What an atoll is
An atoll is a ring of coral reef, usually round or oval, around an open lagoon, with islands along the reef. Every island in the Maldives is made of coral. The English word comes from Dhivehi, the Maldivian language: atholhu.
The Maldives in numbers
| What | Number |
|---|---|
| Natural atolls | 26 |
| Administrative atolls | 20 |
| Islands | 1,192 |
| Inhabited islands | 187, Malé included |
| Resorts in operation | About 180 |
| From north to south | About 870 km |
From north to south
The atolls run from Haa Alifu in the north to Addu, just south of the equator. Rain increases from north to south: the southern atolls get about 2,200 mm a year, the northern atolls about 1,800 mm. The monsoon seasons are felt most in the north.
Tropical cyclones rarely reach the Maldives. The northern atolls are the more exposed; in the south the risk is very low.
Distance and transfers
Resorts closer to Malé are reached by speedboat; others by seaplane, or by a domestic flight to one of the country’s regional airports, sometimes with a short boat ride after it. Which one depends on the resort. About a third of the country’s resort beds are in Kaafu Atoll.
The further the atoll, the more the transfer shapes the first and last day of the trip. Seaplane or speedboat? explains how each works.
Reefs and marine life
Which atoll you choose also decides what lives on the reefs nearby. Mantas gather in Hanifaru Bay, in Baa Atoll, a biosphere reserve, between about May and November. Whale sharks are seen around South Ari Atoll all year. Across the country, mantas feed mostly on the eastern sides of the atolls in the southwest monsoon, and on the western sides in the northeast monsoon.
Choosing an atoll
Most people choose the resort, and the atoll follows. It is worth turning that round when:
- Your flight lands late: an island close to Malé, reached by speedboat.
- You want to see mantas: Baa Atoll, for Hanifaru Bay from about May to November.
- You want to swim with whale sharks: South Ari Atoll, all year.
- The stay is short: the shorter the transfer, the more of it you spend on the island.
Tell us what matters most, and we suggest islands in the atolls that fit.