Baa and Raa sit next to each other north-west of Malé, beyond the reach of most day trips from the capital. Together they hold one of the country’s largest concentrations of resort islands: the Ministry of Tourism counted 17 resorts in each atoll at the end of 2024. Baa, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is also home to Hanifaru Bay, where manta rays gather to feed in season.
Guesthouse options are far fewer than in Ari or Kaafu and are concentrated in Baa: the same figures show 74 guesthouses in Baa and only 6 in Raa. This guide compares Dharavandhoo, Goidhoo Atoll, the Baa Atoll Resort Islands and the Raa Atoll Resort Islands, and explains how transfers work.
In this guide
How Baa and Raa are laid out
Baa is the administrative name for South Maalhosmadulu Atoll, plus the small separate atolls of Fasdhūtherē and Goidhoo, which Admiralty charts call Horsburgh Atoll. Eydhafushi is the capital. Raa, to the north, is North Maalhosmadulu, with Ungoofaaru as its capital. The two form one long chain of reefs, and Lhaviyani lies to the east.
Baa Atoll was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2011, and Hanifaru Bay has been a marine protected area since 2009. The island of Dharavandhoo, next to Hanifaru, has a domestic airport that opened in 2012. Raa has its own domestic airport at Ifuru, and MTCC’s Raajje Transport Link ferries now connect Raa’s inhabited islands. Goidhoo Atoll lies south of Baa across a channel of about 10 kilometres.
Compare live rates and availability in Baa & Raa Atolls
Before reading the island-by-island notes below, the map gives a live picture of what is bookable around Baa & Raa Atolls for your dates.
Affiliate disclosure: the map is supplied by Stay22 and shows live availability and prices from independent booking sites. Maldives Travel Guide may earn a commission on a qualifying booking, at no extra cost to you. We do not set prices, hold availability or take payment, and inclusion on the map is not a recommendation.
Dharavandhoo: next door to Hanifaru Bay
Dharavandhoo is a small inhabited island of about a thousand people, with Hanifaru Bay and the dive site Dharavandhoo Thila close by. Its airport gives it a domestic-flight connection to Malé, which is rare for a guesthouse island. In manta season, guesthouses here are a practical base for Hanifaru snorkelling trips, which run under strict visitor limits.
It works if mantas are the main reason for your trip, you would rather fly than take a long speedboat crossing, or you want a local-island base inside the biosphere reserve.
It works less well if you are visiting outside the manta season and want lots to do on the island, or you want a wide choice of guesthouses and restaurants. Hanifaru access is limited and cannot be guaranteed on any given day.
Hanifaru Bay is snorkel-only; scuba diving is not permitted. The management rules limit the number of boats and visitors in the bay at one time, require guides, and charge an entry fee that funds conservation in Baa. The season runs roughly from May to December, during the southwest monsoon (as checked September 2026). Book trips through licensed operators and follow your guide’s instructions.
Goidhoo Atoll: Goidhoo, Fehendhoo and Fulhadhoo
Goidhoo Atoll is a small, separate atoll south of Baa with three inhabited islands: Goidhoo, Fehendhoo and Fulhadhoo. Each is small, with a few hundred residents and a limited number of guesthouses. Visitors come for quiet beaches, simple village life and snorkelling, rather than for a busy excursion programme.
It works if you want remoteness without the cost of a resort, you are happy with simple facilities, or you want to add a few quiet nights to a Baa stay.
It works less well if you need regular transport, many dining options or easy access to Hanifaru Bay. Transfers need planning well ahead, and swimwear rules are taken seriously on these islands.
In March 2026 Fulhadhoo’s island council announced fines for guesthouses whose guests break swimwear rules in public areas (as checked September 2026). Wear swimwear only on the designated tourist beach and cover up elsewhere.
Baa Atoll Resort Islands
Baa’s resort islands spread across the biosphere reserve, many within boat range of Hanifaru Bay. Each resort is its own island, arranges its own transfer and sets its own meal plans. This catch-all also includes Baa’s other local islands, such as Eydhafushi, that are not separate destinations on the site. When comparing resorts, ask how they run Hanifaru trips in season, what the house reef is like, and whether transfers are by seaplane or via Dharavandhoo airport.
