Places to visit in

Maldives

Cokes Surf Point (commonly called “Cokes”) is one of the Maldives’ iconic reef breaks, known internationally among the surfing community for consistently fast, hollow right-hand waves. Located in the North Malé/Kaafu Atoll area near Thulusdhoo island, it has helped put the Maldives on the global surf map and supports local surf tourism and small guesthouse economies.

Jailbreaks Surf Point is a world-class reef break in the Maldives known for its powerful, hollow left-hand waves that attract experienced surfers from around the globe. The site is valued for its consistent swell exposure, clear tropical waters, and healthy coral reef ecosystem that supports diverse marine life.

Chickens Surf Point is one of the Maldives' internationally recognised reef breaks, located in the Kaafu (North Malé) Atoll near Thulusdhoo. It is significant mainly for its natural surfing quality — a fast, long right-hand reef break that draws experienced surfers worldwide. The site also contributes to local tourism and supports the island surf culture that developed around Thulusdhoo and nearby surf spots.

Sultans (often written Sultan's) is one of the Maldives’ most famous reef breaks. Located in the North Malé Atoll near Thulusdhoo and accessible by surf charter from Malé, it is internationally significant as a high-performance right-hand point/reef wave that helped put the Maldives on the global surf map. The spot is important for both the local surf economy (charters, guesthouses and island businesses) and for showcasing the health and beauty of Maldivian coral reef systems.

HP Reef (Girifushi Thila) is one of the Maldives' most celebrated dive sites, located in North Malé Atoll near Malé. Its natural importance lies in its vibrant coral formations and abundant marine life — a hotspot for biodiversity in the central Maldives. The site acts as an important habitat for reef fish, large pelagics, and shark species, contributing to local eco-tourism and supporting conservation awareness among visitors.

Banana Reef is one of the Maldives' most famous and earliest discovered scuba dive sites, located in North Malé Atoll. It is celebrated for its outstanding marine biodiversity and well-preserved coral formations, making it a natural showcase of Maldivian reef ecosystems and an important site for recreational diving and marine tourism.

Manta Point (Lankanfinolhu) is a natural marine hotspot in the North Malé Atoll, renowned as a cleaning station and feeding area for reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi). Its importance is ecological: it supports seasonal aggregations of mantas that attract divers and snorkelers worldwide, contributing to local eco-tourism and marine conservation awareness.

Maaya Thila is a renowned dive site in the Maldives located in North Ari Atoll. It's celebrated for its marine biodiversity and is considered one of the best night diving locations in the Maldives. While not significant for historical artifacts, it has cultural importance for the Maldivian dive community and tourism economy, contributing to marine conservation awareness and local livelihoods dependent on dive tourism.

Fish Head (Mushimasmingili Thila) is a renowned dive site in the North Ari Atoll of the Maldives, celebrated for its exceptional marine biodiversity and as a hotspot for pelagic encounters. Its significance is primarily natural: the thila (submerged pinnacle) supports vibrant coral growth and attracts large schools of fish, sharks, and manta rays, making it an important location for marine ecology, recreational diving, and underwater photography. The site contributes to local tourism and supports conservation awareness for Maldivian coral reef ecosystems.

Kandooma Thila is one of South Malé Atoll's most celebrated dive sites, valued primarily for its outstanding natural marine biodiversity. As a submerged pinnacle (a "thila"), it attracts large schools of fish and frequent encounters with sharks, turtles and other pelagic species, making it an important site for recreational diving and underwater photography in the Maldives.

Natural importance: Fotteyo Kandu is widely regarded as one of the Maldives' premier channel dive sites. Its natural significance lies in the dramatic reef architecture — deep channels, vertical drop-offs, overhangs and swim‑throughs — that attract large pelagics, resident reef sharks and abundant reef life, making it important for biodiversity and dive tourism in the region.

Miyaru Kandu is a natural channel (kandu) in the Maldives notable primarily for its marine importance rather than built heritage. Channels like Miyaru Kandu connect lagoon systems to the open ocean, creating strong currents and nutrient flows that support rich coral growth and attract large pelagic species. For divers and marine scientists it is valued as a high-energy site with abundant pelagic life and dramatic underwater topography.

Alimatha House Reef (Jetty) is a natural marine site adjacent to Alimatha Island in Vaavu Atoll, Maldives. Its significance is primarily natural: the jetty provides easy access to a healthy house reef that supports diverse coral formations and abundant reef life, making it an important spot for snorkeling and diving education, marine research, and sustainable tourism in the region.

Kuredu Express is associated with Kuredu Island in the Lhaviyani Atoll of the Maldives, a destination valued for its coral atolls, vibrant marine biodiversity and resort-driven tourism. The area is important for conservation of coral reefs and marine species and for showcasing Maldivian island culture through resort hospitality, local cuisine and performing arts.

Rasdhoo Madivaru (commonly called Hammerhead Point) is a world‑class marine site in the Maldives known primarily for its natural importance as a reliable aggregation site for pelagic species—most famously schooling scalloped hammerhead sharks. The site contributes to the Maldives' reputation as a premier destination for big‑pelagic and drift diving and is important for marine biodiversity, supporting healthy coral bommies, cleaning stations and seasonal visitors such as manta rays and whale sharks.

Maldivian Victory Wreck is one of the Maldives' most famous artificial reefs and a landmark dive site. The wreck has become an important underwater habitat, supporting rich coral growth and abundant pelagic and reef life, making it valuable for both recreational diving and marine biodiversity.

The British Loyalty is a World War II–era merchant tanker that sank in the waters of the Maldives and has since become an important artificial reef and popular wreck dive site. Over decades the iron structure has been colonized by corals and sponges and supports abundant marine life, making it valuable for both divers and marine biodiversity. It also serves as a reminder of the wartime maritime history that touched the Indian Ocean.

Kudhimaa Wreck is a valued dive site in the Maldives that functions as an artificial reef, supporting abundant coral growth and a wide variety of marine life. It contributes to local biodiversity and is an important draw for dive tourism, helping support local dive operators and conservation awareness in the region.

Natural and recreational significance: Fesdu Wreck is a valued dive site in the Maldives that has become an artificial reef, supporting coral growth and abundant marine life. As a recreational site it contributes to local dive tourism and to awareness of marine conservation by providing accessible encounters with reef species.

The National Museum of the Maldives, located in Sultan Park in Malé, is the country's primary cultural repository. It preserves and displays artifacts spanning the Maldives' pre-Islamic Buddhist period, the conversion to Islam, and the centuries of sultanate rule up to the modern republic. The collection documents the archipelago's maritime trade links, craftsmanship (especially coral stone carving and lacquer work), royal regalia, and everyday life, making the museum essential for understanding Maldivian history and identity.