Hulhumale Beach: Address, Hulhumale Beach Reviews: 3.5/5
Hulhumale Beach
Hulhumale Beach
3.5
Full view
Tours and Tickets
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
152 within 5 kms
O' View
124
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • Seafood • International • Asian
Bombay Darbar
390
0.6 km$$ - $$$ • Indian • Asian • Vegetarian Friendly
Tandoori Flames Hulhumale
254
0.7 km$$ - $$$ • Indian • Barbecue • Pakistani
The Red Snapper & Coffee Beans
33
0.5 km$ • Mexican • Steakhouse • Indian
Kavarna
24
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly
Thai Palace Restaurant
33
0.2 km$$ - $$$ • Asian • Thai • Vegetarian Friendly
Chinese Kitchen
23
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • Chinese • Asian
Indian Food Court
8
0.2 km$ • Indian
The Catch 78 Restaurant
22
0.1 km$$ - $$$ • Indian • European • Asian
GG's Kitchen & Bistro
27
0.6 km$$ - $$$ • Moroccan • International • Fusion
Attractions
27 within 10 kms
Hulhumale Mosque
72
1.2 kmReligious Sites
Hulhumale Central Park
23
1 kmState Parks
Hulhumale
134
1.1 kmIslands
Centro Mall
8
1 kmShopping Malls
Banana Reef
54
1.7 kmReefs
Hukuru Miskiiy (Old Friday Mosque)
262
4.7 kmArchitectural Buildings • Religious Sites
Atoll Transfer
260
Ferries
Grand Friday Mosque
314
4.8 kmReligious Sites
Male Fish Market
632
4.8 kmFlea & Street Markets
Male Local Market
397
4.7 kmFlea & Street Markets
Contribute
Popular mentions
3.5
410 reviews
Excellent
90
Very good
120
Average
121
Poor
42
Terrible
37
Normgarry
New York City, NY122 contributions
Apr 2022 • Solo
Before you book a trip to Maldives you have to decide what is within your budget.
I decided to spend 85% of my budget on business class air travel with Emirates so that I would have a perfectly comfortable ride from New York City to Dubai and then to Maldives and back. That’s almost 20 hours of travel time.
Many other people use the majority of their budget to book a nice resort stay and spend a smaller part of their travel budget on an economy airfare ticket.
The “Maldives” that you’ve probably heard of and seen on social media is most likely video footage or photos from some of the top resorts in this archipelago. When someone says “Maldives“ that is what they are most likely thinking of.
“Hulhumale Beach” is a PUBLIC BEACH.
That is the most important thing to understand. This beach is inside a highly populous city and it is subject to city levels of pollution, stray animals and the other stressors associated with being inside the city. It’s like comparing a public swimming pool to a private pool inside a spa.
There are stray cats roaming around. There is garbage everywhere which includes plastic bottles, construction equipment, debris, parts, etc. fortunately: I never spotted any human waste but there is never the less an overwhelming sense of population and clutter as evidenced by the garbage.
That’s not to say that this is a terrible place. It’s just important to understand that you are constantly surrounded by “city life“. As a New Yorker, I am used to this. I purposefully pick city centers when I go on vacation so this way I can be close to goods and services. If you choose to go to one of Maldives resorts you will be much further away from the city and all of its offerings. Your entire stay will be contingent on the resort’s amenities.
Because there’s so much distance between Hulhumale and the resorts this isn’t likely to be a place that you can travel back-and-forth to considering the sea plane flights are $500 round-trip and the speed boat routes can be pretty pricey as the distance increases.
If you are a “foodie“ there are plenty of restaurants to try but most of them have variations of Indian food, Thai food or Chinese food. It is illegal to import alcohol into Maldives so unless you are on the private resorts you aren’t likely to see beer and alcohol in any of the stores.
Hulhumale beach has several restaurants and cafés to choose from. Unfortunately a large portion of these hotels and restaurants are still under construction as of April 2022. The hotels here tend to be noisy because there is still a lot of construction going on. The hotels also tend to be noisy because this beach is the final approach of many of the sea planes.
Do not come here during Ramadan because the restaurants don’t open until 6:00 PM. Some of the restaurants will make allowances for tourists but most of them don’t. The other important thing to remember is that there are some restaurants that will have buffets for the Ramadan after-hours fast break.
As this is a Muslim country you can expect there to be a call to prayer during certain hours of the day and many of the rules for women must be followed. Some of the other reviewer‘s complained that you can’t wear bikinis in certain places. The private resorts are where you want to be if you choose to wear a bikini.
As far as solo travel goes: there really isn’t a lot to do unless you don’t mind spending considerable amount of money for the water sports. There aren’t very many good looking women to talk to. The majority of the women that you might happen to see our natives and they aren’t very exciting nor pleasing to the eye. If you’re looking for women during solo travel you’re better going off to Thailand or to the Philippines.
