South of the central atolls, the Maldives opens into a string of large, widely spaced atolls reaching just past the Equator. This site groups Thaa, Laamu, Huvadhu (Gaafu Alifu and Gaafu Dhaalu), Fuvahmulah and Addu here. Almost everyone arrives by domestic flight, and the region feels very different from the Malé atolls: fewer visitors, more open ocean, and island communities that are larger and more connected.
The choice is about what you come for. Fuvahmulah is for divers seeking big sharks, Addu City mixes history and causeway-linked islands, Laamu Atoll and Huvadhu Atoll suit surf and quiet resorts, and Thaa Atoll is for independent travellers who want very few other visitors.
In this guide
- How the southern atolls are laid out
- Laamu Atoll: surf, Buddhist ruins and long causeways
- Thaa Atoll: independent and little-visited
- Huvadhu Atoll: vast, with surf and resort islands
- Fuvahmulah: a single island for shark divers
- Addu City: causeways, history and an international airport
- Do you need a resort transfer?
- Where to stay in Southern Atolls: which island suits you
- What to do next
- Destination guides
- Sources
How the southern atolls are laid out
Thaa, geographically Kolhumadulu, and Laamu, geographically Haddhunmathi, lie north of the wide One and a Half Degree Channel. South of it is Huvadhu, which holds the Guinness record for the atoll with the most islands and is the country’s second-largest atoll by area; it is split into Gaafu Alifu in the north and Gaafu Dhaalu in the south. Fuvahmulah, a single island with no enclosing atoll lagoon, lies further south, and Addu is the southernmost atoll.
Each area has at least one airport: Thimarafushi in Thaa, Kadhdhoo in Laamu, Kooddoo and Kaadedhdhoo in Huvadhu, Fuvahmulah Airport, and Gan International Airport in Addu. By our sum of the Ministry of Tourism’s end-2024 figures, the six administrative atolls held 15 resorts and 87 guesthouses between them. The south is also wetter: rainfall rises from north to south across the country.
Compare live rates and availability in Southern Atolls
Before reading the island-by-island notes below, the map gives a live picture of what is bookable around Southern Atolls for your dates.
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Laamu Atoll: surf, Buddhist ruins and long causeways
Laamu’s Gan is the largest island in the Maldives, and it is linked by causeway to Maandhoo, Kadhdhoo, where the airport is, and Fonadhoo, the capital. Together they form the longest stretch of dry land in the country. Laamu has Buddhist-era archaeological sites and the Yin Yang surf break, and it had two resorts and four guesthouses at the end of 2024.
It works if you want to surf uncrowded waves, you like exploring by bicycle or road along the causeways, or you want a remote resort that is easy to reach by domestic flight.
It works less well if you want a wide choice of guesthouses or organised excursions. Accommodation outside the resorts is very limited, so book early and confirm how you will get from Kadhdhoo to your island.
Thaa Atoll: independent and little-visited
Thaa has one resort and nine guesthouses by the Ministry’s end-2024 count, and Thimarafushi Airport, opened in 2013. Raajje Transport Link ferries began serving Thaa in September 2025, connecting all 13 of its inhabited islands. Thaa suits travellers who want to see local island life with almost no tourist infrastructure.
It works if you are an experienced independent traveller, you want to see the Maldives beyond tourism, or you are staying at Thaa’s resort and want a quiet atoll with few other visitors.
It works less well if you want a choice of places to stay, excursions on demand or reliable English-speaking services. Plan ahead, keep your plans flexible and confirm every transfer before you travel.
Huvadhu Atoll: vast, with surf and resort islands
Huvadhu is huge, with 255 islands spread over more than 3,000 square kilometres, almost all of it lagoon and reef. Gaafu Alifu had six resorts and fifteen guesthouses at the end of 2024, and Gaafu Dhaalu three resorts and ten guesthouses. Its channels are known for surf breaks, often reached by boat, and for shark-rich diving. Thinadhoo is the main town of the south.
It works if you want a remote resort, you surf and are happy to reach breaks by boat, or you are an experienced diver looking for open-ocean channels with a wide range of shark species.
It works less well if you want to explore several islands by public ferry, or you want a large guesthouse scene. Distances within the atoll are long, so transfers can be substantial.
