Satellite aerial
Atoll profile
DhaaluDhaalu Atoll.
A central atoll mixing headline-luxury resorts with macro diving and working jewellery-making villages.
25properties·avg rating
Atoll profile
DhaaluA central atoll mixing headline-luxury resorts with macro diving and working jewellery-making villages.
Destination brief
Dhaalu, administratively Southern Nilandhe Atoll, stretches 23 kilometres east to west and 38 kilometres north to south, roughly 150 to 190 kilometres southwest of Malé. The atoll opened to tourism in 1998 and has since developed a considered mix of local-island character and high-end resort keys: Kudahuvadhoo is the capital and home to the atoll's domestic airport, Rinbudhoo is famous for its gold and silver jewellery craftspeople, and the surrounding waters hold one of the richest concentrations of macro dive sites in the country. Fushi Kandu — the atoll's only marine protected area — is built around five soft-coral-draped thilas rising from 30 to 40 metres and delivers reliable encounters with schooling eagle rays, grey reef sharks and hawksbill turtles.
For macro divers, Macro Spot and the house reefs off the northern resort islands carry leaf fish, nudibranchs, frogfish and pygmy seahorses in unusual density. Dhaalu's resort lineup reflects the atoll's character: Niyama Private Islands anchors the southern end with its twin-island layout and underwater venue Subsix, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli and Baglioni Resort offer more formal luxury, Kandima Maldives takes a large-scale lifestyle approach, and Angsana Velavaru rounds out the list.
Seaplane transfers from Velana run 40 to 50 minutes, or visitors can connect via a domestic flight to Dhaalu Airport. It is an atoll for travellers who want headline-luxury resorts but are unwilling to trade away strong house reefs and genuine local-island neighbours.
Niyama Private Islands operates Subsix — the world's first underwater nightclub, set 500 metres offshore and six metres below the surface. Guests reach it by boat, dance beneath thousands of capiz-shell ceiling elements and look out through floor-to-ceiling glass into the reef; the venue operates as a restaurant by day and a club on selected evenings.
Field notes
Fushi Kandu
Macro Spot
Rinbudhoo Wreck
Velavaru Out Reef
Kudahuvadhoo Corner
Schooling grey reef and white-tip sharks at Fushi Kandu
Leaf fish, nudibranchs and frogfish on macro sites
Hawksbill turtles on house reefs at Niyama and Velavaru
Occasional nurse sharks on the Rinbudhoo Wreck
Accommodation Collection
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Frequently Asked
Dhaalu Atoll sits approximately 150-190 km from Velana International Airport (Malé). The standard transfer is Seaplane (40-50 min) or domestic flight to Dhaalu Airport. Your resort or guesthouse will typically arrange the transfer as part of your booking.
November to April for calm seas and maximum visibility. The northeast monsoon (November to April) delivers the calmest surface conditions for the atoll's signature channel and wreck dives. Currents strengthen during the southwest monsoon (May to October), pulling in more pelagic action at Fushi Kandu at the cost of occasional sea-crossing disruption.
We currently list 25 properties in Dhaalu Atoll on Resortlife. The atoll has roughly 6 resort islands in total, with options ranging from intimate guesthouses on local islands to ultra-luxury overwater resorts.
For travel trade
Contracted net rates, multilingual GROs at Velana, charter-flight coordination and 24/7 partner support.
Notable properties include Niyama Private Islands, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, Kandima Maldives, Baglioni Resort Maldives, Angsana Velavaru. Which resort suits you depends on travel style — honeymoon, family, dive-focused, or budget-conscious — our specialists can match you to the right island.
Key dive sites include Fushi Kandu, Macro Spot, Rinbudhoo Wreck, Velavaru Out Reef. Highlights: Schooling grey reef and white-tip sharks at Fushi Kandu; Leaf fish, nudibranchs and frogfish on macro sites; Hawksbill turtles on house reefs at Niyama and Velavaru. Most resorts operate PADI-certified dive centres with daily boat dives and house-reef snorkelling.
Niyama Private Islands operates Subsix — the world's first underwater nightclub, set 500 metres offshore and six metres below the surface. Guests reach it by boat, dance beneath thousands of capiz-shell ceiling elements and look out through floor-to-ceiling glass into the reef; the venue operates as a restaurant by day and a club on selected evenings.