Hulhumale

Hulhumale’ or Hulhumale is a reclaimed island located in the south of North Male Atoll. Hulhumale’s reclamation began on October 16, 1997. The artificial island was reclaimed to establish a new land mass required to meet the existing and future housing, industrial and commercial development demands of the Malé region. The official settlement was inaugurated by President Gayoom on May 12, 2004.

Swimming in Hulhumale’

 

You can enjoy various activities in Hulhumale. The island have a long artificial public beach which is perfect for swimming. Maldives is a 100% Islamic country so the regulations of the government of Maldives officially bans wearing bikini, swimsuits etc. 

However there are many places around Hulhumale where these rules do not apply, such as resort islands, Picnic Island and sandbanks. Maldives wants its visitors to enjoy to their fullest and also public access is very low in such areas. Trips to such places are arranged on daily basis on request.

BBQ AREA

Hulhumale has a BBQ area where many locals go during Friday and Saturday to do BBQ or barbecue and get together. BBQ events are also arranged upon requests.

SHOPS in Hulhumale

Hulhumale has local shops where you can do local shopping, buy local fruits and other necessary needed item if required.

Bicycle Riding

Hulhumale is a 144 hector, big island where bicycling has its own merit especially when it’s pretty windy in the evening hours. Bicycles are easily available on rents at cheap prices. Also for more adventurous people the motor bike is always there.

Restaurants and Cafés in Hulhumale

If you choose to take a ride or a walk in Hulhumale, you will meet up lots of Cafes and Restaurants offering different taste of foods. Most of the restaurant will be providing all types of foods and share almost same menu. The café are more famous for drinking coffee and eating snacks.

Water Sports

In Hulhumale’ there are couple of companies which provides water-sports activities. These water sports are really enjoyable to beat the heat and feel energetic.

Diving

 

There are three diving stations in Hulhumale different choice with different prices.

Hiring Boat

Boat is available on full day or half day basis at different prices which are really reasonable. You can either go to a local island visit, snorkeling, picnic island, visiting a resort.

Transportation

There are two mode of transportation in Hulhumale. Public bus transportation which will coast MRF 3.00 and Taxi Transportation which coast MRF 20.00. For your information MRF stands for Maldivian Rufiyaa which is around 3.95 Indian rupees.

Visiting Male’ City

Male’ City is the Capital City of Maldives. To go to the city from Hulhumale you will have to take a ferry which will cost MRF 5.30. The ferry transportation is there from Hulhumale to Male every 15 minutes. It is a 20 minutes ferry journey. Also you can enjoy sight seeing at this period.

In Male’ you can do site visits, because there are lots of historical places, where you will get lots of information about history of Maldives. Places like Islamic Center, Muliaage’, and Museum are present where you will find lots of information and history.

You can contact AntilogVacations for further tour and Travel Information and cheap travel packages. they specialize in providing cheap travel packages.

Utheemu Island, Haa Alif Atoll

Utheemu Ganduvaru is popular as the birthplace of Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu. It is located on the Utheemu Island, one of the inhabited islands of the Haa Alif Atoll Thakurfaanu. His brothers are remembered for having fought a war to evict the Portuguese from Maldives for fifteen years. The Utheemu Ganduvaru is essentially the wooden palace in which Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu grew up and cherished his life over the years. The palace portrays the lives of the affluent beautifully.

This region has a long history. The kings of the Utheemu Dynasty were all descended from this island. Regents from Utheem also ruled the Maldives from 1573 to 1632 AD, but the legal (though unrecognized) kings of the islands during this period were the exiled Christian Kings of the Maldives residing in Goa, India .Haa Alif Atoll, officially Thiladhunmathi Uthuruburi (North Thiladhunmathi) is the northernmost of the 19 administrative atolls of the Maldives.

 

Geographically, this atoll consists of Ihavandhippolhu, the northernmost geographical atoll of the Maldive archipelago, and the northern section of Thiladhunmathi atoll. This was administratively divided into northern and southern divisions in 1958. The atoll's official name, 'North Thiladhunmathi' is in reference to this division. Today, Haa Alif Atoll contains 43 islands, 14 of which are inhabited and classified as 'island-class' constituencies. The third-largest atoll in the Maldives in terms of population and land area is Haa Alif Atoll.

Haa Alif Atoll, also known as Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll, is the northernmost island group in the Maldives. While other parts of the Maldives have grown and developed with resorts over the past two decades, however Haa Alif Atoll opened to international tourism only in 2005. But this is a paradise in disguise because the elusive island resorts are modern and particularly luxurious - even by the generally high standards of resorts throughout the Maldives. The region's lush and green tropical scenery is raw and close to nature, with dozens of uninhabited islands and literally hundreds of secluded white coral-sand beaches that can be reached in a short boat ride and provide a escape from reality.