Fuvahmulah: a single island for shark divers
Fuvahmulah is a single-island atoll with no enclosing lagoon, facing the open ocean on all sides. It has no resorts; the Ministry listed 28 guesthouses at the end of 2024. Divers come for tiger sharks and other large species. On land, the island has freshwater lakes, the pebble beach at Thoondu, and some of the country’s oldest heritage sites.
It works if shark diving is the priority, you are an experienced diver comfortable with open-ocean conditions, or you want a large, varied island with lakes, heritage sites and its own city life.
It works less well if you want calm lagoons for swimming or snorkelling, or you are a beginner. The open ocean can be rough, and currents around the island can be strong.
Addu City: causeways, history and an international airport
Addu City is made up of six districts, Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo, Feydhoo, Meedhoo and Hulhudhoo, and its main islands are joined by the Link Road, a causeway about 16 kilometres long. Gan International Airport sits on the former RAF Gan base, used by the British from the Second World War until 1975. Addu had three resorts and twenty-one guesthouses at the end of 2024, and there is diving and snorkelling around the atoll.
It works if you want an island community you can explore by road or bicycle, you are interested in wartime and colonial-era history, or you want a resort near an international-status airport.
It works less well if you want a quiet, tiny island or the classic resort-island feel. Addu is the country’s second-largest urban centre, and parts of it feel like a town rather than a beach holiday.
Southern communities are larger and well connected, but still conservative. Cover shoulders and knees away from tourist beaches, respect prayer times and Friday, and remember there is no alcohol outside resorts. On shark dives, follow your guide’s briefing closely and never feed or touch wildlife.
The UK government warns that strong tidal currents around the Maldives can pull swimmers away from the shore. This is especially relevant on Fuvahmulah, which faces the open ocean. Swim only where locals and your guesthouse advise, and dive with licensed operators.
Do you need a resort transfer?
For resorts, yes, but the transfer is usually a domestic flight rather than a seaplane from Malé. Southern resorts arrange flights to Kadhdhoo, Thimarafushi, Kooddoo, Kaadedhdhoo or Gan, followed by a boat, and some Addu and Huvadhu resorts use seaplanes based at Gan. Ask each resort how the journey works, the total cost, luggage limits and whether flights connect with your international arrival.
For guesthouses, book your own domestic flight or ask your host to help. Fuvahmulah and Addu have airports on or linked to the islands where you stay, so onward transfers are short. In Laamu, the causeway links the airport to several islands by road. Allow a buffer night in Greater Malé before a long-haul departure if your domestic flight is the only one of the day.
Where to stay in Southern Atolls: which island suits you
| If you want… | Consider | Why it fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger sharks and big-animal diving | Fuvahmulah | Open-ocean dive sites close to the island | Rough seas; not for beginners |
| History and road-linked islands | Addu City | Causeway, RAF history, airport | Town-like in places |
| Uncrowded surf | Laamu Atoll or Huvadhu Atoll | Well-known breaks, few surfers | Limited guesthouses; boat access |
| A remote resort with a domestic flight | Huvadhu Atoll | Large, quiet atoll | Longer transfers within the atoll |
| Local life far off the tourist trail | Thaa Atoll | Few visitors; new RTL ferries | Very little tourism infrastructure |
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 Southern Atolls
Domestic flights and small guesthouses both fill up, so book flights and rooms together as early as your dates allow.
Browse places to stay in Southern Atolls
Listings link to independent booking providers. See our affiliate disclosure.
Destination guides
Each Southern Atolls destination has its own guide with reef, etiquette, transfer and timing detail. Start with the Southern 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.
- Wikipedia: Gan (Laamu Atoll)
- Wikipedia: Laamu Atoll
- Wikipedia: Huvadhu Atoll
- Wikipedia: Fuvahmulah
- Wikipedia: Addu City
- Wikipedia: Trans Maldivian Airways (Gan base)
- Edition.mv: RTL ferry service launched in Thaa Atoll
- Visit Maldives: five surf breaks in the Maldives
- Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Yearbook 2025
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Maldives, safety and security
- Wikipedia: Climate of the Maldives
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