Trip details

The island

Thulusdhoo is a small island, which means basically everything is within walking distance, including the stunning white beaches, and a handful of cosy cafés and restaurants in town.

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 The Maldives has hundreds of resort islands, those private, all-inclusive islands you've probably seen in photos, where you fly in and never actually meet a local. Thulusdhoo is not that. It's one of the Maldives' local islands, which means it's home to locals and tourists alike, living side by side. So instead of staying in a resort, we'll be staying in a small, cosy guesthouse owned and run by Maldivian locals. It's only since 2008 that local islands like Thulusdhoo were even opened up to tourism, so this kind of open, local-island tourism is still relatively new, and you'll notice it: the island is very much still growing into itself. Things are being built, imported, and figured out as they go.

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What that means for us in practice: the white sand and turquoise water are every bit as stunning as you'd imagine, and the underwater world might honestly be the most beautiful thing you've ever seen, the kind of thing that takes your breath away the second you put your face in the water. (Genuinely, you'll be ruined for life lol, snorkelling anywhere else just won't cut it anymore. It's unreal.) But shopping is limited, and not every food or product you'd find on a bigger island is guaranteed to be available here. It's part of what makes it real, raw, and completely unfiltered, but it's good to know before you pack.

Some good things to know: out of all our trips, the Maldives is by far our most water-focused destination. You don't need to be an experienced surfer, diver, or snorkeller, but it does help to genuinely enjoy being in the water, since so much of our time here revolves around it. Most of our days will be spent in or around the water in some way, whether that's snorkelling, swimming, surfing, or just floating around enjoying the view. It's a different kind of trip than our more land-based ones, and it's exactly why we love it here so much.

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Additionally, Thulusdhoo is a local island, which means daily life here runs under Maldivian Islamic law, not resort rules. That means there's no alcohol anywhere on the island. There's certain bikini beaches in which you can go swim in bikini. Everywhere else in town, you're expected to cover-up your stomach and chest. Meaning you can show your knees and shoulders, but please don't wear anything see-through. It's a small adjustment, and honestly, it's part of what makes a local island trip feel like a real exchange instead of just another holiday.