It’s also important to note that prices for food are relatively high compared to Thailand or the Philippines. You are likely to pay between $13 and $20 for meal on average.
Hulhumale Beach has a “swimming pool“ flotation moored to the ocean floor. As this is not an enclosed flotation it’s more of a boundary to float in the middle of the water. The locals host swimming lessons in this boundary.
Overall: I can’t say that it’s the worst place in the world because the beach water in the sand is quite attractive. The temperature is around 90° every day and the water is hot tub warm. The main complaints have already been addressed: the pollution, garbage and lack of attractive women.
If you want to get the most out of the Maldives your best bet is to ignore this beach and to plan your stay on one of the islands. Nearby Karumba Island is close enough where it won’t cost you a fortune to travel back-and-forth to Hulhumale or Male if you crave being near a city center.
I decided to spend 85% of my budget on business class air travel with Emirates so that I would have a perfectly comfortable ride from New York City to Dubai and then to Maldives and back. That’s almost 20 hours of travel time.
Many other people use the majority of their budget to book a nice resort stay and spend a smaller part of their travel budget on an economy airfare ticket.
The “Maldives” that you’ve probably heard of and seen on social media is most likely video footage or photos from some of the top resorts in this archipelago. When someone says “Maldives“ that is what they are most likely thinking of.
“Hulhumale Beach” is a PUBLIC BEACH.
That is the most important thing to understand. This beach is inside a highly populous city and it is subject to city levels of pollution, stray animals and the other stressors associated with being inside the city. It’s like comparing a public swimming pool to a private pool inside a spa.
There are stray cats roaming around. There is garbage everywhere which includes plastic bottles, construction equipment, debris, parts, etc. fortunately: I never spotted any human waste but there is never the less an overwhelming sense of population and clutter as evidenced by the garbage.
That’s not to say that this is a terrible place. It’s just important to understand that you are constantly surrounded by “city life“. As a New Yorker, I am used to this. I purposefully pick city centers when I go on vacation so this way I can be close to goods and services. If you choose to go to one of Maldives resorts you will be much further away from the city and all of its offerings. Your entire stay will be contingent on the resort’s amenities.
Because there’s so much distance between Hulhumale and the resorts this isn’t likely to be a place that you can travel back-and-forth to considering the sea plane flights are $500 round-trip and the speed boat routes can be pretty pricey as the distance increases.
If you are a “foodie“ there are plenty of restaurants to try but most of them have variations of Indian food, Thai food or Chinese food. It is illegal to import alcohol into Maldives so unless you are on the private resorts you aren’t likely to see beer and alcohol in any of the stores.
Hulhumale beach has several restaurants and cafés to choose from. Unfortunately a large portion of these hotels and restaurants are still under construction as of April 2022. The hotels here tend to be noisy because there is still a lot of construction going on. The hotels also tend to be noisy because this beach is the final approach of many of the sea planes.
Do not come here during Ramadan because the restaurants don’t open until 6:00 PM. Some of the restaurants will make allowances for tourists but most of them don’t. The other important thing to remember is that there are some restaurants that will have buffets for the Ramadan after-hours fast break.
As this is a Muslim country you can expect there to be a call to prayer during certain hours of the day and many of the rules for women must be followed. Some of the other reviewer‘s complained that you can’t wear bikinis in certain places. The private resorts are where you want to be if you choose to wear a bikini.
As far as solo travel goes: there really isn’t a lot to do unless you don’t mind spending considerable amount of money for the water sports. There aren’t very many good looking women to talk to. The majority of the women that you might happen to see our natives and they aren’t very exciting nor pleasing to the eye. If you’re looking for women during solo travel you’re better going off to Thailand or to the Philippines.
It’s also important to note that prices for food are relatively high compared to Thailand or the Philippines. You are likely to pay between $13 and $20 for meal on average.
Hulhumale Beach has a “swimming pool“ flotation moored to the ocean floor. As this is not an enclosed flotation it’s more of a boundary to float in the middle of the water. The locals host swimming lessons in this boundary.
Overall: I can’t say that it’s the worst place in the world because the beach water in the sand is quite attractive. The temperature is around 90° every day and the water is hot tub warm. The main complaints have already been addressed: the pollution, garbage and lack of attractive women.
If you want to get the most out of the Maldives your best bet is to ignore this beach and to plan your stay on one of the islands. Nearby Karumba Island is close enough where it won’t cost you a fortune to travel back-and-forth to Hulhumale or Male if you crave being near a city center.
