The designated visitors' beach runs for about a kilometre, roughly a third of the shoreline, with the reef crest around fifty metres out. There is room for a walk beside the water, with village cafés close by when you want lunch.
Come for the beach. Leave knowing the island.
Ukulhas is a small inhabited island in North Ari Atoll: a beach down one side, a harbour at the end of the village, shops and cafés a few streets apart. The beach, cafés and harbour are close enough to explore on foot.
The beach is the reason most people come. The rest of the island is what they remember: the boats coming in, the shops opening, people going to work on an island with its own daily life.
About a kilometre of sand
The beach and the reef are public. Islanders use them too.
The water around Ukulhas
Boats go out from the harbour to look for mantas, which our crews see through the year and on most manta trips. Other boats look for turtles and dolphins, or run the longer route south to South Ari for whale sharks. Nothing in the sea is promised, and the captain confirms every departure based on the day's conditions.
An island that is easy to explore
- You can go back and forth all day. Swim early, come back to the room when the heat builds, return to the sand before sunset. From Nala Veli Beach & Spa the beach is a minute on foot; from the Villa, less than two minutes.
- The reef starts at the beach. When conditions allow, you can snorkel straight off the visitors' beach. The boats take you further out.
- Island life continues around you. Try a café, look around the shops, watch the boats unload, take a different street home.
Island customs
Cover shoulders and knees in the village. Swimwear belongs on the visitors' beach, which is the designated bikini beach. No alcohol is served anywhere on Ukulhas, Nala Bistro included. Some places keep different opening hours around prayer times and on Fridays.
Ukulhas manages its waste carefully to protect the reef; help by keeping litter off the sand and the streets.
Getting here
The scheduled Coral Speedboat from Malé takes around 90 minutes, depending on the sea and the timetable.
Where to stay on Ukulhas
Nala Veli Beach & Spa
a 26-room boutique beachfront hotel, directly behind Nala Bistro.
Nala Veli Villa
a six-room guesthouse with a garden, less than two minutes' walk from the beach.
Questions about Ukulhas
Do we need transport on the island?
The beach, shops, cafés and harbour are within walking distance. If walking is difficult, speak to us about your needs before choosing your stay.
Can we snorkel from the beach?
When conditions allow, yes. Ask us about the day's sea, tide and wind before you go in.
Does the monsoon affect the beach?
The beach faces south-west, so it is more exposed during the south-west monsoon.
A kilometre of sand and a village behind it
Stay close enough to the water for another swim, and close enough to the village to get to know it. Explore our two stays to find your place on Ukulhas.