Dhaalu Atoll, also known as South Nilandhoo Atoll is 150 kilometres from Male’ and measures 38 kilometres in length and 23 kilometres in width. With about 46 islands in all, eight are inhabited. The atoll was recently opened up for tourism and the two islands designated for the purpose started operations towards the end of 1998. Although diving in the atoll began only recently, it is already known that the atoll offers excellent dive sites. The resorts are located in the northeast corner of the atoll, which many believe has the best potential for diving. Something special about the atoll, which has already been found, is the number of turtles seen during dives anywhere in the atoll. There are two known wrecks near the island of Kudahuvadhoo; the ‘Liffey’, wrecked in 1879 and ‘Utheemu 1’, which ran aground in 1960. By seaplane it is a short 35 minutes from the airport. A more leisurely cruise on a speedboat would get you to the atoll in three hours. The atoll has a small population of 3,500. The capital island of the atoll is Kudahuvadhoo at the southern tip of the atoll. The island of Ribudhoo is the home of the finest jewellers in the country. Legend has it that it all began hundreds of years ago when the Sultan banished his chief jeweller to this island for stealing some of his gold. The fishing village of Meedhoo is the closest to the resort islands, situated almost in between the two just a 15-minute boat ride away. The main occupation of the people of Meedhoo is fishing.
