Atoll profile
SeenuAddu Atoll.
The southernmost atoll, straddling the equator with unique history, culture and reef systems.
- Islands24
- Inhabited6
- Resort islands2
- From MLE540 km
- TransferDomestic flight MLE to GANapprox. 1h 15m
At a glance
The Maldives' only year-round manta cleaning station, plus the British Loyalty — the country's largest dive-able shipwreck..
Best for
Getting here
Character
Ideal stay
Protected status
For non-divers
Pairs well with
Gnaviyani AtollDestination brief
A guide to Addu Atoll.
The southernmost atoll in the Maldives, Addu Atoll (officially Seenu) offers a distinctly different kind of Maldivian experience. Crossed by the equator and shaped like a rough heart around a single sheltered lagoon, the atoll was spared the 1998 global coral-bleaching event that damaged reefs further north, leaving behind some of the most continuously-intact hard coral in the country. Its history is unusual for the Maldives: a secret Royal Navy base, HMS Haitan, operated here during the Second World War and was later rebuilt as RAF Gan in 1957, an infrastructure legacy that became today's Gan International Airport (GAN).
A British-built network of causeways spans roughly 14 kilometres and connects the islands of Gan, Feydhoo, Maradhoo and Hithadhoo end-to-end — the only place in the country where resort guests can cycle or drive between inhabited local islands. Below the surface, Addu is best known for the British Loyalty, a 140-metre oil tanker scuttled in 1946 and now the largest diveable wreck in the Maldives, and for year-round reef manta ray sightings at a cleaning station in Maa Kandu. With Gan International offering direct domestic connections from Velana, Addu delivers a rare combination: resort-island luxury, a living local culture on adjacent inhabited islands, and an equatorial reef system that behaves unlike any other in the country.
Addu is the only part of the Maldives where resort guests can travel between inhabited local islands by road: a 14-kilometre causeway built on British military foundations links Gan, Feydhoo, Maradhoo and Hithadhoo. The atoll also sits astride the equator, and its reefs were one of the very few in the country to escape the 1998 mass coral-bleaching event largely unharmed.
Field notes
What's here.
Dive sites07
- 01
British Loyalty Wreck
- 02
Manta Point
Maa Kandu
- 03
Kuda Kandu
- 04
Maa Kandu
- 05
Gan Kandu
- 06
Villingili Kandu
- 07
Shark Point
Hithadhoo Kandu
Marine life06
- 01
Reef manta rays year-round at Manta Point
- 02
Intact hard coral
unaffected by 1998 bleaching
- 03
Grey reef and whitetip sharks
- 04
Turtles, napoleon wrasse and schooling jacks
- 05
The 140-metre British Loyalty wreck
- 06
Whale sharks on the outer reef
Notable resorts04
- 01
- 02Canareef Resort Maldives
Herathera
- 03
- 04
When to go
Marine-life calendar.
Best visibility
Year-round
Reef manta
Year-round · Maa Kandu / Manta Point, all 12 months
Sharks, turtles, tuna
Year-round
January to April Addu's equatorial position gives it a softer monsoon signature than atolls further north — rainfall is spread more evenly through the year and currents on channel dives are generally gentler. January to April offers the clearest water and warmest temperatures; June to August brings more rain but remains reliably diveable because operators can shelter on the opposite side of the lagoon from the prevailing wind.
Typical windows — encounters vary year to year; not guaranteed.
Dive sites
Where to dive in Addu Atoll.
Wreck · advanced
British Loyalty Wreck
The Maldives' largest wreck — a ~134 m WWII oil tanker torpedoed in 1944, draped in soft coral.
Channel · beginner
Gan Kandu
A versatile kandu — drift the channel, or macro and night dive the sheltered inside.
Channel · advanced
Maa Kandu
Addu's big channel — sharks plus the British Loyalty wreck in one kandu.
Manta point · intermediate
Manta Point (Maa Kandu)
A morning incoming-current cleaning station — reliable reef-manta encounters.
Pelagic wall · advanced
Shark Point
The Shark Hotel — up to ~20 grey reef sharks lounging on the sand.
Channel · beginner
Villingili Kandu
A half-moon coral garden ideal for beginners and night dives, with a pelagic channel alongside.
Curious what you'll meet underwater? Browse the Maldives marine-life guide.
Accommodation Collection
3 Resorts in Addu Atoll.
Canareef Resort Maldives
South Palm Maldives
Equator Village
Frequently Asked
Planning a trip to Addu Atoll.
How do I get to Addu Atoll?
Addu Atoll sits approximately 540 km south of Velana (MLE); local airport is Gan International (GAN) from Velana International Airport (Malé). The standard transfer is Domestic flight MLE to GAN (approx. 1h 15m) + short road transfer via causeway or speedboat to resort island. Your resort or guesthouse will typically arrange the transfer as part of your booking.
What is the best time to visit Addu Atoll?
January to April. Addu's equatorial position gives it a softer monsoon signature than atolls further north — rainfall is spread more evenly through the year and currents on channel dives are generally gentler. January to April offers the clearest water and warmest temperatures; June to August brings more rain but remains reliably diveable because operators can shelter on the opposite side of the lagoon from the prevailing wind.
How many resorts and guesthouses are in Addu Atoll?
We currently list 3 properties in Addu Atoll on Resortlife. The atoll has roughly 2 resort islands in total, with options ranging from intimate guesthouses on local islands to ultra-luxury overwater resorts.
Which are the best resorts in Addu Atoll?
Notable properties include Shangri-La Villingili Resort & Spa, Canareef Resort Maldives (Herathera), South Palm Resort Maldives, Equator Village (Gan). Which resort suits you depends on travel style — honeymoon, family, dive-focused, or budget-conscious — our specialists can match you to the right island.
What is the diving and marine life like in Addu Atoll?
Key dive sites include British Loyalty Wreck, Manta Point (Maa Kandu), Kuda Kandu, Maa Kandu. Highlights: Reef manta rays year-round at Manta Point; Intact hard coral (unaffected by 1998 bleaching); Grey reef and whitetip sharks. Most resorts operate PADI-certified dive centres with daily boat dives and house-reef snorkelling.
What makes Addu Atoll unique compared to other Maldives atolls?
Addu is the only part of the Maldives where resort guests can travel between inhabited local islands by road: a 14-kilometre causeway built on British military foundations links Gan, Feydhoo, Maradhoo and Hithadhoo. The atoll also sits astride the equator, and its reefs were one of the very few in the country to escape the 1998 mass coral-bleaching event largely unharmed.
Keep exploring
More Maldives atolls.
For travel trade
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