Moofushi Tourist Resort

It used to be an uninhabited island. Fishermen who came from islands further away to fish in this part of the ocean occasionally used it as a place to rest. Tuna fish used to be boiled in the kitchen where the scuba centre now stands, and was then dried out in the before being taken to the local market in Male. There were small coral houses and a mosque for those who stayed on the island.

In 1989, after permission from the government, construction began on the first rooms in the resort by a Maldivian construction company. The island was opened to tourists in July 1990.

ACCOMMODATION:
The island consists of 45 rooms surrounded by trees and shrubbery situated along the perimeter of the island, all facing the beach and just a few metres from the sea, and 15 overwater bungalows with private steps into the water from the veranda, connected to the island by a wooden walkway. Moofushi's quite large blue lagoon surrounds the whole island and varies in distance from the island and the depth of the water. All the rooms are air conditioned, and have ceiling fans, minibars and telephones.

One beach bungalow (number 45) and one of the overwater bungalows (the last one, number 60) are "superior" rooms: a better position, double panoramic view window, sun areas, hi-fi with minidisc, video player and screen for watching films, and kettle for tea and coffee.

Room number 5 is the only Deluxe room and offers the following extras: 2 sets of private steps into the water, outside shower with hot and cold water, and a stress-busting massage on arrival. There are also three pairs of standard rooms on the beach that can be connected (by a short corridor). The standard rooms on the beach are also available for three or four people.

The rooms from 0 to 5 face north east, towards the centre of the Ari atoll. Rooms 6 to 31 face northwest and overlook the widest stretch of the Moofushi lagoon. Rooms 32 to 45 face south and overlook the coral reef where you can go snorkelling.

Accommodation

RESTAURANT:
Food is one of Moofushi's strengths, the chefs are Indian and Bangladeshi, but the head chef is Italian. The island has two restaurants: a main restaurant and a small à la carte restaurant with a few tables under the stars called "La Bouganville", where reservations are essential.

• The main restaurant: offers a buffet breakfast, buffet lunch, and dinner served at your table with a choice of two starters and two main courses, or a buffet dinner with soups, fish, salads and desserts. Tea and coffee are offered with every meal. Much of the food arrives by ship directly from Italy , such as pasta, peeled tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil; fresh fruit and vegetables are bought weekly in Sri Lanka , India or Dubai . Meat arrives frozen from Dubai or Singapore . The fish is caught non-stop by the island's fishermen and the seafood is bought from passing Maldivian fishermen.
• 'La Bouganville' à la carte restaurant: If you like the idea of an exclusive candlelit dinner under the stars you can book a table at "La Bouganville" restaurant situated on a terrace overlooking the sea. Awaiting you is an à la carte seafood menu and much more besides.

Moofushi's cuisine is Italian-based and includes the main Italian dishes, such as various pasta and risotto recipes, meat and fish, pizzas and focaccias, as well as other dishes inspired by local cuisine, and there are always various types of Maldivian curry with rice and a few other examples of local cuisine. The fish is always fresh and is served in the two daily meals grilled, raw, marinated, boiled, baked, fried or curried. The restaurant has set aside an area where pasta, grilled fish and omelettes are prepared while you wait. There is also a baker whose sole job is to prepare the sweets, as well as bread, pizza and focaccia.

BARS:
There are two bars on the island: the main bar, situated in the central area next to the restaurant and in front of the boutique and the scuba centre, is open all day from 8.00 a.m. to 2 a.m. Every evening at 8 an aperitif is served with freshly-baked mini-pizzas and focaccias and other snacks.

All types of drinks are served, from tea and coffee to soft drinks and fresh fruit juices, from Italian and French wines to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as a vast range of spirits and draught beer. The beach bar, situated near the massage centre and the water bungalows, is open in the morning from 10.00 a.m. to 1 p.m. and in the afternoon from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Restaurants

SCUBA CENTER :
Moofushi's scuba centre organises diving for experts in over twenty diving points and PADI certificate courses for beginners and non-beginners. The centre's instructors and divemaster guides are Italian and Maldivian and are recruited by Luca Faglia, who, with over 15 years' experience in the Maldives , also supervises the choice of equipment.

To take courses and go on dives it is necessary to have a medical certificate stating that you are suitably fit to dive. This certificate can also be provided by the doctor on the island, and for expert diving recognised scuba certification is obligatory. Everything you need for diving can be hired.

