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Thimarafushi is a peaceful and isolated island with very few tourists, which made it feel like I had the whole island to myself. It was the perfect place to relax, enjoy the quiet surroundings, and experience the authentic local way of life. If you're looking to escape the crowds, this is an excellent destination.

Thimarafushi is a tiny island that is mostly occupied by the its own airport, from which you can depart to Male on certain days. The village is pretty much deserted, there are no cafes or restaurants to speak of, so you're very dependent on your hotel for food and entertainment. I (female solo traveller) felt quite safe on the island, the few people, I met, were friendly or just went about their business without expressing any interest in me whatsoever. What struck me the most, was the huge amount of trash lining the streets and the overgrown deserted houses. The road to the tourist beach is also littered with trash. The beach itself is fine, but can only be accessed, when wearing beach shoes as the ground is littered with shards of shells and petrified corral. In the water there are huge boulders that you have to carefully circumnavigate as to not to break your toes on their jagged edges. The water itself is quite clear and, as soon as you navigate the treacherous rocky terrain to the deeper parts the swimming is fantastic.