Addu Atoll Guide: The Maldives' Deep South
Addu is the Maldives' southernmost atoll — south of the equator, shaped by a British air base era, and unique for islands connected by causeways you can cycle.
Ari Atoll Guide: Whale Sharks, Channels and Classic Maldives Diving
Lying west of the main atoll chain, Ari Atoll built its reputation on big animals — whale sharks along its southern rim and mantas at its cleaning stations.
Artificial Islands and Land Reclamation in the Maldives
In a country running out of ground, dredgers have become nation-builders — raising housing islands, expanding airports and stirring hard environmental questions.
Baa Atoll: The Maldives' UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
In 2011 UNESCO recognised Baa Atoll as a Biosphere Reserve — the first in the Maldives — for reefs and lagoons that host one of the world's great manta ray gatherings.
Dhigurah Island Guide: The Long Island Beside the Whale Sharks
Dhigurah means 'long island' — a three-kilometre ribbon of sand in South Ari Atoll whose outer reef belongs to whale shark territory.
Fuvahmulah: The Maldives' One-Island Atoll
Fuvahmulah stands alone in the ocean between Huvadhoo and Addu — a one-island atoll with lakes, taro fields and a global reputation for tiger shark diving.
Geography of the Maldives: Facts and Figures
Nearly all sea and barely any land: the essential numbers and features that define the Maldivian archipelago.
Hanifaru Bay Explained: Inside the World's Most Famous Manta Feeding Station
A dead-end lagoon smaller than a football stadium becomes, on the right tides, a soup of plankton dense enough to draw dozens or even hundreds of manta rays.
How Coral Atolls Form: The Geology Beneath the Maldives
Every Maldivian island stands on the summit of a drowned volcanic ridge, capped by thousands of metres of coral limestone laid down over millions of years.
Hulhumalé: The Artificial Island Reshaping the Maldives
Built on reclaimed lagoon beside the airport, Hulhumalé is the Maldives' answer to overcrowding in Malé — a planned city raised deliberately higher above the sea.
Local Islands vs Resort Islands in the Maldives: What's the Difference?
The Maldives runs two parallel tourism worlds — private resort islands and lived-in local islands — with different rules, prices and rewards.
Maafushi Guide: The Island That Launched Maldives Budget Travel
A short speedboat ride from Malé, Maafushi became the flagship of the Maldives' guesthouse movement, proving the islands could welcome travellers on ordinary budgets.
Malé City Guide: The Compact Capital of the Maldives
Malé packs government, commerce and centuries of history onto an island of barely two square kilometres, making it one of the most densely populated cities on Earth.
North Malé Atoll Guide: Where Maldives Tourism Began
The Maldives' tourism story started in North Malé Atoll in 1972, and the atoll remains the country's gateway, mixing the capital, the airport and dozens of resorts.
The Atolls of the Maldives Explained: 26 Natural Atolls, 20 Administrative Regions
The word 'atoll' itself comes from Dhivehi, the Maldivian language. Here is how the country's 26 natural atolls are organised and what distinguishes them.
Thulusdhoo Island Guide: Surf, Coca-Cola and Guesthouse Life
Thulusdhoo is best known for the powerful right-hander called Cokes breaking off its shore — and for the bottling plant that gave the wave its name.
Utheemu: The Island That Freed the Maldives
From this small northern island, Muhammad Thakurufaanu launched the guerrilla campaign that expelled the Portuguese in 1573 — the Maldives' defining national story.
Vaadhoo and the Sea of Stars: The Truth About Glowing Beaches
Viral photos made Vaadhoo island synonymous with glowing seas, yet bioluminescence is a phenomenon of conditions, not a fixed attraction of one beach.