The largest of the four Haa Alif resorts is the Island Hideaway on Dhonakulhi island, a luxury boutique resort that features the only purpose-built marina in the Maldives. It service berths for visiting yachts gives those on board access to the resort facilities. No less than nine different classes of accommodation are available, from private beachside and garden bungalows, to the resort's two "hideway palaces" with each having five individual villas and swimming pools, set in a private forest garden. The Waldorf Astoria Maldives island resort is smaller, but offers an equally luxurious experience. It includes its Grand Water Pavilion, a two-bedroom water villa built out over the coral lagoon. It features comforts such as spa baths, a state-of-the-art entertainment system, and large wooden sun decks built around a private infinity swimming pool, with an uninterrupted view of the open ocean horizon beyond.

Not to be outdone, the boutique J Resort on Alidhoo island offers its Ganduvaru Suite, inspired by the historic palace of Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu on nearby Utheem Island. It is furnished extravagantly to befit any modern sovereign. The Zitahli Resort and Spa on Funafaru Island is the newest of the four resorts in Haa Alif Atoll, and perhaps the most elegant and secluded. Many of its five-star beach side and water villas also feature private plunge pools. All of the resorts offer extensive facilities for guests, such as health spas, fitness centers, and tennis courts, special dive schools are also present that offer scuba training and guided tours of the best local dive sites.

Only about a dozen islands in Haa Alif Atoll are inhabited, and most of those have just a few sleepy villages - yet this region is one of the more populated parts of the Maldives. As the northernmost atoll in the Maldives, Haa Alif is the closest to India and Sri Lanka. Traditionally fishermen from these islands would sail to the nearby atoll of Minicoy, to trade and make alliances marriages. Now Minicoy is part of India, and such communication between the islands is severely restricted.

Although Maldivian government policy aims to encourage tourists on the resort islands, it may be possible for the resorts to arrange sightseeing trips to some of the local towns and villages. A key sight is the historic 18th Century mosque at Utheem Island. 

Veligandu Island Beach

Velingandu is a charming island fringed with white beaches and features a huge 80m sandbank. It is one of the most economic destination in maldives. It contains rooms that are attractive and stylish, and nearly all of them are over water. The Jacuzzi Beach Villas are nestled among the trees on the beach. The very smart Jacuzzi Water Villas feature outdoor Jacuzzis and semi-open-air bathrooms. They have steps down into the lagoon for easy swimming directly from the sun deck. Guests are generally on full board, although all-inclusive packages are also possible. The main Dhonveli restaurant in velingandu serves up buffets three times a day, while the à la carte Madivaru restaurant is open in the evenings for a quieter and more romantic dinner.

The island is rightly famous for its great beaches and is located on a beautiful lagoon within Rasdhoo. There are a couple of excellent diving sites nearby, with hammerhead shark sightings very common. The Swiss-run Ocean-Pro dive base charges are pretty economic. The edge of the house reef is not very accessible and is not great for snorkeling, so most diving and snorkeling is done by boat at a wide range of nearby sites. All in all this is among the popular and smart midrange resort with superb beaches and comfortable over-water accommodation.

 The traditionally styled Veligandu Island Resort is surrounded by a lagoon with long stretches of white, sandy beach. Here you can enjoy a choice of dining from the buffet style Dhonveli Restaurant to the Madivaru Restaurant offering a menu of fresh grilled seafood and prime beef. The beautiful Jacuzzi Water Villas and spacious Beach Villas uphold a peaceful and exclusive feel, ideal for couples.

From the moment the seaplane takeoff to Veligandu you know that you are in for a treat. And finally the asatonishing moment arrives when you fly over the breathtaking island that is Maldives. The picturesque soft white beach surrounded by a turquoise lagoon defines the tranquility of Veligandu. The house reef is perfect for snorkeling with the most exquisite marine lives that in­habits the centuries old coral formations.

      You can explore the local island life on excursions or watch the playful dolphins on adventurous cruises. Soothe your senses at our unique over-water spa after an exhilarating day. Veligandu is a holiday experience that is memorable and equally magical in every sense.

The island of Veligandu may be pocket-sized, but it packs in everything you need to have the time of your life. There’s a white-sand beach that wraps around the whole island, a big infinity-edge pool, and a soothing over-water spa.

Rooms sit either beside the sand or on stand over the water through a set of posts, and all the luxurious needs are taken care off like espresso machines, iPod docks and rain showers. Private sundecks come as standard, too.

