Addu Atoll, also called Seenu Atoll, sits right at the bottom of the Maldives, about 540 km south of Malé and just below the equator. Unlike most atolls, where each island is a world of its own, several of Addu's inhabited islands are joined by a roughly 14 to 16 km causeway known as the Link Road. That makes it one of the few places in the country where you can see local life by bicycle, scooter or bus rather than by boat. The atoll forms Addu City, one of the country's four cities, with a population of about 35,000 in 2024.
The islands carry an unusual history. The Royal Navy used the lagoon as a secret base from 1941, and in 1957 the airfield passed to the RAF as RAF Gan, a staging post between the Middle East and the Far East. The base closed on 1 April 1976. Much of Gan is now Equator Village resort, built into old military buildings, and the airfield is today's Gan International Airport. A tanker, the British Loyalty, was scuttled in the lagoon in 1946 and is now one of the best-known wreck dives in the country.
The other half of the appeal is quiet green land. Hithadhoo, the largest island, holds the Addu Nature Park, a protected area with the Eydhigali Kilhi wetlands, mangroves and Koattey, where birdwatchers record dozens of species. Maradhoo and Feydhoo are working fishing and residential villages, and Meedhoo has one of the oldest settlement sites in the Maldives.
For an Indian family the practical picture is simple. You fly to Malé, then take a domestic flight of roughly 70 to 90 minutes to Gan, and you base yourself in a resort on Gan or Herathera, or in a locally run guesthouse. Alcohol is restricted to resorts, dress is modest outside them, and vegetarian or Jain meals need arranging in advance. In return you get a calmer, cheaper, more genuinely lived-in Maldives than the postcard resort island, with a pace that suits grandparents as well as divers.
Before you plan
Addu Atoll at a glance
- Best months
- February to March are driest and…February to March are driest and December to April are calmer for the sea. Addu is wet for much of the year, so pack for rain whenever you go.
- Ideal trip length
- 3 to 4 nights covers the Link Road3 to 4 nights covers the Link Road, nature park and one dive or snorkel day. Add a night if you want Meedhoo or a rest day.
- Airport
- Gan International AirportGan International Airport (GAN) on Gan island. Maldivian flies from Malé; SriLankan Airlines serves Colombo. No direct Indian flights verified; most Indians connect via Malé.
- Railway station
- NoneNone. The Maldives has no railway; travel is by air, road on linked islands, and boat.
- Getting around
- Bicycles and scooters on the Link RoadBicycles and scooters on the Link Road, local buses roughly every two hours, taxis and a ferry to Meedhoo. Resort guests can ask for transfers.
- Daily budget
- Guesthouses and local cafes cost far…Guesthouses and local cafes cost far less than resorts, but food is not cheap by Indian standards. Check current rates; dive trips are the big extra.
- Senior comfort
- Flat islands and mostly paved roadsFlat islands and mostly paved roads, but humid heat, few shaded stops and limited specialist medical care. Travel insurance matters; serious cases go to Malé.
- Language
- Dhivehi is officialDhivehi is official; Addu has its own local dialect. English works at hotels, dive centres and guesthouses.
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Addu Atoll: February, March. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Addu Atoll itinerary
One good day
1 day in Addu Atoll
Start on Gan with a slow walk or cycle round the old RAF area near Equator Village, including the Commonwealth war graves and the old cannon and cinema relics. Ride or take a taxi along the Link Road over the Sunset Bridge towards Feydhoo and Maradhoo, stopping for tea at a local cafe. Rest through the hot early afternoon and use the last light for the causeway views.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Addu Atoll
Explore Gan's RAF remains in the morning, then travel along the Link Road to Maradhoo and Feydhoo for a fishing-village feel. Keep the evening free for the Sunset Bridge.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Addu Atoll
Ease in with Gan's RAF heritage and the Link Road. No dives or long excursions on the first day.
Day-by-day plan →
