Dhigurah, South Ari Atoll, Maldives | Whale Shark Spotting, Snorkelling

Dhigurah Island, Maldives Overview

One of the least populated islands in the Maldives, Dhigurah Island is located on the Alif Dhaal Atoll. Situated 96 km away from Male. Dhigurah Island is popular for whale shark tours (which can be spotted at any time of the year) and snorkeling trips. It has multiple diving spots and a dive center.

The white sandy beaches and lavish resorts at Dhigurah Island form a great combination of comfort and entertainment. The western part of the island has a beach ideal for swimming. Since it is a fishing village, night fishing tours are also popular at Dhigurah. Near the island are sandbanks which are famous for picnics and romantic dinners. Shark safaris on Dhigurah Island have also built a strong reputation, and the teeming aquatic life makes for some genuinely remarkable interactions with wildlife.

Must Know Before You Visit Dhigurah Island

Best Time to Visit : June to September

Dhigurah Island Highlights

1. Whale Shark Snorkelling

Dhigurah is especially famous for its resident population of whale sharks. These gentle giants can be found nearby South Ari Atoll throughout the year. Several diving centers and tour operators offer (Read More)excursions to witness these magnificent creatures up close.

Price USD 78

2. House Reef Snorkelling

Dhigurah Island’s diverse underwater flora and fauna may be explored by going for the House Reef Snorkelling session a few kilometres away from the island. During snorkelling, coral reefs stretc (Read More)hing over kilometres of distance may be easily spotted along with marine animals such as eagle rays, black & white tip–reef sharks, eels, turtles etc.

3. Manta Ray Snorkeling

Go for snorkelling sessions in the Indian Ocean to swim with the reef mantas of Dhigurah Island. Present in different sizes, mantas having a wingspan of up to 3.5 meters may be spotted while snorkelli (Read More)ng. These snorkelling sessions are organized depending upon their hatching season. Thus, check with the local operators about this activity prior to visiting the place.

Price: USD 58

4. Sandbank Picnic

Small picnics or private dinners may be organized at the small stretch of sandbank present on the southern end of Dhigurah Island. With shallow waters present between the island and the sandbank, one (Read More)may actually walk up to the sandbank, and enjoy devouring them under the bright sunshine!

5. Dolphin Spotting

The bottlenose dolphins and spinner dolphins are found frequently in the waters surrounding Dhigurah Island. During the snorkelling or diving sessions, one may observe dolphins swimming in pods of siz (Read More)e varying from five to fifteen dolphins. Those who are lucky may even get a chance to witness the superpod having 50 to over 100 dolphins! Even the pilot whales may be spotted along with the dolphin pods near Dhigurah.

6. Fishing and Barbecue

Fishing is a popular activity with the local inhabitants of Dhigurah Island. After making attempts to catch fishes such as snapper fish, barracuda, grouper fish etc., the same may be feasted upon (Read More) in the evening at the fish barbeques organized on Dhigurah’s sandbank or the boats!

How to Reach Dhigurah Island

Dhigurah is situated 96 Km towards the south-east of Male at the southern end of Ari Atoll. To travel to and from Dhigurah, the following modes of transportation may be opted:

Airways: To travel via airways, FLYME Airlines, a domestic airline of Maldives, organizes air transfers from Male International Airport to Dhigurah. This also includes transfers to the island via boat. Being a scheduled domestic flight, the air transfers to Dhigurah Island are made on first–come basis. The air journey takes around 20 minutes time, and the following boat ride takes around 30 minutes to reach Dhigurah. Those willing to travel via airways must check the fares with the airlines.

Waterways: There is a speed boat from Male to Dhigurah 2 times every day.
Morning 11:00
Afternoon 4:30

Speed boat transfer from Dhigurah to the airport 2 times every day as well.
Morning 6:30
Afternoon 1:30

The trip takes about 2 hours, costing $ 50 per person. Kids above 3 years are fully charged.