Area in Hulhumale’ Phase II declared a tourist beach

Guesthouse Association of Maldives (GAM), on Monday, announced it had been granted permission by Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to use a designated area from the eastern beach of Hulhumale’ Phase II for tourists vacationing at guesthouses in Hulhumale’.

GAM said the discussions towards securing the beach area for tourist use had been partaken by representatives from GAM, HDC and guesthouse operators.

It said that an area from the eastern beach of Hulhumale’ Phase II had now been declared a ‘tourist beach’, and was now dedicated for the use of tourists from 6 am to 6 pm.

GAM has instructed those who use the tourist beach to keep the area clean, and take care to avoid disturbing other beachgoers.

It has also stresses that while no fee will be charged for the use of the beach area, Hulhumale’ Phase II was a construction site, and that guesthouses therefore had a responsibility to ascertain the safety of its guests who use the beach.

Guesthouses who wish to take tourists to the tourist beach have been asked to make formal requests with HDC.

Maldives currently has a 30-day state of public health emergency in effect over the COVID-19 pandemic, under which it has imposed a 14-day suspension on all excursions; a 14-day suspension on check-in of international tourists to guesthouses and city hotels in Male’ City, Hulhumale’, and Vilimale’; and a 14-day suspension on travel to or from any tourist resort to residential islands.

13 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maldives, all of whom are foreign nationals who were either working or vacationing in resorts. Of the 13 people, five were from Kuredu Island Resort, two from Island Safari-1, two from Sandies Bathala, two from Kuramathi Island Resort, and two from Anantara Dhigu.