By Just 20 minutes from the hustle and bustle of capital city Male’, Thulusdhoo is a haven for surfers and explorers who relish in a more relaxed form of travel. Visitors to the island typically see themselves staying in a simple yet charming room at any one of the bohemian-style string of guest houses littered along the eastern coast.
Thulusdhoo pool : Many visitors enjoy taking a dip in this hidden gem
While the majority of visitors to this island rarely relish beyond the bougainvillea-scattered roads, picture-worthy bird nests and tourist-friendly signage, every regular and local seemed to know where the best kept secrets reside. It is understandably hard to tear away from the beautiful swells of Cokes Surf Point or even the fairytale-worthy cerulean pond somewhere alongside ever-streaming crystal clear waters between the two Isles.
Breadfruit trees towering above streets of Thulusdhoo
While the clean roads covered in a blanket of white sand see fewer locals during hot days, we were pleasantly surprised when a resident greeted us and offered sweet and refreshing Rose Apple or Jamburoalu. “Don’t worry about it. We have plenty this season” she said in a no-nonsense tone when we offered to pay for the pleasant treats, “I just wanted to pass them around to visitors coming by”.
Rose Apple tree teaming with fruits of the season
Beyond the residential homes and veering off into the industrial area, we were surrounded by plains of brown and green wild grass all around. We kept letting the narrow white sandy path lead us and eventually ended up in the midst of a busy harbor area. In stark contrast to the boat houses and tin structures stood mounds and mounds of greenery. These were just a few meters above ground-level and yet enough to obscure the surprise waiting on the other side.
Streets of Thulusdhoo scattered with Bougainvillea trees
You will come across several charming convenience stores nestled in between homes teeming with towering banana leaves and moody fonds of breadfruit trees as you go deeper into the local island.
The mounds of greenery right before Dream Beach in western coast of Thulusdhoo
If you weren’t exhausted from the walk and made your way to the peak of these mounds, you will face the stunning beauty that is Dream Beach. Situated inconspicuously along the western coast of the island, you can really take in the vastness of some of the clearest waters on earth in this lagoon. It didn’t take long to come down from the mini hill and make our way along a practically empty white sandy beach littered with pinks and purples of morning glory flowers as far as the eye can see. Wading into the stunning clear lagoon, we found that the water was waist-deep at its deepest points with friendly sightings of mini black tipped sharks feeding in the late afternoon. It is best however to not wade any further than the wave break along the reef as the area sees heavy traffic from speed boats.
Locals who were cooling off from the day’s heat advised us to go and see the sunset at the very tip of the sand spit or Thundi of the island and also told us to keep an eye out for the bunny pasture. This definitely exceeded expectations as we came across a colony of multi-colored friendly bunnies along the vegetation. The sunset alone was definitely worth the walk up here as the day ended along a strip of white sand in the perfect blend of pinks and oranges reminiscent of the bougainvillea of the island.
The perfect sunset of pinks and oranges at Sunset Beach Thulusdhoo