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Central Atolls holidays
Kings once called these islands home and, if anything, they’ve grown more extravagant in the years since. The most lauded resorts, biggest waves and every water sport under the sun, if you’re happy to share, it’s all going on in North and South Malé.
- Flight time
- 10h
- From London to Malé
- Currency
- Rf
- Rufiyaa
- Time zone
- GMT +5h
Getting to the Central Atolls
If feeling isolated from the world is half the charm of a trip to the Maldives, let’s be honest, the time it takes to get to this part of paradise couldn't be shorter. With most of the resorts in the North and South Malé atolls just a 30-minute boat ride from Malé airport (and none more than an hour), staying here keeps your journey as short as possible. Trust us, it's a godsend after a 10-hour flight you've got kids aboard and all you want is to get into your swimming costume.
Most resorts let you book transfers from airport to resort by speedboat, and some by luxury boat, along with your accommodation - the easiest way to get from the plane to pool. But other options are available. If your flight arrives in the morning or afternoon, booking a transfer by seaplane can be an awesome, if pricey, way to get acquainted with the aquamarine landscape you’re going to spend the week in.
Average weather in Central Atolls
- Temperature (°C)*
- Rainfall (Inches)*
Holidays in the Central Atolls
With a "tropical monsoon climate," the Malé atolls experience both wet and dry seasons. The wet season runs from April to November, while the dry season lasts from December to the first four months of the year, which is considered the "high season." During the dry season, prices rise along with the mirror-calm seas and clear skies. Conversely, the wet season brings a greater chance of rain, clouds, and less calm sea conditions. However, Malé receives less rainfall compared to the southern atolls of the Maldives.
From late May to July, water conditions may not be ideal, prompting many "liveaboard" boats to seek alternative destinations. Additionally, diving during a full moon can lead to stronger currents, challenging divers. Despite these fluctuations, Malé maintains consistent temperatures year-round, typically between 30 and 32°C. Water temperatures range from 26 to 29°C, offering pleasant conditions for diving. Exceptional visibility, exceeding 30m, is common throughout the year, especially in channels like Vaadhoo and Fulidhoo Kandus, known for strong currents.
It’s best not to get caught out on a distant shore at night, so revelry throughout the Maldives tends to be resort-based. The Malé atoll resorts have a fine collection of bars and restaurants, so feeling cooped up won’t be a problem. In North Malé, the One&Only Reethi Rah Bar has long been known as one of the liveliest nightspots, with live music every night and often dancing, while Bandos often hosts karaoke nights and live bands.
While, the Maldives may not be a party destination, it does excel at hosting atmospheric evenings with mouthwatering cuisine and a delectable array of cocktails. Resorts such as Kurumba have a number of bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and preferences.
Resorts go the extra mile to entertain guests of all ages after sunset. For instance, the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa hosts child-friendly hermit crab races in the Sunset Lounge and adult-friendly shisha nights in the lobby lounge. Similarly, Anantara offers boat rides between sister resorts, Dhigu and Veli, allowing guests to choose between a leisurely nighttime swim, a relaxing spa treatment or indulging in shisha and drinks.
To show you the Maldives in a new light, most resorts also offer sunset cruises, when turquoise water turns an apricot colour in the light of the setting sun and local dolphins and whales come out to play.
The resorts are where guests spend most of their time, so they go out of their way to make sure guests are well-fed and cater to their culinary desires, offering a variety of dining options from fine restaurants to casual beachside eateries. Many resorts go the extra mile by arranging special dining experiences, such as picnics on sandbanks or sunrise breakfasts on the beach, upon request.
More recently, visitors have also been allowed to explore residential islands and taste local specialities at numerous restaurants in places like Huraa, Thulusdhoo, Malé and Maafushi in South Malé. Some resort restaurants even welcome non-guests, allowing foodies to try the nation's best cuisine. In North Malé, don’t miss the highly acclaimed Thila restaurant at Kurumba for fresh seafood served at tables over the water, known for drawing in baby sharks in the evenings. Or head to Arena Beach hotel restaurant in Maafushi for live cooking of tempura and pasta and an all-you-can-eat buffet, one of the best-value meals in the Maldives.
