Thulusdhoo

At first glance, Thulusdhoo looks like a populated industrial town with warehouses and factories dotting the landscape. Take a closer look and you'll see that it still retains its traditional charm. With a touch of Caribbean atmosphere, Thulusdhoo is a hidden gem, as we experienced ourselves.

It is about 1.5 km long and just over half a kilometer wide and has about 1400 inhabitants. You cycle around the island in 30 minutes and would have seen everything. And this "everything" is pure natural beauty, untouched by the tourist crowds, but authentic local life with free, endless beaches. A few grocery and hardware stores on the island stock fruits, vegetables, basic groceries, and beach and surf gear, and only one ATM.

From any point on Thulusdhoo, the beach is never too far. And its warm turquoise waters, always welcoming. Like other public islands in the Maldives, Thulusdhoo has a Bikini Beach (reserved for tourists only) on its west coast. This is the lonely spot on the island where you can strip down to your bikinis and get a good tan.

Thulusdhoo gained much fame as a surfing hotspot in the world and because of the Coca-Cola Company. Aside from being the only one in the Maldives, what makes the facility unique is that it's the only place where Coca-Cola uses desalinated water. The Surfbreak Cokes gets its name from the factory. But honestly, the cola tastes like everywhere else.Read more