Huge spreads of around-the-world dishes are laid out at the sand-floored buffet restaurant. Not only this, once a week there’s a Maldivian theme evening with local cuisine and waiters in traditional dress. There’s also an à la carte place with a menu that includes freshly netted seafood.

Lastly, there’s a long list of activities that includes things like kayaking, volleyball and sailing. There’s even a dive centre that’ll take you to some of the atoll’s top sites.

The National Museum, Male

National museum in Maldives is one of the main tourist attraction destinations of the country. It is located in the Sultan Park, which was once a part of the Sultan's palace, it is basically a conversion of the old palace building to a museum. The museum has a valuable collection of objects of the past that highlights the history and rich cultural heritage of the country.

The Maldives national museum was opened for public display on the National Day, 1 Rabi-ul Awwal 1372 A.H., (19th November 1952). Rabi-ul Awwal is the third month in the Islamic calendar. A.H refers to ‘anno Hegirae’ or ‘After hijarah’ and is a representation of Islamic calendar to modern years.  It was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister, Ameer Mohamed Amin Didi. The purpose of setting up the museum was to preserve the history of Maldives and to encourage patriotism amongst the people.

The museum houses a number of fabulous objects belonging to the Sultans. It consists of the ornaments and costumes worn by various kings and queens, stone items of the Maldives' pre-Islamic period, paper and cloth manuscripts, arms and armor, photographs of important personalities, anthropological objects and other such items that exhibit the past Maldivian way of life.

The National Museum complex consists of two large buildings separated by Sultan's Park in the old palace grounds across Medhu Ziyaarai Magu (street) inland from the gold-domed Islamic Centre (Grand Friday Mosque). It show casts the opportunity "to examine and reinterpret the culture and whole way of life the Maldivians, before and after converting to Islam".

The Maldives National Museum, built and financed by the Chinese government. It was presented to Maldives on 10 July 2010, was officially opened by President of Maldives, on Independence Day 26 July. It exhibits mainly pieces from the old museum at the nearby Sultan’s Palace, while the other new building across the park features an exhibition of 120 faiykolhu or Maldivian legal deeds and other official documents dating from the 1600s to the 1930s.

It is one of greatest museum complex that includes Male’s best garden park providing lots of space for people to express themselves in various ways. Here people can recreate themselves and can take refuge from the daily hectic life. A place where they can relax, experience a bit of entertainment, and improve their historical and cultural knowledge.

The amazing collection inside the great museum displays ranges from thrones and palanquins used by former sultans to the first printing press used in the country. It also features the rifle used by Mohamed Thakurufaanu in his fight against the Portuguese in the 16th century, ceremonial robes, headgear and umbrellas used by Sultans to statues and other figures dating from 11th century, excavated from former temples.

A variety of artefacts from times past would give an idea of the unique rich culture and history of this island nation. A visit to the museum gives an instant insight to the wealth of history which most visitors never suspect existed. People perspective of the Maldives solely as a of a tourist destination changes at this point.

The old National Museum is housed in the only remaining building of the former Sultan’s Palace, which is now the Sultan’s Park. It is an Edwardian colonial-style building of three storey, fairly low key from the outside compared to the amazing collection inside.

Hukuru Miskiiy, Male

Malé, the capital of the Maldives, is renowned for its beautiful mosques. As Islam is the predominant religion here, the mosques are dotted throughout the city  This tour will enable you to visit some of the most famous landmarks, including Hukuru Miskiiy (Friday Mosque), the oldest mosque in the Maldives, and Grand Friday Mosque, the largest mosque in the Maldives. 

Malé boasts some of the most magnificent architecture in the Maldives. Some of the most beautiful monuments are undoubtedly the mosques, which are of great importance to Maldivians and their Islamic faith.

Our first stop is the historic Hukuru Miskiiy, popularly known as Old Friday Mosque. Built during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I in 1658, this is the oldest mosque in the country. It has served as the main mosque for the Malé population for almost four centuries until Grand Friday Mosque and the Islamic Centre took over this function in 1984. The building is a fine example of meticulous coral stone architecture, detailed lacquer work and intricate woodcarvings. It is a symbolism of the most prolific pieces of Maldivian artistic expression. The interior and exterior walls of the mosque are beautifully carved with Arabic writings and beautiful decorative designs. The exterior is surrounded by a 17th century graveyard with coral stone tombstones of past sultans and nobles, which are constructed with unique designs in mind and are truly unparalleled in the world.