Written 19 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
DurgeshRajadhyaksha
Mumbai, India376 contributions
Mar 2022
Beautiful strip of beach, ideal to spend time in evening, after 4 pm. Water Sports available. Good to interact with locals. Swings & Maldivian Hammocks etc available all over the beach to sit back & enjoy. Dotted with Cafes for a quich bite & Coffee.
Written 17 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
md shuvo
Hulhumale1 contribution
Sep 2021 • Couples
Maldives is amazing and it's a best country for visit with friends and family also beach is very clean and beautiful all hotel and restaurant walkable distance airport is very close from this hulhumale island .
Everything perfect ❤
Everything perfect ❤
Written 8 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Shabbir
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia62 contributions
Aug 2021
Since Male has no natural beach, this beach is the one closest for a gateway from Male. Buses are available regularly from Male city to the beach. Good for a quiet evening, neat and clean. Very peaceful area around the beach.
Written 27 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
onesmo e
Romania11 contributions
Aug 2021
Swimming track is a great thing for normal public, public showers available. The place is very ideal for relaxation.
Written 11 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
s_fedeli
Langendorf, Switzerland15 contributions
Jan 2021 • Friends
This beach is not really for tourists. Locals gather here all day, swim, picnic, etc. There is some trash/plastic on the beach (as everywhere in the Maldives if you don't stay at a resort).
As it is a Muslim country, women are asked to wear at least a bathing suit (no bikini). I don't think I saw any tourists swimming.
We found it quite nice to just walk on the beach and observe the friendly locals.
As it is a Muslim country, women are asked to wear at least a bathing suit (no bikini). I don't think I saw any tourists swimming.
We found it quite nice to just walk on the beach and observe the friendly locals.
Written 30 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Tour24643952258
Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia1 contribution
Mar 2021 • Business
It was an average tour
Accommodation was not remarkable
A theft case was reported from local
Accessories were not provided like writing chair , toiletries were missing, housekeeping was very poor
Accommodation was not remarkable
A theft case was reported from local
Accessories were not provided like writing chair , toiletries were missing, housekeeping was very poor
Written 2 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jay Santos
Makati, Philippines1,130 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
The morning visit here may not be so crowded and littered.
There are nice spots but some places are with lots of garbage (the sad part).
Again, this is a public beach. Maldives is a muslim country. Go figure guys!
There are nice spots but some places are with lots of garbage (the sad part).
Again, this is a public beach. Maldives is a muslim country. Go figure guys!
Written 16 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Joel B
San Diego, CA382 contributions
Mar 2020
If you're a woman, cover up. The water is warm and they clean the beach every day, but its very restrictive.
Written 14 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Vinanda S
Enschede, The Netherlands354 contributions
Feb 2020
Strong wind, good for kite surfing. Swimming for ladies ok in bathing suit (no bikinis allowed). Shame about all the waste there.
Written 4 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
angelica s
Gothenburg, Sweden29 contributions
Omdömena kring Hulhumale strand skiljer sig kraftigt åt, och inget konstigt med det. Vi (2 vuxna och 2 9-åringar) kommer att spendera 1 natt på Beach Palace i Hulhumale. Hur barnvänlig är stranden? Befinner oss just ny på Guraidhoo och Bikiniisland är inte superbra badställe såvida du inte har badskor. Hela botten består av sten och koraller. Därav funderar vi på om botten på bättre på Hulhumale strand!?
Ferda A
Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
What is the best beach in Maldives? I mean the calmest - like a pool .?
zeenatailors
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates253 contributions
ferda all i can say is the more remotest island you goto the calmer and less crowded the islands are....hulhumale is the worst place for someone who is keen on beaches. i regret going to hulhumale
Sinthia J
Dhaka City, Bangladesh
is underwater diving possible for a non swimmer?
Sui San
29 contributions
as a non swimmer(myself), I did ask about the diving activity ,the guide suggest me to take the "try scuba diving" ...its let u try the feeling of diving. USD70/ 1.5-2 hours/they teach u some basic first,then will go to open water. But, the info I get it from a diving centre which located at Maafushi Island, so i'm not sure if hulhumale having the same info & price. and I found out price in Maafushi Island cheaper than hulhumale! 31dollar for 4 snorkeling point(nemo/dolphin cruise/shark point) + Sand bank lunch
Frequently Asked Questions about Hulhumale Beach
- Hotels near Hulhumale Beach:
- (0.02 km) White Harp Beach Maldives
- (0.06 km) Murex Beach
- (0.14 km) H78
- (0.17 km) UI Hotels
- (0.07 km) Pine Lodge
- Restaurants near Hulhumale Beach:
- (0.03 km) Lyre
- (0.06 km) Mandayz
- (0.15 km) The Catch 78 Restaurant
- (0.15 km) Island Feast
- (0.15 km) Ze Nr Takeaway