About

The house

Two storeys of lime-plastered coral stone and reclaimed timber on the quiet south side of Maafushi, built between 2019 and 2023.

Built over four years

Driftwood began as a family house on the south side of Maafushi and was extended one room at a time between 2019 and 2023.

The builders used coral stone salvaged from old island walls and teak from retired fishing boats. The furniture was made on the island. There are twelve rooms around a garden with a small pool, and the roof terrace looks west over the lagoon.

We keep it at twelve rooms so that breakfast is served at the table, the reef is never crowded and every guest is met at the jetty by someone from the house.

Materials

Stone, teak and linen

Teak pavilion, garden courtyard
Reclaimed teak
Floors, beds and shutters are made from the hulls of retired fishing boats, planed and oiled by a carpenter on the island.
Lime plaster, east wall
Coral stone and lime plaster
The walls are coral stone from old island walls, finished in lime plaster by hand. They stay cool through the afternoon.
Linen, Reef View Room
Washed linen
Every bed is made with stone-washed linen, dried on the roof terrace and changed every three days, or daily on request.

A local island from the air: rooftops, gardens and a turquoise lagoon — Kaafu Atoll from the air

The island

Maafushi

Maafushi is a local island in Kaafu Atoll, about 1.3 km long, with a school, a mosque, a harbour and around three thousand residents. In 2010 it was one of the first local islands in the Maldives to open guesthouses.

Local islands have local rules. Swimwear is worn on the bikini beach, the sandbank and boat trips. Elsewhere on the island, shoulders and knees are covered, and there is no alcohol on the island.

Getting here

The people

Who runs the house

Fictional, like the rest of Driftwood. These are the people who would run a house like this one.

Aisha
Runs the house
Looks after bookings, arrivals and anything you need during your stay. She answers WhatsApp from 8am to 10pm.
Ibrahim
Reef guide
Has guided on the house reef for twenty years and leads the morning snorkel.
Mariyam
Breakfast
Prepares breakfast every morning: mas huni, roshi, fruit and eggs to order. Coffee from 7am.
Hassan
Boats
Captains the sandbank and dolphin trips and checks the sea before each one.

Driftwood at a glance

Where: Driftwood is a 12-room guesthouse on Maafushi, a local island in Kaafu Atoll, Maldives.
The reef: The house reef is 2 minutes from the front door on foot.
Rooms: 4 room types: Reef View Room from $180, Garden Suite from $220, Beachfront Room from $240, Rooftop Suite from $260 a night.
Included: Breakfast, Wi-Fi, beach towels and snorkel bags are included. Rates start at $180 a night before taxes.
Getting here: The shared speedboat from Velana International Airport (MLE) takes 35 to 45 minutes and costs about $30 per person, each way.
Best months: December to April is dry and calm but busiest. May to October is the quiet season with the lowest rates.
Policies: Check-in from 2pm, check-out by 12pm. Free cancellation up to 7 days before check-in.