Friday Mosque has great spiritual significance for the local people. Thousands of people gather here every Friday before lunchtime to pray. This majestic monument is a unique piece of Maldivian heritage and a must-see attraction.

We move onwards to Grand Friday Mosque, which is mostly confused with old Friday Mosque above. Officially named Masjid-al Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu-al-A'z'am, this is the largest mosque in the Maldives. Like its name it’s structure is also big and has a spectacular architectural landmark. The mosque’s magnificent golden dome and thin and elegant minaret dominates Malé’s skyline, whilst the interior walls are decorated with beautiful woodcarvings and Arabic calligraphy.

An Islamic Centre is also located here, which serves as a conference hall for official meetings and ceremonies. It has a capacity of holding over five thousand worshipers at a time. There are around 20 different mosques located in Male, but Friday Mosque and Grand Friday Mosque are a honest recommendation to experience the bliss of pure sacredness and divinity.

Manta Point

Undoubtedly the most famous place for scuba diving in North Male Atoll, Maldives is Manta Point on the southeast of the atoll.

It is a sort of Spa for the manta rays, a cleaning station where fishes like wrasses, remoras and other cleaner fishes “pamper” them.

The “cleaning station” is a coral rise starting at 12 meters of depth and has a diameter of a few meters at the top. After this height the coral walls gently slope down till around 30 meters deep. The mantas swim around this region ignoring the cleaner fishes, while the cleaner fishes do their jobs. A “cleaning session” can last over 30 minutes while the mantas are swimming in circles.

The manta ray is one of the biggest attractions for scuba divers visiting the Maldives. The Manta point is considered as one of the “Maldives Big Five”. Scuba diving or snorkeling with manta ray Maldives is truly an exhilarating experience. The Maldives manta ray is the same species of manta as all other manta rays in the world, despite the fact that people used to believe there were various species. Manta rays can reach weights of up to 5,000 pounds and can grow to have a wingspan of 25 feet. The Maldives is one of the best places in the world for manta ray diving. Thousands of scuba divers come to the islands every year as manta ray sittings are assured and guaranteed.

 The mantas gather to have the plankton removed from their grills by smaller fish at one of the many manta ray cleaning station in Maldives. These are the best places to dive with manta rays in Maldives.

The Dhigu Thila cleaning station in the South Male Atoll is one of the best known cleaning stations. At this cleaning station, divers can generally find a good place to rest like the seabed as long as there’s no coral. These places offer a great view for watching the manta rays go through their cleaning ritual while you  relax comfortably.

Divers can enjoy the opportunity of diving with a manta ray in Maldives throughout the year, but the areas frequented by the manta rays vary with the seasons. While little is known about manta ray migration, we know that during the Northeast Monsoon season, manta ray diving Maldives is best on the western side of the atolls, whereas during the Southeast Monsoon season, Maldives manta ray season is better on the eastern side of the atolls.

Lancan Manta Point in the area of Male Atoll is the most famous Manta Point of the Maldives. Mostly all of the diving Centers will offer trips there provided the sea is calm. At Lancan Finolhu you can get lucky with Mantas nearly all year around, but you have to be close to Male. If you are spending your holiday in the Northern islands of North Male Atoll or on the other hand in some southern island of the South Male Atoll, the trips can be seasonal.

Not too long ago scientists decided that there are actually two different types of Manta Bisostris (that’s how our desired animal is known technically). There is the one who lives close to the reefs (maximum width up to 5 meters) and there is the oceanic one (up to 7 meters in width). People do say that there is a chance of seeing both types in the Maldives, but not in Lancan.

There are plenty of options to choose from for diving holiday in Maldives manta ray. Experienced scuba divers can enjoy a live aboard diving holiday with plenty of Maldives manta ray dives, whereas amateurs or beginners are recommended to go manta ray snorkeling Maldives. 

Whatever you choice may be, the Maldives is one of the best places in the world to see these amazing giant manta ray Maldives. This is a experience that you will cherish for your entire life. It gives you the opportunity to learn about the manta ray’s social behaviors and lifestyle. You can refer to AntilogVacations for further information regarding holidays in Maldives.

Banana Reef

The Banana reef gets its name from its natural shape like a banana. This reef stretches from North-East to South over a length of some three hundred meters. Resort islands that surround banana reef include Fullmoon Island, Club Med and Kurumba. This reef has emerged as an ideal diving spot ever since scuba divers began to dive in this part of the North-Male' Atoll, twenty years ago. The banana reef provides a excellent platforms for taking photographs as the fish show absolutely no fear of photographers. However the strong current and the fragile reef makes anchoring the boat quite a task. Tourists are always requested to be careful not to damage the fragile reef when anchoring your boat.

