The best hotels in Maafushi
Maafushi has exploded from a quiet local island to one of the Maldives' most-booked destinations, with 8,000+ options ranging from bare-bones guesthouses to full-on beachfront luxury. We reviewed the standouts. these 10 made the cut.
Our Top Picks in Maafushi
Click any hotel to check availability and book at the best price.
Summer Island Guesthouse
East Beach Road, Maafushi
Free cancellation & Pay later
Kaani Village Hotel
Bikini Beach End, Maafushi
Free cancellation & Pay later
Kaani Beach Hotel
Bikini Beach, Maafushi
Free cancellation & Pay later
Maafushi View Hotel
North End, Maafushi
Free cancellation & Pay later
Coco Beach Inn Maafushi
Central Beach Road, Maafushi
Free cancellation & Pay later
Reveries Diving Village
South Jetty Area, Maafushi
Free cancellation & Pay later
Reethi Maafushi
Lagoon Side, Maafushi
Free cancellation & Pay later
Arena Beach Hotel
Beachfront South, Maafushi
Free cancellation & Pay later
Maafushi Resort and Spa
Private Beach Zone, Maafushi
Free cancellation & Pay later
All Hotels Compared
Side-by-side comparison to help you pick the right hotel. Prices reflect shoulder season averages.
| # | Hotel | City & Area | Price/Night | Score | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maafushi Inn | Town Center, Maafushi | $45–75/night | 7.2/10 | Budget Pick |
| 2 | Summer Island Guesthouse | East Beach Road, Maafushi | $65–95/night | 7.8/10 | Best Value |
| 3 | Kaani Village Hotel | Bikini Beach End, Maafushi | $110–165/night | 8.6/10 | Most Popular |
| 4 | Kaani Beach Hotel | Bikini Beach, Maafushi | $130–185/night | 8.8/10 | Best Location |
| 5 | Maafushi View Hotel | North End, Maafushi | $145–200/night | 8.3/10 | Hidden Gem |
| 6 | Coco Beach Inn Maafushi | Central Beach Road, Maafushi | $155–210/night | 8.5/10 | Romantic Stay |
| 7 | Reveries Diving Village | South Jetty Area, Maafushi | $175–230/night | 9/10 | Top Rated |
| 8 | Reethi Maafushi | Lagoon Side, Maafushi | $195–250/night | 8.7/10 | Family Friendly |
| 9 | Arena Beach Hotel | Beachfront South, Maafushi | $265–360/night | 9.1/10 | Luxury Pick |
| 10 | Maafushi Resort and Spa | Private Beach Zone, Maafushi | $320–480/night | 9.3/10 | Top Rated |
Why These Hotels Made Our List
Every hotel earned its spot. Here's exactly why we picked each one.
Maafushi Inn
A straightforward guesthouse right in the heart of Maafushi town, walking distance from the local bikini beach. Rooms are basic but clean, with air conditioning and hot water that actually works. The staff are friendly and helpful with arranging snorkeling trips and airport transfers. Do not expect resort-level finishes, but for the price on a Maldivian island this is hard to beat.
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Summer Island Guesthouse
This small family-run guesthouse sits on the quieter east side of Maafushi, about a five-minute walk from the main jetty. Rooms are tidy and comfortable, and the owners go out of their way to arrange diving excursions and island-hopping day trips. Breakfast is included and fills you up well for a morning on the water. The location keeps you close to local cafes and shops without the noise of the busier tourist strip.
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Kaani Village Hotel
Kaani Village is one of the most established guesthouses on Maafushi, positioned right at the bikini beach end of the island for easy beach access. The rooms are well-maintained with a clean modern feel, and the dive school on site is genuinely excellent. Staff communicate well and get excursion bookings sorted quickly. This is a reliable choice if you want comfort without paying resort prices in the Maldives.
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Kaani Beach Hotel
Kaani Beach Hotel sits directly on the designated bikini beach, so the sand is literally a few steps from the lobby. Rooms facing the ocean are worth the small upgrade cost for the morning light alone. The in-house restaurant serves decent Maldivian and international food at reasonable prices for the location. It books out fast in peak season so reserve well in advance.