If you’re missing your daily caffeine run and have made a trip to Malé, you’ll find several well-loved local cafés with international cred, like the Civil Coffee Society (excellent coffee and melt-in-your-mouth brownies) and Meraki Coffee (baristas who know their stuff!).
If eating delicious food’s all well and good, but you’d like to learn how to make it too, see if your resort also offers cooking demonstrations. The last time we checked, the Jumeirah in North Malé ran popular classes to teach you the art of Maldivian, Sri Lankan or Indian curry and how to make your own coconut oil. If tipples are more your thing, the Kurumba and Anantara resorts have previously run mixologist classes so you can whip up martini like a professional.
If you’re of the mind that a day without shopping is like a day without sunshine, you’re definitely best off in the Malé atolls, where the islands’ widest range of souvenirs, trinkets and a surprising collection of international brands wait to be plundered. Hop off the boat in Malé and head to Majeedhee Magu to get straight to the money. This commercial street isn’t hard to find, spanning Malé from east to west and often open till 11 pm selling clothes, accessories, cosmetics and electronics. If there’s still room in the case for souvenirs, head to the Chaandanee Magu next for charming mementoes like hand-woven mats and miniature dhoni models. Top tip: be sure to shop around – prices can vary dramatically from shop to shop and haggling is a good idea. If you’re all about brand names, Evince, Le Cute and Reefside are tried and tested retailers where you don’t have to worry about knock-offs.
By now you’ve worked up an appetite, so it’s over to the harbour’s fish and fruit markets with you. Local bananas are teeny and tasty, with a distinctive lemony flavour you need to taste to believe. Reward a hard day’s shopping with mangoes, dried fish, and “huvadhoo bondi” bounty bars wrapped in banana leaves (about 50 cents), all local specialities. There’s no worry about being hassled by vendors, who are as laid-back as all other Maldivians and, if you’re lucky, may invite you to taste fruits for free.
Activities in Central Atolls
If you're looking for a peaceful getaway to rejuvenate or an aquatic paradise, the Maldives offers the perfect blend of both. Discover some of the most beloved activities in this heavenly destination.
Watersports
Diving in the Central Atolls
The North Malé atoll has some devilishly good dive sites. Unfortunately, this isn’t exactly a secret. Boats from the many North Malé resorts vie for position around the best of them but trust us, these sites are worth a tussle. The Maldives aren’t well known for pristine coral coverage, but spots in these atolls are as brilliant and varied as coral comes here.
The south side of North Malé atoll is most popular, so head north to shake off the crowds. An hour from Malé City, on the outer northeast reef, Back Faru is an easy drift dive worth the extra leg of the journey.
For diveable wrecks, it’s all about Gaafaru Falhu Island, around which you’ll find three approachable ships, the SS Seagull (sunk in 1879), Erlangen (1894) and Lady Christine (1974); coral-covered playgrounds with a kaleidoscope of fish. Get to know more reef residents by heading southeast to North Malé’s Manta Point, where it’s often standing room only for all the rays, octopus, and moray eels. Alternatively, wait and watch from one of the crevices at Girifushi Thila while currents sweep tuna, reef sharks and eagle rays past you.
They may be busy, but no one can say the northern dive sites are boring and the Vaadhoo Kandu channel, dividing the North and South Atolls, is also crammed with current-swept channels worth diving. All major resorts come with a dive school, many of them PADI certified, to help you make your first dives or just improve your technique.
If scuba feels a little out of your depth, snorkelling is a healthy medium for underwater action and some resorts offer guided snorkelling tours on the house. If you’re staying at the Anantara Veli, see if they still offer boat trips with a resident marine biologist to pique an interest in scientific discovery in your young or just learn a thing or two yourself.
Surfing in the Central Atolls
Lots have changed since surfers first stumbled upon the Malé Atolls in the ’70s, but the waves are as they always were, consistently strong and wonderfully varied. Once a well-guarded secret, most seasoned surfers now know about the surf here and the international surfers and professional surf contests have come rolling in (the O’Neill Cup among them).
You’ll find the biggest waves in the nation in the Malé atolls, with a fairly even mix of lefts and rights between famed Coke’s, Pasta Point, Ninjas and Lohi’s (North Malé) and Foxy’s, Guru’s, and Riptides (South Malé). The best of the best waves are on the atoll’s eastern edge, and at their very finest between April and October, when southern swells of 8 ft + are abundant.
