North Malé Atoll

Illuminated map of the North Malé Atoll, the historic heart of the Maldives, featuring detailed geographical markings in ornate framing.

North Malé Atoll is the historic heart of the Maldives. For centuries it has held the islands’ royal and political centre, and Malé remains one of the world’s longest-lived capitals in a coral-atoll archipelago.A brief introduction

North Malé Atoll, known in Dhivehi as މާލެ އަތޮޅު އުތުރުބުރި, is the northern half of the natural Malé Atoll in the central Maldives. From this lagoon the sultans ruled, traders entered the monsoon routes of the Indian Ocean, and the modern republic still governs. Malé itself is a rare thing: an ancient island capital that never shifted to another atoll. Around it grew Hulhulé (the airport island), Hulhumalé, and Villingili, turning one small reef into the country’s political, religious, and commercial core.

Beautiful shells locally known as "Kafihiboli," showcasing their distinctive brown and white striped patterns on a sandy background.

Geography

The atoll sits in the central chain of the Maldives, just north of the equator, roughly between 4°10′N and 4°44′N. To the north it is separated from Gaafaru Atoll by Hani / Gaafaru Kandu. To the south, the deep Vaadhoo Kandu divides it from South Malé Atoll. Farther north again lies isolated Kaashidhoo.

The rim is an almost continuous coral reef broken by named kandu olhi,passes such as Olhahali Olhi, Kagi Kandu, Helengeli Olhi, and the wide eastern Bodu Kalhi / Kanduoiygiri Passage. Inside is a broad lagoon, about 40–50 metres deep, dotted with giri (patch reefs), thila (knolls), and falhu (inner reef lagoons). Along the rim and inside the lagoon are local islands, picnic islands, and resort islands, including Thulusdhoo, Himmafushi, Huraa, Dhiffushi, Bandos, Kuda Bandos, Baros, Lankanfushi, and Meerufenfushi.

The eastern reef faces open ocean swell and holds the atoll’s famous surf breaks. The western and channel edges carry strong monsoon currents and are used for diving and fishing. Gaafaru, the small detached atoll at the top of the map, is a separate natural ring with its own inner falhu and wreck-strewn outer reef, but it is geographically and administratively tied to this same northern Kaafu group.

In short: North Malé Atoll is a compact coral ring with an ancient capital at its southern edge, a deep lagoon in the middle, and a necklace of islands, channels, and reefs that have guided sailors, fishers, and traders for hundreds of years.

North Malé -islands, kandu, falhu / giri / olhi

ރަށް	Island	ކަންޑު	Kandu	ފަޅު / ގިރި / އޮޅި	Falhu / Giri / Olhi
މާލެ	Malé	ގާފަރު ކަންޑު	Gaafaru Kandu	ގާފަރު ފަޅު	Gaafaru Falhu
ހުޅުމާލެ	Hulhumalé	ހަނި ކަންޑު	Hani Kandu	މާލެ ފަޅު	Malé Falhu
ހުޅުލޭ	Hulhulé	ވާދޫ ކަންޑު	Vaadhoo Kandu	ދޮންފުށި ފަޅު	Dhonfushi Falhu
ވިލިނގިލި	Villingili	ކާށިދޫ ކަންޑު	Kaashidhoo Kandu	ކަންބާޝާ ފަޅު	Kanbaashaa Falhu
ތުލުސްދޫ	Thulusdhoo	ކާށިދޫ ކުޑަ ކަންޑު	Kaashidhoo Kuda Kandu	ނަޝްވިލު ފަޅު	Nashvilu Falhu
ހިންމަފުށި	Himmafushi	ކަގި ކަންޑު	Kagi Kandu	ހަސްތީމް ފަޅު	Hastheem Falhu
ހުރާ	Huraa	އަކިރިފުށި ކަންޑު	Akirifushi Kandu	މާރަންފުށި ފަޅު	Maaranfushi Falhu
ދިއްފުށި	Dhiffushi	އަމްރާ ކަންޑު	Amra Kandu	ގިރިފުށި	Girifushi
ގާފަރު	Gaafaru	ކުޑަ ކަންޑު	Kuda Kandu	ކަންޑުއޮއިގިރި	Kanduoiygiri
ކާށިދޫ	Kaashidhoo	ހުޅުންގު ކަންޑު	Hulhangu Kandu	ކުޑަ ގިރި	Kuda Giri
ބޮޑު ބަންޑޮސް	Bodu Bandos	ވައްޓަރު ކަންޑު	Wattaru Kandu	އަލި ގިރި	Ali Giri
ކުޑަ ބަންޑޮސް	Kuda Bandos	ގާދޫ ކޯ	Gaadhoo Koa	ނަކަޗާ ގިރި	Nakatcha Giri
ބަންޑޮސް	Bandos	ބޮޑު ކަޅި	Bodu Kalhi	މަސް ގިރި	Mas Giri
ބަރޮސް	Baros	ހެލެންގެލި ކަންޑު	Helengeli Kandu	ތުޅާގިރި	Thulhaagiri
ދޫނިދޫ	Dhoonidhoo			އޮޅަހަޅި އޮޅި	Olhahali Olhi
ފުނަދޫ	Funadhoo			ހެލެންގެލި އޮޅި	Helengeli Olhi
ފޭދޫފިނޮޅު	Feydhoofin olhu			ގާފަރު އުތުރު އޮޅި	Gaafaru N Olhi
ކަނިފިނޮޅު	Kanifinolhu			ގާފަރު އުތުރުހުޅު އޮޅި	Gaafaru NW Olhi
ކުޑަހުރާ	Kuda Huraa			ކަންޑުއޮއިގިރި އޮޅި	Kanduoiygiri Olhi
ލަންކަންފިނޮޅު	Lankanfinolhu
ލަންކަންފުށި	Lankanfushi
މޭރުފެންފުށި	Meerufenfushi
ވައްބިންފަރު	Vabbinfaru
ހެލެންގެލި	Helengeli
އިހުރު	Ihuru
ކަގި	Kagi
އަސްދޫ	Asdhoo
އަކިރިފުށި	Akirifushi
އާރާ	Aarah
ގިރާވަރު	Giraavaru
ލޯހިފުށި	Lhohifushi
މަކުނުދޫ	Makunudhoo
ނަކަޗާފުށި	Nakatchaafushi
ރަސްފަރި	Rasfari
ތަނބުރުދޫ	Thanburudhoo
ވިހަމާނާފުށި	Vihamanaafushi
ފުރާނާފުށި	Furanafushi
ގެސްފިނޮޅު	Gasfinolhu
ހެންބަދޫ	Henbadhoo
ބޮޑުހިތި	Bodu Hithi
ކުޑަހިތި	Kuda Hithi
އޮޅަހަޅި	Olhahali