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Maafushi View Hotel
Situated at the quieter north end of the island, Maafushi View Hotel gets fewer walk-in visitors and benefits from a more relaxed atmosphere. The upper-floor rooms have good views over the lagoon and the sunsets here are genuinely impressive. The hotel arranges good-value snorkeling and manta ray trips through a trusted local operator. A solid choice for couples who want peace without total isolation.
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Coco Beach Inn Maafushi
Coco Beach Inn is a compact boutique property on the central beach road, popular with couples on a shorter Maldives trip. The rooms are decorated with more care than most guesthouses on the island, with good linens and proper blackout curtains. The rooftop terrace is a great spot for evening drinks and star-gazing over the Indian Ocean. Staff are attentive without being intrusive, which makes a real difference on a small island stay.
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Reveries Diving Village
Reveries is consistently one of the highest-rated properties on Maafushi, built around a serious diving operation near the south jetty. The dive instructors here are experienced and patient, making it a top pick for beginners and certified divers alike. Rooms are spacious by local standards, with good air conditioning and fast Wi-Fi. The communal dining area creates a social atmosphere where guests swap trip recommendations over dinner.
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Reethi Maafushi
Reethi Maafushi is one of the larger guesthouse properties on the island, with enough room for families traveling with children. The lagoon-side location means calm, shallow water close by, which is far safer for kids than the open ocean side. Rooms are well-sized and the family suite configuration works well for four people. The breakfast spread is one of the better ones in Maafushi, with fresh fruit, eggs, and local options every morning.
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Arena Beach Hotel
Arena Beach Hotel sits on the southern beachfront and represents the upper tier of what a Maafushi guesthouse can offer, with a polished finish that feels closer to a small resort. The premium rooms have private terraces overlooking the beach and the water color here is extraordinary on a clear day. The hotel runs a full-service spa and the food and beverage quality is notably better than most competitors on the island. For travelers who want the Maldives experience without full resort isolation, this delivers well.
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Maafushi Resort and Spa
This is the most upscale accommodation operating out of Maafushi, with a private beach section, overwater bungalow-style suites, and a full spa facility. The rooms are genuinely luxurious with floor-to-ceiling ocean views and private plunge pools on the premium category. The restaurant serves both Maldivian and international cuisine at a high standard, with fresh seafood sourced daily. It costs significantly more than anything else on the island but delivers a level of service and comfort that justifies the price for a special occasion trip.
Check AvailabilityWhere to Stay in Maafushi
The neighborhood you pick matters more than the hotel.
Bikini Beach vs. Town Center: which side to pick
Bikini Beach is the tourist heartland. Hotels along Bikini Beach and Bikini Beach End get you direct access to the island's only tourist-designated swimming and sunbathing zone, where a cold drink and a sun lounger are actually possible. The trade-off: you pay $30-60/night more than equivalent rooms near Town Center.
Town Center is where locals actually live and eat. Budget options like Maafushi Inn are here, and you're a 10-minute walk to Bikini Beach. not far at all. If you're on a tight budget or spending most of your time on dive boats anyway, the walk is genuinely not a big deal.
The diving scene: what no one tells you before you book
Most guesthouses in Maafushi partner with a dive school, but the quality varies wildly. Reveries Diving Village at South Jetty Area runs its own PADI operation with a serious fleet and instructors who know the Embudu Channel currents. That's a real advantage over booking a random shop on the beach strip.
If diving is your primary reason for coming, build your accommodation choice around the dive operator, not the other way around. Staying on South Jetty Area shaves 10 minutes off your morning boat transfer, which adds up over a week. A two-tank day trip to Guraidhoo Corner runs $80-100 from most operators.
Budget Maafushi: how to do it properly
The $45-75/night bracket is real and livable. Maafushi Inn at Town Center gives you a clean room, air conditioning, and decent Wi-Fi at the bottom end of that range. You won't get a pool or a beach view, but you'll spend the difference on dive trips or island-hopping day tours.
Eat on the market street near Town Center. Local cafés there serve tuna curry, short eats, and rice dishes for $3-8. Skip the tourist-facing restaurants near Bikini Beach, which charge Malé prices for the same food.