Moofushi's scuba centre organises beginners courses every week in groups or individuals at the end of which you receive a PADI Open Water Diver certificate. The courses are for everyone and are easy, fun and safe, and at the end you will have a certificate that is recognised the world over. You can take part in the initial breathing tests for free, and beginners can also participate in an Introductory course of easy guided diving without the first level PADI certificate at the end.
Moofushi can teach the following PADI certification courses:

• INTRODUCTORY
• OPEN WATER DIVER
• ADVANCED OPEN WATER DIVER
• RESCUE DIVER
• EFR (Emergency First Responses)
• SPECIALIST COURSES

Scuba Diving & Health

RECREATION:

• EXCURSIONS:
  - FISHERMAN'S ISLAN: During your week's stay, in the afternoon the resort organises a trip by dhoni (Maldivian boats) to the fishermen's island HIMANDHOO, where you will find fishermen, women and children ready to welcome you. The journey takes around 20 minutes and once you have reached the island you will have an hour and a half to explore the Maldivian way of life. There will be a chance to visit the small shops and buy some local handicrafts.
  - DESERT ISLAND: Once a week, weather permitting, the resort organises a trip to a desert island. The journey by dhoni last about one hour twenty minutes and once on the island you will have all day to relax on deserted beaches and to explore new reefs while one of our chefs and some waiters set up a full buffet for lunch.
  - SUNSET ON THE SEA: Weather permitting, you may have the chance to admire the beauty of the Maldivian sunset from a boat, with champagne and caviar. The dhoni, the local boat, is provided by the resort.
  - OUT TO SEA: Depending on the tides one morning a week a trip is organised to a strip of sand that emerges from the water, which lies about 30 minutes by dhoni from Moofushi.
• SNORKELING:
  Moofushi is in a fortunate location since the main reef that is just a few metres from the beach faces the channel where the water enters the lagoon and very often fish and animals, including migratory species like mantas, whale sharks and sea eagles pass by. During the accompanied snorkelling trips you will have the chance to observe numerous colourful species of fish that populate the island's reef, and learn their names and habits. It is quite likely that you will come across turtles, rays, moray eels and small blackfin sharks.
  
  The coral reef appears rocky but it is in fact made of millions of tiny organisms: a light knock from a flipper may be all it takes to destroy years of nature's hard work. It is forbidden to take coral, shells and sand from the waters of the Maldives : Maldivian and international laws are very strict about this and the fines, that may be given on the spot on the island, are steep. Hiring equipment - masks, flippers, snorkels and flippers - is free.
• FISHING:
  - BIG GAME FISHING: Moofushi is close to two oceanic currents and therefore, depending on the time of year, is ideal for catching flying fish, pomfrets, king fish and yellow fin tuna, to name but a few. The boat used is a Maldivian dhoni with a large stern. The fishing is done standing-up with a harness. On board there are three aft rod rests, medium light rods, Penn reels and a variety of artificial baits, from Rapala baits to tuna fillet prepared by the captain and his crew. Tea, coffee and sandwiches are provided on board for dawn fishing trips.
  - BOTTOM FISHING: Every evening at 6.30 p.m. one or more boats set off for some sea fishing. The trip takes around two hours. The method used to catch the fish is a simple one. There is a line with lead on the end and a hook thirty centimetres up to which pieces of tuna are attached. The technique is straightforward: the line sinks to the bottom and once the lead touches the bottom the line is reeled in about fifty centimetres by hand.
  When there is a full moon there is also a nighttime fishing trip from 10 p.m. to midnight.
  Fishing with Riyalu Dhoni (Dhoni sailboats): Moofushi is surrounded by different shoals and is therefore perfect for going fishing in Riyalu Dhoni, a small local sailboat, accompanied by a Maldivian captain. Two techniques are used: hand trolling, with a small artificial raffia bait, and bottom fishing. The fish won't be big, but you are guaranteed to have fun. Latti (frigate tuna), Handi (trevally), Faana (grouper), Raiy mas (sea bream) and Giulhu (kind of sea bass) are some of the catches you may land, as you learn to recognise the different fish with the captain.
• BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Every day at 6 p.m. beach volleyball games are organised, and occasionally beach volleyball tournaments at night. The court is obviously open also all other times of the day.
• GYM: Every morning at 10.30 a.m. there are aquagym lessons in the island's blue lagoon, while every evening before sunset near the beach bar there is a short gym class with stretching or toning exercises. There is also a small free gym on the island. Under the "La Bouganville" restaurant it has multigym equipment, exercise bikes, a bench and various dumbbells.
• CANOEING: Two-person canoes and one-person kayaks are available for guests on the main beach.
• ENTERTAINMENT: Besides the daily sporting activities like snorkelling, aquagym and beach volleyball, there are Italian staff who provide entertainment in the evening. The entertainment includes aperitifs on the beach, games evenings, piano bar evenings and a disco.

Recreation