Epic Nurse Sharks & Stingray Tour from Maafushi 2025

Introduction

Looking to experience one of the most unforgettable tours in the Maldives? This Full Day Nurse Sharks & Stingray Tour from Maafushi might just be the highlight of your trip.

During our 6-day adventure in the Maldives, we explored both Dhigurah and Maafushi—two public islands perfect for travelers looking to enjoy paradise without the luxury resort price tag. And while we loved both islands, one experience stood out above the rest: the full-day snorkeling tour from Maafushi that includes swimming with nurse sharks, visiting a shipwreck, lunch on a sandbank, and interacting with stingrays near Fulidhoo Island.

This article isn’t just a travel story—it’s a guide based on what we learned during our time there. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the tour, how to book it, what to expect, and whether it’s worth it.

So if you’re planning a trip to Maafushi and want to enjoy some of the Maldives’ best marine life without breaking the bank—let’s dive into this amazing day at sea.

Read: The perfect 6-day Maldives Itinerary on a budget

Where to Stay in Maafushi

If you plan on staying in Maafushi, you’ll find a good range of guesthouses and boutique hotels. Most of them are close to the beach and offer breakfast, excursions, and sometimes even their own little restaurants. Here are two options we can recommend depending on your budget:

• (€):  Island Ambience: A cozy guesthouse with a friendly atmosphere, clean rooms, and a great location just a short walk from the bikini beach. Perfect if you’re looking for something simple but comfortable.
• (€€): Triton Prestige Seaview & Spa: A modern hotel with spacious rooms, sea views, and a small spa. It also has a rooftop pool, making it one of the best mid-range options on the island if you want a bit more comfort.

Here are all your accommodation options in Maafushi

Organising the tour

Organizing a Nurse Sharks tour in the Maldives is incredibly easy—there’s really no need to stress or plan ahead. Once you arrive at your accommodation, just ask about the tours running during your stay. They’ll usually have a full list and can help you book directly.

Nurse Sharks tour schedules may vary depending on the island, but if you’re staying on Maafushi—the most touristic local island in the Maldives—you’ll have plenty of options. Your hotel can likely arrange everything for you, or you can simply walk around town and choose from one of the many tour agencies. Honestly, they all offer similar experiences, so you can just go with the one that feels right.

Tip: We use the DJI Action 4 to film our vlogs — compact, durable, and perfect for capturing every adventure.

Cost of the tour

What you need to know is that there are a few variations of the Full Day Nurse Sharks & Stingray Tour. The standard version of the Nurse Sharks tour includes snorkeling with nurse sharks and stingrays, while other versions—like the one we did—also include a stop at a shipwreck for snorkeling, which was an incredible bonus.

No matter which version you choose, lunch on a sandbank is always part of the experience, and it’s honestly one of the highlights.

Cost-wise, expect to pay around $60 USD per person for the standard Nurse Sharks tour, and about $75 USD per person if it includes the shipwreck stop.

Here are all your accommodation options in Maafushi

When to Visit

The Maldives is a year-round destination with warm, tropical temperatures that stay fairly consistent. Expect daytime highs between 28°C and 32°C, and lows rarely dropping below 24°C.

There are two main seasons:

• Dry Season (November to April) – This is the peak travel season, especially January to April, which is the driest and sunniest time of year. The skies are blue, the seas are calm, and conditions are perfect for beach time, boat tours, and snorkeling. This is also the best time to snorkel with nurse sharks, as visibility is excellent and the sea is generally calm.
• Wet Season (May to October) – Rainfall increases during these months, particularly in June, but showers are usually short-lived. You’ll still get plenty of sunshine in between. This is the off-season, so it’s less crowded and more budget-friendly, but weather can be more unpredictable.

We personally visited at the end of March, and the weather was nearly perfect—we only had one cloudy day and a few light showers in the early morning or at night.

The best time to see nurse sharks in the Maldives is during the dry season, which runs from January to April. This is when:

• The water is clearest, with excellent visibility for snorkeling and diving.
• Seas are calm, making boat tours more comfortable and allowing easier access to popular nurse shark spots like Rasdhoo Atoll, Maafushi excursions, or Alimatha Jetty.
• Marine life is abundant, as calmer seas and sunny weather increase your chances of seeing not only nurse sharks but also stingrays, reef sharks, and vibrant coral life.