Shoulder season in Maafushi: the honest case for going in May or October
May and October sit at the edges of the southwest monsoon. Rain comes in fast squalls, not all-day downpours. Sea temperatures hold at 27-29°C and underwater visibility is still 15-20 meters on most days. Hotel prices drop sharply: rooms at Kaani Beach Hotel that run $185/night in January can drop to $130 in October.
The crowds thin out noticeably after Eid season ends, which usually falls in late March or early April. Bikini Beach in May feels completely different from Bikini Beach in January. If you want the island to yourself and don't mind a grey sky or two, shoulder season is the move.
Romantic stays in Maafushi: skip the overpriced packages
Coco Beach Inn on Central Beach Road has a genuine couples atmosphere without the full resort price tag at $155-210/night. It's about 5 minutes walk to Bikini Beach and the rooms face the water. The 'romance packages' offered by some resorts in Male' are a markup on things you can arrange yourself for a fraction of the price.
A private snorkeling trip arranged through your guesthouse typically costs $40-60 for two people. Sunset is best watched from the North Tip sandbank. most guesthouses can arrange a transfer there for around $15. That's your sunset excursion, no overpriced package required.
What to know about the island's layout before you arrive
Maafushi runs roughly north to south. The North End is quieter and less touristy. Maafushi View Hotel sits up there. Central Beach Road runs through the middle and has the best mix of access and price. The South Jetty Area is where the dive boats leave from and where Reveries sits.
There are no taxis on the island. Everything is on foot or bicycle. Guesthouses can usually rent you a bike for $5-10/day, which makes the 15-minute end-to-end walk irrelevant. Bring cash for bike rentals and local cafés. card machines are unreliable outside the bigger hotels.
Maafushi's best neighborhoods
Bikini Beach is where you want to be. Everything worth doing in Maafushi is within a 10-minute walk of that strip, and the hotels here are genuinely better value than the North End equivalents.
Bikini Beach & Bikini Beach End 2 vetted hotels The best address on the island for beach access and convenience.
The best address on the island for beach access and convenience.
This is the zone everyone wants to be in, and it earns that reputation. Bikini Beach is the only designated tourist beach on Maafushi, where swimwear, sunbathing, and some alcohol service are permitted. Kaani Beach Hotel sits directly on the sand here at $130-185/night, and Kaani Village Hotel is at the southern end of the zone for $110-165/night.
The 4-minute walk between these two properties is the main difference in price. Kaani Beach Hotel wins on pure location. your feet are in the sand within 90 seconds of leaving your room. Kaani Village Hotel is better if you want to save $20-30/night and still be close enough to walk over in minutes.
Avoid booking anything that claims Bikini Beach proximity but sits east of the main road. Those properties are a 10-minute walk from the actual beach, not the 2-minute stroll advertised. Check Google Maps coordinates before confirming.
South Jetty Area & Lagoon Side 2 vetted hotels For divers and families who want calm water and serious service.
For divers and families who want calm water and serious service.
The South Jetty Area is where the speedboats and dive dhonis leave from every morning. Reveries Diving Village is based here with a 9.0 rating and rates from $175/night, making it the best dive-focused accommodation on the island by a clear margin. Reethi Maafushi on the adjacent Lagoon Side caters to families with kids, with protected shallow water right outside.
The lagoon side of Maafushi is calmer than the open-water east side. Kids swim here safely and the snorkeling just off the Lagoon Side shore turns up reef fish regularly without needing a boat. Reethi Maafushi rates start at $195/night, and the extra cost over mid-range options is justified by the water access alone.
This region is about 8 minutes walk to Bikini Beach, which isn't far. But if your priorities are early morning dive boats and peaceful lagoon swims rather than beach bar proximity, this is the right end of the island for you.
Central Beach Road & Beachfront South 2 vetted hotels Mid-range to luxury, right in the heart of the action.
Mid-range to luxury, right in the heart of the action.
Central Beach Road runs through the middle of Maafushi's tourist strip and has some of the island's best value-to-access ratios. Coco Beach Inn sits here at $155-210/night with a romantic atmosphere and a 5-minute walk to Bikini Beach. It's the sweet spot for couples who want comfort without resort prices.