You may not find the sense of at-one-with-the-world isolation that comes with surfing the less-lauded central and southern atolls, but most would agree, that waves like Malé’s are worth sharing. It helps there are so many standouts. For upper intermediates and the pros, Chickens is unmissable, with swells of over 10ft and rides over 500m long (found next to Thulusdhoo Island). Equally awesome, just off the island of Thaburudhoo, Honky’s is a super long left-hander, ideal if you like rides that go on and on. There’s a reason too that Lohi’s has hosted the O’Neill Deep Blues for years. Find out what that is by staying at Hudhuranfushi, which has historically had exclusive access to this wave and recently set a cap on the number of surfers allowed here at any one time to keep things from getting crazy. Meanwhile, for less seasoned surfers, Kate’s, Piddlies and Guru’s are all excellent, consistent, confidence-building waves dotted around the atoll.
Most resorts are kitted out with their own surf schools to take care of tuition, whether your aim is to pull off the perfect 360 or simply stand up straight on a board.
For a few stories to tell back home, don’t miss the popular adaptation of surfing, wakeboarding, which involves being towed through the water at break-neck speed by a speedboat. Alternatively, for less physically demanding fun, you can trade board for a tube and enjoy this thrill with your feet up. Last time we checked, the Taj Exotica and Four Seasons Kuda Huraa had 5 types of wave-riding inflatables, great if you have kids on board.
Windsurfing & kitesurfing in the Central Atolls
With well-equipped watersports centres, consistent waves and sheltered bays, the Malé atolls have got it going on for wind and kitesurfers and your resort will likely have all the necessary gear, some favourite waves, plus the instructors and boats to get you there.
In quieter, South Malé, the island of Olhuveli was practically made for surfing, with summer and winter sorts and a rideable reef. In summer, launch south of the centre on the kilometre-long, standing-depth lagoon and in winter catch the winds blowing from the opposite direction by launching from the east coast (shoes recommended, this area’s a bit coral heavy). On the Olhuveli reef at high tide kiters can ride medium-sized waves, but this area is probably too shallow for windsurf fins.
5km north, your resort may take you to the reef channel off Guraidhoo fishing island. The water’s deeper here, but it’s mostly kite territory as there’s not much room for windsurfing gear on the boat ride in.
A better option for windsurfers is Kuredu north of Malé on Lhaviyani Atoll, an islet of brochure-white sand and aquamarine water you can see right to the bottom of, plus a well-equipped water sports centre. This offers private lessons and basic certifying VDWS courses, which will allow you to rent windsurfing equipment and ride solo anywhere in the Maldives.
The alternative to launching from a postcard-perfect shore is to track the best winds by boat. Most trips embark from Malé to ride watery legends like Chickens, Lohis or Cokes in the North Malé Atoll. Room can be tight for launching kites or carrying windsurf kit, but a boat charter works out affordable if you can get a group together. Guarantee yourself some excellent surf by heading out in peak season, June to August. Though you’ll need to be prepared to share with all the surfers who’ve been similarly advised.
Sailing in the Central Atolls
Miles of lagoons and a million remote islands await exploration in the Maldives, and the Malé Atolls have the largest range of vessels to help you get out and about. Options range from traditional dhoni fishing boats (souped up with modern motors) and hulking double catamarans to zippy Topcat K2s. You’ll find the fuss-free K2s at lots of the resorts, letting groups of up to 4 cover vast amounts of water at super speeds, while still being safe enough for first-timers.
For a sailing experience with more of a song and dance, look out for day-long cruises which will work in lunch aboard, barbecues and fishing, snorkelling or kayaking sessions on the surrounding islands. These may take you to Guraidhoo Island to visit a local village and pick up souvenirs, out on the ocean tracking down local dolphin pods or to visit remote spots like Maadhoo Finolhu, where you can laze on the sand or swim and snorkel in the lagoon.
Exploration of the Malé Atolls needn’t all be above the surface of the water, either. Check whether your resort offers excursions in the Deep Flight Super Falcon submarines to come face to face with local marine life without even getting wet.