It works if you want a resort with manta-season excursions, you are drawn to the biosphere setting, or you want a remote feel within a reasonable seaplane flight of Malé.
It works less well if you are arriving late in the day, because seaplanes fly only in daylight, or transfer costs are a concern. Outside manta season, the atoll’s headline attraction is quieter.
Raa Atoll Resort Islands
Raa is overwhelmingly a resort atoll, with few guesthouses. Resorts are reached by seaplane or by a domestic flight to Ifuru and then a boat. Raa’s inhabited islands are mostly fishing and farming communities with little tourist infrastructure, so this destination covers the resort islands and any local-island stays across the atoll.
It works if you want a resort in a less busy part of the country, or you want a domestic-flight option via Ifuru so that your arrival does not depend on daylight seaplane timing.
It works less well if you want local-island guesthouses or easy access to Hanifaru Bay, which is in Baa. A day trip from Raa to Hanifaru depends on the resort and on conditions.
Baa and Raa’s inhabited islands are Muslim communities. Cover shoulders and knees away from the tourist beach, respect prayer times and do not bring alcohol. Inside the biosphere reserve, never touch or stand on coral, and keep your distance from mantas and turtles.
Do you need a resort transfer?
Almost certainly, unless you are flying to Dharavandhoo. Baa and Raa resorts use seaplanes from Velana or domestic flights to Dharavandhoo or Ifuru followed by a boat, and the resort arranges and prices the whole journey. Seaplanes fly only in daylight, so an evening international arrival usually means a night in Greater Malé first.
For guesthouses, Dharavandhoo is the simplest: take a domestic flight. Goidhoo Atoll and other local islands are reached by speedboat or by a flight plus boat, and your guesthouse will usually arrange it. Public ferries operate within atolls, but they are not a practical way to get from Malé to Baa on a short trip. For a sample route, see our 7-day Baa Atoll manta season itinerary.
Where to stay in Baa & Raa Atolls: which island suits you
| If you want… | Consider | Why it fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanifaru mantas from a guesthouse | Dharavandhoo | Next to Hanifaru Bay; domestic airport | Visitor limits; season-dependent |
| Quiet beaches without resort prices | Goidhoo Atoll | Small, remote local islands | Limited transport and facilities; strict swimwear rules |
| A resort inside the biosphere | Baa Atoll Resort Islands | Manta-season excursions and reefs | Daylight seaplanes; transfer costs |
| A quieter resort atoll | Raa Atoll Resort Islands | Fewer visitors, domestic-flight option | Few guesthouses; Hanifaru is further |
What to do next
Once you have a shortlist of islands, compare places to stay on the dates you actually have, then check that the transfer from Malé works with your flight times before you pay. For wider planning, our guide to getting around the Maldives explains ferries, speedboats, seaplanes and domestic flights, and the Maldives travel planning hub covers entry, money and seasons.
Find accommodation in Baa & Raa Atolls
Manta season is the busiest time for Baa, so book guesthouses and resort transfers early if you are travelling between May and December.
Browse places to stay in Baa & Raa Atolls
Listings link to independent booking providers. See our affiliate disclosure.
Destination guides
Each Baa & Raa Atolls destination has its own guide with reef, etiquette, transfer and timing detail. Start with the Baa & Raa Atolls region guide if you would like the overview first, then open the island or atoll that fits your shortlist.
Sources
Transport details were checked in September 2026. Ferry timetables, transfer arrangements and island regulations change, so confirm them with the official source, your airline or your accommodation before you travel, particularly around Fridays, public holidays and Ramadan.
- CMS factsheet: Hanifaru Bay elasmobranch tourism
- Wikipedia: Baa Atoll
- Wikipedia: Dharavandhoo
- Wikipedia: Goidhoo (Baa Atoll)
- Wikipedia: Ifuru Airport
- MFR: MTCC introduces RTL ferry services in Raa Atoll
- Adhadhu: Fulhadhoo council introduces fines over swimwear
- Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Yearbook 2025
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Maldives, safety and security
Browse Baa & Raa Atolls accommodation by island: Dharavandhoo · Goidhoo Atoll · Baa Atoll Resort Islands · Raa Atoll Resort Islands. You can also browse all Baa & Raa Atolls accommodation.