There are three modes of travel in
the Maldives – sea plane, speed boat, and the traditional Dhoni. Sea plane is
the fastest means of getting to your island resort especially those that are
located in the far north or the deep south. The traditional Dhoni is used to
shuttle between the capital city Male’ and the international airport as well as
short excursions. Always insist on safety during all your travels in the
Maldives.
Dhoni: The Maldivian Dhoni is traditionally used for transporting goods. Many of the resorts also use these boats for island hopping excursions and sunset cruises. A convenient shuttle service using Dhonis is in place to transport guests to and from the Hululle international airport to Male’. This is relatively slow and will take about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the weather conditions. This shuttle service runs every 15 minutes from 6:00 am to 12:00 midnight. After midnight the shuttle runs irregularly up until 6:00 am the following day.
Speed boat: A speedboat is a more expensive and faster mode of transport than the Dhoni and is recommended for airport transfers to island resorts that are within 20-30 minutes away. A speedboat can be pre-booked and is a thrilling experience depending on the weather.
Each resort which is in close proximity to the airport, offer their own speedboat transfers. These can be pre-booked when booking accommodation.
Sea planes: A sea plane ride is the most scenic and fastest way to get to the island resorts especially those that are located in the Northern most atolls and the southern atolls.
Sea plane transfers are the best way to get a real picture of the islands of the Maldives. As you fly over the sea, you can see the true beauty of The Maldives, with pockets of islands, embedded like gems on the turquoise ocean. You may even be lucky enough to spot a large whale in the water.
The airport transfer to some of these remote island resorts can take over an hour and in some instances might also require a speedboat connection from a domestic airport.
The resorts which offer Sea Plane transfers can organize your flights.
Sea plane transfers need to be pre-booked at least 14 days in advance.
There are two main companies that offer the sea plane service: Trans Maldivian Airways and Maldivian Air Taxi.
Private yachts: Some of the super luxury boutique resorts have their own private yachts that will collect you at Hululle Airport and transport you in style to their island resort.