Popular Resorts in North Male Atoll

Lohifushi Island - Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi

Lohifushi is one of the bigger Maldives resorts, a long narrow island in the North Male Atoll, just 25 minutes by speedboat from Male International airport. Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi (formerly Lohifushi Island Resort) is a resort with a straightforward friendly cosmopolitan atmosphere and represents a good-value all-round choice for those seeking plenty of space and facilities for sport and relaxation. The resort is set in 83 acres of lush vegetation and attracts couples, families, water sports enthusiasts, divers and is also a long-standing favourite with surfers.

Accommodation comprises 137 well-equipped air-conditioned guest rooms, divided between beach villas and more luxurious ocean villas standing over the lagoon. The resort makes for a popular choice with families thanks to its large shallow lagoon, a children’s playground, a lively mix of visitors, lots of activities and plenty of space. Facilities include a swimming pool, floodlit tennis, squash, badminton, football, an indoor sports centre and modern spa and massage centre. Ever-popular with surfers, the island has accessible breaks and professional surf guides. Lohifushi is one of the few Maldives resorts with its own wave break at the southeast of the island. Lohi break has hosted international competitions and has its own bar and viewing point. The resort is also popular with divers and snorkelers, attracted by good accessible dive sites and the well-managed PADI dive school. Visitors will also find plenty of watersports on offer including windsurfing, water-skiing, canoeing and catamaran sailing.

Ziyaaraifushi Island - Summer Island Village

The triangular-shaped island of Ziyaaraifushi, just 500 metres long by 150 metres wide, is located in the outer rim of North Male Atoll, 22 miles from Male International airport, approximately 90 minutes transfer time by speedboat. The island’s resort, Summer Island Village, is a popular choice with those looking for a simple unpretentious beach holiday and a good-value all-inclusive deal.

Accommodation on offer includes 92 simply decorated air-conditioned rooms with tiled terraces or balconies, and 16 more stylish water villas with terraces built over the turquoise lagoon. Summer Island Village features a high-ceilinged buffet-style restaurant, a thatched bar, a coffee shop and internet access. There will also be occasional low-key entertainment that may include discos, live music and beach barbecues. The island hosts a professional experienced PADI dive centre featuring excellent dive sites close to the shore. You’ll find a wide variety of water sports including catamaran sailing, parasailing, kite boarding and canoeing as well as facilities for volleyball, table tennis and badminton.

Lankanfinolhu Island - Paradise Island Resort

Lankanfinolhu is one of the larger Maldives islands, located in North Male Atoll, less than 10km away from Male International airport, just 20 minutes transfer by speedboat. At 1km long by 230 metres wide this island will appeal to those looking for a lively larger cosmopolitan resort with excellent beaches, plenty of beautifully landscaped gardens, a wide range of restaurants and bars and modern quality facilities. The island’s touristic name is Paradise Island Resort and it’s blessed with excellent wide beaches that encircle the island along with a child-friendly atmosphere that makes it a popular choice with families. The resort’s 260 guest rooms include modern bright simply-furnished beach bungalows and 40 classy water bungalows with steps down into the lagoon. There are no less than 5 excellent restaurants offering diverse styles of cuisine including two picturesque and wonderfully romantic restaurants that stretch out over the turquoise lagoon. Also on site are several attractive bars offering varied nightly entertainment that may include dancing and live music. Other facilities include a well-equipped fitness centre, a gym, volleyball, squash, floodlit tennis, a freshwater and children’s pool, a beauty and massage salon, sauna and medical clinic. A large professional PADI dive centre offers famous accessible dive sites ideal for beginners and experts alike and there is the usual range of water sports available – Paradise Island being particularly popular with surfers.

Bandos Island - Bandos Island Resort

Bandos Island is located in North Male Atoll, around 10km from Male International airport, just 20 minutes transfer by speedboat. The resort was the second Maldives island to open as a dedicated tourist destination in 1972 and remains a popular well-managed holiday favourite, with fantastic beaches and an exceptionally accessible house reef. Bandos Island Resort will appeal to those looking for a lively cosmopolitan resort, though the size of the island also allows visitors to find some peaceful seclusion. Bandos is one of the biggest and liveliest resorts - unpretentious with a very cosmopolitan clientele it offers plenty of evening entertainment and makes a good-value all-inclusive deal. An excellent babysitting service, a child care centre, a kids club and a medical clinic make Bandos popular with families. A particular feature of the island is the superb house reef just 40-60 metres from the beach, regarded as one of the very best in the Maldives, with plenty of colourful marine life providing outstanding snorkelling and diving. The resort’s recently upgraded facilities (2005) include 225 modern air-conditioned guest rooms including elegant individual Beach Villas and Junior Suites ideal for families.

There is plenty of enjoyable entertainment including live music, dancing, karaoke, parties and cultural shows. You will also find a host of modern facilities including a new swimming pool, billiards room, tennis courts, sauna, gym, beauty salon and spa massage centre. The outstanding dive school is further enhanced by an outstanding accessible house reef, a wreck, and numerous quality dive sites. The excellent water sports centre features windsurfing, water-skiing, catamaran sailing, parasailing, wakeboarding and canoeing.

Thulhagiri Island - Thulhagiri Island Resort

Thulhagiri is a small green island just 13km from Male International airport, around 25 minutes transfer by speedboat. An established holiday favourite, Thulhagiri places the emphasis on informality and the natural simplicity and beauty of its surroundings. The resort is a popular choice with those looking for a modest easy-going sociable good-value resort with a good range of activities. The island has a marked village feel with recently renovated and air-conditioned cosy, thatched accommodation dotted around the island. The majority of accommodation is found on the beachfront with a selection of newly built water bungalows over the lagoon also available. Occasional entertainment may include cultural shows, dancing and live music. The island is host to a small well-run PADI dive school and excellent dive sites are nearby. A water sports centre offers instruction and provides facilities for catamaran sailing, water-skiing, snorkelling, surfing and canoeing.

Male

Male, the capital of the Maldives, is located in North Male Atoll, and acts at the commercial and administrative centre for the islands. The city offers a change from the idyllic beach resorts that dot the Indian Ocean, and displays a different slice of Maldivian life for holiday-makers. Male International Airport lies just a few kilometres away on the neighbouring Hulhule Island, and is accessible by ferry. One of the world's most densely populated cities, Male is home to over 100,000 people, with one-third of the nation's population crammed onto this tiny island. The capital is easily explored on foot and its main sights can be covered in an hour or so. It is an attractive city, with no beaches but many high-rise buildings dominating the skyline, as well as palm-lined streets, shady residential areas and a lively waterfront region. The main attractions in Male are the Friday Mosque, dating back 400 years and featuring a decorative interior full of beautiful coral carvings, and the Islamic Centre, home to the largest mosque in the Maldives which boasts a resplendent gold dome and acts as the city's major landmark.

Other sights to see include Independence Square, Sultan Park and National Museum. There's excellent shopping in Male, with the main street lined with plenty of shops selling local goods and handicrafts, an old Bazaar region with a maze of tiny lanes, and colourful fish and produce markets. There are many day trips and city tours to Male from the island resorts. These offer guests an alternative to a day on the beach, and give an insight into the region's history and culture. (Note - visitors should be aware that Male is a dry island).