island of Huraa

In recent years Maldives has opened itself up to another brand of tourism in addition to the exclusivity of its high-end resorts. Guesthouses are popping up on the inhabited islands, which were always kept quite separate from tourist areas. This may be a bit of a boost for the local economy. And great for the budget tourist, and the tourist who wants to see what life is like in the real Maldives.

 

Huraa is a wonderful little island, with around 1000 inhabitants. One can catch the daily commuter ferry for less than $2 from the capital. It takes around an hour to get there. Hurra has two little restaurants, a school (and a new one under construction), a great football field (they had a strong island team that folded due to funding, players work on resorts now instead), a nice children’s park with a public stage, a local woodcarver with an open studio to visit, a beautiful mosque, nice beaches and two large resorts just a stone’s throw away. You either fish for a living, or work in tourism.

The island is well loved and maintained, a sense of pride shines through in the tended gardens, the way things are cared for and even the streets of sand are carefully swept each day. The warmth and hospitality of the locals is genuine. I lost count of the ‘good morning’s I received when strolling around.

Our host at East Huraa Inn, the young Hussain, is a rare gem. This is a generous and warm person, who truly made every effort to ensure we had a wonderful stay. This included him and his friends teaching us to crab hunt for a BBQ dinner. And they played music and sang around candle light on the patio into the evening. The island feeling warmed my heart and reminded me how much I value my friends.