name, he's quite cold and condescending. It's like he won't respect you unless you're Kelly Slater. Maju, the portuguese surf guide, has a warmer personality but she also expects you to already have a higher level of surfing ability for safety reasons. She does a great snap, by the way. Textbook perfection.

Surfing Lohis in March

Food

Food is the worst part of the Maldives. Because there is not much arable land to grow crops or animals on, the local cuisine consists mostly of seafood and canned food and imports. The most common dish is Mas Huni, which is really just tuna on roti. There aren't many restaurants worth the money. You've got Bandaha and Indulge on Thulusdhoo; Indian and Funplace on Himmafushi (plus Raalhu Bistro for cookies).

On Thulusdhoo, I recommend Bandaha for dinner, Indulge for breakfast or lunch, and Season Paradise for outdoor BBQ buffet dinner on Fridays. Bandaha serves Indian food for less than 10 USD. Indulge serves smoothie bowls, burgers, pasta, and pizza for slightly more (about $15-$20 per meal). The other restaurants on the island are just... bleh. Overpriced white bread with tuna salad you could have made yourself.

Chef Salad at Indulge

On Himmafushi, you get the best value for your money at Indian restaurant, which serves... Indian food, at the marina. If you get tired of curry and tandoori chicken, you can get some spaghetti bolognese and western fare at Funplace.

On the upside, there's an abundance of fresh fish, grilled or fried. Access to lean proteins could explain the lack of obesity among the local population. But nothing here really gets me salivating the way Indonesia and Thailand do. If you really need a break from the mediocrity and homogeneity, you can get better food and more variety at a luxury resort or on a charter boat trip (which I'll explain in posts about the Southern Atolls and the Central Atolls).

Lodging

Lodging varies widely from homestays and backpacker hostels (albeit rare) to small hotels to grandiose luxury resorts that take up an entire island. Wifi is decent everywhere because there's a cell tower on every inhabited island. Definitely get a SIM card if you want to be able to work anywhere. Stable power and running water are a feature here (unlike Nicaragua). The tap water tends to be brackish, but my lodging provided filtered drinking water.

Hudhuran Fushi Resort, a.k.a Lohis

I spent a third of my trip (and an even bigger chunk of my travel budget) staying at a luxury surf resort called Lohis, now known as Hudhuran Fushi Resort, with an all-inclusive surf package. It was my birthday and I wanted to treat myself. The resort occupies the entire island. As noted earlier, Lohis has exclusive access to the eponymous surf break. You have to book your surf pass ahead of time through a surf travel agency such as World Surfaris. You cannot purchase a surf pass directly at the resort.

The whole leeward side of the island is built around surfing, with surf guides, surf photographers, two entry/exit ramps, and viewing deck with a pizzeria just steps away so you can pop in for a snack or hydrate before you get back in the water. Depending on conditions, there are 1-2 boat excursions per day to other breaks, such as Sultans, Honkey's, Ninjas, Cokes, and Jailbreaks.

Sunset on the surf viewing deck

The surfer bungalows are set back from the water and there's a small concrete wall that blocks the view of the waves from your bed. But you can simply step out of your room and wander over to the edge for a surf check. Or do your surf check while eating breakfast at the pizzeria.

There are 3 restaurants at the resort. They all serve the same dishes but from a variety of cuisines - local, indian, european, asian, etc. Banyan is the largest of the three and hosts a separate Indian buffet every night. There was also a dessert bar with all-you-can-eat ice cream. You could count on me to be there every night.

Indian buffet at Banyan everyday!

The surfer package also includes drinks. I usually don't drink, but given the cost of the resort, I felt it was my duty to drink at least one cocktail every night to get my money's worth. My week at Lohis was the closest I got to becoming an alcoholic. Also, note that resorts like this are the only places that serve liquor in the Islamic nation of Maldives. You can't even buy liquor at a local store.

When you're not surfing, you can bike around the island, stretch and work out at the air conditioned gym, swim in the pool with a swim-up bar, shoot pool, kayak, go snorkeling or scuba diving, lay on a hammock or one of the many lounge chairs scattered throughout the island. When there's wind, you can windsurf or sail a Hobie cat at the Aquatic Center next to the Sunset Restaurant. There are a few shops next to the Reception area that sell rashguards, flip flops, and other beach gear.

View from the Aquatic Center

Reef Edge, Thulusdhoo

Maldives is more than just 5-star luxury resorts with overwater bungalows (though there's plenty of that here). There are many "local islands" where tourists can live with the locals at homestays and small inns, like Reef Edge on the island of Thulusdhoo. For a fraction of the price you'd pay at a resort, you can get a decent room with AC, hot water, wifi, ocean views, and transfer to/from the boat dock. Breakfast is included, but there's no kitchen, so it's not ideal for long stays unless you can afford to eat out all the time.