 The first Maldives dives sites to be discovered and to gain international recognition was a long reef curved at the western edge giving it its name, Banana Reef on the south eastern side of the North Male Atoll. It is one of the most popular dive sites with thousands of scuba divers and snorkelers visiting each year. It is primarily known for the quality of its coral coverage supporting a high density of marine life.

While large shoals of reef fish are found everywhere in the reef, the eastern side is known for its enormous school of banner fish, sometimes so dense that a diver’s visibility is affected. This area also attracts morays seen slithering and coiled amongst the coral.

On the western side where the semicircular reef wall drops sharply to 25 metres, the underwater landscape boasts of a large cave (15 metres). It is  inhabited with a host of exotic reef fish such as squirrel fish, soldier fish, grubbers, puffers, groupers, small wrasse, large schools of moon, striped and blue dash fusiliers, sea fans and angel fish among a host of others. In some sections, the fish are regularly fed by divers.

One of the best dive sites of Banana Reef is at the north eastern end where the underwater landscape supports spectacular caves, rock faces, deep gutters and steep overhangs. Divers might come across predators such as sleek barracudas and sharks among giant trevallys, black snappers and lumbering giant wrasses. But is still might be worth because equally spectacular are the coral formations that include some of the best examples of table corals on top to colorful underwater soft corals and sponges below.

Designed with privacy, relaxation and luxury in mind, Naladhu Maldives offers some of the best experiences anyone can have on a tropical island.

It features spacious villas with cool interiors and magnificent views. The well planned and executed menus and myriad dining options are also present to suit every mood. The various options of water sports and rejuvenating spa treatments can often make it hard to pick one. All and all this Maldives hotel provides truly unforgettable memories.

Being one of the best Maldives Island resorts, it offers guests the very best of facilities, amenities and service that makes for a wonderful tropical holiday experience.

Sun Island Resort and Spa

Sun Island is located in the magnificent island of Nalaguraidhoo. It is bound to capture your heart with its exotic tropical flowers and beautiful greenery in the gardens that will mesmerize you and transports you to the purest of stunning blue sapphire lagoons. Located 62 miles from the male’ airport, Nalaguraidhoo is the most breathtaking and picturesque island in South Ari Atoll. Sun Island has always been renowned for its beautiful setting.

Sun Island Resort is a huge resort/island hotel in Maldives. It offers you all the modern comforts, conveniences and facilities that you could never imagine. It is a mature island with dense tropical vegetation and tall coconut palms, that you could lose yourself amongst them. With wide beaches of fine white sands all around the island, there would be no difficulty in finding your own private little secluded cove for the day.

         

The Resort features 5 restaurants including Italian, Thai, 24hour A La Carte Coffee shop / Southern Star Grill. The Main Restaurant features good views of the ocean and surroundings, romantic setting, healthy dishes and good wine lists.

Wide range of sports and recreational facilities are availbale with modern equipment and experienced instructors at the resort. These include floodlight tennis, basketball, volleyball, electronic games, squash, indoor badminton, table tennis etc. Amongst the exciting water-sports activities available are scuba diving, wind surfing, catamaran sailing, and canoeing and the list goes on. A large swimming pool measuring 1800 square meters and children’s pool is set amidst exotic landscaping. It extends right to the edge of the lagoon to satisfy all your swimming needs. Towards the end of the pool is a swim-up bar.

The resort is far from the small island ‘settle back and relax’ concept. It’s big and it’s busy. If you are in a mood for party this is the perfect place for you. Yet, because it is a big island, there are different areas with different feels. The small zone around the water sports centre and beach bar is entirely quiet and laid back and perfect for reading a book (if you are that kind).

This resort comprises of 354 rooms and is among the largest resort in the country by some way. Even after so many rooms, it is a very green island with a full circuit of beach and a long list of activities, so you don't see a lot of your fellow guests except at mealtimes and in the evenings.

                          

Water bungalows account for 72 of the rooms (of which 4 are Presidential Suites). These, as usual, are the premium priced rooms and the interiors are designed to experience ultimate royalty. 

Wood floors and wall panels, a recessed ceiling with cornicing, copper, gold and peach striped textiles, work together to give an aristocratic look. A sizeable sun deck is half stone tiles and half weathered wooden boards, with sun loungers and sun chairs. 

Sun Island is unquestionably a friendly place. The relations between staff and guests are warm and easygoing. The staff is extreme hospital and extremely sensitive to the needs of customers, as they definitely have their reputation to take care. The vibe around the swimming pool and main bar is very good, especially in the evening, as it spills out on to beach side decking.