Arena Beach Hotel at Beachfront South steps up the luxury considerably. At $265-360/night with a 9.1 rating, it's the second-highest rated property we've listed and the most upscale option before you hit Maafushi Resort and Spa. The beachfront positioning here is genuine, not a marketing exaggeration.
This stretch of the island is also the most walkable for evening dining. The tourist café strip along Central Beach Road has around 8 restaurants within a 3-minute walk of each other, ranging from $6 local plates to $20 Western-style mains.
Town Center & East Beach Road 2 vetted hotels Budget-friendly and local, with everything you need and nothing you don't.
Budget-friendly and local, with everything you need and nothing you don't.
This is where Maafushi actually lives. The market street near Town Center has the best local food on the island, and guesthouses here cost a fraction of what you'd pay near Bikini Beach. Maafushi Inn sits in Town Center at $45-75/night, and Summer Island Guesthouse on East Beach Road runs $65-95/night.
Summer Island Guesthouse earns its Best Value badge honestly. The East Beach Road location puts you about 8 minutes from Bikini Beach on foot and a 5-minute walk from the South Jetty Area for dive pickups. At $65-95/night, that access-to-price ratio is hard to beat anywhere in the Maldives.
The east-facing shore near East Beach Road is a local beach, not a tourist beach, so swimwear rules apply there. That's not a dealbreaker. it just means Bikini Beach is your destination for actual swimming. For budget travelers spending most of their time on excursions anyway, this whole area makes perfect practical sense.
North End & Private Beach Zone 2 vetted hotels Quiet, removed, and home to the island's most premium stays.
Quiet, removed, and home to the island's most premium stays.
The North End is the quiet end of Maafushi. fewer tourists, less foot traffic, and a noticeably slower pace. Maafushi View Hotel sits here with rates from $145/night and a 8.3 rating. It's a genuinely good option if you want space and don't mind the 12-15 minute walk to Bikini Beach.
The Private Beach Zone is exactly what it sounds like. Maafushi Resort and Spa claims this territory at $320-480/night with the island's highest rating of 9.3. You get a dedicated private beach that the rest of the island can't access, a full spa, and a level of service that actually justifies the price difference over mid-range properties.
The North End can feel isolated if you're the type who wants constant access to cafés and activity. But for guests at the Resort and Spa, that's the point. The isolation is the product. Just don't book Maafushi View Hotel expecting the same private-beach setup. it's a good mid-range property, not a resort.
Best Areas by Vibe
Tell us how you travel and we'll point you to the right part of Maafushi.
Romantic
Coco Beach Inn on Central Beach Road is the go-to: good water views, a couples-first atmosphere, and close enough to Bikini Beach for sunset walks without paying full resort prices. Rates from $155/night.
Culture
Town Center is the real Maafushi. local mosque, market street, and a pace of life that has nothing to do with tourism. Stay at Maafushi Inn and you're actually inside a functioning Maldivian community, not just adjacent to one.
Family
Reethi Maafushi on the Lagoon Side has calm, shallow water right outside and enough space for families to breathe. Kids swim safely in the lagoon without needing a boat, and the staff are genuinely used to dealing with families.
Budget
East Beach Road and Town Center are your zones. Summer Island Guesthouse and Maafushi Inn deliver clean, comfortable rooms from $45/night, with the market street's local cafés feeding you for under $8 a meal.
Beach
Bikini Beach is the only real answer: Kaani Beach Hotel sits directly on the sand with the island's best beachfront access and a 9-second walk to a sun lounger. No other area on the island comes close for pure beach convenience.
Foodie
The tourist café strip along Central Beach Road has 8 restaurants in a 3-minute stretch, but the real eating is one block inland near the market in Town Center, where tuna curry and local short eats cost a third of beach-road prices.
Location Quality
Is the neighborhood walkable? Are restaurants, shops, and attractions within 10 minutes on foot? How does it feel after dark? We evaluate safety, public transport access, and whether the area has genuine local character or just tourist traps. A hotel in the wrong neighborhood ruins a trip. That's why location carries the most weight.
