Seenu (Addu Atoll) Maldives Beach

This is the 'second city' of the Maldives, and the resort here is the best base from which to visit traditional Maldivian island communities. The Addu people are fiercely independent, speak differently from folk in the capital and at one time even tried to secede from the republic.

The biggest influence on Addu's modern history has been the British bases, first established on the island of Gan during WWII, as part of the Indian Ocean defences. In 1956, the British developed a Royal Air Force base as a strategic Cold War outpost. The base had around 600 permanent personnel, with up to 3000 during periods of peak activity. They built a causeway connecting Feydhoo, Maradhoo and Hithadhoo islands, and employed most of the local men. In 1976 the British pulled out, but many of their employees, who spoke good English and had experience working for westerners, were well qualified for jobs in the soon-to-be-booming tourist industry.

Tourist development in Addu itself has been slow to start, but a resort has been established in the old RAF buildings on Gan and there are now reliable connections to the capital in a new Air Maldives jet. The Ocean Reef Resort is not a typical Maldives tropical paradise resort island, but the old military base is a unique feature. Gan is linked by causeways to the adjacent islands, and it's easy and pleasant to get around them by bicycle, giving unmatched opportunities to visit the local villages and see village life.

Things to do during your Addu Atoll vacations

There's plenty of things to do in Addu Atoll on land, on water, above the water and below it. Read on for a listing of the activities you can experience while on our island.

Lying on the beach and relaxing is the most commom way of spending time during vacation. Addu Atoll is a perfect place for it - here you'll find white sandy beaches and warm, crystal clear water of the ocean.

Rent a bike or motorbike and ride from Gan all the way up to Hithadhoo. It is a good way to spend the day and explore Addu since you can see about 75% of the whole atoll by walking or riding a bike

Don't forget to bring you snorkelling gear (mask, fins and snorkel). You don't need a neoprene suit; the water temperature is about 28 degrees Celsius around the year. Nor is it necessary to hire a boat to reach great places to explore the underwater of Addu Atoll.

Go big game fishing: it is an amazing feeling catching a big fish yourself.

Go for a fishing trip with a local fisherman and get to know how the Maldivian fishing style. This is something one cannot explain, it has to be seen with own eyes how they use an empty hook on fishing line and catch 1000-2000 Tunas per day per boat!

Sit back and get some tan with the hot sun more than 9h sunshine a day. Be careful though not burn yourself. (Note: put on sun cream in the morning! Avoid going swimming in the sea just after creaming yourself with sun protection lotion. Some of them are harmful for corals and fish)

Use your photographing skills and get all shorts of it all: the sunrise, sunset, beach sceneries… a.s.o. à Whoop I am home sick!

Find a café on local islands (locally called HOTEL which means not a guesthouse. It rather is a tea café (or TEA HOTEL) and a real taste of Addu with the atoll speciality, the ADDU BONDHI (a special sweet made out of coconut only). Try boiled OLHU ALAH (yam) eaten with dried tuna and mature coconut pieces. Or BABUKEYO (breadfruit) with grated coconut, tuna (dried or fresh) together with a tuna soup.

If you are staying at Gan or any of the connected islands than take a trip to the two inhibited islands Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo (for their interesting historical background and further information about Addu Atoll check out the Meedhoo website

Bring your binoculars and go bird watching all over around the Addu Atoll. There are many different birds some of them endemic. The most famous one is a white tarn (Dhon Dhee Ni) that only exists in the Addu Atoll of the Maldives.

See much more animals such as whales, dolphins, Sharks, Rays and other big fish when you are diving

Wind surfing flat seas and dependable trade winds guarantee ideal conditions for sailing and windsurfing. Winds typically blow at a steady 20 to 25 knots year-round