Nurse sharks can be seen year-round in the Maldives, but for the best overall experience—including ideal snorkeling conditions and reliable tour departures—the months of January to April are the most recommended.

Tip: We never travel without our DJI Mini 3 PRO drone anymore — it’s totally worth having to capture places from a whole new perspective.

Full Day Nurse Sharks and Stingray Tours

Beginning of the tour

You’ve got a big day ahead, so start with a hearty breakfast to fuel your adventure!

Once you’re ready, head down to your hotel lobby to grab your snorkeling gear and wait for the rest of the group. Most tours from Maafushi use speedboats, so you can expect a fast and fun ride across the turquoise waters.

After a short briefing and an overview of the day’s plan, you’ll hop on board and set off toward your first stop!

Nurse Sharks

It’s a fun ride, especially with music playing along the way. About 45 minutes later, you’ll arrive at the nurse shark spot. You’ll notice several boats gathered there, each feeding the sharks at the back to draw them in. It’s quite a sight—each boat seems to have its own group of Nurse Sharks swimming around.

Before getting in the water, your guide will likely ask you to go in one by one to take photos, then make space for the next person or group. That’s pretty much how the whole day goes—like a rotating photoshoot.

At first, it can feel a bit intense seeing so many Nurse Sharks up close, but soon you’ll realize they’re totally uninterested in you. Some even swim so close they brush against you. Just remember—don’t try to touch them.

If you’re into drone photography, keep in mind that launching drones might not always be allowed. We wanted to fly one, but were told we didn’t have time—though we actually left 20 minutes later, and other drones were already in the air. So if you’re keen, it’s worth checking again with your guide.

Here are all your accommodation options in Maafushi

Dolphins

Once you’re back on the boat, you’ll head toward the next stop—the shipwreck. On the way, keep your eyes open because many tours, including yours, will try to spot dolphins as a bonus. We were lucky enough to see a group swimming nearby, which made the ride even more special.

Tip: We use the DJI Action 4 to film our vlogs — compact, durable, and perfect for capturing every adventure.

Shipwreck

Once you arrive at the next stop, you’ll jump into the water for a bit of snorkeling around the shipwreck.

But to be honest, it gets quite crowded, and just like before, the focus tends to be on taking photos—one person or group at a time.

So instead, we recommend doing what we did: swim away from the crowd and head over to the reef right next to the wreck. That’s where the real magic happens. You’ll likely find yourself alone in the crystal-clear Maldivian waters, surrounded by warm seas, colorful fish, and some beautiful coral. A much more peaceful and authentic experience!

Here are all your accommodation options in Maafushi

Sandbank Lunch

Once you’re back on the boat, it’s time for lunch on a sandbank. Surprisingly, finding an empty one isn’t that easy—there are lots of boats and tours doing the same thing.

After a few tries, your crew will likely land on a small sandbank where they’ll set up sun umbrellas and hand out lunch boxes. If you’re vegetarian or have dietary preferences, make sure to let them know early. In our case, the “vegetarian” version was simply the same box without the meat—no eggs, fish, or alternatives.

Once lunch is done, you won’t have long to hang out. These sandbanks get swallowed up pretty fast by the rising tide, so it’s usually a quick stop before heading to the next adventure.

Stingrays

Your final stop on this full-day Maafushi Nurse Sharks trip is the island of Fulidhoo, where you’ll have the chance to observe—and even interact with—stingrays. This was hands down the most memorable part of the tour.

Being able to get in the water and gently touch the stingrays (while avoiding the area under their tail where the stinger is) is a unique experience. They’re surprisingly friendly and curious, often swimming right up to you.

Like earlier in the day, everyone gets their turn to stand in the center while the stingrays glide around. We even had a surprise visit from a sea turtle, adding to the magic of the moment. But even after your “turn,” the stingrays tend to swim freely, so you’ll still have plenty of interaction while watching from the side.

Eventually, it’s time to head back to Maafushi. Once you’re back, a quick shower and some downtime will feel amazing after a full day on and in the water—then head out for a well-earned dinner.

Read: The perfect 6-day Maldives Itinerary on a budget