Value for Money
We compare what you pay against what you get. A €150 hotel with a great location, clean rooms, and helpful staff can outscore a €500 hotel with fancy amenities in a bad area. We factor in seasonal pricing, cancellation policies, and hidden costs like tourist tax and breakfast surcharges. The goal is finding the best ratio, not the lowest price.
Guest Experience
We analyze thousands of verified guest reviews across multiple platforms, looking for patterns rather than individual complaints. Consistent praise for cleanliness, staff, and room quality counts. We also assess the intangibles: does the hotel have character? Would you recommend it to a friend? A soul-less chain hotel with perfect facilities still loses to a well-run boutique with personality.
When to Visit Maafushi
When to visit Maafushi and what to pay.
Peak Season (Dec-Apr)
This is the dry northeast monsoon period. Seas are calm, visibility underwater hits 25-30 meters, and Bikini Beach is genuinely beautiful. Every guesthouse fills up fast. properties near Bikini Beach sell out 6-8 weeks in advance for January and February. Book by October if you want Kaani Beach Hotel or Arena Beach Hotel in peak months.
Shoulder Season (May & Nov)
May and November are the transition months. Rain appears but rarely ruins a day, and the sea is still diveable most mornings. Prices drop 20-35% across the board: Kaani Beach Hotel at $130-150/night instead of $185, Reveries Diving Village around $145 instead of $175. Bikini Beach is quieter and the dive sites around Embudu Channel are less crowded.
Monsoon Season (Jun-Aug)
Southwest monsoon is the cheapest time to visit. Budget guesthouses near Town Center drop to $45-55/night and even Coco Beach Inn can be found under $130. Diving is still possible but check sea state daily. some surface transfers to outer sites like Guraidhoo Corner get cancelled on rough days. If you're flexible and budget-focused, this is the window.
Post-Monsoon (Sep-Oct)
October sees the island wake back up before the peak rush. Prices tick upward from monsoon lows but haven't hit December levels yet. Sea conditions improve noticeably through October and visibility climbs back toward 20 meters at Embudu Channel. It's genuinely one of the better windows for diving without crowds, though Eid timing can shift demand unpredictably depending on the year.
Booking Tips for Maafushi
Insider tips for booking hotels in Maafushi.
Book Bikini Beach hotels by October for January travel
Kaani Beach Hotel and Arena Beach Hotel on Bikini Beach and Beachfront South sell out 6-8 weeks before peak dates. Maafushi doesn't have a huge supply of genuinely beachfront rooms. maybe 40-60 across the whole island. If you're planning a December-February trip, October booking is the cutoff, not 'a few weeks before.'
Arrange the speedboat transfer, not the public ferry
The public ferry from Vilingili Ferry Terminal in Malé costs about $3 but runs only twice daily at fixed times. A speedboat transfer runs $25-40 per person and takes 35 minutes versus 90 minutes on the ferry. Most guesthouses on Central Beach Road and Bikini Beach will coordinate the pickup from the airport jetty if you email 48 hours ahead.
Eat on the market street, not the beach strip
The tourist restaurants along Central Beach Road and Bikini Beach charge $15-22 for a main course. The local cafés on the market street near Town Center serve the same tuna-based Maldivian dishes for $4-8. It's a 10-minute walk from Bikini Beach and worth every step. Ask your guesthouse to point you toward the best one. they all have a favourite.
Bring cash for the local economy
Card machines at budget guesthouses in Town Center and East Beach Road are unreliable. Even Summer Island Guesthouse occasionally has connectivity issues. Bring enough USD or MVR for bike rentals ($5-10/day), café meals, and small boat trips. $100-150 in cash beyond your hotel prepayment covers most contingencies for a week.
Respect the two-beach system
Bikini Beach is zoned for tourists and swimwear. The rest of Maafushi's shoreline operates under Maldivian local customs. cover up when you leave the tourist zone. This isn't optional, and it's not a gray area. The eastern shore near East Beach Road and the North End beach are local beaches. Getting this wrong creates real friction with residents.
Monsoon doesn't mean no diving. check the site, not the season
June-August sees the southwest monsoon, but Guraidhoo Corner and sites on the atoll's eastern edge often stay diveable when western sites are rough. Reveries Diving Village at South Jetty Area switches its site rotation based on conditions and their guides know which corners of the atoll stay protected. Don't cancel a June trip just because of the word 'monsoon.' Call the dive centre first.
