Thulhagiri Island Resort

We spent 5 days and 4 nights on Thulhagiri. We chose it mainly for the location, and it delivered: just a 20-minute speedboat ride from Velana International Airport. After a long flight, avoiding the seaplane wait and stepping onto sand within half an hour is a big plus.

The island is small and pleasant — around 50 beach bungalows plus a small number of water bungalows. Even at full capacity it doesn’t feel crowded. You can walk the perimeter in about 10 minutes, and the greenery keeps it feeling natural rather than overbuilt.

Beach bungalow stay

We stayed in a beach bungalow for all four nights. Opening the door straight onto the sand is lovely. A few comfort notes, though these are personal preferences: the mattress was firm (which suited us) but quite old — we could feel the springs. Some beds also creak when you turn over; we noticed this in rooms 143, 146, and 147. The AC unit was a bit noisy at night. Sound insulation between units is basic. Some rooms are semi-detached (shared wall): 102–103, 107–108, 117–118, 132–133. If you’re a light sleeper, worth noting.

Noise considerations (important if you’re sensitive)

Noise varies a lot by room. Rooms near 123 face the open sea and get noticeable wave noise at night. Rooms 101–108 have some shielding from trees and the sand bar. Rooms from 130 onward are further from the shore; 143+ have the pool as a buffer and higher elevation, so waves are quietest there. Rooms 121–135 are detached but close together, so you may hear neighbours. From 136 onward the layout is more spaced out. Rooms 128–135 are near the generator (constant low hum). Rooms around 122–127 back onto the staff area and can be noisy late at night. The sand bar has a Friday night disco until around 11pm — rooms near 143 can feel the low-frequency vibration.

We visited in late September, during the southwest monsoon. Rooms near 123 are on the southwest (windward) side, so wind and wave noise were particularly strong. In the northeast monsoon or calmer weather, that location would likely be excellent. If you’re visiting in the southwest monsoon and are noise-sensitive, request a room away from the southwest shore.

Beach & nature

The beach is soft pale sand with calm shallow water — good for wading and easy snorkelling. We saw colourful fish in the lagoon. Snorkelling near the water bungalows was average (murky water, coral not in great shape). The main beach facing the open sea was better: clearer water, more fish, though rocks at the entry.

The island feels natural and alive. Lizards, small reptiles, spiders (harmless), herons, fruit bats at dusk, tropical plants. The biggest surprise: we didn’t encounter a single mosquito the whole time. We had repellent ready but never needed it. My wife had one uncertain bite on day three, not even sure it was a mosquito. After all the warnings we’d read, this was a pleasant surprise. Mosquitoes may be more of an issue in other seasons or islands, but for us it was a non-issue.

Food & drink

One main buffet restaurant, a main bar, and a smaller sand bar for casual drinks and snacks. We were assigned the same table for every meal, which made things relaxed and familiar. Tables only get rearranged if larger groups need to be seated together.

Breakfast was a highlight — especially the made-to-order omelette station at the far end of the buffet, next to the desserts. Freshly cooked and delicious.

A shoutout to our waiter Shameen — warm, funny, remembered our drink preferences, and made good recommendations. He made meals feel personal.

The food itself: lots of curries and cheesy baked dishes, fewer stir-fried options. Salads were plentiful. Hot dishes were mostly warm rather than hot, except at live cooking stations (eggs, grilled meat, noodles). Flavours were on the salty side with heavy spices. Fruit and seafood selection was limited and average quality.

Now the main downside, and the reason this is 4 stars not 5: quite a lot of flies in the dining area, especially lunch and dinner. They landed on plates and food. It’s a tropical island so some bugs are expected, but this was more than we’ve seen at other Maldives resorts. It feels fixable and would make a big difference.

Service

Staff around the island were friendly and helpful — nothing was too much trouble.

A special thank you to Ashal Khaleel, who is based in the Male office (not on the island) and handled all our communication by email. He helped with our booking from the start, answered questions before arrival, and helped sort out small issues during our stay. He was responsive and made the trip feel stress-free from booking to departure. We really appreciated his support.

Departure & airport tip

The resort arranges speedboat transfers based on your return flight. For our 14:20 international flight, we were scheduled on the 11:30 boat from the island, arriving at the airport around 11:50. Note: Male airport’s international departure hall only opens 3 hours before flight time — if you arrive earlier, you’ll wait outside the terminal. Plan accordingly.

Final thought

Our daughter loved the island so much that she cried when we left and keeps asking to go back. We, too, left with warm memories. If you’re on a budget and want a genuine, quiet, no-fuss Maldives experience with unbeatable airport access, Thulhagiri is a solid choice. It’s not flashy or ultra-luxury — just a pretty little island, decent food, and nice people.

If they sorted out the flies in the restaurant, updated the mattresses, and improved the AC and sound insulation a bit, we’d happily return. As it is, we still enjoyed our stay and would recommend it to anyone who values a natural island vibe over five-star frills.

We booked Thulhagiri for our 20th wedding anniversary and daughter’s upcoming 18th birthday, this was a very special holiday. Upon arrival we were greeted by Senay our Tui rep. She was warm, welcoming and made us feel instantly at home. We were given our welcome drinks whilst she checked us in and then we were shown to our magnificent water bungalows. The rooms were welcoming, spotlessly clean, comfortable and perfectly located. The food at the restaurant was the best food we have ever experienced in an All inclusive resort. The variety was huge and the quality was exceptional. It was never boring or bland and always exceeded our expectations. The beach barbecue that we booked for a special occasion was once in a lifetime. The setting on the beach was magical, the service was flawless and the atmosphere was relaxed yet refined. The island itself is tiny and beautiful to walk around, especially at night when the crabs come out to play. The variety of sea life is like an aquarium. We swam with turtles, black tip reef sharks, angel fish, puffer fish, rays, and many many more. Every snorkeling trip was a treat. Bats live in the trees and fly around at night, hermit crabs scurry around and hide in their shells when approached. Lizards run in front of you on the sand when you are walking around barefoot. The staff at Thulgagiri are what really makes the island so special. The attention to detail, the warm smiles and kindness touched our hearts every day. Special thank you to Isuru in the Sand Bar - your warmth, attentiveness and smile every day made us feel so welcome and cared for. Mohammed Ali, our room attendant, looked after our 2 bungalows like they were his own. Nothing was ever too much trouble and the little leaf animals and coconuts were a delight. Mufeed our server in the restaurant delighted us 3 times a day with his wonderful stories, attentive service, recommendations and amazing sense of humour. Every meal time was a delight and we looked forward to seeing you every day. Gihan in the beach bar makes the best gin and tonics on the whole Island. The perfect accompaniment to the perfect sunset with wonderful chill out music. Sonu in the Sand Bar with her effortless service standards and warmth made our visits so welcoming. Marheen in the restaurant with the best pineapple and watermelon, and food knowledge made breakfast a treat. Special thanks to Mr Ibrahim Mohamed, General Manager who overseas the most wonderful team and ensures every guest is made to feel special. We will never forget our incredible holiday, the wonderful people and the way they made us feel. We felt like we were leaving family behind when we left for the airport and we can’t wait to return.

We went to Thulagiri island for our honeymoon. This place is absolute paradise. There are no other words for it. It’s relaxing, such a calming feel to it. We have never been anywhere with such beauty. The staff are all absolutely amazing. Nothing is too much trouble. The food, the drink, the weather, the scenery, the excursions. We grew very fond of two members of staff in particular. Mohammad, bar manager and one of the waitresses Susma, they made the stay just that little bit better. We will most definitely recommend this place and everyone in it. 5 stars all the way no doubt.