Every atoll, north to south
The Maldives is 26 natural atolls and 1,192 islands strung along 871 km of ocean — 298 km² of land scattered across roughly 90,000 km² of sea. Administratively it divides into the atolls below, and that is how the country actually works: your transfer, your ferry and your airport are all decided by which one you land in.
HA Haa Alifu The far north. Hanimaadhoo takes the domestic flights and a handful of resorts sit around it. 1Resorts 0Guesthouses 21Hotels HDh Haa Dhaalu Kulhudhuffushi is the north's largest town — a working island, not a resort one. 2Resorts 1Guesthouses 9Hotels Sh Shaviyani Quiet and thinly developed. Most beds here are guesthouses on inhabited islands. 2Resorts 0Guesthouses 8Hotels N Noonu Maafaru's runway takes private jets, which is why several of the priciest resorts landed here. 8Resorts 0Guesthouses 19Hotels R Raa Ifuru opened the atoll up. Good reefs, and a shorter transfer than the numbers suggest. 17Resorts 1Guesthouses 5Hotels B Baa UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Hanifaru Bay manta aggregation, June to November. 16Resorts 1Guesthouses 73Hotels Lh Lhaviyani Naifaru is the capital; the diving around Kuredu draws most of the traffic. 13Resorts 0Guesthouses 3Hotels K North Malé Closest to the airport. Most speedboat transfers land inside 45 minutes. 48Resorts 2Guesthouses 114Hotels K South Malé Maafushi and the guesthouse belt. Public ferry runs most days. 10Resorts 0Guesthouses 83Hotels K Malé City The capital and Hulhumalé. Almost all of the country's city hotels, and no resorts. 0Resorts 7Guesthouses 85Hotels AA Alifu Alifu Rasdhoo and Ukulhas. Small islands, strong currents, reliable diving. 11Resorts 0Guesthouses 152Hotels ADh Alifu Dhaalu Whale sharks along the southern rim. Dhigurah and Dhangethi are the guesthouse anchors. 17Resorts 1Guesthouses 129Hotels V Vaavu Small, quiet, dive-led. Fulidhoo is the one guesthouse island most reach. 5Resorts 1Guesthouses 54Hotels M Meemu Barely developed. Two resorts and a scattering of rooms on inhabited islands. 3Resorts 0Guesthouses 7Hotels F Faafu Nilandhoo carries the history — one of the oldest mosque sites in the country. 1Resorts 0Guesthouses 7Hotels Dh Dhaalu Kudahuvadhoo's airport made the southern half of the atoll reachable. 9Resorts 0Guesthouses 9Hotels Th Thaa Working islands and boatbuilding. Very little resort development. 1Resorts 0Guesthouses 12Hotels L Laamu Linked by causeway across four islands — you can cycle between them. A surf atoll. 2Resorts 0Guesthouses 6Hotels GA Gaafu Alifu Deep south. Long reefs, few visitors, and some of the country's best untouched diving. 6Resorts 1Guesthouses 14Hotels GDh Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo is the southern hub. Guesthouses outnumber resort beds several times over. 2Resorts 0Guesthouses 8Hotels Gn Fuvahmulah One island, one atoll. Tiger sharks year-round, and a freshwater lake in the middle. 0Resorts 0Guesthouses 23Hotels S Addu City The far south. Connected by road across four islands, and its own international airport. 3Resorts 1Guesthouses 16Hotels
Resort, guesthouse and route counts are AtollIndex estimates pending per-atoll verification. National totals come from the Ministry of Tourism & Environment, 30 December 2025.