Hotels in Maafushi — FAQ
Everything you need to know before booking hotels in Maafushi.
What's the best area to stay in Maafushi?
Bikini Beach is the obvious answer, and it's obvious for good reason. Hotels along Bikini Beach and Bikini Beach End put you within 3 minutes of the only alcohol-permitted beach zone on the island. The Central Beach Road area is a solid second choice, about a 7-minute walk to Bikini Beach, with noticeably lower prices.
How do I get from Malé to Maafushi?
The public ferry from Malé's Vilingili Ferry Terminal runs twice daily and costs around $3 per person. It takes roughly 1.5 hours. Speedboat transfers from Malé or the airport run $25-40 per person and get you there in about 35 minutes. Most guesthouses can arrange the speedboat pickup if you ask 24 hours ahead.
Is Maafushi good for budget travelers?
Yes, genuinely. You can find a decent room near Town Center for $45-75/night, which is unheard of in the Maldives otherwise. Maafushi Inn on Town Center Road is the clearest proof of that. Eat at the local cafés on the main market street and you'll spend under $10 on a meal.
Are there any areas to avoid in Maafushi?
The far North End has a couple of guesthouses that aren't worth the walk. You're 15-20 minutes from Bikini Beach on foot, and the price savings rarely justify the distance. Stick to Central Beach Road and southward for the best access-to-price balance.
Can you drink alcohol in Maafushi?
Maafushi is a local Maldivian island, so alcohol isn't sold freely. Some hotels. mainly the higher-end ones near Bikini Beach and the South Jetty Area. have arrangements for guests. Check before you book. The beach bar scene at Bikini Beach is limited but exists through licensed guesthouses.
When is the best time to visit Maafushi?
December through April is peak season with calm seas, visibility up to 30 meters underwater, and temperatures holding at 28-31°C. Expect hotel prices to hit $130-250/night for mid-range options. May-October brings the southwest monsoon, prices drop to $65-150/night, and the diving is still great. just choppier on surface transfers.
Is Maafushi good for diving?
It's one of the best-value dive bases in the entire Maldives. Reveries Diving Village on South Jetty Area is built specifically around it, with direct boat access to sites like Guraidhoo Corner and Embudu Channel within 20-40 minutes. A two-tank dive typically runs $80-100 including equipment through the guesthouses on the South Jetty strip.
What's the difference between Kaani Village Hotel and Kaani Beach Hotel?
Kaani Beach Hotel sits directly on Bikini Beach and costs $130-185/night. Kaani Village Hotel is at Bikini Beach End, about 4 minutes further inland, and runs $110-165/night. The Beach property wins on location. The Village property wins if you're watching spend but still want to be in the Bikini Beach zone.
Are there family-friendly hotels in Maafushi?
Reethi Maafushi on the Lagoon Side is the strongest family option, with calm water access right from the property and rates from $195/night. The lagoon-facing position means shallow, protected swimming about 2 minutes from the rooms. Kids under 12 often stay free, but confirm directly with the hotel.
What's the most luxurious hotel in Maafushi?
Maafushi Resort and Spa in the Private Beach Zone tops the list at $320-480/night, with a 9.3 rating to back it up. It has a dedicated private beach, spa, and the kind of service that justifies spending twice what you'd pay at Coco Beach Inn. Arena Beach Hotel at Beachfront South is the next tier down at $265-360/night and still feels genuinely luxurious.
How big is Maafushi island and how long does it take to walk end to end?
Maafushi is tiny: about 1.2 km long and 400 meters wide. Walking from the North End to the South Jetty Area takes roughly 15 minutes at a casual pace. That's the entire island, which means location matters less here than on larger islands, but Bikini Beach access still separates the good hotel positions from the average ones.
Do I need to dress conservatively in Maafushi?
Yes, outside of the designated tourist beach areas. Bikini Beach is specifically zoned for swimwear and tourists. Everywhere else. the market street, Town Center, the local mosque near the North End. you're expected to cover shoulders and knees. This applies to men too, not just women.