Fishing in the Central Atolls
“Dhoni” is the name of the curve-nosed fishing boats you’ll spot left, right and centre, which can be chartered from the Malé quayside, through resorts or by chatting with local boatmen. Trips on dhonis hark back to simpler times, fishing with line and hook, competing for the best catch with friendly crews and competitive mates. Locals tend to head out on trips as the sun sets, which makes for a magical experience and means you can bring your catch back to be cooked for dinner by resort chefs.
If you’re less fussed about consuming your catch and more into the thrill of the chase, find out whether your resort offers deep sea or big game fishing, when you’ll hunt sailfish, dorado, giant trevally and other huge creatures of the deep. Many resorts have fleets of vessels equipped with the latest gear, like radars and echo sounders to up your chances of reeling something in. Even without the latest mod-cons, your odds are pretty good. Fishing is year-round for blue and black marlins, barracudas, wahoos, tuna, sharks, dorado and more. Usually, your boat claims possession of anything caught, and sailfish and blue marlin will be tagged and released. But it’s all about the thrill of the chase anyway!
Canoeing & kayaking in the Central Atolls
Turquoise waters and kayaks are a winning combination, and most resorts make these craft available to their guests. With all the calm, shallow and gorgeous lagoons around, it's not difficult to paddle long distances. In some Malé resorts, you can even hire glass canoes, which allow you to discover a world of brightly coloured coral and tropical fish through clear blue water.
If kayaking feels a little sedate, several resorts also offer local alternatives – try a pedalo, to get in some leg work or “seabobbing”, being pulled through the water like a dolphin by a motor powered “bob” for something a little different. Better still, upgrade to jetskis to really get out and explore the surrounding islands. Some resorts even offer tours.
Land activities
Golf in the Central Atolls
Until golf can be played on water, golfers will have to hang up their clubs on holidays in the Maldives. That is, unless they stay at or near the Shangri La Villingili or one of a handful of other resorts with golf courses. The Villingili offers a ray of hope to fanatics, with a nine-hole par 3 and par 4 hole course (averaging 112m per hole), and a six-hole par 3 course (averaging 50m). Sure, these won’t challenge you like never before but they have all you need to keep in practice, driving ranges and some stunning views besides. Aside from these, you’ll find golf simulators and driving ranges scattered between the islands, in the central atolls especially, so look into your preferred resort for details.
In fact, rumour has it a floating golf course is also now in development in North Malé. Perhaps it won’t be long till this island nation joins the golfing greats.
Cycling & mountain biking in the Central Atolls
Tiny, sandy islands don’t make for never-ending bike lanes, but for a serious cyclist, well-equipped gyms with stationary bikes tend to come as standard in the resorts, letting you keep fit in the presence of air-conditioning. Many resorts also offer quaint, retro style cycles for you to pedal round your island, all small enough that you can let the kids ride wild and free.
For a cycling addict staying near Malé, it’s also possible to join the Maldives Bike Association on their weekly ride. They traditionally hold a 10K ride every week from the Hulhumalé ferry terminal, offering vigorous forms of exercise like interval training before a mass breakfast. The ride is usually over before the rest of the Maldives are out of bed, so be prepared for an early start.
For longer, more casual rides, islands in the south and central atolls of the Maldives are your best bet. In southernmost Addu atoll, a 14km causeway connects five separate islands and last time we checked the Shangri La Villingili could arrange boat transfers to the harbour in Gan and provide bikes for your journey. Meanwhile, in the Laamu atoll the country’s longest road stretches for 18 scenic kilometres between the islands of Gan and Fonadhoo.
Walking & hiking in the Central Atolls
As a country that’s 98% water, the Maldives can’t offer many forested trails or mile-long mountain hikes. Walks along the beach however are second to none ̶ be sure to try them at different times of the day. A walk at dawn turns up the night’s treasures, a great time to hunt for coral, shells, messages in bottles and traces of the turtles who’ve laid eggs in the sand overnight.
If island life starts giving you cabin fever, the Malé atolls have some of the most varied trips. To learn all about this island nation, start with a walking tour of the capital, Malé. In the space of a half-day, you’ll discover harbours, schools, noblemen’s houses and historic sites like President’s Palace and Sultan Park. Guides with Secret Paradise Maldives pick up rave reviews for their Malé tour, usually ending trips in the city’s tallest building for a fantastic group photo.