North Malé — dive / fish / surf spots

ދިވެހި ނަން	English	Type	Nearby	Best for	Season / note
ބަނާނާ ރީފް	Banana Reef	Dive	Malé / Furanafushi	Reef, caves	Year-round
އެޗް.ޕީ ރީފް	HP Reef	Dive	East rim	Soft coral, drift	Advanced
ލަންކަން މެންޓާ ޕޮއިންޓް	Lankan Manta Point	Dive / snorkel	Lankanfinolhu	Mantas	May–Nov
ބޮޑުހިތި މެންޓާ ޕޮއިންޓް	Bodu Hithi Manta Point	Dive	Bodu Hithi	Mantas	Dec–Apr
މާލްޑިވްސް ވިކްޓަރީ	Maldives Victory	Wreck	Hulhulé	Wreck	Strong current
ލަޔަންސް ހެޑް	Lion’s Head	Dive	Malé west	Sharks, wall	Year-round
ރަސްފަރި	Rasfari	Dive / fish	NW rim	Sharks	Strong current
ކުޑަ ހާ	Kuda Haa	Dive	Girifushi / Funadhoo	Thila, macro	Easy–mid
ހެލެންގެލި ތިލަ	Helengeli Thila	Dive	Helengeli	Channel thila	Drift
ގާފަރު ބޮޑު ކަންޑު	Gaafaru Bodu Kandu	Dive / fish	Gaafaru	Drift, wrecks	Strong current
ހަނި ކަންޑު	Hani Kandu	Dive / fish	Gaafaru gap	Deep channel	Tuna / reef
ވާދޫ ކަންޑު	Vaadhoo Kandu	Dive / fish	South edge	Deep drift	Very strong
ކަގި ކަންޑު	Kagi Kandu	Dive / fish	Kagi	Pass	Current
އަކިރި ކަންޑު	Akirifushi Kandu	Dive	Akirifushi	Drift	Advanced
އަމްރާ ކަންޑު	Amra Kandu	Dive / fish	West rim	Channel	Pelagics
ކަންޑުއޮއިގިރި	Kanduoiygiri	Dive	East pass	Reef pass	Bodu Kalhi
މަސް ގިރި	Mas Giri	Dive / fish	Lagoon	Patch reef	Reef fish
ކުޑަ ގިރި	Kuda Giri	Dive	Lagoon	Small giri	Easy
އަލި ގިރި	Ali Giri	Dive	North lagoon	Giri	Reef life
ޕާސްޓާ ޕޮއިންޓް	Pasta Point	Surf	Dhonveli	Left reef	Mar–Oct
ކޯކްސް	Cokes	Surf	Thulusdhoo	Powerful right	Mar–Oct
ޗިކަންސް	Chickens	Surf	Thulusdhoo	Right reef	Mar–Oct
ސަލްޓަންސް	Sultans	Surf	Thulusdhoo east	Right	Mar–Oct
ޖެއިލްބްރޭކްސް	Jailbreaks	Surf	Himmafushi	Right	Mar–Oct
ހޮންކީޒް	Honky’s	Surf	East rim	Reef	Mar–Oct
ނިންޖާސް	Ninjas	Surf	East rim	Reef	Mar–Oct
ޓޫމްސްޓޯންސް	Tombstones	Surf	East rim	Heavy reef	Expert
ލޯހީޒް	Lohi’s	Surf	Lhohifushi	Long left	Mar–Oct
ގާފަރު ވްރެކްސް	Gaafaru wrecks	Fish / dive	Gaafaru beyru	Wreck fish	Year-round
ބަންޑޮސް ރޮކް	Bandos Rock	Dive / fish	Bandos / Kuda Bandos	House reef	Easy
ފުރާނާ ނޯތު	Furana North	Dive / fish	Furanafushi	Reef	Near airport
އެއާޕޯޓް ބޭރު	Airport Beyru	Dive / fish	Hulhulé	Outer reef	From Malé

How to read  

• Dive = thila, giri, wreck, or channel drift

• Fish = kandu, beyru, wreck, or giri

• Surf = east-rim breaks, mostly March–October

Source: (Retired) Major Ahmed Naeem