03Islands & Atolls

Atoll south of the capital

South Malé and local Maafushi

South Malé Atoll lies south of the capital within Kaafu administratively. Maafushi is one of its inhabited islands; the island is about 1.275 kilometres long and is among the islands visitors seek for local guesthouses after regulatory changes from around 2009 allowed wider stays beyond resort islands. Beaches are sandy and the water shallow near the edge, and the scene feels closer to a Maldivian island street than to a closed resort. From Malé or the airport you reach it by boat in less time than farther atolls such as Ari or Baa require. That makes South Malé a choice for beach and reef without full-island isolation. Do not call Maafushi “the capital” or “Baa Atoll”: it is an island inside South Malé Atoll. Two to three days cover the beach and a nearby outing, with snorkelling from the edge when the sea allows. Aerial views of neighbouring islands show how inhabited and low islands sit together inside the same reefs.

1.275

Maafushi length