Goidhoo
Legend has it that in the late 19th century one of the rulers of Male freed a slave of his on his deathbed, as was customary back then. The slave-woman, named Salaama, who had dreamt of freedom for all her life, set up a hut on the fairytale-like island with a pearly white laguna. Since then the presence of freedom and primordial beauty hasn’t left Goidhoo.
The island features an uncommon mould of characteristics, even for the exotic Maldives. On the one hand there’s the great nature untouched — or mayhaps unspoiled — by human hands. The bioluminescent plankton bears witness to this fact. On the other hand, Goidhoo is easily and regularly accessible via inexpensive public transportation. To further contrast with this, the island also holds freshwater lakes, a veritable rarity in the Maldives.
The island, just like the reefs and uninhabited islands that lie beside it, abounds with unique marine life. Visitors will enjoy the chance to look at rays, dolphins, whale sharks and sea turtles at arm’s length.
There are also many huge crabs on the island, larger than a foot. You can see especially many near the lakes.
Even though Goidhoo is quite large for local standards, the actual village is very small and only some 500 people call it their own. The rest of the island is covered in tropical growth - mostly palms of several varieties (including coconut palms) and rubber plants. The island only has a single five-room guesthouse, which makes it a paradise for finding solace or romance away from all civilization.
The island has a bikini-OK beach for tourists and holds a drugstore as well as souvenir stands. Goidhoo also enjoys a good ferry connection with the capital of the Baa atoll and other islands including Dharavandhoo, which lies 34 km from Goidhoo, from which you can hop on a domestic flight to Male. Islands are also connected with seaplanes and private speedboats.
An uninhabited island lies near Goidhoo, featuring a beautiful sandbank you can visit. Excursions are organized to the Coco Palm resort and the famous Hanifaru Marine Protected Area. Diving and different sorts of surfing are available upon request. Goidhoo is an excellent choice for fishing and snorkeling, and the local reefs abound in different fish. You can often see small sharks, and turtles and dolphins by the island. The Goidhoo reef is suitable for kitesurfing and windsurfing.