Reef Edge cost about $1900 for 2 weeks in their deluxe room on the top floor. However, as there is no elevator, perhaps it would be better to take a room on the lower floors to avoid the sweaty climb up and down the outdoor stairs and save a couple hundred bucks. It's a mere 2-minute walk to the Cokes surf break, and a 5-minute walk to the bikini beach area where the boats depart from for surf trips and snorkeling excursions (including one where you get to swim with nurse sharks - "Don't worry, they're vegetarian!", say the locals).

The 2-minute commute from Reef Edge to Cokes

Himmafushi

On the island of Himmafushi, I stayed at Hulhan'gu Lodge, which I don't recommend unless you already have a local boat who can take you to surf spots other than Jailbreaks (which you can walk to). The staff and owner are not surfers and don't really cater to surfers. They took 3 days to arrange a boat for me and it cost $40 per session. I later found a boat that grouped me together with other surfers and cost only $10 per session. Much better deal.

Transportation

You don't really need a car here. The islands are so small, you could easily walk everywhere. A bicycle will do and most accommodations have one you can use. However, you will need a boat to visit breaks other than the one on your island. Transfers to other breaks cost $10 per person roundtrip for a 2-hour surf session. You need a minimum of 4 people (or pay for the entire boat yourself). The captain will drop you off at the break and wait in the channel until you're done.

If you're at Lohis, the boat transfers are included in your package. If you're at Thulusdhoo, contact Randhaa Surf Shop or Chikaa Maldives for the boat schedule, which changes daily based on conditions. Randhaa also provides lessons, board rentals, and surf video/photography. Chikaa is a local guy with a boat who will take intermediate and advanced surfers on surf trips. He is a national surfing champion and was on the Maldivian Olympic team.

Tranquil Vibe

If you're looking for tranquility, you've come to the right place. With the exception of Male, the capital city, the islands are very quiet. There's no traffic because there are hardly any cars (the islands are small enough to walk or bike around). There are also no DJs, dance clubs or all night raves here. Most folks are in their 30s to 50s and are either on a honeymoon or newly divorced and happily single. Alcohol is banned except on luxury resorts. If you're looking to party, head to Bali or Sri Lanka. Or get on a surf charter boat that offers beach bonfire dinner parties on deserted islands (which I cover in posts about the Central Atolls and Southern Atolls).

Quiet streets of Thulusdhoo

I felt very safe as a solo female traveller here. No drunken guys harassing me at night. No poverty, no homelessness, no crime. As long as you respect the local culture, you're respected back. Men and women cover up outside of "bikini beaches", beaches reserved for tourists that are the only places where people can walk around in their bathing suits. Even the local men always wore a shirt unless they were in the water or working on a boat.

Quiet streets of Himmafushi

During Ramadan, the vibe is solemn but I got used to it and even came to appreciate it. It was the introspection I didn't know I needed. Muslims fast from sunup to sundown for a month because, as one local put it, "Your stomach is like the engine of a car. We give it a rest this one time a year." Meanwhile, the driver of this car can focus on non-physical aspects of existence. Turn inward and develop spiritually. Open up to divine inspiration.

And so I found myself divinely inspired to dance and sing. Despite the puritanical environment, it was easy to find room to express myself. There were so many spots on the island to be alone. The islands are sparsely populated and half the island of Thulusdhoo was uninhabited.

Author enjoying solo karaoke hour on the beach

Clean Beaches

The water is clean and the beaches pristine. There are no dogs on the islands because, as a local explained, "Muslims believe dogs are dirty." So the sand is free of dog shit. You can lie down anywhere without rolling into a steaming pile of doo doo. You can eat lunch outside without the rich stench of fresh poop wafting over your table. No rabid strays looking to bite you or share their fleas. It was paradise for me, though not so ideal for dog lovers.

Don't get me wrong. I tolerate dogs, but I'm allergic to them and too many dog owners don't pick up after their dogs. I've had too many shitty experiences (pun not intended) at beaches elsewhere (Ecuador being the worst offender). I spotted a couple of cats (which I'm also allergic to) on the more populous islands, but their owners keep them away from the beach. No stray animals breeding out of control. Beautiful. Ecuador, Philippines, Nicaragua should take note.

Sadly, you can find plastic pollution on the windward side of the islands, especially on public property where it's not clear who owns (and hence cleans) the beach front. There are public trash cans though, so I spent an afternoon cleaning up one side of Thulusdhoo and inspired a local boy to help.

My little helper

Vibrant Reef

The reefs are vibrant - great for snorkeling and diving on your off days, with visibility of more than 6 feet. You can see right through the water while you're surfing and watch the reef go by. Sometimes I get distracted by a bright blue fish and fall off my board. Because the reefs are alive, you must learn to starfish (float on the surface of the water) so you don't touch, kick, or stand on the reef when you get off your board.

Water you can see through at Chickens

Conclusion

This is my surfing heaven. Crisp peaks, light turquoise water, clean beaches, fine white sand, no traffic. Peace and tranquility. Waves are neither too heavy nor too light. No mushburgers. They were Goldilocks perfection for me. If only the food were better, I'd live there.